SHOW OR TELL

A client approached me recently about having difficulty expressing her thoughts to one of her managers.  “He just doesn’t grasp what I am trying to explain” she said.  In discussing this problem, I asked if the manager was visual or verbal.  She was taken back by this question and indicated she had no idea.

People process information differently.  Some people need to “see” what is being explained to them so they can visualize it and absorb.  Conversely, others need to “hear” what is being said because they process information better this way.  Another factor is whether people like to process details or only want to focus on the big picture.  In whatever manner the person you are addressing processes information, the most important aspect is to understand what their information processing mechanism is.

For example, you are about to make an important presentation to the bank.  You’re growing quickly and you need funding to finance this growth.  You spend hours preparing this great PowerPoint presentation, together with other visuals.  As you are making your presentation, you notice that your banker is not really looking at your slides.  He appears to be bored with your presentation.  Noticing this causes you to suddenly switch gears and start talking to him without referring the slides.  Now you’ve got his attention and he fully understands your situation and your needs.

When I first meet someone, I like to follow up with a “get to know you better” meeting so we can determine if, or how we can help each other.  After the normal pleasantries, I ask if they prefer to hear what I have to say, or see what I want to explain.  This normally leads them to say that no one has ever asked them that question before.  It gets their attention and they tell me if they are verbal or visual.  I now know how to proceed to ensure that I maintain their full attention and they absorb what I am presenting.

I suggested to my client that she implement a behavioral assessment for her team, so not only could she better understand how to communicate with her manager, but everyone on her team could better understand how everyone else on the team processes information.  Once completed, the results were astounding.  Internal communications became so much more effective as each member of the team now adjusted their efforts to the way others processed information.

The next time you meet someone for the first time, ask them if they are verbal or visual.  You’ll be amazed at how much better your conversation will be received.

David Saxe, BBA, CPA, CA, CBC

Business Performance Specialist

Authorized Partner – The Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team™

Certified Ownership Thinking™ Facilitator

Base Camp Trained EOS implementer

David has over 40 years of hands on business experience and is the Chief Coaching Officer at Next Level Business Planning.  The firm provides leadership teams with the tools, training and skills to build high performance, cohesive, productive teams within their businesses organizations.  David has a passion for working with leadership teams to help them create a laser-focused vision and provide the tools, training and traction to achieve that vision.   He also helps to create a culture of engagement and accountability to maximize efficiency and profitability by training employees to think and act like owners.  David can be reached at david@nextlevelbusinessplanning.com