Authentic adaptability

- One of the benefits of playing to your communication strengths and truly being yourself is that others are more likely to feel comfortable around you. They'll experience a genuine and authentic interaction with you, helping to build trust over time, which is one of the core components of strong relationships. That isn't to say there aren't times that you need to adapt your communication style. It pays to be flexible in how you engage with others in different circumstances. That comes back to being socially aware and conscious of who you are communicating with. But when you are clear on your natural communication style, you're in a better place to flex. So let's start by looking inwards at your communication strengths. Could they be communicating your message clearly and effectively? The ability to really listen to what others are saying. Making people feel comfortable and heard. Picking up on dynamics quickly. Having a talent for making genuine and authentic connections. Communicating one-to-one or leading meetings in big groups. Pause for a moment and just ask yourself the question, what am I good at? If you're unsure of where your communication strengths lie, ask others you trust for feedback on this. Sometimes others spot our strengths more effectively because strengths are familiar and hidden to ourselves. Next, consider how adaptable you are in your communication style. For example, do you change your tone if you are in a meeting with someone who's very high energy or someone that's calmer? This doesn't mean changing who you are. It means that you show different sides of your personality in different situations. The key here is to always communicate in a way that aligns with your values in a way that feels genuine for you. You can, however, be mindful of communicating in a way where you're giving yourself the best shot of being heard and understood by the other person. Some examples could include matching energy level and tone of voice, mirroring body language, consciously showing part of your personality, perhaps sharing stories where you're comfortable to do so, matching communication styles with others, for example, focusing on facts and figures or customer experience feedback depending on what the other person might be interested in. It is, however, incredibly important that you don't feel that you have to change who you are. You want to be able to show up in an authentic and genuine way in your work life. This process is more about being mindful of how you communicate and being adaptable with that, to the extent that you feel comfortable to do so. Before heading into your next meeting or conversation, take a moment just to reflect on what you know about the other person's communication style. Then consider how your communication strengths could match their style to create a productive and effective conversation. Finally, think about how you'll flex your communication style. Ask yourself, what could you do more or less of during the conversation?