How We Communicate Matters By Matt Wise, District Membership Coordinator
Recently, I participated in an online session that talked about four distinct, and important, communication styles as part of the Kiwanis Amplify program. While this is not a sales pitch for the program, I would highly recommend everyone take advantage of the program offered to Kiwanians!
During the session, participants were walked through an exercise to determine their own communication style. You’ve probably heard most of this before. BUT – the part that was really impactful was not only knowing about how I communicate, but also knowing what kind of information I like to receive in order to make decisions. The final part of the training focused not on learning more about yourself, but learning about ALL of the communication styles to know exactly how you should/could structure a conversation with someone so that they will have an effective take-away.
The last thing we want to do is turn someone off when we are talking to them. In our roles as Kiwanians we do this in almost every interaction. Whether you’re a club President who is leading their team, a new club opener who is hitting the streets to open a brand new Kiwanis Club, or even a new member who is presenting a proposal to their club’s board of directors. The point is, each and every one of us give as much information as we receive.
“Know your audience.” We’ve all heard that, right? What does that boil down to, what does it mean? It means understanding how to structure your message so that the intended recipient or audience leaves the interaction the way in which you intended. How we communicate matters – and it can make all the difference in a successful outcome or a total flop.
Does the person like numbers? Do they need time to analyze the information you are presenting? If so – perhaps the best way is to not force that person into making a decision immediately. Give them time to digest it and think on it. What if they are in-tuned with emotions? Perhaps structure your argument that will appeal to their emotions (go on, just tug at their heartstrings). What if they are very decisive and make decisions on the fly? Give them some bullet points and the bottom line.
I think you get the idea. Hopefully this has encouraged you to think about Amplify, sure, but hopefully it has more importantly given you something to think about.
June 17, 2024 – Membership Update
How We Communicate Matters
By Matt Wise, District Membership Coordinator
Recently, I participated in an online session that talked about four distinct, and important, communication styles as part of the Kiwanis Amplify program. While this is not a sales pitch for the program, I would highly recommend everyone take advantage of the program offered to Kiwanians!
During the session, participants were walked through an exercise to determine their own communication style. You’ve probably heard most of this before. BUT – the part that was really impactful was not only knowing about how I communicate, but also knowing what kind of information I like to receive in order to make decisions. The final part of the training focused not on learning more about yourself, but learning about ALL of the communication styles to know exactly how you should/could structure a conversation with someone so that they will have an effective take-away.
The last thing we want to do is turn someone off when we are talking to them. In our roles as Kiwanians we do this in almost every interaction. Whether you’re a club President who is leading their team, a new club opener who is hitting the streets to open a brand new Kiwanis Club, or even a new member who is presenting a proposal to their club’s board of directors. The point is, each and every one of us give as much information as we receive.
“Know your audience.” We’ve all heard that, right? What does that boil down to, what does it mean? It means understanding how to structure your message so that the intended recipient or audience leaves the interaction the way in which you intended. How we communicate matters – and it can make all the difference in a successful outcome or a total flop.
Does the person like numbers? Do they need time to analyze the information you are presenting? If so – perhaps the best way is to not force that person into making a decision immediately. Give them time to digest it and think on it. What if they are in-tuned with emotions? Perhaps structure your argument that will appeal to their emotions (go on, just tug at their heartstrings). What if they are very decisive and make decisions on the fly? Give them some bullet points and the bottom line.
I think you get the idea. Hopefully this has encouraged you to think about Amplify, sure, but hopefully it has more importantly given you something to think about.
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