Leveraging Your

Communication
Style – PCSI

Monica Brunaccini
Director, Leadership
Development
Welcome!

AGENDA

ƒ Why communication is so important

ƒ Introduction of PCSI - Coaching Styles
ƒ Overview of each coaching style
ƒ Distinction between styles
ƒ Flexing your style – real life scenarios
ƒ Applying what you learn
Program Objectives

You will gain an understanding of:

ƒ Why coaching styles are important

ƒ The strengths and liabilities of each style
ƒ The impact of different styles in the workplace
ƒ The impact of communication with someone of the same style
or different style
ƒ Opportunities to immediately apply your learning
Why is communication key?

“Regardless of the changes in technology, the market for well-crafted

messages will always have an audience.”
- Steve Burnett
(Technical Writer)

“The art of communication is the language of leadership.”

- James Humes
(Former Presidential Speechwriter)
Types of Communication

Verbal
Interchange of information- thoughts, opinions, writing and/or speech
ƒ Voicemail: How does it sound to the receiver?
ƒ Email: How is it perceived by the receiver?
ƒ Meetings: Be here now concept and no phones please.
ƒ Listening: being an active listener
ƒ What you say to the person and about the person.

Non-verbal
Interchange of information - observations and/or signs
ƒ What is my body language stating?
ƒ How does my resting face get interpreted?
ƒ Are you fully engaged: the power of eye contact?
Communication Fundamentals

How do you know when you are connecting with

someone in a conversation?

ƒ When the conversation is focused and organized

ƒ When you feel compatible with the person
ƒ When the pace seems even and everything clicks
Communication Fundamentals

How do you identify when there is a misconnection

and a potential style difference?

ƒ When one person is talking much more than the other

ƒ When you don’t feel like the person “gets” it
ƒ When your pace is different from the other person’s
PCSI Assessment
Personal Coaching Style Inventory

ƒ Created by Coach Works International

ƒ Used since 1995 by tens of thousands of individuals world-wide
ƒ First coaching instrument developed by coaches for the coaching
industry
ƒ Designed to address the need for understanding and mastery of
interaction styles
ƒ Not a psychological/personality tool
ƒ Intended to be a self-inventory – how to enhance effective
communication and relationships
Identifying Your Natural Style
PCSI – Personal Coaching Style Inventory

Aids you to understand and enhance your communication,

interpersonal skills and relationships.

ƒ Recognize style distinctions in others and yourself

ƒ Aid you to build rapport and connect with others

ƒ Focus on stronger, more strategic outcomes

ƒ Can forward conversation more clearly and precisely

PCSI Styles

Four different styles:

ƒ Director

ƒ Presenter

ƒ Mediator

ƒ Strategist

There is no right or wrong style and

everyone has a little of each style.
Determining Your Style

ƒ Complete the assessment

ƒ Total number checked for each column

ƒ Mark this in the associated sections at the bottom of

the page

ƒ The highest score typically is your natural style, the one

that best describes you!
PCSI Assessment:
Determining Your Natural Style

One High Score (4 points or more)

ƒ Strong preference

Two High Scores (within 2 points)

ƒ May lead with preferred style and can draw from others

Three Close Scores

ƒ Will lead with preferred style, may have developed from experience

Equal Score in all four styles

ƒ Highly adaptable, may appear inconsistent to others
PCSI Assessment:
Poll of Today’s Attendees

What is your
natural style?
PCSI Communication Styles

Distribution of styles for optimum team performance:

ƒ Director – 30%

ƒ Presenter – 20%

ƒ Mediator – 40%

ƒ Strategist – 10%
PCSI Assessment:
Directing Style
Strengths
-Fast paced, quick thinkers
-Focus on action and results
-Decisive
-Takes responsibility
-Natural leaders
-Visionary, big picture
Liabilities
-Impatient with those who work slowly
-Lone ranger
-Can be judgmental
-Tendency to dominate others
-Difficulty trusting other’s work
-Need to be in control causes frustrations
PCSI Assessment:
Presenting Style
Strengths
-Knows how to have fun
-Always up, energetic
-Communicates easily
-Motivates others
-Lots and lots of ideas
-Enjoys/prefers new projects
Liabilities
-May not always be taken seriously
-Poor operational follow through
-Easily bored
-May over promise and under deliver
-Would rather talk than listen
-Does not manage time well
PCSI Assessment:
Mediating Style

Strengths Liabilities
-Subtle, gentle, indirect, inclusive -Likes privacy, difficult to get to know
-Good listener -Focuses on people issues first
-Expert -Reluctant to correct difficult people
-Loved by everyone problems
-Champion of others -Doesn’t like risk taking
-Encourages others through -Doesn’t care for surprises
appreciation -May avoid center stage
PCSI Assessment:
Strategizing Style
Strengths
-Likes people, not large groups
-Confident if facts are known
-Likes to give advice
-Very thorough
-Fair and unbiased
-Enjoys structure
Liabilities
-Difficult to stop pursing perfectness
-Fear of mistakes (time consuming)
-Tends to be critical
-Worries a lot
-Slow to embrace new
-Tends to be critical
What are the following
individual’s styles?

Director
Presenter

Mediator Strategist
Questions and Comments

ƒ What is your reaction to the assessment?

