Seven Strategies to Bridge the Communication Style Gap

While at the Northeast Shingo Prize Conference in Springfield, MA at the beginning of October I had the opportunity to meet Meryl Runion. Meryl gave a presentation on powerful communication. She calls herself the Kata Qween of Communication. The key she says is continuous communication improvement. Katas are practices to make that improvement a way of life.

I am happy to share Meryl's strategies on dealing with different communication styles.


Research pertaining to communication style uncovers four different communication styles that are determined by two factors – pace and people-orientation. “Visionaries” are fast-paced, people-oriented communicators. “Achievers” are fast-paced task-oriented communicators. “Reflectives” are slower-paced, task-oriented communicators. “Likeables” are slower-paced, people-oriented communicators. Each style has its own strengths and weaknesses. And like oil and vinegar, they don’t blend perfectly, but they do complement each other.

Communication skill training is never complete without analyzing communication styles and learning how to communicate effectively with different personality tendencies. Here are some dos and don’ts to help you bridge the communication style gap.

1. Ask the question, what’s my communication style?
Take a simple communication test to find out.
Don’t: assume everyone has the same style you do, or that your style is better than others.
Why not? What seems normal to you may seem picky, illogical or undecipherable to someone else.
Do: Know thyself. Get conscious of your own communication style, communication strengths, and communication flaws.
Why? The better you understand how you communicate, the more likely you will be to adapt to different communication styles.

2. Invite important people in your life to take the communication style quiz
Once you understand your own style, enlist the interest of others.
Don’t: imply they need to take the test remedially.
Why not? Any implication there is something wrong with their style will create resistance.
Do: let them know you’d like for them to take the test so you can better understand how they communicate.
Why? It presents a benefit to them that is likely to interest them.
PowerPhrase / What to say: “I’m studying communication styles because I’d like to improve my communication skills. Would you take a quiz communication style quiz to help me understand how you communicate?” 
Poison Phrase / What not to say: "You need to take this test."

3. Initiate a conversation about conversations with people of other communication styles.
Don’t: continue a conversation that isn’t working when you need a conversation about how you communicate.
Why not? If you are speaking different languages, speaking longer or louder won’t help.
Do: take a step back and discuss how you can bridge the communication barrier.
Why? It’s like rebooting your computer. It gives you a fresh start.
PowerPhrase / What to say: “We seem to be speaking different languages. I’d like to discuss our communication styles and find ways for us to adapt to each other’s style.”
Poison Phrase / What not to say: "You’re not making sense."

Tips for communicating with each of the four different communication styles

4. When you talk to a “Visionary”, make it fun.
Don’t: overload Visionaries with details and don’t expect them to meet your standards for detail.
Why not? Their eyes glaze over from details and you lose them. You set them…and yourself…up for failure when you expect them to embrace a high level of detail.
Do: provide details on a need-to-know basis, and let them know why they need to know it.
Why? Since they don’t love details for detail’s sake, they need to understand how the details fit into their big picture in order to tolerate them.
PowerPhrase / What to say: “Here’s what you need to know to make this happen.”
Poison Phrase / What not to say: "I’m telling you everything because if it isn’t perfect it isn’t right." (Now there’s a formula for overload!)

5. When you talk to an “Achiever”, make it fast.
Don’t: share information they don’t need or initiate a personal discussion in a business conversation.
Why not? They have little patience for anything off purpose.
Do: provide information on a need-to-know basis.
Why? That’s all they want to hear.
PowerPhrase / What to say: “I have two points to make and I need three minutes of your time. Number one…”
Poison Phrase / What not to say: "Hi! Let me tell you about my weekend!"

6. When you talk to a “Reflective”, make it logical and accurate.
Don’t: approximate or go off on tangents.
Why not? In a Reflective’s world, if it’s not exact, it’s not right. Reflectives expect conversations to go from A to B to C to D and are not good at following tangents.
Do: be as logical, detailed and systematic as you can. When you estimate, let them know it’s an estimate. Before going on a tangent or changing the subject, warn your listener.
Why? When you let them know you are estimating, they won’t assume exactness. When you warn them of a tangent, they know to shift gears and are better able to follow your track.
PowerPhrase / What to say: “I estimate I’ll be there at 2:00. It could be fifteen minutes either side of 2:00.” or, “This point is off topic…”
Poison Phrase / What not to say: " I’ll be there at 2:00." (When you are actually estimating.)

7. When you talk to a “Likeable”, make it personal.
Don’t: just relay facts.
Why not? Likeables will think something is wrong.
Do: add small-talk, even if it’s only a few words.
Why? Even a few personal words inspire and motivate Likeables.
PowerPhrase / What to say: “I missed you at the meeting. Here’s what you need to know.”
Poison Phrase / What not to say: "Here’s what you missed at the meeting."

