The Problem
Emotional intelligence begins with a better understanding of one’s self, motivations, and personality type along with those of others. For example, the average salesperson, even sales leader, does not realize that 4 basic communication styles exist and how to know their own and the style of those around them. Actually, they were first mentioned in 5th century B.C. by Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine. He observed sanguine, choleric, phlegmatic and melancholy types of personalities.
But not knowing this is understandable. First, not many people have received personality type education. Second, many have just not had practice with communicating needs and negotiating problems in a stable family or face-to-face with their friends. As a result, they have just not learned how to adapt to the way others like to communicate. This includes adapting to the way others feel comfortable discussing products and services with a sales rep when they consider buying something of value to them.
The Impact
People have personality conflicts simply because they do not know their own communication style or that other styles exist. As a result, they cannot get their ideas heard or understood. When they do not adapt themselves to the preferred styles of others, they make people uncomfortable and they decrease their level of social skills and personal influence. In sales, personality conflict lowers production and weakens relationships with peers and customers. At home, it lowers the quality of parenting, sibling and spousal relationships.
The Tool
The Communication Style chart showing the 4 basic personality types teaches people about themselves and about the differences in communication styles of significant people in their lives. This includes customers in business, their leaders and their peer group. Its use increases emotional intelligence in social skills and personal influence. This knowledge and learned rapport-building strategies strengthens relationships at home and business and increases income when applied. People love being around you and doing business with you again and again and again.
The Leadership Skills
As a remarkable sales leader, use a Communications Style chart to help you improve your communication, leadership and coaching strength.
Use it to help yourself and the reps. It will:
- Give you knowledge about your own communication preferences
- Increase your understanding of how others like to communicate
- Help you realize how types of customers like to buy
- Increase your understanding of friends and family members
- Provide strategies for you to make conversations easier with reps, customers and significant people in your life
- Help you coach the reps into a higher level of rapport building
- Help you provide for the personal growth of a person’s communication and relationships beyond the business
(This will make you a more powerful leader and coach.)
Now, let me explain what this Communications Style chart looks like. Think of it as a coaching or a sales tool … A good one, like the Sales or Communication Style Report from the CTS SalesProfile, is shown as a graph of Ego Drive vs Empathy.
Those with high ego drive and low empathy are Dynamos: very task-oriented, get it done, to the point/quick, low listening skills, time efficient, productive hurrier, loves checklists, rushed, powerful action, belligerent under pressure
Low ego drive and low empathy are Thinkers: analytical, detail-focused, perfectionist, fact-oriented, likes order/routine, feature-focused, doesn’t like mistakes, wants expert status, rules/predictability, cautious, works alone, critical under pressure
Low ego drive and high empathy are Diplomats: service-focused, relationships, empathic, participative, teaming, time challenged, compassionate, dislikes chaos, talkative, “laid back”, enjoys people, emotional under pressure
High ego drive and high empathy are Performers: challenges, breaks rules, creative passion, innovative, is an influencer, image conscious, stylish, likes stories, spontaneous, wants to be #1, independent, enthusiastic, emotionally – confronts
Coaching Tips for Your Reps
First, teach them about each personality type and get them to discover their type.
Second, for one week, have each rep complete three of the Communication Style Charts for the following people groups:
Sheet #1: Customers they interact with during the week
Sheet #2: Significant people in their lives and themselves
Sheet #3: Co-workers, leaders and themselves
Each day, the rep will write down the names of the customers they interact with, their communication style, and what they did to adapt to them. In addition, they will complete two more sheets; one with the names of significant people in their lives and the other with co-workers and leaders at the company. For each day’s sales interactions, encourage the reps to discuss some of their customer interactions, adapting behaviors and results. Here’s what will happen. The reps will find this fun and revealing. They will recognize the need to adapt to others to make them comfortable when communicating with them. Their prospects, customers, friends, and family will appreciate this.
By teaching about personality types and how to adapt to them, you will open up a door previously closed to them. You will open up a door that will lead them to a new area for improved communications, sales and customer service results. You will increase their confidence. You will make them better in life and business.
And, along the way you will learn how to adapt to others in a better way as well. It’s a win-win in many directions.