ƒ Does your primary style resonate with you?

ƒ Do you have any questions about the different styles?

Group Discussion:
Application of Each Style

Let’s consider the following…

ƒ How does each style like to make decisions?

ƒ How does each style work on a team?

ƒ How does each style approach meetings?

ƒ How does each style like to receive feedback?

ƒ How does each style like to be acknowledged?

How The Styles Make Decisions

•Quickly •Considers the impact on other

people
•Based on facts
•Intuitive decision maker
•Refer to the bottom line to help make
decision •Gets others excited and takes them
with them
•Delegates any details
Director Presenter

Strategist
•Needs data, details, facts, figures and
logic
•The need for all the facts may slow the
decision making process
Mediator
•By consensus
•Can see things from others’
perspectives which may slow the
decision making process
How The Styles Work on a Team
•Keeps the team moving towards
the goal
•Focuses on action
•Focuses on bottom line and profit
Director
Strategist
•Provides the data to support
decisions
•Finds change difficult
•Need for perfection can cause
frustrations in others
•Very thorough
•Facilitator, motivator and networker
•Creates an atmosphere of ‘fun’
•Energises the team
•May show lack of follow through
Presenter
Mediator
•Good listener, sensitive
•Peace maker
•Will lead if asked to
•May be overpowered or
overshadowed by Directors and
Presenters
How The Styles Approach Meetings

•Creates an agenda at the meeting

•Prepares an agenda in advance
•Very active
•Will set the tone
•May do a lot of work outside the
•Time-focused
meeting to talk with others and gain
their agreement

Director Presenter

Strategist Mediator
•Will come fully (or over) prepared •Inclusive – will get others’ views

•May take the lead with lots of data •Will perform the introductions

•May be rigid in opinion as a result of •Listens to others

research and data •Asks questions
•Active
How The Styles Receive Feedback

•Objectively rather than subjectively •Finds it difficult to receive negative

feedback – mix with some positive
•As an opportunity to get to the
result •May appear aloof to lighten the
impact
•Is likely to take immediate action
•May take it personally
•Will see it as related to business,
not personal
Director Presenter

Strategist Mediator
•Finds it difficult to take criticism –
•Accepting of any feedback
expects positive feedback
•Will take it to heart
•May challenge or question
feedback •Will see all sides
•Needs stats and specifics to •May find it difficult to receive
understand the feedback positive feedback
How The Styles Like to be Acknowledged

•In public •In public – with fireworks

•For results and the impact on bottom •Anytime, anywhere (and as often as
line possible)
•Title and power first, then money •Flattery

Director Presenter

Strategist Mediator
•In private •In private
•Given by someone they respect •Money
•With specific examples •With respect and honesty
•Mention and praise others who have
contributed
Commonalities Between Styles

Direct
Communication

Task Director Presenter People

Focus Focus

Strategist Mediator

Indirect
Communication
Leveraging Your Style

ƒ What is your primary communication style?

ƒ What are the strengths of your style?

ƒ Where do you need to “flex” your style in individual interactions?

ƒ Where do you need to “flex” your style in team communications?

Helpful Hints

ƒ Approach Directors with clear, concise information and a results

orientation. Minimize “chit chat.”

ƒ Approach Presenters with an exchange of personal information first,

and respect their impulsive and intuitive ideas.

ƒ Approach Mediators with acknowledgment and patience. Recognize

their sensitivity and humble attitude, and encourage them to share
their thoughts.

ƒ Approach Strategists with as much data as possible, and respect

their need for attention to detail. They may have important details that
should not be overlooked.
Closing Questions and Comments

ƒ Questions on any information that has been presented.

ƒ Sharing of personal insights

ƒ Suggestions on how to apply what you have learned

Forwarding Your Learning
Recommended Action Steps

ƒ Outline the strengths and liabilities of your primary style

ƒ Educate people about your style

ƒ Identify where you need to flex your style

ƒ Focus on enhancing a particular relationship

-Consider someone you would like to interact with more effectively.
-What do you think is their natural style?
-How could you approach communicating with them differently?
About the PCSI Tool

ƒ The Personal Coaching Styles Inventory (PCSI) was created by

CoachWorks International.

ƒ The handout you were given today is for your personal use ONLY and is
considered value through the Pathways/ AITP partnership.

ƒ To purchase the full PCSI tool, please visit the CoachWorks site at:

http://coachworks.com/pcsi.lasso
About the Pathways Program

Pathways is:
ƒ a premier leadership development program for “A‟ players and high
potentials who are aggressively seeking the seat of CIO or another senior
leadership position within IT

ƒ an opportunity for AITP members to participate in customizable education

and leadership training initiatives

ƒ developed around three areas of professional development: leadership,

technology and business

Visit council.cio.com/pathways/aitp and enroll today.

Key Advice for Women in IT

Boston Chicago San Francisco

Tuesday May 10, 2011 Tuesday July 12, 2011 Thursday June 9, 2011

Visit http://events.cio.com/AITP to register today!

Our panel:

Pamela Rucker, President Mary Finlay, Professor Rhonda Gass, Vice President
The Rucker Group & Simmons School of Information Technology
EWIT Co-Chair Management Dell
Thank you.

Contact Monica Brunaccini at:

mbrunaccini@cio.com