To master workplace communication, match communication style with personality style.

To get started, you will want to know the personality behavioral styles of your coworkers. The personality style provides clues as to how best communicate with them. The personality style is in effect their communication style.

There are numerous published ways to describe the styles of personality. The various theories have as many as 16 personality types. The most common theories limit the theory to just four personality types.

One theory, the Caps model, divides personalities into four styles...Controller, Promoter, Supporter, Analyst.

Some of the personality traits of the controller include...

Accomplishment oriented

Assertive

Control oriented

Type A personality

Gets to the point

Goal and results oriented

Hard working

High energy

Impatient

Innovative

Lovers of challenges

Opinionated, blunt, and brusque

Over achiever

Results oriented

Stubborn

Task oriented

Tactless at times

Decisive decision makers

Devoted to workaholic

Firm and unyielding in relationships

Controllers, also called Drivers, will seldom listen to others around them. They tend to focus on the task at hand. They only need to know what is needed. They usually will be knowledgeable in figuring out the how and why.

Promoters, like their name implies, tend to encourage, promote, advertise or publicize. They tend to be...

Artistic

Makes generalizations

Motivators

Natural salesmen

Outgoing

Persuasive

Responsive

Talkers

Warm

Creative

Communicators

Dreamers

Excitement about ideas

Enthusiastic

Quick decision maker

Unrealistic goals

Seeks approval and needs compliments

Promoters usually do not like isolation. They tend to appreciate attention. They may exaggerate and or leave out facts and details. Communicating in the work place will be better facilitated if the what and why are given to this type of person. By their nature, they will have no problem figuring out the how and delivering.

Supporters are the worker bees of the organization.

Followers

Good listeners

Highly sensitive

Always willing to help

Ask Questions

Avoid conflict

Dislikes risk

Dislikes pressure

Dislikes conflicts

Insecure and likes reassurance

Kind-hearted

Quiet and soft-spoken

Resistant to change

Tendency toward pacifying

Supporters are more likely to yield rather than to be in a possible confrontation. They have the ability to blend into any situation well. May appear wishy-washy at times. Difficulty with making firm decisions. Many will be music, poetry, and art lovers. Communication to them requires explaining the what, why and how.

Analyst are the analyzers of an organization. They often are the number crunchers.

They may be...

Logical

Low pressure

Precise

Persistent

Cautious

Conservative

Detail oriented

Follows directions

Detail oriented

Slow decision maker

Tend to be the planners and organizers

Technical oriented

Thinkers

Need to know what, how and why

Analyst may tend to withdraw themselves and quietly gather information rather than make quick decisions. They can have a difficulty making decisions without all the facts. They make great accountants and engineers. They may have tendencies toward being highly critical. Will tend to be pessimistic in nature. They can be very perceptive.

They may not make the best leaders as they can tend to get lost in their own analysis. As a result, they will tend to micromanage. Communicating with them requires giving details that you would not necessarily need to give to the others.

Although this may be frustrating, recognizing these needs will help maintain good relations within your workplace communication.