Key Messages
The Key to Better Communication: Understanding the Different Voices We All Use
If you’ve ever had a misunderstanding with someone, whether that was in your personal life or in the workplace, then you know how important good communication is.
Jeremie Kubicek and Steve Cockram believe that the key to successful communication lies in their book 5 Voices: A Crash Course in Communication.
This text provides an essential insight into better understanding those around you.
It examines the five different voices each of us use when we communicate – Dominant, Analytical, Expressive, Amiable and Supportive – and encourages mindfulness of when it’s appropriate to use one at the expense of another.
Not only can this increased knowledge be put to practical use during conversations, but it helps eliminate unnecessary arguments and fosters more productive dialogue.
With these techniques from 5 Voices, individuals can learn how to give way or hold their ground as necessary during verbal contests and develop methods for bringing out those who are usually quiet.
How Nurturers Can Get Their Voices Heard: Examining the Second Voice in Communication
Nurturers are the type of people who like to look out for others rather than themselves.
They often put other’s needs before their own and prioritize kindness and shared values over anything else.
Furthermore, they’re most comfortable in environments where these values are manifested and encourage others to flourish in their futures.
Unfortunately, nurturers sometimes find it difficult to make their needs known, as they tend to be modest by nature and undervalue their contributions.
This can lead to them keeping their heads down rather than speaking up when those around them scramble to meet targets.
Since 43 percent of the population is made up of nurturers, there are countless people with good ideas whose voices aren’t being taken seriously!
Appreciating and Encouraging Creatives: How to Bridge the Gap Between Creative and logical Mindsets
Creatives are the voices of change, innovation and progress.
But sometimes it can be difficult for other people to understand their ideas.
That’s because creativity is about inspiration and serendipity, which can make it hard for creatives to communicate their thoughts in a way that non-creatives can appreciate.
This can result in misunderstandings, confusion and frustration on both sides.
The authors estimate that only nine percent of the population falls into this creative category, so they tend to gravitate towards organizations and institutions that reward out-of-the box thinking – like research fields, technology firms and the arts.
But because of the difficulties associated with understanding creative work, creatives often feel misunderstood or undervalued when they share their ideas with others.
For example, Paul was a graphic designer who pitched an idea for a branding campaign only to be met with silence by his peers.
A week later another team member presented virtually the same idea – more clearly and charismatically – which was well received by the team.
This experience left Paul feeling very frustrated, which undermines self-confidence in creatives.
The Importance and Benefits of Being a Conservative Guardian
Guardians have a focus on protecting and preserving the established ways of doing things, rather than seeking out radical change.
They are often seen as conservative, and may be dismissed due to their bias towards tradition.
However, guardians act with a great deal of pragmatism and realism.
Their pragmatic outlook allows them to quickly recognize the potential shortcomings of new ideas or proposals, and they often save organizations time, energy, and money by rejecting ill-advised projects.
Their effects on an organisation can be invaluable when it comes to preventing reckless decisions that could undo years of hard work in a single moment – particularly if presented with seemingly too good to be true deals or opportunities.
Guardians will carry out the necessary due diligence to assess what returns the proposal is likely to yield for the organisation over time.
Ultimately, guardians seek to protect traditional values while being highly pragmatic about risk-taking.
The Key Benefits of Having a Connector in the Workplace
Connectors are the ultimate people-person.
They may not always have deep, meaningful connections with everyone around them, but they have a special ability to bring people together, forge new bonds, and maintain existing relationships.
By noticing subtle problems or opportunities and reaching out to peers that can resolve them quickly and efficiently, Connectors foster collaboration between individuals and groups.
What makes Connectors so incredibly valuable in the workplace is their enthusiasm and infectious motivation – they’re fiercely dedicated to working as part of a team and making sure that everyone is involved in activities.
Connectors cherish collaboration and will go to great lengths to get everyone on the same page and comfortable with each other – it’s their thing!
For any organization that relies on teamwork for success, having an energetic connector on board can be invaluable.
