Can’t talk? In my book Talk to Me, I have discovered two bold new communicator types. In fact, I’ve found that 40% of the people you work with and love are Empathizer-type communicators. Neither talk style is better or worse.
Empathizer-type communicators, or E-types for short, share many (and more) of these traits:
- Interpersonally SENSITIVE
- Huge strength of EMPATHY
- Listen inclusively
- Achilles Heel: Can become lost in fog of feeling down and blue
- Must overcome glass-is-half-empty negativism
- Relate to world through feelings…emotions as deep as the ocean
- Feelings get easily hurt, too thin-skinned, take things too personally
- Prone to pleasing too much
- In a power play, can mess with your emotions
- Natural-born relationship experts replete with people skills
You can find out your type easily by “Taking the Test” on this site. You can go from a good to great communicator in no time at all.
There are also two of the four communicator modes (Emotions, Talks) that E-types prefer to drive in as they talk to people in their blue cars on the two-way communicator highway. In training, Empathizers benefit from adopting the strengths of their opposite communicator type called Instigators.
Statistically, 40% of all people are Empathizer communators (E-types) while 60% of all people are Instigator communicators (I-types).
Dr. Dennis O’Grady is a licensed clinical psychologist from Dayton, Ohio, and the author of TALK TO ME: Communication moves to get along with anyone. He is a Clinical Professor at the Wright State University School of Professional Psychology, a professional relationship counselor and the founder of the Leadership Talks Program for entrepreneurial leadership development.