It Takes All Kinds – Relationship-Oriented Vs. Task-Oriented People

It’s often said that “variety is the spice of life”. And you’d be hard pressed to find more variety than when you walk into an office filled with all different types of people. Communication can certainly be challenging when you’re dealing with individual personalities and preferences. The following list breaks down four different types of communication styles based on whether an individual is relationship-oriented or task-oriented and slow-paced or fast-paced. Do any seem familiar to you?

Type 1 is slow-paced and relationship-oriented:

  • Likes to talk about family, activities, and other personal information
  • Appreciates you taking time to develop a personal relationship or business friendship
  • Prefers to be given information verbally and face-to-face
  • Doesn’t like to be pushed into making quickly decisions

Type 2 is fast-paced and relationship-oriented:

  • Likes to tell stories based on personal experiences
  • Takes time to develop a personal relationship or business friendship with you
  • Wants key facts and not a lot of detail
  • Makes decisions quickly primarily based on personal relationships

Type 3 is fast-paced and task-oriented:

  • Prefers to get down to business quickly
  • More interested in getting the job done than being your friend
  • May ask a lot of questions and makes you feel like you’re being “grilled”
  • Makes decisions quickly based on facts

Type 4 is slow-paced and task-oriented:

  • Prefers to not make small talk, but talk about the business at hand
  • Likes to have a lot of backup data
  • Doesn’t like to be pushed into making quick decisions
  • Tends to analyze all details before making a decision

So, which communication style do you think you have? Do you definitely fall into one category or are you a combination of 2, 3, or all 4 styles. Many people differ based on their environment. For instance, a person’s communication style at work may be completely different than in a social setting like a party. We have some fun, high-energy team activities that will help you learn more about your distinct communication style, as well as those you work with closely!

Please call Leah M. Joppy and Associates at 301-670-0051 or email us at leah@lmja.com to learn more.