Social Styles And Their Effect On Our Negotiations
How can you ensure that you approach people in the correct way?
“Knowing About Social Styles”, developed by Merrill and Reid, is a theory which I have discussed in several of my articles and it is very useful to have a thorough understanding of it when negotiating.
In the Social Styles Model there are four basic “styles” or preferred ways of interacting with others.
Merrill and Reid believe that a person’s Social Style is a way of coping with others. People become most comfortable with that style, in themselves and others.
A person’s Social Style is measured in relation to three behavioural dimensions:
• Assertiveness
• Responsiveness
• Versatility.
The Assertiveness Scale:
Measures the degree to which a person is seen as attempting to influence the thoughts, decisions or actions of others either directly by tell behaviour or by questioning, i.e. ask behaviour.
Tell Behaviour: Is risk-taking, fast-paced, challenging.
Ask Behaviour: Is co-operative, deliberate actions, minimising risks.
The Responsiveness Scale:
Measures the degree to which a person either openly expresses their feelings or controls their feelings. The ends of the scale are “control” and “emote”.
Control Behaviour: Is disciplined, serious, and cool.
Emote Behaviour: Is relationship oriented, open, and warm.
The two scales combine to give a two-dimensional model of behaviour, which will help you to understand how others perceive you. The dimensions of behaviour will also help you to plan how you can deal more effectively with people of different Social Styles.
On Thursday, I will reveal how to first approach and then negotiate with each of the four styles.
Tomorrow, in the “JF Guest Post Spot” is Kevin Dwyer, the CEO of The Change Factory
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POSTED IN: Leadership Skills
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