As financial coaches and planners, it is vital to understand our clients preferred communication styles. Our clients’ communication preferences will influence how we communicate with them and present information. Furthermore, it gives us an indication of how they may be engaging with money and life.
In Thomas Erikson’s book, You Are Surrounded by Idiots: The Four Types of Human Behavior and How to Effectively Communicate with Each in Business (and in life), he outlines the four primary communication and “behavioural” styles within our society based on the DISC profile. They are:
Red – Dominant, assertive, and focused on results.
Yellow – Social, outgoing, and focused on relationships.
Green – Patient, calm, and focused on cooperation.
Blue – Analytical, precise, and focused on details.
Erikson argues that understanding these different styles can help us communicate more effectively with clients, even when they have varying ways of approaching communication and problem-solving. If we can identify someone’s communication style, we can adapt to it so that we can form a better connection with them and help them achieve their goals.
Erikson argues that understanding these different styles can help us communicate more effectively with clients, even when they have varying ways of approaching communication and problem-solving. If we can identify someone’s communication style, we can adapt to it to form a better connection with them and help them achieve their goals.
He makes the following points about the different styles, and their preferences and dislikes:
Red – Dominant, assertive, and focused on results
People with a Red communication style tend to be dominant, assertive, and focused on achieving results. They prefer to take charge of situations and make decisions quickly, often relying on their intuition and experience. Challenges and competition drive them, and they enjoy taking risks.
On the other hand, Red style communicators tend to dislike slow decision-making processes, indecisiveness, and people who appear weak or passive. They may become impatient or frustrated with others who do not share their sense of urgency or willingness to take risks. They also tend to be less interested in socialising or building relationships than in achieving tangible results.
Yellow – Social, outgoing, and focused on relationships
People with a Yellow communication style tend to be outgoing, social and focused on building relationships. They prefer to interact with others and often use humour and storytelling to connect with people. They are usually optimistic, enthusiastic, and creative and enjoy exploring new ideas and possibilities.
Yellow-style communicators tend to dislike being alone or isolated, and they may become bored or restless when faced with routine or repetitive tasks. They also tend to be less concerned with details and may overlook important facts or information. They can be sensitive to criticism and tend to avoid conflict or confrontation.
Green – Patient, calm, and focused on cooperation
People with a Green communication style tend to be patient, calm, and focused on cooperation. They prefer to work collaboratively and build consensus through discussion and compromise. They are good listeners and are often supportive and empathetic towards others.
Green-style communicators tend to dislike conflict and may go out of their way to avoid it. They prefer to work in a harmonious environment and may be uncomfortable with aggressive or confrontational behaviour. They may become frustrated with people who are overly assertive or aggressive, and they may struggle to make decisions quickly if they feel that they need more time to consider all viewpoints. They also tend to be less interested in personal recognition or advancement than in the overall success of the team or organisation.
Blue – Analytical, precise, and focused on details
People with a Blue communication style tend to be analytical, meticulous, and detail-oriented. They prefer to focus on facts, data, and logic and often take a systematic approach to problem-solving.
Blue-style communicators tend to dislike ambiguity and uncertainty and may become frustrated when they cannot gather all the necessary information to make informed decisions. They also tend to be less interested in small talk or socialising than in achieving accuracy and completeness in their work. They can be seen as critical or nitpicky by others who do not share their attention to detail, and they may struggle to delegate tasks or make decisions quickly if they feel that they do not have enough information.
In the following 40-minute interview Scott Miller discuss the book with Thomas Erikson. He shares an interesting story about the origin of the title of the book and more insights into the different personality styles.
Want to learn more about how our natural behaviour (personality) and learned behaviour (things that happened in our life) influence our and our client’s relationship with money? Join us for our next 12-week financial coaching course. We explore Money EQ, Data Points and Money Scrips as part of the short-learning program.
