Monday, January 09, 2006

What did I say?

Have you ever had a conversation with an employee and wonder, "What just happened?" What started like a routine conversation, checking in or comparing notes, turned into a completely different situation. Who knows, maybe they woke up on the wrong side of the bed? Or maybe they fell out of bed? But it could be that you are not communicating in a way that they understand.

We talk about different reference filters in our training and this is where a lot of miscommunication happens. For example, if you are talking to a Visual and you are using Auditory language and techniques, they might not get it. So what do you do? First try to find out what their style is and what your style is? Then once you have determined the styles, learn how to communicate to their filter. If they are visual, use handouts and visuals as well as words.

Our clients love the assessments we have that help them determine the various styles their employees have and what is the best way to manage them using those styles. Good luck and happy communicating.