Written by Andrea Bruneau

A lot of the interpersonal and operational conflict experienced in the workplace can be traced back to miscommunication. Breakdowns in communication occur not only because someone forgot to send an email. Often, stakeholders actively engage with each other but still miss important cues due to differing values, priorities, and communication styles. A busy, task-driven boss who feels pressure to deliver results under a deadline and on budget can easily come across as blunt or callous to an overextended, empathetic, purpose-driven middle manager.

Those competing priorities, values, and roles within the workplace often cause frustration. Recognizing the value in such diversities and learning how to integrate them collaboratively is the key to maximizing the interpersonal and operational interactions that drive business outcomes.

The Business Case for Adaptability

Collaboration: Successful teams hold a variety of perspectives, which can foster creative problem-solving and new ideas. However, these benefits can only be realized by acknowledging and adapting to different personalities and communication styles to ensure that all voices are heard.
Employee Engagement and Retention: Employees who feel understood and valued are more likely to be engaged, committed to their work, and stay with the company.
Productivity: Miscommunication and competing priorities can lead to errors, missed deadlines, and frustration. Adapting communication styles ensures understanding and alignment of expectations and priorities to minimize misunderstandings and streamline workflows, leading to higher efficiency and productivity.

Personality Types in Action

Imagine a project team composed of various personality types:

Alex, an analytical and introverted data scientist.
Taylor, an extroverted and intuitive marketer.
Jordan, a detail-oriented and conscientious project manager.

In an ineffective scenario, the project manager, Jordan, sends out a highly detailed email outlining every minor task. Alex appreciates the detail but is overwhelmed by the volume of information. Taylor, who prefers big-picture thinking and face-to-face communication, skims the email and misses crucial points. As a result, deadlines are missed, and frustration mounts.

In a considerate and collaborative version of this scenario, Jordan takes the time to understand each team member’s preferences. They:

Schedule a brief meeting to discuss the big-picture goals (tailoring to Taylor’s style).
Provide Alex with a detailed written plan, knowing Alex values thorough information.
Use a project management tool to break down tasks, providing a clear, organized view for all team members.

By adapting their communication style, Jordan ensures that Alex gets the detailed information needed, Taylor stays engaged with the overall vision, and the team works cohesively toward their goals.

Strategies for Effective Communication

Validate the values, needs, and priorities driving your colleagues’ behavior and choices to improve communication and collaboration.

Know Your Team: Invest time in understanding each team member’s personality and communication preferences. Personality assessments can help identify patterns and values, however people tend to put themselves in a box once they figure out their “type”. The best way to connect and understand each other is to simply ask open-ended questions such as:

What are your values when it comes to the work we do?
What is important to you about this?
What situations or actions from others frustrate you?
What would you like me to know about you as a colleague that will improve our working relationship?
Where do you feel we are misaligned?
What outcomes are you looking for?

Flexibility: Be willing to adjust your communication style. For example, use detailed written instructions for those who prefer structure and clarity, and hold interactive brainstorming sessions for those who thrive on dynamic exchanges.
Active Listening: Encourage an environment where active listening is the norm. This involves truly hearing and considering feedback and input from all team members, regardless of their communication style.

Conclusion

Adapting to different personality types and communication styles is not just a soft skill; it’s a strategic business imperative. Organizations that embrace this adaptability will find themselves better equipped to harness the full potential of their diverse workforce, leading to improved collaboration, higher employee satisfaction, and enhanced productivity.

The DMC Workforce Success Team has more than 20 years combined experience and provides sustainable solutions to the complex social issues that affect large, medium or small businesses. Building authentic relationships is at the heart of DMC’s work, developing trust and honesty with employees to get to the root of issues and include them in the design of solutions.