Trust Your Inner Pioneer: Learn to Embrace Big Decisions to Reach Your Goals
Pioneers have a single-minded focus on achieving their goals and will do whatever it takes to get there.
They understand that the successful completion of objectives comes at the cost of making some difficult decisions.
Their ambitions lead them to have a clear vision for what they want out of life, and this often entails thinking strategically about how to reach those goals.
Take Jane Fardon for example, who faced tough calls when her cosmetics business was suffering a downturn in profits due to a recession.
Jane’s stronger voice was that of her inner pioneer, and she made the decision to dissolve the company and rebuild it from scratch, despite feeling uneasy due to the impact this would have on her employees who would be laid off as a result.
Her pioneering spirit enabled her to trust her instincts and make the essential tough calls required for success, and today, the company is thriving under new management.
Pioneers are willing to make sacrifices in order to attain their objectives.
They know that work is both a game and a battle with only one winner: themselves.
Ultimately, they don’t shy away from the hard decisions in order to try and secure long-term wins.
How To Bring the Five Voices Together in the Meeting Room: Tips for Fostering Each Person’s Participation
Team meetings can be chaotic without a concerted effort to give everyone a chance to share their ideas.
That’s why it’s important for leaders to foster an environment in which nurturers feel valued and creative voices are heard.
When it comes to nurturing, leadership needs to explicitly encourage team members to express their ideas, and be sure that those who tend to be more loud do not drown out the quieter team member’s voice.
It’s also key that nurturers aren’t personally attacked but have constructive questions posed if one of their ideas doesn’t seem feasible.
Creatives need as much encouragement as nurturers!
Leaders should redefine their role so they can feel free to think outside the box, even if some ideas don’t pan out.
It’s ok for crazy ideas to lead down new paths – after all, it could result in something brilliant!
Leaders should make sure that no one feels ostracized or like their views are not valued.
Encouraging both nurturers and creatives will help ensure that everyone has a chance contribute their opinions and be heard in team meetings.
How to Manage Different Personality Types in the Workplace for a Harmonious Team
By allowing guardians to ask tough questions and getting connectors passionate while asking pioneers to speak last, meetings can be run much more effectively.
Guardians are naturally skeptical of change, but their queries should not be scorned as this is an important part of maintaining a healthy company culture.
It’s up to team leaders to help other personalities understand that even though guardians may be seen as a nuisance, it’s for everyone’s safety in the end.
Connectors should be allowed to showcase their social skills after all the skepticism has been answered.This will not only help rally the team, but also keep any potential criticism from being too personal for the connectors.
Lastly, pioneers should be asked to speak last since they have a tendency to dominate conversations; remind them however that such control should never come at the cost of anyone else’s feelings, and must always remain constructive instead.
These tips put into practice will create a much better work environment where all types of personalities are seen and heard positively!
Lead By Example: Harness the Power of the Five Different Leadership Voices
The most effective team leaders lead by example and control their own voices.
It might sound counterintuitive but it’s essential if they want to help other team members do the same.
Having a “dominant voice” is key in this case, which means recognizing the attributes of an authentic voice that best reflects you and your values, as well as those you are trying to embody for the team.
Whether you are a pioneer, nurturer, connector, guardian or creative – each comes with its own responsibilities and should remain true to itself when addressing any difficulty at hand.
Steve Cockram is a prime example – he identifies himself mainly as a pioneer but also has traits of both nurturing and guardianship which all contribute to how he balances his time when working on strategic tasks like consulting projects or editing books.
Wrap Up
Natures Nutrition’s 5 Voices book offers a valuable tool for understanding the individual communicative styles and character types that make up group dynamics, whether it’s in the workplace or within a family.
Throughout the book, five unique voices are identified: Nurturer, Creative, Guardian, Connector and Pioneer.
Each of these has its own important role to play for any team to function at its best level.
It is vital to recognize each one and allow them all to be heard and respected – this is where genuine collaboration can occur.
Finally, in order not to overlook any particular voice due to culturally-ingrained biases taking root, we need to take a step back and ask ourselves how we can ensure motivationally different people feel safe being heard and taken into account.