Analyzing communication styles and learning how to interact with different communication styles is a vital part of communication skill training. Follow the tips in this article and you’ll be bridging the communication gap in no time.


About the author:

Meryl Runion and Speak Strong (SpeakStrong) provides Power Phrases (PowerPhrases) and other tools to help you improve communication skills at work and at home. You can read more about her at www.speakstrong.com.

Meryl is the author of six books on communication that have sold over a quarter million copies worldwide, including Speak Strong, PowerPhrases!, How to Use PowerPhrases,Perfect Phrases for Managers and Supervisors, and How to Say It: Performance Reviews. You can reach her at 719-684-2633, or by email: E-mail Meryl.

You can also follow Meryl on Twitter: http://twitter.com/merylrunion.

Does Your Company Measure Up? Using Metrics to Improve Performance Webinar Replayed

It is hard to talk about making improvements without the conversation, at some point, turning to metrics. Used right, measuring processes in an organization can propel it forward. Used wrong, measurements can be disruptive and wasteful, and can crush morale.

In this presentation from Tim McMahon and Jeff Hajek’s webinar series, you will learn some of the measurement secrets we have picked up over the years. We’ll give you some practical tips that can help you use metrics to get more out of your organization, all while improving job satisfaction for the team.



An extended version (38 slides) of the PowerPoint presentation used in this video is available for purchase at the Velaction Store.

Lean Quote: Praise the Behavior Not the Person

On Fridays I will post a Lean related Quote. Throughout our lifetimes many people touch our lives and leave us with words of wisdom. These can both be a source of new learning and also a point to pause and reflect upon lessons we have learned. Within Lean active learning is an important aspect on this journey because without learning we can not improve.

"Only praise behavior that you want to be repeated. Never use false praise." — Coach Dean Smith

All of us like to receive a pat on the back every once in a while for our efforts because it feels good and it lets us know that our efforts are being appreciated. In many places, however, the trend is to find fault and lay blame on our negative characteristics rather than our positive ones. This can lead to underlying resentment, bitterness, and low morale.

Feedback is not about insulting someone's behavior; it's about telling him or her how to be better. For example, you would never say to a child, "You are a mistake." Instead you would say, "You made a mistake."

Do your best to avoid hurting anyone's feelings. Use a softened start-up followed by a gentle suggestion. For example you could say, "I really like the way to talk to your supervisor, you would get a better response from your team members if you spoke to them in the same way.

Identify the negative behavior, explain how it hurts the company, and provide a concrete description of your desired behavior. Make your praise specific to the behavior. Avoid making any generalities about the praise you are giving. Before you praise someone, isolate the behavior that you are praising them for and praise that behavior along with the person. This will make the praise much more valuable to them and it will reinforce that specific behavior.

Learning how to give feedback and criticism in a way that the person you are talking to will take it in and learn from it may be a leader’s greatest tool for building an effective team. As leaders, it is important to let people know the things that they do right and encourage them to repeat behaviors that produce good results.


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Daily Lean Tips Edition #21

For my Facebook fans you already know about this great feature. But for those of you that are not connected to A Lean Journey on Facebook or Twitter I post daily a feature I call Lean Tips.  It is meant to be advice, things I learned from experience, and some knowledge tidbits about Lean to help you along your journey.  Another great reason to like A Lean Journey on Facebook.

Click this link for A Lean Journey's Facebook Page Notes Feed.

Here is the next addition of tips from the Facebook page:

Lean Tip #301 – An invaluable way of collecting data is through impartial process observation.

Although every improvement project has its own unique data, it is useful to know of some metrics that can be utilized in your observations to quantify results. You will want to measure these things early in a project and then again once improvements have been made to determine the impact. If the process being measured requires a lot of time and work, try measuring a sample first.

Lean Tip #302 – When observing the process it is critical in identifying waste with respect to time, material, and information flow.

In data collection, impartial observations of how the process is currently running are critical in identifying waste with respect to time, materials, etc. You can observe a lot by simply watching, although in some environments it may be difficult to observe the work itself. This is because there are so many work products that are virtual, for example, emails, phone, computer inputs and reports. In these cases, process observation is often implemented on a one-on-one basis with volunteers and trained observers.

Lean Tip #303 – Start a library in your company to support learning.

A library will take a little budget, but books aren’t that expensive. By starting a library, you can fill it with books that have influenced you. When your people read these books, they are learning what influenced you and what you think is important in the business.

