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99THTH EDITION EDITION

CHAPTER 16CHAPTER 16COMMUNICATION COMMUNICATION STYLES: STYLES: MANAGING THE MANAGING THE RELATIONSHIP RELATIONSHIP PROCESSPROCESS

Manning and Reece

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LEARNING OBJECTIVES Discuss influence of communication style bias on relationship process Explain benefits of understanding communication styles Identify two key dimensions of communication style model List and describe four major communication

styles in model Learn to identify your preferred style and that of your customer Learn to overcome communication style bias with style flexing

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COMMUNICATION STYLE BIAS

”Your communication style is the “you” that is on display every day—the outer pattern of behavior that others see. If your style is very different from the other person’s, it may be difficult for the two of you to develop rapport.”

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COMMUNICATION STYLE PRINCIPLES

1. 1. INDIVIDUAL INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCESDIFFERENCES

--Individual differences --Individual differences exist and are very exist and are very importantimportant

--Each person displays --Each person displays individual array of individual array of verbal and nonverbal verbal and nonverbal characteristics characteristics

2. 2. STYLE WAY OF STYLE WAY OF THINKING AND THINKING AND BEHAVINGBEHAVING

----A preferred way of using A preferred way of using one’s abilities one’s abilities

--Ability=--Ability=whatwhat you can do you can do --Style= --Style= howhow you like to you like to

do itdo it

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COMMUNICATION STYLE PRINCIPLES

3. 3. STYLE TENDS TO STYLE TENDS TO BE STABLEBE STABLE

--Based on hereditary --Based on hereditary and environmental and environmental factors factors

--Our “style” tends to --Our “style” tends to remain rather remain rather constant through lifeconstant through life

4. 4. FINITE NUMBER FINITE NUMBER OF STYLESOF STYLES

--Most people display --Most people display one of several one of several behavioral clusters behavioral clusters

--We can often “label” a --We can often “label” a person’s styleperson’s style

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COMMUNICATION STYLE PRINCIPLES

5. 5. GET IN SYNC WITH GET IN SYNC WITH STYLES OF OTHERSSTYLES OF OTHERS

--Style differences can be --Style differences can be source of friction source of friction

--Develop ability to adapt --Develop ability to adapt to other person’s styleto other person’s style

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IMPROVING RELATIONSHIP SKILLS

First Goal—Understand your own First Goal—Understand your own communication preferred stylecommunication preferred style Second Goal—Develop greater Second Goal—Develop greater understanding for different stylesunderstanding for different styles Third Goal—Manage selling Third Goal—Manage selling relationships by adapting style relationships by adapting style “style-flexing” “style-flexing”

Figure 16.7, complete model. 16-8

COMMUNICATION STYLE MODEL

See Table 16.1. 16-9

DOMINANCE CONTINUUM

LOWLOW HIGHHIGHCooperativeCooperative Give advice Give advice Eager to helpEager to help Initiate Initiate demandsdemandsLess aggressiveLess aggressive More More aggressiveaggressive

See Table 16.2. 16-10

SOCIABILITY CONTINUUM

LOWLOW HIGHHIGH ReservedReserved Outgoing Outgoing QuietQuiet Talkative Talkative ShyShy Bold Bold Guarded OpenGuarded Open

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LOW DOMINANCE

LOW SOCIABILITY

HIGH SOCIABILITY

HIGH DOMINANCE

EMOTIVE

STYLE

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EMOTIVE STYLE TRAITS Appears quite activeAppears quite active Takes social initiativeTakes social initiative Encourages Encourages informalityinformality Expresses emotional Expresses emotional

opinionsopinions

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LOW DOMINANCE

LOW SOCIABILITY

HIGH SOCIABILITY

HIGH DOMINANCE

DIRECTIVESTYLE

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DIRECTIVE STYLE TRAITS Appears quite busyAppears quite busy May give impression of May give impression of

not listeningnot listening Displays rather serious Displays rather serious

attitudeattitude Likes to maintain Likes to maintain controlcontrol

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LOW DOMINANCE

LOW SOCIABILITY

HIGH SOCIABILITY

HIGH DOMINANCEREFLECTI

VE STYLE

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REFLECTIVE STYLE TRAITS

Controls emotional Controls emotional expressionexpression Displays preference for Displays preference for

orderorder Tends to express Tends to express measured opinionsmeasured opinions Seems difficult to get Seems difficult to get to to know know

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LOW DOMINANCE

LOW SOCIABILITY

HIGH SOCIABILITY

HIGH DOMINANCE

SUPPORTIVE

STYLE

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SUPPORTIVE STYLE TRAITS

Appears to be quiet Appears to be quiet and reservedand reserved Listens attentively Listens attentively Tends to avoid use of Tends to avoid use of

powerpower Makes thoughtful Makes thoughtful decisions in decisions in deliberate mannerdeliberate manner

See Figure 16.8. 16-19

POPULARITY OF FOUR STYLE MODEL

While labels and terms differ, the While labels and terms differ, the underlying concepts are underlying concepts are

similar similar in a number of in a number of communication communication style modelsstyle models See Figure 16.8, next slide, for a See Figure 16.8, next slide, for a

comparisoncomparison

Figure 16.8 16-20

COMPARISON OF STYLES

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MANAGING COMMUNICATION STYLE

BIAS Salespeople often focus too much Salespeople often focus too much

on content and not enough on on content and not enough on delivery of messagedelivery of message

Develop style flexibilityDevelop style flexibility Move toward a more mature styleMove toward a more mature style Strength-weakness paradoxStrength-weakness paradox Intensity zonesIntensity zones

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SELLING TO EMOTIVES AND DIRECTORS

SELLING TO SELLING TO EMOTIVESEMOTIVES--Don’t be too stiff --Don’t be too stiff

or formal or formal --Take time to --Take time to

establish goodwill establish goodwill --Maintain eye --Maintain eye

contact contact --Be good listener --Be good listener

SELLING TO SELLING TO DIRECTORSDIRECTORS--Keep as business---Keep as business-

like as possiblelike as possible--Identify their goals, --Identify their goals,

most directors are most directors are goal orientedgoal oriented

--Ask questions and --Ask questions and note responsesnote responses

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SELLING TO REFLECTIVES AND SUPPORTIVES

SELLING TO SELLING TO REFLECTIVESREFLECTIVES--Use thoughtful, --Use thoughtful,

well organized well organized style style

--Present --Present information in information in deliberate mannerdeliberate manner

--Never pressure for --Never pressure for quick decisions quick decisions

SELLING TO SELLING TO SUPPORTIVESSUPPORTIVES--Take time to build --Take time to build

the relationshipthe relationship--Listen carefully to --Listen carefully to

their opinionstheir opinions--Provide assurances --Provide assurances

for their views for their views

Last slide Chapter 16. 16-24

WORDS OF CAUTIONDON’T LET LABELS RULE DON’T LET LABELS RULE BEHAVIOR BEHAVIOR --Always remember clients are --Always remember clients are individualsindividuals--Don’t let labels be your justification --Don’t let labels be your justification for being inflexible for being inflexible YOUR RESPONSIBILITYYOUR RESPONSIBILITY -- -- Salespersons have responsibility Salespersons have responsibility

to acquire information about to acquire information about prospects and successfully prospects and successfully manage relationships manage relationships