Four Styles of Communication
5.3 Explain the four communication styles in the communication style model
By combining these two dimensions of human behavior, dominance and sociability, we can form a partial outline of the communication style model (Figure 5.3). Dominance is represented by the horizontal axis, and sociability is represented by the vertical axis. Once the two dimensions of human behavior are combined, the framework for communication style classification is established.
Figure 5.3
When the dominance and sociability dimensions of human behavior are combined, the framework for communication-style classification is established.
Emotive Style
The upper-right quadrant of Figure 5.4 defines a style that combines higher sociability and higher dominance. We call this the Emotive style. Emotive people like New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, Al Roker, and Jimmy Fallon usually stand out in a crowd. They are expressive and willing to spend time maintaining and enjoying a large number of relationships.13 Vice President Joe Biden, 2016 Presidential Candidate Senator Bernie Sanders, Oprah Winfrey, the well-known television personality, and talk show host Steven Colbert provide excellent models of the Emotive communication style. They are outspoken, enthusiastic, and stimulating. Richard Branson, the founder of Virgin Atlantic Airways, also projects the Emotive communication style. The Emotive person wants to create a social relationship quickly and usually feels more comfortable in an informal atmosphere. Some of the verbal and nonverbal clues that identify the Emotive person follow:
Figure 5.4
The Emotive style combines high sociability and high dominance.
Appears quite active. This person gives the appearance of being busy. A person who combines higher dominance and higher sociability often displays spontaneous, uninhibited behavior. The Emotive person is likely to express feelings with vigorous movements of the hands and a rapid speech pattern.
Takes the social initiative in most cases. Emotives tend to be extroverts. When two people meet for the first time, the Emotive person is more apt to initiate and maintain the conversation as well as to initiate the handshake. Emotives rate higher in both directness and openness.
Likes to encourage informality. The Emotive person moves to a “first-name” basis as soon as possible (too soon, in some cases). Even the way this person sits in a chair communicates a preference for a relaxed, informal social setting.
Emotive people, like talk show host Jimmy Fallon and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie are stimulating, excitable, and spontaneous. Emotives generally do not hide their feelings and often express opinions dramatically and impulsively.
Source: Gregorio T. Binuya/Everett Collection/Newscom
Expresses emotional opinions. Emotive people generally do not hide their feelings. They often express opinions dramatically and impulsively.
Key Words for the Emotive Style Sociable Emotional Personable Spontaneous Unstructured Persuasive Zestful Excitable Dynamic Stimulating
Directive Style
The lower-right quadrant defines a style that combines higher dominance and lower sociability. We will call this the Directive style (Figure 5.5).
Figure 5.5
The Directive style combines high dominance and low sociability.
To understand the nature of people who display the Directive communication style, picture in your mind’s eye the director of a Hollywood film. The person you see is giving orders in a firm voice and is generally in charge of every facet of the operation. Everyone on the set knows this person is in charge. 2016 Presidential candidate Ted Cruz displayed these characteristics. Although the common stereotyped image of the Hollywood film director is probably exaggerated, this example is helpful as you attempt to become familiar with the Directive style.
People who display the Directive style, such as John McCain and Hillary Clinton, like to take charge and maintain control. People who display the Directive style are generally viewed as determined, bold, and serious.
Source: Paul Froggatt/Alamy Stock Photo
Senator John McCain, Martha Stewart (television personality), former Secretary of State and 2016 Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, and former Vice President Dick Cheney project the Directive style. These people have been described as frank, demanding, assertive, and determined.
In the field of selling, you will encounter a number of customers who are Directives. How can you identify these people? What verbal and nonverbal cues can we observe? A few of the behaviors displayed by Directives follow:
Appears to be quite busy. The Directive generally does not like to waste time and wants to get right to the point. Judy Sheindlin of the Judge Judy television show displays this behavior.
May give the impression of not listening. In most cases, the Directive feels more comfortable talking than listening.
Displays a serious attitude. A person who is lower in sociability usually communicates a lack of warmth and is apt to be quite businesslike and impersonal. The late Mike Wallace, former star of the popular 60 Minutes television show, seldom smiled or displayed warmth.
Likes to maintain control. The person who is higher on the Dominance continuum likes to maintain control. During meetings, the Directive often seeks to control the agenda.14
Key Words for the Directive Style Aggressive Serious Opinionated Intense Determined Impatient Demanding Frank Bold Pushy
Reflective Style
The lower-left quadrant of the communication style model features a combination of lower dominance and lower sociability (Figure 5.6). People who regularly display this behavior are classified as having the >Reflective style.
Figure 5.6
The Reflective style combines low dominance and low sociability.
The Reflective person tends to examine all the facts carefully before arriving at a decision. Like a cautious scientist, this individual wants to gather all available information and weigh it carefully before taking a position. The Reflective type is usually a stickler for detail.15 House Speaker Paul Ryan and former Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben Bernanke fit the description. The late physicist Albert Einstein also displayed the characteristics of the Reflective type.
House Speaker Paul Ryan and former Federal Reserve Director Ben Bernanke display the Reflective style. Persons with the Reflective style are often observed as precise, industrious, and deliberate.
Source: Joshua Roberts/REUTERS/Alamy
The Reflective communication style combines lower dominance and lower sociability; therefore, people with this classification tend to be reserved and cautious. Some additional behaviors that characterize this style follow:
Controls emotional expression. Reflective people tend to curb emotional expression and are less likely to display warmth openly. Bill Gates displays this personality trait.
Displays a preference for orderliness. The Reflective person enjoys a highly structured environment and generally feels frustration when confronted with unexpected events.
Tends to express measured opinions. The Reflective individual usually does not express dramatic opinions. This communication style is characterized by disciplined, businesslike actions.
Seems difficult to get to know. The Reflective person tends to be somewhat formal in social relationships and therefore can be viewed as aloof by many people.
In a selling situation, the Reflective customer does not want to move too fast. This person wants the facts presented in an orderly and unemotional manner and does not want to waste a lot of time socializing.
| Key Words for the Reflective Style | ||
|---|---|---|
| Precise | Aloof | Serious |
| Deliberate | Scientific | Industrious |
| Questioning | Preoccupied | Stuffy |
| Disciplined | ||
Supportive Style
The upper-left quadrant shows a combination of lower dominance and higher sociability (Figure 5.7). This communication style is called the Supportive style because these people find it easy to listen and usually do not express their views in a forceful manner. 2016 Presidential candidate Dr. Ben Carson fit this description. Entertainers Meryl Streep, Kevin Costner, Paul Simon, Julia Roberts, and the late Princess Diana display the characteristics of the Supportive style.
Figure 5.7
The Supportive style combines low dominance and high sociability.
Low visibility generally characterizes the lifestyle of Supportive people. They complete their tasks in a quiet, unassuming manner and seldom draw attention to what they have accomplished. In terms of assertiveness, persons with the Supportive style rank quite low. Someone who ranks higher on the dominance continuum might view the Supportive individual as being too easygoing. Other behaviors that commonly characterize the Supportive person follow:
Presidential candidate Dr. Ben Carson, Julia Roberts, and the late Princess Diana display the Supportive style. Persons with the Supportive style are generally observed as warm, patient, and easygoing.
Source: Ron Sachs/dpa picture alliance/ Alamy Stock Photo
Gives the appearance of being quiet and reserved. People with the Supportive communication style can easily display their feelings, but not in the assertive manner common to the Emotive individual.
Listens attentively to other people. In selling, good listening skills can be a real asset. This talent comes naturally to the Supportive person.
Tends to avoid the use of power. Whereas the Directive person may rely on power to accomplish tasks, the Supportive person is more likely to rely on friendly persuasion.
Makes decisions in a thoughtful and deliberate manner. The Supportive person usually takes longer to make a decision.
Key Words for the Supportive Style Lighthearted Docile Relaxed Reserved Patient Compliant Passive Sensitive Softhearted Warm
Popularity of the Four-Style Model
We are endlessly fascinated by ourselves, and this helps explain the growing popularity of the four-style model presented in this chapter. To satisfy this insatiable appetite for information, many training and development companies offer training programs that present the four social or communication styles. Figure 5.8 features the approximate equivalents of the four styles presented in this chapter. Although four-style programs were initially created and marketed in the United States, they have become a global phenomenon, according to the staff at Wilson Learning.16 Inscape Publishing (now known as Everything Disc), the company that developed the DiSC learning instrument more than three decades ago, reports that more than 40 million people worldwide have completed DiSC workshops.17 The four-style model is one of the most popular training programs used in business.
Figure 5.8
The four basic communication styles have been used in a wide range of training programs. For comparison purposes, the approximate equivalents to the four communication styles discussed in this chapter are listed.
Determining Your Communication Style
You now have enough information to identify your own communication style. If your location on the dominance continuum is right of center and your position on the sociability continuum is below the center mark, you fall into the Directive quadrant. If your location on the dominance continuum is left of center and your position on the sociability continuum is above the center mark, then your most preferred style is Supportive. Likewise, lower dominance matched with lower sociability forms the Reflective communication style, and higher dominance matched with higher sociability forms the Emotive style.
An Online Assessment of Your Communication Style
You can gain further insight into your communication style by accessing the pearsonhighered.com/
Of course, all of us display some characteristics of the Emotive, Directive, Reflective, and Supportive styles. However, one of the four styles is usually predominant and readily detectable.18 This is your preferred style.
Some people who study the communication style model for the first time may initially experience feelings of frustration. They find it hard to believe that one’s behavioral style tends to remain quite uniform throughout life. People often say, “I am a different person each day!” It is certainly true that we sometimes feel different from day to day, but our most preferred style tends to remain stable.
The Supportive person might say, “I sometimes get very upset and tell people what I am thinking. I can be a Directive when I want to be!” There is no argument here. Just because you have a preferred communication style does not mean you never display the behavioral characteristics of another style. Some people use different styles in different contexts and in different relationships.19 Reflective people sometimes display Emotive behavior, and Emotive people sometimes display Reflective behavior. We are saying that each person has one most preferred and habitually used communication style. The online assessment mentioned earlier will help you identify the frequency of you displaying a secondary style.