Communication Blog

Personality Theory

Anthropology helps answer the question, “where did our communication styles come from?”

Where Do Communication Styles Come From?

Our research has shown that there are four basic styles of communicating. These styles affect all of our communications with other people.

Why Communication Competency Is More Important Than Ever

Several trends are making communication competency more important today than ever before.

How do you help someone become a skilled, competent communicator?

Consultants are usually hired to help organizations revolutionize their way of doing business. Sometimes the solutions are readily apparent:

Using the GROW Model to Facilitate Conversations

Effective conversations need to be organized so that people can move through them in a logical way. One technique is the GROW model. You can use this tool to manage virtually any kind of conversation. For people familiar with the Socratic inquiry, the GROW model is a way to remember each step along the path. …

Using Straight Talk® to Balance Your “AQ” and “EQ”

I was asked by the CEO of a large health care plan to coach one of his executives, the head of IT. “Mike’s got problems,” he told me. “People feel that he doesn’t listen to them. Some complain that he has stopped communicating with them. I’d like you to see if you can help.” My …

Using Straight Talk® to Balance Your “AQ” and “EQ”

I was asked by the CEO of a large health care plan to coach one of his executives, the head of IT. “Mike’s got problems,” he told me. “People feel that he doesn’t listen to them. Some complain that he has stopped communicating with them. I’d like you to see if you can help.” My …

Communication Styles at Work in Other People

Several years ago, the CEO of an executive recruitment company called me out of the blue. “I’ve heard about how you teach people straight talk,” she said. “I think we could use you. Could you be here next week?” Immediately I knew I was dealing with a Director. She was looking for results — the …

Understanding Organizational Cultures

How can you determine an organization’s style? If it’s a relatively small organization, start with the CEO. Nine times out of ten, their style will dictate the style of the organization. For a larger organization, with say more than 100 employees, the division heads or senior management team will determine the culture. If they tilt toward …

When Ground Rules Aren’t Enough

Even if people follow all the ground rules, it’s difficult to travel the road to productive conversation if certain people in the room feel they can’t trust one another. If that’s the case, what can you do? First, if you’re one of those people, check your feelings with someone you can confide in. Express yourself, …

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