Communication Skills NM School Health Assistants Janie Lee Hall, School Health Advocate, NW Region Office of School & Adolescent Health Public Health Division, NMDOH

Personal Communication Styles Take a few minutes to complete the personal communication styles assessment tool. When done, count the number of checkmarks for each statement with the letters D, I, S, and C. When everyone in done, the facilitator will check in and provide further instructions.

Personal Communication Style Characteristics Dominance (Control) Walks and talks fast Makes quick decisions Results oriented Like challenges Handles crisis easily Takes authority Low relationship interest Prefers changing activities Conscientiousness (Analyze) Detail oriented Orderly/organized Makes slow decisions Decisions based on fact Prefers known circumstance High expectation for quality Low risk orientation Diplomatic with people Double checks accuracy Influencing (Express) People oriented Enjoys center of attention Generates enthusiasm Likes groups Entertaining Natural salesperson Dislike detail Promoter/persuader Steadiness (Support) Patient Understanding Loyal Dependable Creates family environment Long memory Consistency Willing to do what others will not Likes appreciation/recognition

Small Group Work: ◦ Does this communication style description “ring true” for those of you in the group? ◦ What is GREAT about you? What are your strengths? ◦ What is CHALLENGING (or difficult) for you? ◦ How would you LIKE others to communicate with you?

Large Group Sharing Session: Facilitator will prompt each group to share responses with others and lead a discussion. Remember… ◦ There are no “good” or “bad” communication styles ◦ All have value and are needed within a workplace team

To Increase Communication Effectiveness with High D’s: Provide direct answers, be brief and to the point. Ask “what” questions, more than “how” questions. Stress logical benefits of your ideas. When you are in agreement, agree with the facts and ideas rather than the person. If you disagree, take issue with the facts, not the person. If time constraints are present, get this out in the open.

To Increase Communication Effectiveness with High I’s: Pay attention to the environment, eliminate distractions. Provide opportunity for them to verbalize about ideas, people, and their intuition. Ask for their opinions and input. Be prepared to allow time for relating and socializing. If you need to give them details, it’s best to provide them in writing.

To Increase Communication Effectiveness with High S’s: Provide a sincere interest in them as a person. Focus on answers to “how” questions to provide clarification. Present ideas or opinions in a non-threatening manner, and allow them time to adjust. Listen and be responsive. If you agree easily, look for areas of possible disagreement or dissatisfaction that, may not have been expressed. If you disagree, be aware of hurt feelings, personal reasons.

To Increase Communication Effectiveness with High C’s: Provide pros and cons of ideas. Support ideas with accurate data. Be prepared to provide explanations in a patient & diplomatic manner. If you disagree, disagree with the facts rather than the person. Be organized and prepared, stay focused in your conversation. If you are suggesting changes, give a full explanation, and provide the big picture.

“I” Statements: Purpose: To make a clear statement of your experience of an event or incident, in a way that another person can hear, and not feel the need to defend. Listeners are more open to “hearing”, if we: ◦ Express feelings & perceptions, rather than solutions ◦ Take ownership of feelings/perceptions vs. blaming/attacking ◦ Are open and direct vs. avoiding and indirect ◦ Give a statement of need/want vs. being demanding ◦ Are clear vs. “soft” or “nice”

“I” Statements (cont…) Basic format o When… (neutral description) o I feel… (be specific, no blame) o Because… (or) o What I would like is… (no expectations) A few examples ◦ I feel overwhelmed/anxious when I am given multiple tasks to complete, because I don’t know which one to do first. I would like to know which ones are priorities. ◦ I feel frustrated when I get interrupted while I am talking. I would appreciate it if you would give me time to complete my thought, before you share what you’re thinking.

Questions? Go forth and practice…