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Informing and Directing

Athenian200

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Informing and directing communication styles how do you spot them in daily life?

AFAIK, informing style tends to point out details and ask questions, while directing style tends to come off as a command or request.

The unfortunate side effect is that those with an informing style tend to phrase commands in such a way that it isn't clear what they expect, and that those with a directing style sometimes come off as more demanding than they actually are.
 

Dark Razor

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I generaly prefer if people talk to me in a directive way if they want me to do something. At least then I know what is expected of me. People who prefer an informing style often phrase something in an ambigious way and apparently think they have made a clear request, while in reality they have just uttered some mushy-gushy background noise.

I remember this led to all kinds of problems with my father who would state something seemingly ambigious and then later be offended and ask me "now why didn't you do X?" and I would answer "well, you didn't tell me to" which would get him even more offended.

Informative type communication is more useful for teaching content / transfering information, if you want someone to take action direction works better.
 

01011010

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Informing is making statements.
Directing is a specific command.
 

Eric B

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INTPs often do both. Our Ne/Ti nexus causes us to present opinion as fact. We wear our intuition on our sleeves. People often find it irritating. I personally try to limit it with varying degrees of success.
INTP's are Informing, but also Structure Focused; which is basically the S/N "mirror" of Directive. For N's, the T is Structure, while P is Informing. For S's, T is Directive, P is Motive focus. (F is informing, J structure). So while Directing and Informing pertain to "Intelligence Type" or "Interaction Style", Structure vs Motive are very similar, but for temperament.

So everybody does both how are people deciding their preference? Counting them?

Which one do I prefer?
That would be Informing, as all FP's are (both Informing and Motive Focused). Likewise, TJ's are both Directive and structure-focused. TP's and FJ's are a mixture.
 

Orangey

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The way I figure out who's directive and informing with people is when we go out. I'll say I'm willing to do this this this and that. Some other person will say I don't care what we do. Another person will say, I'll do this and this, but not that and that. That goes on for a couple rounds and I just figured out who my directives (usually Js) and my informatives (usually Ps) are.

I'm almost always the person who says "I don't care what we do". Is that directing or informing? I ask because it seems like all of the statements you have listed would count as informing.

I always used to hate when my parents (or anyone else) would use the question method (e.g., "do you think that the table should be cleared?", or "would you like to help me finish the dishes?"). To mock them, I would (and to this day) answer "no" right off the bat to call attention to the element of choice implicit in their question/quasi-command.
 

wolfy

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I'm almost always the person who says "I don't care what we do". Is that directing or informing? I ask because it seems like all of the statements you have listed would count as informing.

I always used to hate when my parents (or anyone else) would use the question method (e.g., "do you think that the table should be cleared?", or "would you like to help me finish the dishes?"). To mock them, I would (and to this day) answer "no" right off the bat to call attention to the element of choice implicit in their question/quasi-command.

LOL I used to do that too.
I just keep on reinforcing interdependence to my kids. In short I tell them what to do and why they have to do it.
 

Eric B

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I'm almost always the person who says "I don't care what we do". Is that directing or informing? I ask because it seems like all of the statements you have listed would count as informing.
That would probably fall under "informing", because it's basically "indifference", which is a Phlegmatic characteristic, which would correspond to Behind the Scenes, which is the aspect of the INP's that is Informing. The statement itself may not fir "information", and in fact be a lack of information, but D/Inf is actually more than just speaking in information or direction. Those are just particular manifestations of the factor known as "Agreeableness" (as we are discussing in the FFM thread), and also known as peope-orientation. So Directive types in the Chart the Course or In Charge styles would be more likely to have a preference, as well as Get Things Going, which is informative, but also extraverted and more driven.
I always used to hate when my parents (or anyone else) would use the question method (e.g., "do you think that the table should be cleared?", or "would you like to help me finish the dishes?"). To mock them, I would (and to this day) answer "no" right off the bat to call attention to the element of choice implicit in their question/quasi-command.
I hate when my wife does that, and often try to brush it off. But I sure would rather have that than someone barking it in the form of orders at me.
It's sort of like a "grass is greener on the other side" scenario. Informing communication might seem to have a sneakiness about it, as they are trying to get you to do something without telling you to directly (and they're not always even really necessarily giving you a choice!) But then directing, which is more upfront, just comes across as nasty or at least cutting to me. If we don't want to be bothered, then either way will annoy us.
 

Eileen

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Is "I need help with x" informing or directing?
 

Eric B

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Is "I need help with x" informing or directing?
That's informing. You're giving them information rather than giving them a direction to do something, even though it's implied in the statement.

