Business Communication Styles and Solutions

There are many factors to consider when thinking about communication – the audience, content, tone and place and time. These all begin and end with how individuals express themselves when interacting with others: called your communication style.

Exploring several personality models can provide valuable insight into different communication styles. We will go through how one engages the audience, from your employees to clients, and then explain how different styles may bring different results in your business. 

How to Keep Your Listeners Engaged 

Engagement is more than just another metric to measure the productivity of employees. Employee engagement is a comprehensive organizational approach that motivates employees to actively contribute to its goals and values. Job satisfaction should be as important as attitude and performance. All three components reinforce each other.

Modern engagement is broken down into five key elements: 

• Meaningful Work
• Hands-On Management
• Positive Work Environment
• Growth Opportunities
• Trust in Leadership

Modifying our behavior to meet people where they are helps our message be heard. We have one southern colleague who has trained himself to speak formally, because he generally works for conservative business types. When encountering groups from more casual organizations though, he easily turns to his slower southern approach, setting his audience at ease too. Anticipating a range of needs before the conversation will help you work through alternatives in advance.

Another way to keep people engaged is to tell a story. Instead of stating what someone should do and why, tell a story about someone who took the action and how it helped them. Stories are great for connecting with people.

Counseling Engaged Employees with Emotional Intelligence

Virtually all aspects of HR and management practices impact employee rights. Think hiring, performance appraisals, quality control, references or employment disciplinary actions taken. Providing proper coaching and advice to your supervisors and managers is essential. Understanding employees’ rights and showing respect will go a long way when communicating. No matter how important your message is to you, don’t interrupt someone to deliver it. Get straight to your purpose or request, and find out when and if they are able to address it. Likewise, in meetings, contribute, but don’t dominate and hold up proceedings.

Emotional intelligence (EI) plays a crucial role in shaping and influencing communication styles when talking with employees. EI encompasses the ability to recognize, understand and manage one’s own emotions and the ability to perceive and navigate the emotions of others. In the realm of communication, individuals with high emotional intelligence are better able to establish meaningful connections and foster effective interactions. EI can be learned, making it different from the traditional construct of intelligence (IQ).

Self-awareness is a key aspect of emotional intelligence that influences communication styles. Individuals with an elevated level of self-awareness are attuned to their own emotions and can articulate them effectively. This allows them to express themselves more clearly, avoiding misunderstandings and contributing to open and honest communication. Moreover, individuals with a keen sense of self-awareness are more likely to adapt their communication style to suit the specific needs of a situation or audience.

Empathy also impacts communication. Empathetic individuals understand and share the feelings of others, creating a sense of connection and trust. This ability to tune in to the emotions of others helps communication by helping individuals tailor their messages to the emotional context, ensuring that they resonate with the intended audience.

Interpersonal relationships are built on the foundation of social skills, a component of emotional intelligence. People with strong social skills can navigate complex social situations, build rapport and resolve conflicts. These skills contribute to a communication style that fosters collaboration, cooperation and inclusivity.

How to Develop Communication Skills in Real Time 

Need a reason to develop a comprehensive employee engagement plan? Competitive advantage. Gallup research shows that despite a significant percentage of businesses concerned about engagement and retention, only 30% of U.S. employees are highly engaged. Companies with engaged employees are often ahead of the competition.

We have a variety of courses at Pryor that focus on driving success for both you and your entire organization. From the seminar Spark Innovation and Think Strategically to developing Leadership Skills, there’s a variety of techniques to help find the success you are looking for in order to meet goals, develop personal skills, and work together as a stronger team.