Communication Style
A Natural Leader
When it comes to challenges or competition, you're always striving to be No. 1. In fact, anything less than being the best can make you dissatisfied and upset. You love to be a winner and to associate with winners. You're not afraid to be No. 1 no matter what the personal cost and time involved. With each step, you love to become more productive and to gain more power over other people and outcomes.
What Drives You
You love challenges! In any endeavor that you undertake, whether alone or as a leader of people, you strive to be the best. You'll funnel your energy like a laser beam towards the goals and objectives to be accomplished. You will not be budged from this path. Everyone who knows you realizes this. It's the tenacious bulldog in you.
Time is Money
Your middle name is "Efficiency." No matter what you attempt to do, you're always trying to do it faster and better. If a task can be accomplished in one hour, then you try to do it in 50 minutes, then in 40 minutes, etc.
You are a bottom-line person. The saying, "Time is money," is a theme that drives you and makes you push others. Finishing a task or project on time is a necessity to you. You'll work relentlessly to this end.
Getting Things Done
Others refer to you as a task-master. When you're in a position of authority, you'll drive yourself and others to finish what needs to be done on time or ahead of time. If there's a choice between pleasing others and completing a task, there's no question that you would choose tasks over people. And when you're finished with that task, you quickly move on to the next one.
Sometimes, when the moment is right, you can be sensitive and idealistic. When this happens to you, you seem to relax and listen to people with a third ear. Your communications become empathetic and more open. Once you have a basic understanding of what is going on, you try to solve it practically and continue to move toward your goals and objectives as quickly as possible.
When you have appointments, you're always punctual. Many times you'll arrive ahead of time. That is why tardy people frustrate you so much. You just can't stand tardiness or procrastination. "Let's do it now, not tomorrow!" is a saying that you live by.
Reaching Your Goals
Most of the time you are a doer rather than a deep thinker. It's not that you're not smart, it's that your energy focuses on getting something done rather than just thinking about it. You love having goals and objectives as motivators and guideposts. You like to keep actions practical, predictable and in the present because things may change on-the-fly. If you're in a new situation that's not readily predictable, you're not afraid to learn as you go.
A New Awareness
Every so often you have some awareness that makes you think and feel differently. It's during these times that you like to sit back and take a look at the whole picture. You'll try to tie together loose ends into a practical theory which makes sense. Once you understand this whole, you'll break the strategies down into tactical actions and proceed.
To the Point
You constantly want to reduce things to their lowest common denominator. If it's written on one-page, it can be written in half a page or in a memo. That's why you prefer reading bullets of important points rather than paragraphs. "Give it to me in a nutshell!" is a motto of yours.
You hate beating around the bush. When you communicate, you're direct and to the point. You love being concise and concrete. You can become impatient with people who are not like this.
Sometimes, when the situation demands it, you can be empathetic and personal in your approach to some people. In fact, you can even be patient with vague questions and people who don't quite understand what is being discussed. During times like this, you'll try to figure out how a person is thinking and feeling before sharing some practical or creative options. Just remember, this is not your typical modus operandi.
The Bottom Line
As you have more experiences and confidently mature, you be less impatient with yourself and others. You will remain a driving force and will learn how to keep people on a timely track without creating too much tension and conflict. This doesn't mean that you'll be less demanding; it means that you'll be capable of communicating in mellower terms the "whats" and "whens" of things you need accomplished. And, you'll still be the commander, the mover and shaker of organizations who has a deep and broad authority.
Communication Tips
People who have a predominantly Right-brain Concrete thinking style thrive on interacting with people and being the center of attention. They inspire others with their charm and warm personality. They can read other people very easily and use their intuitive skills to adapt effortlessly to changing situations. They are excellent at exciting and persuading others to follow their suggestions. They often speak without spending too much time thinking about what to say.
When communicating with a Right-brain Concrete person, you are likely to experience the following characteristics:
• You usually don't like to engage in small talk, preferring to get right to the point, but you can handle the interaction in small doses.
• At times, however, you might find their ebullience to be an annoying waste of time and will avoid interacting with them.
• They might at times try to encourage you to open up and confide with them about personal problems or concerns you have. However, you tend to be guarded about personal matters and won't allow them to pry too deeply.
