How communication styles can influence workplace culture

There’s more to communication than words. Learning to identify different styles of communication can improve collaboration — and influence your workplace culture for the better.

Everyone knows the feeling. You think you’ve given clear instructions or information to a colleague, but somehow, you’ve got your wires crossed.

Even worse, they seem unhappy with you, although you can’t see what you’ve done to offend them.

Sometimes the problem isn’t what you’re communicating but the way you’re doing it. People have different communication styles. And it might be that yours doesn’t match with your colleague’s.

Identifying communication styles

The first step. Know what type of communicator you’re dealing with. There are several models to describe styles of communication and psychologists identify some key types:

Assertive communicators. This is the type of communication that everyone aspires to. The assertive communicator is calm, respectful, but makes their requirements known clearly and firmly.

Passive communicators. These people tend not to assert themselves and can store up grievances. They might let other people dominate conversations and can be poor at making eye contact.

Aggressive communicators. Aggressive communication can include interrupting, a failure to listen and speaking in a loud voice. Aggressive communicators are dominating which can lead to the impression that they’re leaders. However, this type of communication can descend into abuse.

Passive-aggressive communicators. These people appear to be passive. But under the surface, they’re often angry or discontent. They might show this by being sarcastic or sulking and may attempt to subtly undermine tasks.

It might be difficult to change the way someone interacts. But just recognizing how someone communicates — and being aware of your own style — can help you tailor your approach.

Dealing with different communication styles

Dealing with a passive communicator
To deal with a passive communicator you need to understand they might not be making their true needs and feelings known. For example, they may say something doesn’t matter to them when really it does.

They may also agree to do something when they don’t want to. The best approach to this is to be confident, definite and reassuring.

Dealing with a passive-aggressive communicator
In mild cases of passive aggression, you might be able to diffuse the situation with humor. However, in more serious cases you may need to tackle the problem more directly using formal procedures if necessary.

Dealing with an aggressive communicator
Experts recommend staying calm and professional and getting to the point. But most important is not to return the aggression. You’ll need to enlist the help of your HR team to tackle any abuse or bullying.

Communication platforms like Workplace can help to connect people with different communication styles so they can work together more effectively.

By enabling people to collaborate democratically on a task you can help boost the confidence of passive communicators. Or giving people the discipline of being part of a self-policing task-based group can help temper aggression.

Methods of communication

Creating a workplace culture where people interact effectively also means being smart about communication methods.

For example, younger employees are on the look out for the immediacy of communication they experience in their personal lives at work.

Making sure you have the right tools to bring your Gen Y-ers into the conversation will boost their confidence and help avoid isolation.

More importantly, it will give you the power to connect people across your entire organization — whatever their communication style.

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Originally published at https://www.workplace.com.