In my last post, I introduced the benefits of picturing your communication as a game of tennis – with the ball going back and forth between the players.
That’s not always the best game to play though.
I should be polite on conference calls and let others speak, right?
Mayumi (another made-up name) often has to join telephone conference calls with global team members. She doesn’t speak up voluntarily – she’s too shy for that. Then when a colleague on the call invites her to speak, she quickly asks a question back to be polite and let others speak (and actually she’s a bit nervous about speaking because she’s not very confident in her English).
Mayumi’s problem
The others on the call with Mayumi quickly take over the conversation and she loses the opportunity to make her point. They see her as not such a strong member of the global team.
What game should Mayumi play?
Instead of tennis, which worked in Sachiko’s case, Mayumi could think of basketball. Once she’s got the ball, It’s better for her to keep it and get it through the hoop. But instead she quickly hands the ball to the other team and is left out of the game. In other words, she should keep talking until she’s made her point.
Different communication styles work in different situations (and with different people). That’s what makes communication so challenging and fun!
Are you playing the right game for your communication situation?