4 Key Communication Styles For Better Teamwork 2025

Communication is an important soft skill to work on and can benefit both your personal and professional life. In the workplace, you may find that your personal style complements or clashes with the styles of your coworkers. “Identifying a person’s emotional intelligence will best help in understanding how and why a person communicates,” said Owston. “But understanding your own emotional quotient will also aid in communicating with others.” Just like no two people are exactly the same, everyone has their own unique communication style.

These nonverbal cues convey a sense of resentment or anger, but in an indirect or passive way. You may be used to doing a lot of your communication online, either via text message or email. Your communication style online will be similar to your style face-to-face, but you may have to make some adjustments. If someone’s communication is vague, it can lead to misunderstandings and delays in completing tasks. Clear and concise communication means everyone understands their roles and responsibilities, leading to more efficient collaboration and successful outcomes. In addition to someone’s communication style, a project can also be affected by how clear someone’s message is.

But there is such a thing as too many updates, and now more than ever, everyone’s time is at a premium. Well run virtual meetings have been shown to encourage creativity and productivity, allowing people from across departments and time zones to work together efficiently.

For example, a sports coach demonstrating a technique to a player would use kinesthetic communication. However, cultural norms and individual comfort need to be respected, as this style may not be suitable or welcomed in every setting (McDougall & Pollard, 2019). Auditory communication involves the use of sound, tone, and language to share and interpret information (Steinberg, 2007). Visual communicators prioritize clarity and simplicity and reduce complex messages to visual representations. Visual communication involves using visual elements, such as graphics, diagrams, or colors, to supplement or replace verbal communication (Long et al., 2021).

For instance, a software engineer explaining coding issues with specific details and exact language is utilizing this style. Its pitfall is that it can come across as rigid or even intimidating, especially when communicating with non-experts (Watson & Hill, 2015). These communicators often rely on anecdotes, metaphors, or personal experiences to make their point. Narrative communicators utilize stories and narratives to express ideas, engage listeners and make topics more relatable (Steinberg, 2007). An example of this would be a lawyer presenting a case built on solid evidence, logical reasoning, and legal precedents.

Though effective in many instances, this style may not be as accessible for visual learners, or in communication scenarios where visual aids are necessary for comprehension (Watson & Hill, 2015). Auditory communicators are most effective in their communication when they can discuss issues out loud and verbally process their thoughts. An important part of communication, nonverbal cues can convey powerful messages and reinforce or contradict verbal communication. Empathetic communicators often use verbal and nonverbal feedback to show understanding and concern.

How To Prevent Passive Aggressive Communication In Your Workplace

  • It’s important to note that aggressive communication can be harmful and damaging to relationships, and it’s often not an effective way to resolve conflicts or communicate effectively.
  • Does their facial expression or body language indicate interest or boredom, anger or happiness?
  • Intuitive communicators often rely on feelings, instincts, or “gut” to guide their communication, preferring to skip the hard data and lengthy explanations.
  • Even on competitive teams like sales or law, assertive communication empowers team members to effectively express their ideas and collaborate with others.
  • By adopting this style of leadership, you empower your team to make decisions and to organize its own processes, with little or no guidance.

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Consider a professor who provides extensive information on a topic, potentially overwhelming students with too much information. This style can provide thorough insight but may result in diminished audience attention or comprehension due to its verbosity (Paxson, 2018). Logical communicators value rational thinking, objective evidence, and a systematic approach to problem-solving (Long et al., 2021). Those who use this style tend to be decisive and have a clear understanding of what they want to accomplish. Sometimes people don’t respond to messages and email because it may require a lot of time out of their busy schedule, and they could potentially forget about it. Ask yes or no questions and break up your list of questions into shorter groups that are easier to respond to quickly.

online communication styles

What Is Your Leadership Style?

Empathetic communication is characterized by understanding and sharing the feelings of others. This style is indicated by active listening and the acknowledgment of others’ emotions (Paxson, 2018). The people-oriented communication style prioritizes building and nurturing relationships and tends to be more sensitive to the feelings of others (Paxson, 2018). For example, a scientist presenting research findings in a methodical, factual manner demonstrates an analytical communication style.

Understanding Communication Styles

Organising meetings, co-creating content, managing workloads, problem-solving and interacting respectfully, all through the use of online technology, are crucial skills for your future employability. Executive coach Stephen Bruyant-Langer invented the Nordic Leadership Model to demonstrate the changing nature of leadership. In this video, he explains how modelling the core principles of Nordic-style leadership will improve outcomes for all.

A person who considers themselves laid-back might have a more informal style, even in formal contexts, for example. For example, outward expressions of frustration are considered highly embarrassing in some Asian cultures. Similarly, overt politeness is generally considered highly important in upper-class cultural groups. The degree of formality in the context should also affect the degree of formality in how you communicate. Formal communication is professional and respectful, and it typically follows established conventions and protocols (Long et al., 2021).

Employees are expected to make their own decisions and solve problems without extensive oversight. As a bureaucratic leader, it can feel easy to fall into impersonal behavior or micromanagement. However, it is still important to treat employees as individuals and encourage them to take initiative — whether in their current role or if you have observed growth and think they are ready for the next step. Bureaucratic leadership clearly defines duties and responsibilities for each position, establishes a specific chain of command, and often has set rules and processes in place.

According to the Mayo Clinic, team members may use aggressive communication styles to get what they want, but it’s often at the expense of others. In doing so, they risk undermining team trust, miscommunications, and coming off as patronizing. https://asian-feels.com/login-and-sign-up-guide/ A person with this communication style is very confident in their point of view—to the point where they may not listen to their teammate’s opinions. Non-verbal communication typically includes strong eye contact, signaling dominance.