Communication can only be effective when we do it in a way that has meaning to the recipient, not to ourselves. Most of us speak because we have something to say without considering how what we’re saying will be interpreted by others. Instead, we should be speaking to be understood.
Unsurprisingly, then, one of the most challenging battles today is centred around communication; it’s the number one cause of conflict at work, at home, and in the world at large! How often have you disagreed with someone about what someone else has said? People ‘hear’ differently because communication is subjective – and that’s because people are different. However, they are predictably different.
How people speak and interact, and what they understand other people to have said
depends largely on their primary personality style.
Therefore, understanding personality styles within a team facilitates communication and enables tasks to be completed more
accurately and in a shorter time frame. The result is a more effective, more productive team and reduced conflict over misunderstandings, ultimately making the atmosphere more harmonious.
As leaders, you set the tone.
People spend most of their waking lives at work, so it’s essential they feel heard and their opinions valued so they feel empowered to deliver their best work. Positive employee engagement is an essential contributor to employee retention. Being aware of personality styles and matching them appropriately can facilitate productivity, increase job satisfaction, and lead to a more rewarding career. That reduces staff turnover
and the costly and time-consuming process of ongoing recruitment.
In a time when employers are keen to retain their staff, ensuring the
team is happy has never been more critical.
Creating the right environment will supercharge your team, becoming a source of vitality and
harmony, and resolve some of the root causes of productivity-related issues.
It all begins with understanding your team.
Without awareness of communication preferences and personality styles, your team has the potential to dissolve into an underperforming, stressed-out group of people who are team in name alone.