Leading with Emotional Intelligence: Hands-On ... - always yours

COMMUNICATION AND EMPATHY TOOLS AND STRATEGIES 281
THREE SENSORY PREFERENCE STYLES FOR TAKING IN AND
REPRESENTING THE WORLD:
V = VISUAL STYLE: Revolves around vision and sight
Talks fast, uses visual phrases such as “I can see clearly . . . ” “let
me paint you the picture . . . ” “see what I’m saying . . . ” “in view of
. . . ” “it looks like . . . ” and “It is still cloudy to me . . . ”
A = AUDITORY STYLE: Revolves around hearing
Talks methodically and carefully selects words. Uses phrases
such as “to tell the truth . . . ” “clear as a bell,” “that clicks with me,”
“I hear what you are saying,” “what an earful,” “it sounds good,” and
“loud and clear.”
K = KINESTHETIC STYLE: Revolves around tactileness and
motion
May talk slowly, sometimes painfully so. Uses phrases such as
“catch my drift,” “sharp as a tack,” “get in touch,” “come to grips,”
“get a handle on it,” “hang in there,” and “cool and calm.”
QUESTIONS AND ACTION APPLICATIONS
• When preparing to talk to your team, think of stories or
metaphors from your own experience that give your talk
more vividness and highlight your points.
• Really listen hard to the words and metaphors of your people
and mirror them back to them when communicating.
• What are your preferences for taking in information and
communicating? Are you a V? An A? A K?
• Write down the ways each of your people takes in information
from the VAK above. When speaking to each person,
make sure you start with his or her preference before falling
back to your own.
• When you speak before a group, make sure you dip into all
three sensory preference styles so that you successfully
reach the entire audience. See it. Hear it. Feel it.