4. Perceptual Preferences

You also need to be conscious of the fact that different people prefer to receive information in different ways. That is, they may be naturally visual, auditory, or kinesthetic communicators. This aspect of communication is especially important when you are delegating a task.

• ‘Visual’ people retain information best when shown what is required. They will put into pictures what they read, hear, or are told.
• ‘Auditory’ individuals will grasp what you mean when they are verbally told. They will use your tone, pitch, and other para-verbal signals to interpret meaning. They struggle to take in what they read unless it is supported by what they hear.
• ‘Kinesthetic’ people prefer to be given a demonstration of what is needed. They will remember what was done rather than what was said. They are happy to be moving or making contact when communicating.

These categories can also be dependent on the type of task you are asking someone to perform. For example, if a team member is having dificulty with something, then it may be beneficial to use another way of getting the information across, rather than providing more detail using the same communication mode.

This doesn’t mean you need to repeat your instruction in three different ways, but you may benefit from using a supplementary form of communication to ensure your message is correctly interpreted.

By communicating in a way that correlates with the individual’s innate preferences you will ensure that your message is accurately received and interpreted. You should gather this knowledge as you observe your team perform their tasks and record how well they achieve their objectives.

The key to successful communications and delegation is that you retain control but give the individual the correct tools and support to perform the task. Your role is to focus on the required result and to give constructive feedback when monitoring indicates that more direction is needed.