Communication Styles Document - 11-09-07

Communication Worksheet: What’s Your Style? Behavioral Characteristics Rating Form Directions: Example:

Circle one of the numbers to indicate how you rate yourself. Dominant

1

2

3

4

Easy-going

The person decided he was more easy-going than dominant, but, not easy-going enough to rate a 4. 1. Confident 2. Passive 3. Responsive 4. Easy-going 5. Take charge 6. Formal 7. Disciplined 8. Communicate readily 9. Accepting 10. Unorganized 11. Initiate social contact 12. Asks questions 13. Overbearing 14. Reserved 15. Active 16. Relaxed 17. Withholds feelings 18. Relationship oriented 19. Pushy 20. Discriminating 21. Extrovert 22. Warm 23. Subtle 24. Distant 25. State information 26. Quiet

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3

4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4

Reserved Aggressive Self-controlled Dominant Goes along Informal Spontaneous Reserved Challenging Organized Lets others initiate Makes statements Shy Fun-loving Thoughtful Assertive Expresses feelings Task oriented Gentle Impulsive Introvert Cool Direct Close Saves information Talkative

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Behavioral Characteristics Score Sheet To locate yourself on the Dominant/Easy-going scale: Place the ratings from the Behavioral Characteristics Rating Form on the lines following the corresponding question numbers below: 1. 5. 8. 11. 13. 15. 19. 21. 25.

_____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____

2. 4. 9. 12. 16. 23. 26.

Sum Column #1= __________

_____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____

Sum Column #2= ________

Sum #1 + 35 – (Sum #2) = _____ divided by 16 = _____ Place an X on the following scale corresponding to the score above: DOMINANT 1

2

3

EASY-GOING 4

To locate yourself on the Formal/Informal Scale: Place the ratings from the Behavioral Characteristics Rating Form on the lines following the corresponding question numbers below: 6. ______ 7. ______ 14. ______ 17. ______ 20. ______ 24. ______

3. ______ 10. ______ 18. ______ 22. ______

Sum Column #1= __________

Sum Column #2= ________

Sum #1 + 20 – (Sum #2) = _______ divided by 10 = _______ Place an “X” on the following scale corresponding to the score above: FORMAL 1

2

3

INFORMAL 4

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Using the Rating Scale Data: Find your point on the chart shown above by using the numbers from the previous page. Place a point on the Dominant/Easy-going line that represents your value on that scale (1.3 on the example shown above). Place a point on the Formal/Informal line that represents your value on that scale, (3.2 on the example shown above). Then place an “X” on the chart at the place where these points intersect, (see example above).

Informal (people-oriented) 4.0

1.0

1.75

2.0

3.25

4.0

Easy-going (Introvert)

Dominant (Extrovert)

3.25

1.75

1.0 Formal (Task-oriented) Understanding the Scale: Psychologists describe behavior as a function of perception. The feelings, beliefs, conditions, attitudes, and understandings of a person constitute the directing forces of his or her behavior. Because people have complex and overlapping values and beliefs, it is impossible to describe a person as having a specific, unalterable behavior style. However, some opposite behavior patterns can be recognized that operate on a vertical continuum of informal and formal and on a horizontal dimension of dominant and easy-going. The intersection of these opposites forms four quadrants, which represent four broad categories of behavior style: the promoter, supporter, driver, and analyzer. Successful people come from all quadrants on the matrix. Success is not dependent on the style, but on how well you capitalize on the behaviors that come most naturally to you and on how often you take risks and experiment with behaviors from the other styles. For example, you may think of yourself being a talkative, dominant group member. You’ve gotten feedback from others that you have a tendency to “beat a dead horse” in order to make your point. Awareness of the Behavioral Matrix is intended to expand your responsibility. By increasing your awareness of the options that exist, you can improve your leadership or participant behaviors. Thus, at the next meeting, you can monitor your behavior and model it after that of a supporter or an analyzer.

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Stylistic Differences Persons with…

Promoting Style

Needs to learn:

 

Measures progress by:

Driver Style

Supporting Style

Analyzing Style

 Humility

Determination

Applause

Results



Attention

 Activity

Will ask:

Who?

What?



Why?

 How?

Saves:

Effort

Time



Friendships

 Face

Takes endorsements from:

 Social skills-likes to be good at winning people  Some structure within which to reach the goal  Feelingexpects that “winning ways” will carry him or her through Friendly people  New opportunities Attention Social Changing Youthful Optimistic

Friends “they  Getting the job still like me, I must done well and on be doing it right.” time  A position that  Structure for the requires relying on goal and methods cooperation for the task  Personality-hopes  Acceptance-uses to be strong compliments to get enough to “wing approval it”

Needs to be given: Relies on the power of:

Motivated by:

Most effective environment is:

Patience Discipline

Responsibility Authority Achievement

 Trust and security  Need for services  Appeal to loyalty

Competitive Open Challenging Opportunistic

   

Respecting Supporting Reassuring Idealistic

 Spontaneity

Knowledge

 Some methods of dealing with other people  Expertise-gathers more data when in doubt  Logic  Routine  Structure    

Unemotional Factual Scientific Practical

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Source: The material in this packet is adopted from work by Dr. Susan Sayers-Kirsch in 1980

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