This is another blog that was co-written with Ezra Fleishman, a copywriter in California. You can find more about Ezra on LinkedIn.
Decision-Making Styles and the Golden Rule 2.0®
We all have different communication and decision-making styles. They work for us, so we think they should also work for everyone else. However, this is not always the case. When making a pitch to a decision-maker, it pays to pitch it in their style. We coined the term, Golden Rule 2.0®, to highlight this. The Rule states: “Treat others the way they want to be treated.” Sounds easy… but it tends to have more complexity beneath the surface. It involves two steps:
- Figuring out what their style is
- Adapting to better connect with them
How Do You Identify Someone’s Decision-Making Style?
The first question: what is their decision-making style, is not really a question you can ask people directly. But without that information, you won’t know how to adapt. The T.E.A.M. Communication Styles® model is a tool that can help you sort this out. We have used the T.E.A.M. model below to help you identify other people’s styles and give you some tips on how to best approach them. You can find out more about the T.E.A.M. model by clicking here.
There are four basic communication styles, and these also reflect how people approach decision making. By correctly identifying their style and adapting your presentation to best fit their style, your odds of being fully heard will go way up.
How to Identify and Adapt to Each Decision-Making Style
1. T (Tell) Style Decision Makers:
How to Identify the T Style
T’s are quick and focused, they prioritize efficiency and results. They thrive on being in charge and get frustrated by anything that seems unproductive or indecisive. If they feel uncomfortable, they can become commanding, assertive, or even confrontational. Alternatively, they might disengage, ignoring calls or messages altogether.
When presenting to them or pitching ideas, focus quickly on the key points: benefits, timelines, and costs involved. They prefer brief presentations that are fact-based and to the point, preferring not to hear all the details. They are comfortable taking risks.
Key Strategies When Presenting to a T:
- Present the key points – benefits, timelines, and costs involved
- If there are several options, give no more than 3 and a clear recommendation
- Demonstrate how your proposal supports their goals
- Stick to the facts, leave out emotional appeals
- Use clear, concise, and efficient communication – keep it brief
2. E or Engage Style Decision Makers:
How to Identify the E Style
E’s are focused on the big picture, they value creativity. They are visionaries, looking at the overall system and where it leads. Welcoming innovation, they’re also willing to take risks. When being presented with new information, they prefer quick, dynamic, and energetic presentations.
E’s may be quick to reframe your ideas to fit their own vision, and that’s ok! They’re excited to see how your ideas fit into their bigger plans. If they get turned off, they may respond with sarcasm, disruption, or outright opposition.
Key Strategies When Presenting to an E:
- Show your passion, enthusiasm, and creativity
- Support their goals and ideas; be positive, upbeat, and energetic
- Focus on the high-level perspective, skip the details
- Demonstrate your ability to think outside the box
- When pitching your ideas, get straight to the point
- Don’t push for an answer, they may want to brainstorm
- When it comes to deadlines or specific details, use a written agreement
- Sprinkle in some humor, creativity, and a pop of color to spice up your presentation
Showing your passion and enthusiasm will take you much further than just the facts. E’s want an experience that keeps them engaged and excited.
3. A or Analyze Style Decision Makers:
How to Identify the A Style
A’s want to get down to business, and they want to know the facts. These analytical decision-makers want to be presented with many details and important information so they can make an informed decision. They want to be precise, and have data to back it up. Being correct is a high priority, and it’s something that this style values, so keep that in mind when making your presentation.
One thing A’s do not want are unpredictable situations or unexpected surprises. These number crunchers want to dial in with a clearly laid out equation that equals inevitable success. Get on the wrong side of this and they may become overly critical, or withdraw and avoid your business relationship.
Key Strategies When Presenting to an A:
- Show your expertise and knowledge
- Backup your claims with facts and data
- Lay out the pros and cons, but keep the positives at the forefront
- Clearly describe your plan or solution, and the logical justification for why it will work
- Provide multiple options with an analysis of each
- Allow ample time for them to process and double-check your work
- After in-person interaction, follow up with written communication
- Keep it to the facts and logic, leave out the emotions
When providing input, lean toward the inclusion of more details and information. The more detailed and accurate you can make it, the more likely your success will be.
4. M or Mediate Style Decision Makers:
How to Identify the M Style
M’s focus on how the decision will affect the broader team. They want solutions that build harmony and aim for consensus. They tend to be more risk averse, wanting reassurance that the solution will be effective. When being presented with a solution, they want to see how various stakeholders feel about it as well as an analysis of its impacts. They want to hear more about stakeholder impact and less about technical details, so make sure to include that in your pitch.
Being genuine and caring for their team is a high priority. Building and maintaining solid professional relationships matters, so make sure that your suggestions present a win-win for all parties involved. To gain their trust, you need to show that you’re dependable, sincere, and trustworthy, while also being friendly and easy to get along with. They have a general distaste for self-centered, or pushy decision-making. Surprisingly, if they feel uneasy, they may give their initial approval, only to become resistant and disapproving later on.
Key Strategies When Presenting to an M:
- Show that you’re a team player, and you support their feelings
- Take the time to fully understand their goals and display your genuine support
- Demonstrate how your ideas provide minimization of risk for all parties involved
- Highlight the potential benefits for the organization
- When outlining the schedule and deadlines, be sure to show your flexibility
- Keep your meeting on track while providing some extra time if needed
- Record any key takeaways or important highlights for future reference
Summary – Adapting to Different Decision Makers
While most people are a blend of styles, they generally have one primary style or maybe a blend of two. These style preferences guide their preferred approach when making difficult decisions. Use the tips above to determine their preferred style and then adapt your presentation to line up with that.
If you don’t take these differences into account, you might be very effective when talking with a decision-maker with your style. But you’ll miss opportunities to be persuasive with the other three styles. Be sure to visit the rest of our website for more about effective communication, or get your report and learn about your style. Questions? Comments? Contact us – we welcome feedback!