Lean Tip #304 – Set-up a mentoring program in your organization

Find a select group of forward-looking leaders in the organization and ask them to volunteer to be mentors. Then find some of your high-potential employees or “at-risk” employees and ask them if they would participate in a mentoring program, if you could help them find the right mentor. Start informally and track successes. Share those successes and grow the program slowly. The trick is not to get overwhelmed with a big initiative. Get some small wins to gain traction.

Lean Tip #305 - Learning by doing promotes critical thinking.

Critical thinking is an important life skill. Reading and taking other people's word for things doesn't add much richness to our own life experience and in fact much of what we read or are told is simply not true in certain circumstances. Doing things and experimenting allows you to question the status quo, discover new things, new methods but most importantly critical thinking increases your odds of not clinging to a false belief.

Lean Tip #306 – When making a change answer “What is in it for me?”

When making change the pitch for the business is likely centered on increasing productivity/efficiency, increasing profit and saving money. Those affected by change want a more basic understanding of the change than that. Answer the, “What’s in it for me?” question and you will never have to sell the change.

Lean Tip #307 – If you want to convince management on continuous improvement don’t sell the methodology, sell the results.

People are not interested in increasing the complexity of their processes. However, at a management level, people are interested in less returned product, better throughput from the same resources, and stronger margins from increased efficiency. Talking in terms of the results which managers are accountable for will help them make change a priority.

Lean Tip #308 – Look to eliminate downtime in your process.

For example if there is a time during each shift where your machines have to go down for maintenance see if you can have your employees do something else to improve production. For example have them clean up the work area. This will help make sure that everything is organized and where it needs to be so people won't waste time looking for certain tools which in return will help your productivity time.

Lean Tip #309 – Make your employees feel appreciated.

Employees need to feel appreciated and part of the company to make them want to do their job the best they can. If you keep your employees happy you will usually have more loyal and productive employees than if they feel like they are just a number that can be replaced.

Lean Tip #310 - Know what you are looking for and know how to improve it.

If you do not know where to start when it comes to implementing lean manufacturing you might want to think about asking for help. Lean manufacturing consultants can help you design a different system the will help your company be more organized. Being more organized will help your company run smoother and be able to make the little changes here and there.

Lean Tip #311 - Capture your processes with Value Stream Mapping.

Value stream mapping is a process mapping tool that can be used to evaluate and understand the flow of information and materials within your organization. It’s equally suited to manufacturing and service organizations and through its use of data can provide an accurate picture of the state of your business, showing you the good and the bad – an ideal start point for any lean program.

Lean Tip #312 - Reduce the 7 Wastes To Streamline Your Business.

The seven wastes are a concept of categorizing business inefficiencies. They are Defects, Over-production, Waiting, Transportation, Inventory, Motion, and Excess Processing. By analyzing your business processes and targeting reduction within each category of waste, efficiency gains can be achieved and your business streamlined.

Lean Tip #313 - Utilize Poka Yoke to eradicate errors.

Eradicating errors is crucial to any business. Errors cost money and impact customer satisfaction. By introducing simple measures to trap and stop errors organizations can not only save costs but also become more efficient. Poka Yoke is the concept of error proofing through using visual aids – and what’s more its quick and easy to implement.

Lean Tip #314 – Everything in the workplace has its place.

With the premise that everything in the workplace has its place – 5S is a business tool that aims to install and maintain a clean and standardized workplace, ensuring that only when things are required are they bought into the work area. By improving the workspace the business lays a foundation for future improvement programs.

Lean Tip #315 - Implement a Pull System to Reduce WIP.

Pull systems such as Kanbans help reduce the number of items in work in progress. The various stages of the production process aim to pull resources along the production line so for example as inventory is consumed just enough inventory is replaced to meet the task in hand. Pull systems also aim to eliminate variation in lead times and batch sizes.

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Lean Leadership: Lessons from Abe Lincoln

Jerry Bussell, chairman of the Board of Governors of the Shingo Prize for Operational Excellence, gave a great presentation at the Northeast Shingo Prize Conference on Lean Leadership. Jerry a former vice president of a Fortune 200 company has done extensive research on leadership and is sought after for his insights.

Are you looking for a Lean leadership role model for your organization? Consider Abraham Lincoln, the person that Jerry Bussell turned to for advice as he transformed Medtronic's manufacturing operation into a nationally recognized model of lean manufacturing. President Abraham Lincoln is considered by many to be a noble and great leader who shaped American history. He is not often looked to as an example of how to, however, be an effective plant manager or corporate executive.

