What Is Your Communication DNA?
What is your Communication DNA? What makes you who you are, makes you respond the way you do? It is your Communication DNA, your foundation communication style. We are all wired uniquely but we have some things in common.
It is critical to understand your Communication DNA because poor communication costs Australian workplaces up to 32% of profit! That is no small change!
If you first understand yourself, you can then begin to understand others. This will allow you to communicate with purpose with intention. Intentional communication is the key to minimising poor communication.
There are 4 broad communication styles, the Powerful and direct Communicator, the Playful and influencing Communicator, the Patient and stabilising Communicator and the Perfectionist and analytical Communicator. Each of you have some of all 4 but you have one or two predominant styles. They make you do what you do.
Whether you prefer action and “getting things done” or “talking and telling stories” or “listening and supporting people” or “thinking deeply and enjoying detail” we are all different. Which is why we struggle to communicate well at times, particularly under stress or pressure.
You see, the unfortunate truth is we subconsciously think that everyone sees the world as we do. Therefore we communicate as we need not intentionally and as our audience needs. We also don’t necessarily realise how we interact with others with some communicators being more outgoing and others naturally more reserved.
It is almost impossible to authentically connect with another human if you do not fully understand yourself and then are able to understand and fully accept them, for all of their wonderful uniqueness.
When you don’t understand someone else and they are quite different from you, the likelihood of poor communication increases drastically. The more frustrated you become the more stressed and emotional the situation becomes, the more likely you will slip into toxic unhealthy communication.
In order for you to communicate well with people who have very different styles and needs to you, you first need to understand you needs and then be able to identify the needs of others. In coming posts we will share the four different styles that make up your Communication DNA, as well as point you to various resources that will help you become the best communicator you can be.
Stay tuned, join the Communication Revolution and by all means please share this with anyone you feel would benefit. Next time we will look in detail at the Powerful Communicator. This may be your dominant communication style, if not you have lived or worked with someone with this style. It’s time to understand them!
Until next time, Care, Connect and be a Conscious Communicator
Let’s change our world for the better, one conversation at a time.