• Even if they don't take logic or factual data into account, they may come up with innovative or imaginative ideas that are worthy of your consideration.
• They may not share your passion for business-like efficiency, but they often have an intuitive sense of what is most suited for you or the company as a course of action.
• They can sometimes seem manipulative in getting their way. However, you won't allow yourself to be swayed in a direction that you know is not right for you.
People who have a predominantly Right-brain Abstract thinking style tend to be visionary thinkers who look at the big picture and try to understand how things relate to each other. They are creative people who consider many options and abstract concepts when absorbing or presenting information and when making decisions. They tend to think before they speak.
When communicating with a Right-brain Abstract person, you are likely to experience the following characteristics:
• You may find their visions lacking the bottom-line perspective that you require, but you might benefit from their knowledge and creative thinking.
• Remember to be patient with their quiet, reflective nature; they may be thinking of other options that are more suitable for you or the company.
• They value creative, inspirational options and can usually provide interesting alternatives that would be worth your while to consider. At times, however, you'll become irritated with their tendency to go off on tangents when you're trying to stay on topic.
• When the need to accomplish something arises, you like to act decisively and quickly. You're likely to become impatient or frustrated with their tendency to procrastinate.
• While you generally don't like to interact with other people, if the issue is of concern to you, you'll be willing to listen as long as they get to the point without excessive rambling.
People who have a predominantly Left-brain Abstract thinking style thrive on careful analysis of all pertinent factors before making any decisions. Their style is naturally systematic and detail-oriented, characterized by the pursuit of logic, predictability and discipline. They may appear distant and aloof at times, as they prefer to listen rather than talk. They tend to stick to the rules and stay within the confines of their orderly world.
When communicating with a Left-brain Abstract person, you are likely to experience the following characteristics:
• While you normally want to get to the bottom line as quickly as possible, it could be beneficial to you to allow them the leeway of summarizing their logical arguments.
• You may not share their passion for logical and systematic analysis, but you respect their precise methodology. You'll most likely agree with their conclusions as long as you don't find any obvious flaws in their facts or hypotheses.
• Like you, they usually don't like to interact verbally or personally with other people. If, however, you invest some energy into communication, you might reap the benefits of their knowledge and unique thought processes.
• In situations where you must collaborate on a project, take advantage of their expertise with the analysis phase before plunging into the execution phase.
• Remember that since they prefer to listen rather than talk, they're absorbing and processing information that they may use to render an opinion. It would benefit you to be open-minded enough to consider a difference of opinion if offered.
• They can be a valuable source of background or historical information that can be used to enhance your own analysis of a situation or problem.
When communicating with another Left-brain Concrete person, you are likely to experience the following characteristics:
• Like you, they are action-oriented and thrive on challenge. As movers of people and organizations, they enforce rules, focus on goals, meet deadlines, and demand immediate action. This is the world you function best in.
• Neither of you likes to be bothered with unnecessary details. As a result, you're likely to keep your interactions as brief and business-like as possible.
• When it comes to solving problems, you both view feelings or abstract concepts as intrusions that distract you from reaching a firm conclusion. This tendency might help you get directly to the bottom line, but you may be overlooking ideas that could be crucial to making a more informed, and practical, decision.
• At times you may feel the need to explore other options. If they are resistant to this, you'll need to judge how far you can push your ideas before they cut you off.
• You're not likely to be offended by their direct talk, even if it seems abrupt, since you understand that they are goal-oriented people who know how to get things done. As long as you agree with them, you'll be gratified by the successful accomplishment of the tasks at hand.
Stresses
Using the Interactor style can create stress for you. Yes, you can use it for short periods of time as a learning or production tool. But, the longer you use it, the more stressed you become. Your energy-focus, which accesses this particular process, may be blocked sometimes. It's as if you have a blind spot in this part of your repertoire. You just don't like to have to use it as a primary tool. The following is what may create stress for you if used for more than short time periods:
• Using personal, interactive dialogue as a primary tool
• Wanting people to always be expressive, personal and humorous
• Enjoying being charismatic and craving the center of attention
• Needing to always be creative, innovative and humorous with others
• Using dynamic and multi-sensory methods (touch, etc.) when relating to others