Since we all have our own unique communication styles and respond to other communication styles in different ways, sometimes we need to tailor or adjust the way we’re delivering our message when advocating.
We all have a natural way, based on our individual communication styles, that we want to present information. However, that might not be the best way to present our issue to make sure that the decision-maker actually hears us. For advocacy to be effective, the decision-maker needs to listen and hear what we are presenting.
Before you start to advocate, think about what you know about the decision-maker you’re advocating to:
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What is their communication style? If you’ve dealt with them before, what words would you use to describe their style? (Take a look at the word list from
Advocacy Communication and Relationship-building page.)
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How will they best receive the information? If you know their communication style, think about how to present the information best for them. For example:
- If they’re more analytical and objective, you might want to cut down on personal chit chat, organize your thoughts ahead of time, and consider if there are any facts or data you can present them with.
- If they’re very outgoing and personable, you might want to make sure you spend time building a personal rapport before getting into the details of what you’re asking for.
- If they’re quiet and reserved, you might want to make a list of probing questions to ask them, so that you can dig deeper during the conversation.
Once you have thought about the questions above, you can start to think about how best to present your ideas to them.
If you haven’t met the decision-maker before, you likely won’t know their communication style. In this situation:
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Appeal to all different styles: Be ready to present information in a way that would work for lots of different communication styles. For example, have some numbers or facts ready for an analytical communicator, as well as some personal stories for a more bubbly or talkative communicator.
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Follow clues: During the conversation, pay attention to the types of questions they’re asking. This will also help you clue into what kind of communicator they are. For example, are they asking for numbers and data, or are they asking for personal stories?