Everyone does both at times, of course, but some types will have an inclination towards one or the other.
 

Eileen

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I think that overall, I use an informing style, then--if I'm not at work. I hate telling people what to do.
 

iwakar

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A comic scenario of informative versus directive style is this:

My two and a half year old nephew has decided that he does not want to eat his creamed peas any more (Can we blame him?), but rather than waste them (That's unethical!) he will use them to "paint" the kitchen wall to establish his intentions as an abstract expressionist.

Nephew: *flings peas with spoon* *claps* (Clearly, an accomplishment.)
Me: *frown* No, mijo, no-no! Do NOT fling your peas senor.
Nephew: *pauses* *considers me* *eyes me daringly* *slowly lifts hand with spoon* *flings it perpendicularly as he stares me down* *squeals* *gurgles gibberish*
Me: *open-mouthed* Definite no-no! Do NOT fling your peas! You had better stop before Tia takes them away!

My ExTP brother/his father hears the yelling and comes into the kitchen...

Brother: Son! What the hell is this?! What are you doing?! Do you really think Daddy wants to clean all this up?!
Nephew: *stares blankly* *turns away bored and flings more peas*
Brother: D*mnit! Son! What's the matter with you?! That's BAD.
Me: Uh Ry, you're trying to REASON with a toddler. It's not gonna work.
Brother: *sighs exasperated* Son, are you done eating now? Are you gonna give Daddy the spoon?
Nephew: *drops spoon on the floor* *looks at us puzzled* *flings peas with fingers* *stops to pick his nose with a pea-covered finger*
Me: Oh for the love of God Ry, just take the d*mn things away from him!
Brother: Hah, oh yeah. Good idea. *chuckles*
Me: *scowls*

:tongue:
 
Last edited:

The Ü™

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Directing: "Give me that money or I'll rip your fucking balls out!"

Informing: "If I do not get that money, your balls will be mine!"
 

Kyrielle

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So everybody does both how are people deciding their preference? Counting them?

I go by which one I feel most comfortable using. For me, it's directing. I've been told I'm bossy sometimes, but really, I have a hard time with the informing style because I end up fumbling the request and it comes out sounding confused and unsure. To me, directing is just more efficient and it's not meant to be bossy, I just find it faster to say "Hand me that screwdriver" than "I need a screwdriver for this thing" while looking expectantly at someone else (because then I have to wait for the gears to click in their head and process the statement). And it seems that whenever I'm in a leadership position, things tend to run more smoothly if I use a directing style, though I am a huge proponent of giving people as much information as possible about the situation before proceeding with commands (that way my commands make sense and it seems less like I'm throwing my weight around).

I do both, anyways, though. And I will temper directing statements so they sound a little more informing.

Example:

Directing...

"Be quiet!"

when tempered becomes...

"Shhh! It's hard to hear." (you see here there's the command, followed by information)

which when informing is...

"I can't hear what's being said, you're talking too loud."

and informing tempered by directing, but still informing, would be...

"It's hard to hear, please, keep it down." (here you have information, followed by a command)
 

"?"

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INTPs often do both. Our Ne/Ti nexus causes us to present opinion as fact. We wear our intuition on our sleeves. People often find it irritating. I personally try to limit it with varying degrees of success.
That would be interesting to see since both ENTPs and INTPs prefer to inform than direct. However Berens does offer the caveat that due to social expectations men are more apt to direct and women inform. Nevertheless with all being equal, ENTPs may be a bit more directive, but INTPs will not because they also prefer control of information instead of focusing on movement of the group.
 

"?"

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I so don't want a potentially good thread to turn into a bunch of stereotypes.

Directive style communicators typically group in ExxJ or in the In Charge personality quad.
Why are you leaving out the "Chart the Course" group? You also leave out ESTP from the "In Charge" group.
 

"?"

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The booklet gives some examples that may be more subtle than those given:

Informative-We're out of milk.
Directive - Can you pick up some milk please?

I don't have the booklet in front of me, but there are subtle yet tell-tale differences.
 

proteanmix

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Why are you leaving out the "Chart the Course" group? You also leave out ESTP from the "In Charge" group.

Omission because I forgot but also I think EJs tend to be more openly directive than the Chart the Course group.

I still am not getting what people are saying when they say directive. All I see are a bunch of rude demands being called directive.
 

Jack Flak

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"We have a meeting today at 3:00."

"You will come to a meeting today at 3:00."
Heh. I've actually been in supervisory roles before, and I was painfully informative. instead of saying "Do x," I would say something like

"You might have a job tomorrow if you do x soon."
 
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