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Communication Clips
In this season of life, I think I’m
beginning to get the importance of understanding personality traits. We all
communicate in the style unique to our personal bent; which also affects
what we perceive others to be saying to us. Many times, a conflict occurs
more because of miscommunication than a difference of opinion! What
difference does this make to a speaker or writer? It can make or break a
deal. It can engage or lose your audience. It can…you get the
picture! We use words as tools. When our tools get rusty, then it’s
time to reexamine their use.
Cues, Clues and Miscues
Cues
What hints do you receive that you are connecting with your audience? A
melancholy would be furiously taking down notes, but a phlegmatic my look
lost in space. Is the phlegmatic disinterested? No, but you may think so! A
sanguine might be making wise cracks, but will still be with you. The
choleric doesn’t want all the gory details…”just the
facts, Ma’am, just the facts.”
A good communicator learns to speak all four languages by adding in
elements that will enlist each personality. So give the melancholy some
deep thoughts to come back to later. Give the phlegmatic lots of visuals in
order to keep their attention. Let the sanguine shine with a special job up
front and some recognition. And feed lots of facts to the choleric.
Clues
Webster defines a clue as “something that guides through an intricate
procedure or maze of difficulties.”
Maybe your topic is long-winded by necessity. Use outlines made out of
acronyms, acrostics, alliterations and all kinds of other anomalies to keep
your audience with you. Let the outline be your guide in providing reliable
information to your audience.
Miscues
What happens when something is miscommunicated? People can become angry,
hurt or disengaged. At that point it is better to back-track and clarify
your position. If you are communicating through emails, keep a paper trail
to refer back to. When speaking, you may notice facial expressions or body
language changing. When writing, trust someone to edit your work and sniff
out potential hazards.
Miscommunication happens to all of us, but, with the proper tools, we can
learn to spot a problem early and avoid a head-on collision!
For Further Study
Check out Talking So People Will Listen
by Florence
and Marita Littauer. They write from years of study into the complexities of
personalities and dig deeper into the effect of communicating to them.
[ http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0830735038/wwwsallyfergu-20
]
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Proverbs 25:11
A word aptly spoken
is like apples of gold
in settings of silver.
Read Sally's Blog at:
http://sallyswords.braveblog.com
To Contact Sally:
Sally Ferguson
979 Southwestern Dr
Jamestown NY 14701
sallyswords@alltel.net
(716)488-1254
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