Distribute Characteristics (Sensors, Feelers, Thinkers, Intuitors)

At this time, I would ask you to take a minute to read the characteristics of your primary style.

Allow 1 minute.

Now that everyone knows about his or her primary style of communicating, I will be asking you to form groups by that style.

As a group, I would like you to discuss the strengths of your primary communication style, then reach consensus on the three strengths that you would like the rest of us to appreciate. At the end of your discussion, one group member should record the three strengths on newsprint and be prepared to share those with the entire group. You will have 10 minutes for discussion and to reach consensus on the three strengths.

Assign each group to a different location in the room.

Please do not move until all groups have been assigned a location.

In a minute, I would like the “Sensors” to move to ____________________________.
The “Feelers” will be congregating _________________________________________.
All of you “Thinkers” will be moving _______________________________________.
And the “Intuitors” should gather _________________________________________.

Please move to your assigned location.

Allow 10 minutes.

Your time has elapsed. Please post your newsprint.

Allow each group 1 minute to report. Praise each group.

Okay, you “Sensors,” since you are action oriented, why don’t you go first?

Now, it is your turn, “Intuitors.” Remember, we want only three strengths. We know you can always find a “world of possibilities.”

Even though we know you “Feelers” are great listeners, we want you to tell us about your three strengths.

Since you “Thinkers” were most likely still deliberating your options when time expired, I saved you until last. Would you please share?

Thank you. It is easy to see that each style has some extremely positive characteristics and definitely has strengths from which to draw. With those strengths in mind, I want each style group to consider what roles in the Association are suited for that style.

Give each style group three minutes to discuss this and two minutes for all four groups to report out.

Distribute Characteristics.

As you can see, each of our little characters is surrounded by one-word descriptors of that style. Take just a few minutes to quickly glance over the four other communication style characters.

Allow three minutes.

Stress that we all use all of these styles. Do not “box” people into styles.

Clearly, each style has its strengths. We should appreciate and draw from the strengths of individuals who have differing styles. What a boring place this would be if we all were alike.

As a coin has two sides, so does each communication style. At some time, each of us will go into what I call overdrive and rely too heavily on our primary style.

In other words, when we overextend a strength and carry it to the extreme, it becomes a weakness.

We have provided a reminder of each communication style in overdrive. As you can see, these are not our most complimentary characteristics.

Your primary communication style can shift into overdrive for any one of several reasons:

• pressure or stress
• exhaustion
• busy schedule
• time constraints
• being overwhelmed
• anger or fear
• change

Always watch for that shift into overdrive —and instead, try shifting into another communication style because we all possess at least some portion of all four communication styles.

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