Be your best, not stressed: 3 entrepreneurial communication styles

As the popular saying goes, “anything worth doing is worth doing well”. This is true; however, you can do something well without needing to do it perfectly. To lead a successful and satisfying life, you need to understand the difference between “doing your best” and “striving for perfection”. And although the examples below are work-related, you can easily transfer the same principles into your personal life. By lowering your expectations (not your standards), you can produce work that you are proud of without annoying or driving away those around you.

Productive Communication:

We all work and play at varying intensities, some of which may conflict with others. Accept this fact of life, and you will avoid much disappointment. Also, when you do not get what you want, or others do not operate at the same pace as you, let go of your need to be in control, to have certainty (like an answer), and to create closure. An example is if you expect people to return phone calls or e-mails within 24 to 48 hours and they do not get back to you by then. You can still apply that standard to yourself; just do not impose it on and expect it from others. Be patient, as sometimes one may require more time to: process, understand, and respond to your message; or decide whether or not they want to commit to your offering.

It therefore makes good business sense to use the Personal Communication Style that feels most natural to you, and appropriate given the context and the people you are speaking to. Go ahead... ask your listener what her follow-up preference is: phone or e-mail. Conversely, if you constantly avoid people by calling them when they are away on lunch or by emailing them only, your communication will quickly die off and you will sabotage your attempts to create a solid connection with the other person.

To determine what your Personal Communication Style is, refer to the descriptions provided below.

Visual Communicators: They typically find phone conversations a waste of time and/or a turnoff, and much prefer face-to-face interaction. Conversely, auditory communicators find the phone a quick, effective, and immediate tool for sharing their thoughts or scheduling meetings. To accommodate an Auditory Communicator: Prepare and have an agenda on hand, tell your listener how much time you have available for this meeting, and set a timer for that duration of time. When the timing rings, wrap up and end your phone conversation.

Auditory Communicators: They usually like using the phone for private conversations and teleconferences and to follow up afterward with email -- because it is quick, convenient time- and location-wise, and effective for providing maximal information in minimal time,... without being interrupted or distracted by background noise. To spot an Auditory Communicator, watch him when he is typing a message on his computer: Is he moving his lips, to determine if the message sounds right to him?

Kinesthetic Communicators: They like the “feeling” of keying in email or text messages and personally prefer having the time to reflect upon, create, and control the content of their communication. They tend to be more relaxed, creative, funny and genuine when communicating by computer, as opposed to in-person or via the phone.