Self Assessment For Communication Style

Do you ever feel like you're not sure how to communicate with others?

You're not alone! Many people feel this way, which is why we developed this self assessment.

Communication is an essential skill. Everyone has their unique way of connecting with others. Understanding individual communication styles is crucial since they each have their own strengths and weaknesses. By recognizing your own style, you can enhance your interactions with others. In this article, we will explore communication styles, what they entail, and the importance of knowing your own. During your caregiving journey, you will be communicating with your family, health care providers, your care team partner support group.

Communication styles are essentially patterns of behavior and preferences that influence how we express ourselves and receive information. They are influenced by various factors, including personality, culture, context, and mood. Generally, communication styles fall into four main categories: assertive, passive, aggressive, and passive-aggressive. Each type has its own distinct characteristics, advantages, and drawbacks.

Assertive Communicators

Assertive communicators are confident, clear, and respectful. They express their needs and opinions without infringing on the rights of others. Additionally, they actively listen and provide constructive feedback, making them effective in conflict resolution and finding mutually beneficial solutions.

Assertive communication is the most respectful and productive style. Assertive communicators exude confidence while maintaining respect and politeness. They embrace challenges and assert their boundaries without being aggressive or defensive.

An assertive communicator has a remarkable ability to make others feel comfortable. People are naturally drawn to their facilitative skills, as they foster a productive environment for discussions.

Assertive behavior can be identified through:
Engaging gestures
Collaborative and sharing nature
Articulation of ideas and emotions
Confident posture
Clear voice
Friendly eye contact

If you have assertive communicators on your team, make sure to encourage them to share their ideas, involve them in leadership roles, and seek their assistance in dealing with other communication styles like passive, passive-aggressive, and aggressive.

Passive Communicators

On the other hand, passive communicators tend to be timid, vague, and accommodating. They avoid expressing their feelings and needs, often agreeing with others to avoid confrontation. While they listen attentively, they rarely speak up or ask questions. Unfortunately, this communication style can lead to feelings of resentment or frustration that go unaddressed.

Passive communicators are often quiet and don't seek attention. They may appear indifferent during debates, rarely taking a strong stance or asserting themselves. They tend to keep their needs and feelings to themselves, making it challenging to determine when they are uncomfortable or require assistance with important projects.

Identifying a passive communicator can be done by observing the following tendencies:

Difficulty saying no
Poor posture
Easy-going attitude
Lack of eye contact
Soft voice
Apologetic demeanor
Fidgeting

To foster a good working relationship with a passive communicator, consider employing these methods:
Take a direct approach by initiating one-on-one conversations, as private interactions are often more comfortable for passive communicators than group settings.
Ask for their opinions and provide them with ample time to think before responding.
Use broad language and avoid asking "yes" or "no" questions that can be answered with little elaboration. Be patient with long silences, as passive individuals often take their time formulating a response.

If you identify as a passive communicator, it's important to work on enhancing your communication skills. Seek out opportunities where you feel comfortable expressing yourself. If group settings make you uncomfortable, focus on personal meetings. If you prefer writing over speaking, consider communication via email. Over time, you'll discover that openly sharing your thoughts provides opportunities for positive interactions.

Aggressive Communicators

Aggressive communicators tend to be dominant, forceful, and hostile. They impose their views and interests on others, often interrupting, criticizing, or blaming. These individuals selectively listen and give negative feedback, which can result in conflicts and damaged relationships.

On the other hand, aggressive communicators tend to openly express their thoughts and feelings and often dominate conversations, sometimes at the expense of others. They may react without thinking, which can have a negative impact on relationships and reduce workplace productivity. While an aggressive communication style may command respect in certain leadership situations, it can also be intimidating to those who respond better to a calmer approach.

Here are some signs of an aggressive communicator:

Interrupting others while they are speaking
Invading personal space
Displaying an overbearing posture
Using aggressive gestures
Maintaining intense eye contact

When dealing with an aggressive communicator, try utilizing these methods:
Remain calm and assertive, not allowing the aggressive nature to intimidate you. Focus the conversation on taking action to address the issue.
Maintain a professional tone in your conversations and guide the discussion towards a respectful and productive outcome.

Passive Aggressive Communicators

Lastly, passive-aggressive communicators are known for being indirect, sarcastic, and manipulative. They hide their anger or dissatisfaction behind subtle hints, jokes, or complaints. This style of communication involves superficial listening and giving mixed messages. Passive-aggressive communicators can be difficult to understand and trust, frequently causing confusion and resentment.

Passive-aggressive communicators may seem passive on the surface, but beneath their agreeable words lies a hidden agenda driven by more aggressive motivations. Their actions often do not align with their words, as they silently manipulate situations to their advantage. Some employ this approach due to feelings of powerlessness or manipulation, though that is not always the case.

Here are some strategies that passive-aggressive communicators commonly employ:

Muttering
Using sarcasm
Denying their actions
Masking their true emotions with a fake, happy demeanor
Employing the silent treatment

Dealing with a passive-aggressive communicator can be challenging, as they may undermine your efforts even after verbally assuring you.

Consider the following approaches when confronted with a passive-aggressive communicator:

Be precise and explicit in your requests, leaving no room for misinterpretation or confusion.
Confront their negative behavior by addressing it directly, and if needed, involve a manager if initial conversations do not bring about change.
Seek their feedback in one-on-one situations to encourage open and honest communication.

If you recognize passive-aggressive tendencies within yourself, look for opportunities to express your thoughts and needs openly. Strive for clear and sincere lines of communication to ensure you feel heard and proactively address situations.

So, why is it important to know your communication style?

Understanding your style has many benefits for your career development. By recognizing your strengths and weaknesses as a communicator, you can work on improving them. Moreover, adapting your communication style to different situations and audiences will enhance your effectiveness and appropriateness. It is equally important to appreciate the diversity of communication styles in others, respecting their preferences and needs. This will foster constructive communication and understanding.

Now that we have a better understanding of communication styles and their significance, let's explore further!

It's a great way to determine your communication style and learn more about how to effectively interact with the people around you.

Once you know your communication style, you can start using it to your advantage! This assessment will help you understand yourself better so that you can communicate in a way that feels natural for you.

And who knows, maybe you'll even learn something new about yourself in the process.

Action: Take the self assessment now and find out your communication style!