Here are 10 leadership principles starting with P that Abe Lincoln exhibited that set an example for type of leader that managers and executives should exemplify: 

1. Purpose – Answer the question “Why I am doing this?” Without purpose there is not direction.
2. Probity – Demonstrate complete honesty if you want integrity. This is how leaders get people to follow them.
3. People – This is the “Respect for People” element. Listen and show we care. The say Lincoln would go beyond just hearing your pain and actually absorb your pain for you.
4. Preparation – Proper planning saves time. Never stop learning and improving.
5. Persuasion – Show them how through doing. The use of stories to illustrate your point makes it more personal and memorable.
6. Persistence – Never give up; keep going, especially when the road is not so clear.
7. Process Thinking – Put a process in place. It is through this we can improve our current state.
8. Problem Solving – PDCA, objectively study, build strong problem solving skills, and engage everyone everyday in the process.
9. Performance – Don’t focus on the results, focus on the process and the results will come.
10. Possibilities – Take the impossible and make it possible. There is no limit to the possibilities if we open our mind.

In my experience people don’t like to be told what to do. Lead them by asking the right questions. Challenge their thinking and develop them to constantly improve. Lean is a powerful way of thinking. Jerry Bussell believes it is this thinking that can truly change the world. Like Abraham Lincoln be the role model for leadership in your organization by practicing these qualities.

Career Change is Hard

After over 13 years of work at a fiber optic manufacturing company I am making a change.  Today, I start a new role in quality for an innovative technology company. I guess you could say my enthusiasm for continuous learning and my desire to make a difference go the best of me.  It was finally time to make a change and try something different.

Like the change I talk about on this site all the time career change can be fraught with both enjoyable excitement and nervous anxiety. Even if we are fearful, we crave change: the opportunity to try something new, to build on what we know, to stretch our professional muscles.

Change causes stress and stress drives everything from a species to a company to an individual to make adaptive and evolutionary change.  So why is change so hard for us?

Well,
Change calls for adjustments.
Change can create an environment of insecurity.
We're set in our ways.
A feeling of being unprepared.

Yet change is the only real constant in life. Change is part of everyday living. It should be expected and anticipated. Change just for the sake of change is not good. However, change in the right direction can produce tremendous success! John Wooden said, “Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be.”

This new career development will result in some changes around here.  Most things that everyone enjoys will remain.  I will continue the Friday Lean Quote, the Monthly Round-up, the Daily Lean Tips, and the Weekly Lean Photo.  What will changes is some of the content and the frequency.  I tend to write about my experiences along my journey so as my experiences change in this new role so will the content.  It will likely include some more quality elements in the Lean Thinking toolkit.  I really enjoy sharing with all of you but as you can imagine it takes a considerable amount of time.  I have posting 4-5 times a week and with this change will be targeting 2-3 posts per week.

Change is hard but not impossible and in this case necessary. I am sure you will still find the same value you have come to enjoy here on A Lean Journey Blog.


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Lean Quote: Legendary Advice From a True Visionary

On Fridays I will post a Lean related Quote. Throughout our lifetimes many people touch our lives and leave us with words of wisdom. These can both be a source of new learning and also a point to pause and reflect upon lessons we have learned. Within Lean active learning is an important aspect on this journey because without learning we can not improve.

"Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones that do." — Steve Jobs

‎The world has lost a great man. Steve Jobs opened the doors of innovation in a technology world that deeply needed it at the time. His views on the internet, business and life in general truly inspired millions of young people worldwide. To pay tribute to this visionary man, I wanted to share some of my favorite quotes...

On Contribution: "Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn't matter to me … Going to bed at night saying you've done something wonderful … that's what matters to me." - Wall Street Journal 1993

On Instinct: "You have to trust in something – your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life." - Stanford commencement speech 2005

On Simplicity: "That's been one of my mantras: focus and simplicity. Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it's worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains." - Business Week 1998

On Saying ‘No’: “It comes from saying no to 1,000 things to make sure we don’t get on the wrong track or try to do too much. We’re always thinking about new markets we could enter, but it’s only by saying no that you can concentrate on the things that are really important.” - Business Week 2004

On Courage: “Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones that do” - Apple poster 2001

On Innovation: “Sometimes when you innovate, you make mistakes. It is best to admit them quickly, and get on with improving your other innovations.”

On People: ”My job is not to be easy on people. My job is to take these great people we have and to push them and make them even better.” - Fortune 2008

On Life: “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” - Speech at Stanford University 2005

On Death: “Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure — these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose.” - Speech at Stanford University 2005

Many don't realize but Steve touched all our lives. He inspired so many to be so great. His legacy will be forever etched in the technology world but his legacy to me will be that he lived his life doing the things that were important to him. 

What will you remember most about Steve Jobs?


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