Communicating Effectively

Winning teams know how to communicate. They understand and respect each other’s views and differences. They understand that they all view the world through a different lens and therefore give and receive messages differently. They know how to listen with intent and don’t wait for the opportunity to speak. They look beyond the communication style of the messenger to find the true intention and motive behind the words. And they adapt their communication style to suit their audience.

Effective communication starts with a greater awareness of your values and motives, including your natural strengths and the things that energize/de-energize you or may trigger conflict for you. The next step is to consider how well you understand the others in your team – their values, motives, natural strengths, and the things that energize/de-energize them or may trigger conflict for them. How we communicate with each other is fundamentally connected to our core values. For teams that have taken the SDI 2.0, our platform provides specific and customized communication tips for each team member. But if you or your team have yet to take our assessment, here are some quick tips to improve communication with your team.

COMMUNICATION TIPS

If you’re communicating with a person that values:

Putting others first

Don’t mistake kindness for weakness; they are really trying to help.

Getting things done quickly

Be energetic, direct, and focused on results.

Making sure the right process is followed

Allow plenty of time for consideration. Be comfortable with periods of silence.

Encouraging others to succeed

Show a sense of urgency when others are in need. Quickly do what seems best.

Helping others become self-sufficient

Don’t mistake caution for unwillingness; they want to identify risks so they can give you appropriate warning.

Crafting winning strategies

Be direct, logical, assertive, and objective.

Bringing all team perspectives together

Compare diverse perspectives, and don’t force a decision unless time is of the essence.

Effective communication is not a skill – it’s an attitude.

Assessments, Training, and the SDI Platform

Organizations can use company identity as a means of inclusion, but despite leaders’ best intentions, that’s not enough to give all people a true sense of inclusion at work.

Our offerings help people realize that we all have three primary motives—a criteria for inclusion that sticks. It brings people together around the notion of connecting their motives to their ways of being in the world.