| | To: vocalist
Date sent: Mon, 6 Dec 1999 11:15:21 -0500
Subject: OFF: Communication
Send reply to: VOCALIST <vocalist>
Dear Friends,
You may or may not have noticed my absence from the list for a substantial
length of time. I'm not mad at anyone, I've just been very busy both at my day
job and my several part-time jobs. Don't know about you folks but activities
just seem to become increasingly frenetic toward the close of the year. I was
even too busy to do the bass solos for the annual Messiah sing along I've been a
part of for the last seven years having two other conflicting gigs on the same
day.
My day job, for the premium corporate aircraft manufacturer of the world,
recently afforded me an opportunity to attend some interesting training. One of
the courses was entitled COMMUNICATIONS FOR MANAGERS. It was a real eye opener.
It covered different personality types and how they communicate. Evidently,
there are four types that we all exhibit in varying degrees, usually two of
which that are stronger and two that are weaker. I learned that conflicts in
communication are the result of conflicting communications styles. People's
communications styles use a combination of Dominance, Influence, Steadiness and
Conscientiousness.
Those in whom Dominance is strong tend to:
Want immediate results
Cause action
Accept challenges
Make quick decisions
Question the status quo
Take authority
Manage trouble
Solve problems
Those in whom Influence is strong tend to:
Contact people
Enjoy making favorable impressions
Verbalize articulately
Create a motivational environment
Generate enthusiasm
Entertain people
View people and situations optimistically
Participate in groups
Those in whom Steadiness is strong tend to:
Perform in a consistent, predictable manner
Demonstrate patience
Develop specialized skills
Desire to help others
Show loyalty
Be good listeners
Calm excited people
Create a stable, harmonious work environment
Those in whom Conscientiousness is strong tend to:
Pay attention ot key directives and standards
Concentrate on key details
Think analytically, weighing pros and cons
Be diplomatic with people
Use subtle or indirect approaches to conflict
Check for accuracy
Analyze parformance critically
Use a systematic approach to situations or activities
The interesting thing was that there was no "good" and "bad", there was just
"different". We are each, after all, are the result of our genetics and
circumstances, most of which we can do little about and each of which are
unique. Classic patterns in communications styles are easy to spot when you
know what to look for. Though it is possible to change to some degree, the
patterns remain basically the same for each of us throughout our lives.
Vocalist, our conflicting styles for communicating and how often we
misinterpretted others' intentions was the first thing that popped into my head
as I listened to the instructor (a PHD in communications BTW).
Because there are different communications styles, there naturally will be
conflicts in communication when opposites meet. In a group as diverse and large
as Vocalist, conflict is inevitable, but I must say, it is handled with supreme
civility - usually. Occasionally a rude, unrepentant and incorrigible individual
may appear, but the fact is, they really can't help being like that if they are
being honest. It's best to simply ignore them.
BTW, when I did my chart, one of the traits was almost maximum intensity,
another fairly strong, one low- normal intensity and one very low. On a scale of
1 to 10 for each characteristic, with 5 being neutral, can you guess? You may be
able to tell from my writing.
Oh, and as an interesting aside, over 80% of written communication is
misinterpretted because of the lack of visual and audio cues, the worst being
typed communication.
Warmest regards,
Les
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