Women must meet the challenge of communication in order to make their voice not only heard but understood. It’s the tool when used well is the foundation of freedom and respect. The way we women communicate tells a story of ourselves, how we perceive that self, and how we treat others. We are typically one of four types of communicators. As Directors, Thinkers, Expressers, and Harmonizers we try to make our voices heard as a true expression of who we are and what we are trying to accomplish.
The Director
The Director is goal oriented. We tell it like it is in a straight forward manner. We don’t mince words. Directors make decisions quickly and are sure of themselves. When they speak before a group they seem to do it easily and proficiently. They often speak crisply and concisely. The Director is always on the go.
The Thinker
The Thinker is task oriented. They are the ones that thrive on lists. Planner is also a good description of this group. Thinkers believe in right and wrong so they do things by the book. They have time to think about it so when they speak, they speak deliberately. They are also procrastinators. Maybe it’s all that planning.
The Expresser
The Expresser is people oriented. They are animated and easily excited. The Expresser makes expressive gestures, moves their hands more than other groups, and thinks out loud. They tend to ad-lib more than others and may not be precise because they think their delivery is more important. The Expresser speaks so rapidly you have to pay attention or you might miss something.
The Harmonizer
The Harmonizer is relationship oriented. They are sensitive, dedicated, and loyal to others before themselves. They tend to speak softly and avoid conflict. These are the people that are most likely to over-commit and will put the needs of others before themselves particularly to create peace.
Many of us may be a combination of these. Some find that they are goal oriented but so passionate about what they want to achieve that they actively engage the audience through expressive storytelling with big gestures. Others are sensitive to the needs of others but have a list of reasons to help them and speak deliberately in order for the message to hit home with the audience.
Each and every woman should reflect on the attributes she uses when communicating and fine tune her skills in order to best engage her audience whether it’s a best friend or a conference of a few thousand. Our best power is our voice and it’s ever important how we use it.
