To expand on the concept of how personality style affects communication, Tom met with Devora Zack, author of the book, “The Cactus and The Snowflake.” During his podcast, Devora talked about the personality styles of the cactus and the snowflake.
According to Devora, cactus personalities are considered thinkers, lead with their head, and value logic. They are analytical, base their decisions on reason, and are direct in conversation.
On the other hand, snowflake personalities are considered feelers. They lead with their heart and value sensitivity. They are empathetic, base decisions on feelings, and consider diplomacy to be highly important.
It is important to understand that these personality styles are on a continuum and that some people may be a mix. Reflecting on and understanding your and your employees’ personality style will help you communicate and build rapport, and this in turn will increase productivity and morale.
Understanding personality styles allows us to communicate effectively with our employees and our clients. Being aware of and accepting our own personality style helps us in our interactions with others. It is important to always be transparent and understand that people have differing opinions and approaches. Remembering to ask good questions allows us to understand more about the other person. When we pay better attention, ask better questions, and find out how best to communicate with others, it affords us a wonderful, engaging workplace culture, increased positivity, and greater employee retention.
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