Relating to our peers at work is an ongoing, career-long challenge. To excel, we must nurture our work relationships. Without knowing our coworkers, employees, and managers and how they work (alone and with others), we can’t communicate or work effectively.
We can use social styles to help us understand ourselves. Social styles, created by David Merrill and his associates, are patterns of observable, interpersonal behaviors. Simply put, social style = the way we interact with people.
By defining our social style and determining others’ social styles, we can understand each other better, recognize people’s true intentions, and adjust our behaviors to accept and collaborate with people who have different social styles.
Understanding social styles allows us to build positive relationships - and we perform most effectively in positive relationships. However, we can’t build better relationships with others without first knowing ourselves and our style.
“To lead or attempt to lead without first having a knowledge of self is foolhardy and sure to bring disaster and defeat.” - Machiavelli
The Four Social Styles
The four social styles, Expressive, Driver, Analytical, and Amiable, are evenly divided among the population.
To determine the characteristics of each style and recognize our predominant social style, two dimensions are used: assertiveness and responsiveness.
Assertiveness is “the degree to which a person’s behaviors are seen by others as being forceful or directive”. Assertiveness can also be associated with feeling focused on giving opinions and demands rather than completing tasks or connecting with people.
In contrast, responsiveness is “the degree to which a person’s behaviors are seen by others as being emotionally responsive or emotionally controlled.” Responsive folks are people-focused and prefer to be asked rather than speak freely on their own accord.
Let’s dive into the social styles and learn how we can use assertiveness and responsiveness to understand each other.
Expressive: highly assertive & highly responsive
People with an Expressive social style have a refreshing, big-picture perspective that allows for unique points of view and innovative solutions. They don’t mind a little bit of risk and like to make the most of opportunities to reach a desired goal. Expressives tend to be funny, personable, and enthusiastic, which can add life to a workplace. Because of their high assertiveness, people with an Expressive social style tend to share their opinions often, which makes for quality brainstorming.
Some more common traits of Expressives:
- Outgoing
- Impulsive/spontaneous
- Persuasive
- Aspirational
- Fun-loving
Each social style has its weaknesses or aspects that can cause tension in relationships. Consider working on the following if you’re an Expressive:
- Double-check your work/decisions: slow down on “pulling the trigger” and consider consulting your logical and slower-paced peers before making a big decision
- Because of your eagerness to share and be heard, practice guiding conversations to include and spotlight others
- Approach conversation with a slower pace: match the other people/person’s pace in a conversation to not overwhelm them and to avoid moving too quickly from subject to subject
Driver: highly assertive & low responsiveness
“Drivers” work efficiently by being blunt, fast-paced, and results-focused. Because of their focus on tasks, these people can often come off as close-minded and transactional in their work relationships. People with a predominant Driver social style can be incredibly decisive and determined, which makes for strong decision-making.
Some more common traits of Drivers:
- Independent
- Pragmatic
- Concrete thinking
- Controlling
- Active
Things to consider if you’re a Driver:
- Because you tend to be direct and blunt, consider how tone and delivery might affect people who have different social styles. To better connect with others, practice expressing gratitude to your peers
- Listen more! Take turns talking and listening to give others the chance to contribute more to conversations
Analytical: low assertiveness & low responsiveness
The Analytical social style is tied to logic and thorough work. Analyticals think their options and information through to make precise and data-backed decisions, which causes them to work at a slower pace than Drivers. These folks take their projects and roles seriously, creating habits and organized systems to ensure their success. Although headstrong in their work, Analyticals are often more reserved and rely on logic rather than emotions to form opinions.
Some more common traits of Analyticals:
- Wise
- Diligent
- Systematic
- Self-control
- Deliberate
Ideas to consider if you’re an Analytical:
- Put less importance on data: once informed, act when you've come to a conclusion, rather than ruminating over information
- Learn to be more flexible: rather than being rigid in the way you do things, consider other ways to do things. Consider information other than data, such as purpose, people, etc.
- Second guess less!
Amiable: low assertiveness & highly responsive
“Amiables” are extremely responsive, making them supportive peers who patiently cooperate. These people tend to be social and kind to those around them as they value relationships and purpose over tasks and demands. People with the Amiable social style create an amazing support system and can find passion in a project, inspiring those around them. Although they might not have total faith in their ideas and they might shy away from conflict, Amiables work hard to build trust and positive relationships to support lasting progress and teams.
Some more common traits of Amiables:
- Diplomatic
- Agreeable
- Social
- Trustworthy
- Friendly
- Loyal
Things to consider if you’re an Amiable:
- Find the good in conflict: not every conversation with differing views is bad, so find the silver lining and contribute positively to conversations
- Stand your ground and don’t be afraid to speak up
- Practice active participation and expressing your feelings when they might be contradictory to how others feel
- Initiate conversation and discourse rather than taking a backseat or acting as cheer leader
Determining your style
If you are still unsure of your social style, there are plenty of self-assessments available online, like this one.
Another great way to determine your social style is to ask your peers. Talk to your managers, mentors, coworkers, employees, and even friends and family to learn more about how they view your behavior.
Your role at work might even help you find your social style, as HR professionals are more often Amiables, managers are often Drivers, etc. Yet it is important to remember that all four social styles are represented in all types of roles, and every social type can be successful in any role.
Are you a business owner, manager, or leader? Read this article on how you can use your knowledge of the social styles to support your employees and become a better leader.
_______
pssst... use code FIRSTORDER2025 at checkout for 15% off your first order! Pick and purchase your favorite modules here.
_________________
You might also enjoy: