WORKING WITH DIFFERENT
SOCIAL STYLES
Donald Heer
10/14/09
Adapted from Terri Fiez, Director, School of
EECS
1
Why do I Need to Work with
Other Styles?
‘It takes all types’.
The people person (Amiable)
The thought person (Analytical)
The action person (Driver)
The front person (Expressive)
2
Weaknesses of Social Styles
Style
Amiable
(Stretch)
Analytical
(Decide)
Driver
(Listen)
Expressive
(Restrain)
Strengths
Supportive
Easygoing
Precise
Systematic
Determined
Objective
Enthusiastic
Imaginative
Weaknesses
Conforming
Permissive
Exacting
Inflexible
Dominating
Insensitive
Undisciplined
Unrealistic
3
Basic Social Styles & Communication Orientation
Analytical
Driver
(Process-Oriented)
Communicates about:
Facts & Figures
Policies & Organization
Planning & Forecasting
Analysis & Control
(Action-Oriented)
Communicates about:
Getting Things Done
Objectives & Results
Performance & Productivity
Efficiency & Moving Ahead
Decisions & Achievements
Amiable
Expressive
(People-Oriented)
Communicates about:
Needs & Motivations
Teamwork & Team Spirit
Feelings & Beliefs
Values & self-Devleopment
(Idea-Oriented)
Communicates about:
Innovation & Change
New Ways of Doing Things
Creativity & Possibilities
Alternatives or Options
4
Flexing to Different Social Styles
Flexing to Amiables
Flexing to Analyticals
Flexing to Drivers
Flexing to Expressives
•Be
•Be
•Be
•Be
relaxed & moderately
paced, have comfortable
posture, speak softly, avoid
harshness in voice
•Make person-to-person
contact when possible. Be
genuine. Don’t engage in
lengthy “small talk”
•Communicate patiently
•Mutually agree on goals
•Offer personal assurance
•Maintain ongoing contact
more than with other social
styles
on time.
•Be moderately paced; lean
back somewhat; avoid loud
voice.
•It is better to be more rather
than less formal in clothing,
speech manners.
•Get to business quickly; be
prepared, systematic, factual,
logical, exact but still keep a
human touch.
•Show why this approach is
best and has relatively little
risk. Don’t exaggerate the
advantages; these people are
turned off by overstatement
•When possible, allow them to
proceed deliberately, even
slowly.
•When they are too
indecisive, encourage them to
make a decision but refrain
from making it for them.
on time
•Be energetic and fast paced;
have erect posture and direct
eye contact.
•Get to business quickly, use
time efficiently.
•Be specific, clear, and brief.
Don’t over explain, ramble, or
be disorganized. From the
beginning to end, focus on
results.
•Select the key facts, and use
them when making your case.
Present them logically and
quickly.
•Provide a limited number of
options so that the Driver can
make his or her own choice.
•Provide data about the
plusses and minuses of the
options.
•Stay on the topic; keep the
pace up; and honor time
limits.
•If at all appropriate, ask
directly for a decision.
•Depart quickly buy
graciously.
energetic and fast paced;
have erect but not stiff posture
and direct eye contact.
•Allow time for socializing. Talk
about experiences, opinions,
and people. Tell about
yourself, too. To a degree,
adopt their entertaining, funloving behavior.
•Expressives like arguments,
to a point. Avoid becoming too
dogmatic even when they are.
•Discover their dreams and
intuitions.
•In support of your ideas, use
testimonials from people they
like or see as prominent.
•Focus first on the “big picture.”
Follow up with action plans
and details
•Tap their competitive spirit.
•Find a way to have fun while
achieving the objective.
•Paraphrase agreements.
•Keep a balance between
flowing with the Expressive
and getting back on 5track.
Exercise
In your groups, using the slide, ‘Flexing
to Different Social Styles’ identify two
things for each person that the rest of
the group should do to make sure they
work well together.
Write them down and turn them in.
6