When it comes to being an effective communicator, there is no one-size-fits-all approach! We are communicating to humans, not robots, and humans are complex creatures who think and learn differently to each other. So in order to make sure our communication is understood, we need to cater to different styles of learning and thinking. Here’s a few of our ideas on how to make sure you’re reaching people in the most effective way.

Different types of learners and thinkers

Visual learners

It’s estimated that up to 66% of people are visual learners - it means they learn by seeing someone demonstrate a move, or by looking at a picture or diagram, rather than reading something. Some of the ways you can repackage your message so it speaks to the visual learners in your audience include videos, infographics, flow charts or diagrams, or even putting information succinctly into a table.

Auditory learners

Auditory learners remember what they hear, rather than what they see or read. So for our auditory learners, consider communicating through channels such as podcasts, videos, and virtual meetings. You may like to back it up with an email to reiterate some of the key messages.

Strategic thinkers

Some people are big-picture thinkers. They’re interested in the overall strategy, and how concepts fit together, rather than getting into the detail. For our strategic thinkers, you will need to provide context and help them make connections. Some of the ways you can do this are:

Include a visual or diagram of how concepts fit together
Explain the ‘why’ behind the message or the change
Speak to the links between what’s happening, and the organisation's broader strategy or goals.

Detailed thinkers

You’re either a detailed thinker, or you’re not! Our detail thinkers know who they are - they like to get to the nitty gritty of what’s happening, particularly when it involves any kind of change. They are usually less interested in the big picture, and more interested in the impacts. For our detail thinkers, consider:

Providing FAQs that answer the who, what, when, where, how and why
Giving time and/or a mechanism for them to ask questions
Providing examples of what the change will look like in practice for similar roles.

Introverted personalities

People who have introverted tendencies need time to process information before offering up comments or questions, particularly if they are surrounded by extroverts! So to enable our introverts to have their say, and truly understand the message, try providing information ahead of time, before a briefing for example. This means they will have time to process information and be ready to ask questions. Post-briefing, there should also be opportunity for them to raise questions privately. Be aware of the extroverts taking over. You can counteract this by putting time limits on questions for each person, or allowing questions to be submitted digitally during a meeting (for example, in a chat window or via an online app like Slido).

Extroverted personalities

Unlike our introverted personalities, extroverted people need to process out loud. Often they’ll speak up in a meeting and it’s not a question - it’s just a thought process! To tailor your communication to meet the needs of your extroverts, you can:

Allow group brainstorming or question time
Communicate in person or via virtual meetings, rather than in writing
Communicate with energy! Extroverts draw their energy from people and the energy in the room - your energy will determine how much they participate.

How to communicate for different learners and thinkers