If you match your communication style with the personality style of those you speak to, you can improve your communication skills. To do so, you need to understand the personality and behavioral styles of the audience. What are the personality styles?

The most common break down is into four types. Using the CAPS principle, people will tend to be dominant in one of the four types, Controller, Analyst, Promoter, Supporter.

Controllers, also known as Drivers seldom listen to others around them, focusing on the task at hand. They tend to only need to know what, usually can figure out how and why. So when speaking to them, they will tend to only need to know What is the job to be done.

Promoters tend to not like isolation and will tend to vie for attention. They will tend to exaggerate and or leave out facts and details. To best reach their personality, a speaker needs to address Why the job needs to be done.

Supporters are the worker bee of an organization. They tend to yield rather than deal with a possible confrontation. Have the ability to blend into any situation well. They may appear wishy-washy at times. One common trait is a difficulty with making firm decisions. Many are music, poetry, and art lovers. They will appreciate the what and why of the job to be done being explained. However their biggest need is How to do the Job to be done.

The Analyst is a logical, and detail oriented person. They will tend to withdraw themselves and quietly gather information rather than make a quick decision. To make a decision without all the facts can be difficult. They tend to be the accountants and engineers. You may note tendencies toward being highly critical in this group. They will also tend to be pessimistic in nature. They are very perceptive. To reach them will require giving what, why, how, and when regarding the job to be done.

Personality styles are ways people act or react in given circumstances. People will tend to change and even adapt depending on the situation and their purpose. A controller could turn into a totally subservient supporter when faced with a health care crisis with in the family. A supporter could turn into a controller if a lack of quality health care is perceived.

It is necessary to mirror the personality style with the type of communication.

To establish rapport with the different personality styles

1. Determine the tendency of your own personality.

2. Determine the personality style of those being spoken to.

3. Increase or decrease the qualities within your self to match those you are speaking to.

When Speaking to an Audience

If speaking to an audience, try to speak to each of the personality styles. This can be done by matching your communication style to the personality or listening styles of those in your audience.

How Can You Know?

How can you know which types youre talking to? Think of the audience globally. Are they managers, employees, business people or local residents? The purpose of the talk should give some clue to the motivation for those coming to hearing it. Within that motivation, consider which personality type would typically be interested.

Then focus your speaking to match their listening and personality style. You can try to reach all four but focus the greatest effort to reach the dominant personality of the group.

Try This

If you frequently give speeches and in your one on one communication, occasionally leave out or decrease your coverage of one of the four What, Why, How, When and look at what kind of feed back you get and consider the personality types that are giving it.

One occasion I gave a lecture focused toward controllers. My highest praise came from a Pharmaceutical rep. I received almost no feedback from the supporters.

The next time speaking to the same group, I focused on the supporters and got rave reviews from them to have the controllers tell me it was a bit boring.

Observe the compliments and complaints at the end and the personality types that they come from. This will be a good indicator of your speech and communication strength and weaknesses.

Once you know how to reach the various types you can adjust your communication style to reach the entire audience. By learning to reach the four types, you will be able to attain speech mastery. more importantly, you will attain rapport with your audience, be they one or one thousand.