T.E.A.M. Communication Styles

How to Change Minds Without Losing Yours

Challenging Times

We are living in challenging times. The U.S. and many other countries are deeply divided. Opinions are strong and patience has worn thin. Disagreements threaten to erupt into full blown conflict. As a communication professional I try to find the bridge across the chasm.

It has been difficult. I read a lot of articles and generally try to build on them and write my own post. But given the stressful times we’re in, I feel overloaded and unable to craft the sage advice needed.

Change an Argument to a Conversation

That’s why I appreciated an article by Tod Perry with Upworthy which shares simple yet powerful ways to navigate tense conversations. It’s not groundbreaking, but it illuminates a path to navigate through the strong feelings and soften them. One key takeaway? Be “curious” instead of argumentative. Ask people to tell you more and really mean it. Listen, not to argue but to understand. The goal is to have a difficult conversation without defensiveness.

Speaking of listening… I also want to give a shout out to my colleague in the UK – Colin D. Smith aka The Listener. He is committed to deep listening, something I find difficult when addressing statements I feel strongly against. I try to draw on Colin for inspiration. It’s a challenge. Check out some of his posts as well.

How Communication Styles Fit In

I’d like to contribute a piece to this conversation: Understanding communication styles can turn tension into productive dialogue.

People have different preferences for how they like to communicate. When tensions are high… these differences become more pronounced. Adapting your response to their style, can shift a conversation from confrontation to connection. It’s difficult to do this on the fly when tensions get high, so having a clear framework can help.

T.E.A.M. Communication Styles® (or other useful models), provides this framework and gives you a new filter with which to see the meaning under the conflict. It’s a simple and powerful tool to promote skilled listening, team collaboration and conflict reduction.

Communication for Challenging Times

Deep listening, asking people to tell you more, and responding in a way that feels most natural to them. It sounds simple. It’s anything but! It takes conscious effort. Let’s build those communication muscles – not to push each other apart, but to bring us together.

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