What difference does it make? A lot!

We all have different learning styles. Some of us are visual; some hands-on; some are auditory; and some are reading/writing learners. Personally, I am a combination of styles; visual and hands-on. I learn best with charts and graphs and pictures and colors (visual); taking things apart and putting them back together (hands-on).

Auditory learners need to hear the information and often like to say it out loud to help them remember it. Reading/writing learners do best when reading and writing. Go figure.

So, what difference does it make? Let’s just suppose you have important information to convey to an audience – customers, employees, family, friends – and you want to make sure they “get” it. How do you present the information in a way that achieves your goal? Understand that not everyone in your “audience” learns the same way. Learning is not a “one size fits all” proposition.

My point? At any given time, each type of learner will be in your audience and the way you deliver your message better include something for each learner type. At Sentry, we are in the business of safety. Any messages we send out – whether it’s product information, safety tips, or general safety information – needs to hit the target. That means the message needs to contain something for everyone. What can you do to engage people in your message? Before you speak, listen. Yep, that’s right. Listen; not just hear but listen. Too often we listen to reply, not to understand. Know your audience, whether it’s one-on-one or a large group. Effective communication is about removing obstacles and taking the other person(s) into consideration. Know what they need and find ways to solve their issues. Make it all about them.

Have a great weekend.

Posted by MJ Thomas