Your energy influences your communication

Communicating effectively as a leader, speaker, and entrepreneur is vital to successful relationships and engagement.

Have you ever been conversing with someone, and you wish they would get to the point of whatever they were trying to say? You may attend an event on a topic of great interest to you; however, the presenter presents in a way that does not land for you.

We all vary in the way we deliver and receive messages. We may be more visual and need pictures to bring the message to life or more kinaesthetic and need the speaker to connect and be more present. You may be more auditory and need to hear the words or have more detail.

“To effectively communicate, we must realise that we are all different in the way we perceive the world and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with others.”

Conversations can inspire, lift, or frustrate us at any time. In one-on-one conversations, this can be very pronounced. Suppose you are at a public speaking event. Have you had an experience where you could feel very connected and enthusiastic about learning more or find yourself looking at your emails or dozing off instead of engaging, even though the topic interests you?

Tony Robbins, the best life and wealth coach in the world, states, “To effectively communicate, we must realise that we are all different in the way we perceive the world and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with others.”

In communication, less is more. But what does this mean? Well, it means different things to different people, so how can someone communicating ever get it right for everyone they speak with? The answer is most likely that they can only get it right sometimes. However, with awareness of your communication style and, even more importantly, the other person's communication style, it is possible to have an impact and get your message across.

Communication is 55% nonverbal, 38% vocal, and 7% words only.

Communicating is about more than words. Words are the least important when it comes to being an effective communicator. Albert Mehrabian, a body language researcher, first broke down the components of a face-to-face conversation. He found that communication is 55% nonverbal, 38% vocal, and 7% words only. However, this study had a specific purpose: to compare facial and vocal components to explain a person’s attitude. He found that when there are inconsistencies between attitudes communicated verbally and through body language, the body should dominate in determining the message being communicated. So, is 90% of communication nonverbal? No, information is conveyed verbally, but body language and facial expressions can significantly impact how data is interpreted in a face-to-face conversation.

We all have different behavioural energies. If you want to be a good communicator, know that it is not just about how you want to communicate that is important. To get your message across, it is vital also to understand how the person you are communicating with receives information. This is because of the different behavioural energies that we all have. This becomes even more complex when you are speaking to a room full of people because the likelihood is that there is a myriad of different energy types in the audience, so how to communicate effectively to all?

There are four primary behavioural energy levels. It is rare for anyone to have just one of these levels; however, it is possible. Most people have a combination of at least 2 or 3 different levels; however, one will be the lead energy. This lead energy most influences how we like to be communicated to and how we communicate with others.

Dominant Energy

People with the highest behavioural energy level as the lead are called Dominate. They are the 'hunter' archetype. They are self-confident, competitive, and demanding. When communicating with others, they are direct, talk more than listen and are authoritative. When receiving communication, they can be impatient, lack empathy and may interrupt.

Influence Energy

People with the second highest energy level as the lead are called Influence. They are the 'entertainer' archetype. They are social, inspiring, and talkative, with high emotional intelligence. When they communicate, they are passionate, like to have fun and are inspiring. When receiving communication, they like informality, humour, and emotion.

Steadiness Energy

People with the third highest energy level as the lead are called Steadiness. They are the 'mother' archetype. They like to do things together and are calm and caring. When they communicate, they listen more than they talk and are consultative and warm. When receiving communication, they like sincerity, logic, and appreciation.

Compliant Energy

People with the lowest energy level, as the lead, are called Compliant. They are the 'technician' archetype. They like precision, discipline, and formality. When they communicate, they are orderly, diplomatic, and task-focused. When receiving communication, they need clarity and detail and want to ask questions.

When you understand your behavioural energy style, you can start noticing this in other people, particularly in one-on-one conversations. This is very powerful for leaders and business owners with teams and entrepreneurs building a business and engaging with clients. When speaking to a larger audience understanding the different behavioural energy types provides the opportunity to mix up the content being delivered to cater to a variety of people, which can be fun!

Book a Free Strategy Session with a lead coach at Leaders Network if you want support to understand your behavioural energy style.