Do you feel that the way you converse can cause undue fights to break out? Have you been struggling with getting your point across in the most efficient way? Then read on below and see how understanding various communication styles could make all the difference in your life! So, Why Is It Important To Understand Communication Styles

Why Is It Important To Understand Communication Styles?

“Communication is key.” How many times have you heard this statement? Ask someone the secret behind their success? If it is a couple celebrating their 40th anniversary together, or a team of entrepreneurs reaping their first profits, it always seems to be communication that keeps anything going.

Sometimes, even with very thorough communication, things just don’t seem to work out. Even with constant updates within a team, why does it feel like every individual is speaking a different language of their own? While there can be a variety of reasons, one thing we often tend to overlook is the importance of communication style.

What Is A Communication Style?

Before we dive into the importance of communication styles, It is necessary to understand them. We must first know what we actually mean by the term. Experts define a communication style as being the way we share information with other people.

One of the most widely used tools to understand communication styles is the DISC theory. According to this concept, there are four major ways we can communicate with other people. People with different personalities adapt to different conversational styles. Not only this, but the same individual can also have different communication styles. Having separate communication styles at home and at work is incredibly common. but are essential in your career and personal life.

Let’s now look at the four conversational styles that exist according to the DISC theory.

1. Dominance

The dominant conversational style is something we see very often in positions of leadership. An individual with this communication style is likely to stay away from small talk or exchanging common pleasantries. What they really want is to get to the facts right at the beginning. They enjoy power and authority and are very adept at exercising control. If you have a team of various persons under you at work, adapting this communication style can get things done.

2. Influence

The second major type of conversation style is Influence. Someone with this communication style has a special knack for making people see things their way. While they are direct, Influence communicators can very well hold animated communications that are an absolute delight to partake in. Individuals with a job in sales or marketing can highly benefit from adapting this conversational style. Their work requires them to motivate and persuade people to behave in a certain way. Many famous public figures also use this conversation style to their advantage. 

3. Steadiness

A good majority of the people prefer employing the Steadiness conversation style over others. These people tend to go with the status quo and avoid conflicts. What they want is for harmony and balance to prevail at all times.

These individuals normally do not consider it important to voice each one of their thoughts. Instead, they are great listeners and enjoy offering practical solutions for people’s problems. You can always count on these people for their unmatched loyalty, and will to help others around them. They form a great support system for anyone as a good friend.

4. Conscientiousness

Finally, we have the Conscientiousness conversational style. Just like the people who follow a steadiness approach in their conversations, these people also like to avoid major conflicts. 

They will never impose a passionate opinion on other people. These people are very practical and like to know their facts before voicing their own ideas. They like to have a significant degree of control over what happens and how it affects them. These people follow a carefully calculated approach in almost all of their communication with other people.

Why Is It Necessary To Understand Your Personal Communication Style?

If you have read the above descriptions, chances are, you can identify what conversation style you predominantly tend to use. You might even be able to tell how a loved one likes to communicate as well. But, what really is the use of making this identification? Why is it necessary to understand the communication style, or the one that a friend or colleague likes?

Here are a few reasons why doing so can help.

It is the first step towards enhancing your communication skills

Many of us recognize that we are not that great at talking to other people. We know that our conversational skills need some work for us to grow to our true potential. But if we fail to understand the way we communicate right now, how can we hope to better ourselves at it?

Knowing and understanding our own preferred conversational styles is the first step towards enhancing our communication skills. When we understand how things work, we can recognize if there is a real problem, or if we are imagining it.

It allows you to build a more meaningful connection with others

It’s the tone of our voice and our communication style, that determine how well we are able to connect with another person. Having the right conversational style allows us to build a meaningful relationship with the other person. Not just exchanging some information.

It helps you make a greater impact on the audience

When we can connect with our audience on a more personal level, We are more likely to leave a strong impression. If you wish to move the audience with your words and leave a lasting impact, understanding, and working on your communication style is a must.

It can help resolve conflicts in your personal and professional life

Do you experience unnecessary conflicts in your life without either party meaning to cause them? A good place to work these out is to reflect on your individual conversational style. Because, the battles we are fighting every day, are nothing but two conflicting conversational styles, that clash with each other. Check more blogs out on women empowerment

Finally

How we interact with other people is often decided subconsciously, it does not mean that we cannot change our conversation styles. If you identify with a different communication style, it could get you further, and help you lead a more fulfilling life. All you really need is to make a few purposeful changes.