The strength of any business or company lies in its employees. Their performance defines the general productivity of the organisation and when there is a problem with one or more employees, it affects the output of the company, directly or indirectly. We Hope to address the Who, How, Why of People Management in the Workplace in this guide.
Why Is Effective Communication Necessary?
According to Lucidcharts, research from The Economist Intelligence Unit, Data reveals that 86% of senior executives, managers, and junior staff at US companies experience communication breakdowns that lead to losses in productivity, missed project deadlines, and sales deals that don’t close.
So When it comes to Proper Management in the Workplace, finding the effective way to identify the different communication styles of your employees makes a huge difference. Understanding this and taking time out to pass out information constructively will not only improve the performance of your team, but would also lead to a spike in sales.
For Us at Tronweb we Try to Implement these Strategies and Effective Communication is one of Tronweb’s Core Operating Principles. Notably, at the beginning of 2021, our CEO (Mr. Godswill Okoyomon) along with the HR Team held a one-on-one conversation with all our Team Leads and to our amazement, we discovered that 65% of the Team mates hammered on the fact that there was always some sort of miscommunication around the team.
This drove us to most importantly listen more carefully and finally create better processes to facilitate proper communication. We are proud to say that the Results in the very short time has been Astonishing.
So What are the Tips and Guides for a Proper People Management in a WorkPlace?
In this article, I will explain to you, the 4 major styles of communication in the workplace, how to identify these for communication styles and how to manage people in the workplace, based on their individual styles.
It is safe to first accept that Managing people is one of the most difficult jobs of a Human Resources Manager. He or She is required to hire, fire, train, motivate, encourage and evaluate the employees. In order to effectively do your job as an HR Manager, you have to possess top-notch communication skills.
Also, as an HR Manager, your communication skills can determine how well you communicate with the employees, how well your message is received, how well you are understood and even how well the information is implemented.
The Reality though is that there is no one particularly perfect style of communicating. We all change our styles depending on the situation we find ourselves but knowing and understanding your dominant communication style and pinpointing the styles of others can effectively improve communication.
These are 4 Major Communication Styles in Workplace Management
1. The Expresser – People with this communication style tend to get excited very easily. The Expresser rely on hunches and feelings and don’t pay attention to details. The Expresser type don’t like to be bored with lengthy explanations and tend to get fidgety if they feel like their time is being wasted with too many facts. They are goal-oriented and their main objective is the bottom-line and what is needed to achieve it. However, the downside of this style of communication is that details tend to get overlooked and this can affect decision-making.
- Pros – They don’t get drowned in the details which means short and straight-to-the-point communication.
- Cons – They tend to overlook details and this could be crucial to decision-making.
- Tips – Be straight-forward with them and avoid straying from the point.
2. The Driver – Driver style communicators like to have their own way and are very decisive. The Driver don’t like to beat around the bush. Instead, they have strong viewpoints which the are not afraid to share with anyone. They frequently express their thoughts and opinions and tend to dominate conversations. They like to take charge in their jobs and also in the way they communicate. Driver-style communicators often issue commands, ask questions rudely and fail to listen to others but they can also be Leaders as they command Respect from those around them.
- Pros – They take the emotions out of communication and this allows for better judgement and more logical thinking.
- Cons – They can come across as cold and detached.
- Tips – Provide as much details as possible when communicating with driver-style communication.
3. The Relater – People with a relater style like positive attention and want to be regarded warmly. They want others to care about them and treat them well. A big motivation for using Relater-style communication is to keep the peace, especially when dealing with conflict. While that is a nice sentiment, it can lead to some problems, usually negatively affecting the communicator themselves. Because they don’t properly voice their own thoughts, they can start to feel anxious, depressed, or resentful towards the words and actions of the person they are speaking with. Because relaters value friendships, a good way to communicate well with them is to create a communication environment where they can feel close to others.
- Pros – They have a more personal approach to communication and this helps build better relationships with other.
- Cons – Not everyone wants to get personal in their communication. They sometimes come across as touchy-feely and can be overly emotional.
- Tips – Try to confine the conversations to just facts.
4. The Analytical – Of all the communication styles, the Analytical version is thought to be the most effective. Analytic communicators express their thoughts in a polite manner that is considerate of other people’s opinions. They respect all values, thoughts, and ideas, and speak in a calm voice while making non-threatening eye contact. People with an analytical communication style will ask a lot of questions and behave methodically. They don’t like to be pressured to make a decision and prefer to be structured. They are easily recognized by the high number of questions they ask. Analytical communication should be used because it values honesty and understanding. These communicators own up to their ideas and listen to those of others as well.
- Pros – They are able to look at all options before moving on. Analytical Communicators are always loved by their team mates because they tend to get stuff done.
- Cons – Spending too much time on planning might slow down project timeline.
- Tips – Try to practice “active” listening—confirm and respond to what they say and ask follow-up questions to show that you understand the plan
Tips On Communicating In The Workplace
- Be Honest – A big part of being a great HR Manager is doing your best to be empathetic and understand the other person’s point of view. The only way to do this is to listen. Keep those ears open and mouth closed when someone is speaking to you. Look out for their body language and always make sure you understand what the other person is saying. Try repeating their words to them to make sure you have a clear understanding of what they are saying to you.
- Agree to Disagree – If you have done everything you can to fully understand someone else’s opinion but you still can’t side with their thoughts, it is perfectly okay to agree to disagree. As long as you do it respectfully. In situations where the other person’s opinions might be harmful to the company and other employees, relay the matter to someone in a higher position.
- Remain Calm – There will be times where someone’s words will make you fired up, angry, or upset. This isn’t a bad thing – you are a human with emotions. However, to be a solid assertive communicator, you can’t let this anger show. Take deep breaths, relax your face, and keep your voice at a normal volume.
- Be Assertive – The different communication styles are always in use. Sometimes people feel shy, afraid, or both, causing them to ineffectively communicate their feelings. When it comes down to communicating, do your best to be assertive. It will send the right message about who you are.