What is your communication personality type?

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Quiz Questions

1.
The thought of a lot of detail in a process document...
- A.
  Makes me want to vomit
- B.
  Makes me salivate - I need this!
2.
When you're in a team meeting, are you more likely to...
- A.
  Verbalise your ideas as soon as they pop into your head, and engage in a lively discussion
- B.
  Sit back and mull over things before offering your thoughts
3.
There's a new process being implemented for your team. To get your head around it, you need...
- A.
  A diagram showing how it all works
- B.
  To talk it through with someone and hear how they explain it
4.
When you're learning about a new project, you're more interested in...
- A.
  The ‘why’ - what are we trying to achieve and how does this fit with the strategy?
- B.
  The logistics - how, when, where, and what we’re going to implement, and who’s involved.
5.
A group brainstorming session usually leaves you feeling...
- A.
  Energised, and full of ideas
- B.
  Drained, and needing time to think things over.
6.
You've attended a presentation by your CEO. When thinking about it later, you're more likely to remember...
- A.
  Something you saw on a slide
- B.
  Something the CEO said
7.
You're planning a work trip to visit an office in another state for a few days. Do you:
- A.
  Create yourself a detailed itinerary so you know exactly where you need to be, when, how, and who you’re going to visit (and what you’re going to meet about)
- B.
  Wing it - you know the major details like flights, and you’ve got an idea of what you want to achieve, but you’ll suss it out more when you get there.
8.
When attending a project meeting, do you prefer to...
- A.
  Have an agenda, and time to think about the topic before the meeting so you can prepare your ideas and questions
- B.
  Have a rough idea of what you’ll talk about, but you want to brainstorm some ideas too during the meeting.
9.
You’re in a meeting with your leader, who’s talking you through an idea they’ve had for a project. To really get your head around it, are you more likely to:
- A.
  Grab the whiteboard marker and start drawing out a diagram that roughly shows what they’re saying
- B.
  Stay seated but keep asking questions, and giving them time to explain.

Quiz Outcomes

1.
The Thoughtful Artist
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Introverted personality | Detail thinker | Visual learnerImagine this - sitting in a museum in thoughtful repose, looking at a painting… but not just looking at it, focusing in on each brush stroke and depth of colour. You approach a museum attendant about 10 minutes later with three fully-formed questions in your head…Okay, so museums might not be your thing, but taking your time to mull over the detail is! In fact, the more time and more detail, the better! You will sit back in a meeting and take in the information before asking questions; or you’ll wait until after the meeting and then ask the questions, usually delving into the detail. Having all your questions answered gives you a lot of comfort. But hearing the detail isn’t going to cut it - if you’ve been in a meeting or a conversation, you’re less likely to stay interested or remember what people have said than if you’ve read it somewhere or seen a visual describing it.What to tell others about your communication style:I’m really interested in how things will work, and the logistics - when and how. You don’t need to go into too much of the ‘why’.It’s great if you can give me a few dot points or a quick visual to help me understand how something fits together. I might not remember everything you’ve said in a meeting, so a back-up email would be really helpful.I find I need a bit of time to think about things before I offer up a suggestion or question. So in a meeting, I might be quiet but I’m just taking it all in. If I’m given some time and space, I’ll have something to contribute. Providing information before a meeting to give me time to think about it will help me come prepared, or some time afterwards to ask questions one on one.How to resonate with others with this communication style:Provide FAQs to help deliver on the detail. Don’t linger too long on the big-picture messages.Provide materials before a meeting so they have time to think about the information, and come up with questions and ideas. Or, provide opportunity after a meeting for people to ask questions, either in person or via email.Materials should be visual - dot points, tables, charts or similar work really well, backed up by more detailed information and time to ask questions.
2.
The Map Reader
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Introverted personality / Strategic thinker / Visual learnerThe scene: a quiet cafe in a small town. You’re sitting at the table, by yourself (or in silence with someone who ‘gets’ you), studying a map and determining the best course to take to reach your holiday destination. You’re less interested in the detail (like petrol stations along the way, toilet stops, cafes) and more focused on the best way to get to your destination, while still seeing the key tourist sites you want to see. Are the tourist sites open? Who knows! You’ll deal with that when you get closer…Sound like a scene you could see yourself in? It’s no wonder because detail is not your friend! You’re a ‘why’ person - not a ‘when’, ‘how’, or ‘what’ person! You are a strategic thinker, looking for how things fit together and with an eye on the bigger picture. And if that picture is presented in a virtual format, even better! A chart or diagram gives you comfort.But, if someone is explaining the strategy to you verbally - either in a conversation or in a meeting - you might not understand it all immediately, tune out, or forget what was said as soon as the conversation ends. But put it in a few dot points, a diagram, table or chart, and it clicks. You’re not the kind of person who needs to brainstorm with a bunch of people - in fact, that drains you completely. And it’s not that you’re not capable of spontaneous thought, but you prefer to think things over and then come up with a few clear thoughts or questions. Given a bit of space and time, you got great contributions to make! What to tell others about your communication style:I don’t need to know the detail (yet), but I’d love to see how things fit into the bigger picture or our strategy or plan.It’s great if you can give me a quick visual to help me understand how something fits together. I might not remember everything you’ve said in a meeting, so a back-up email would be really helpful.I find I need a bit of time to think about things before I offer up a suggestion or question. So in a meeting, I might be quiet but I’m just taking it all in. If I’m given some time and space, I’ll have something to contribute. Providing information before a meeting to give me time to think about it will help me come prepared, or some time afterwards to ask questions one on one.How to resonate with others with this communication style:Provide an overview of the context and the why. Don’t get bogged down in the detail.Provide materials before a meeting so they have time to think about the information, and come up with questions and ideas. Or, provide opportunity after a meeting for people to ask questions, either in person or via email.Materials should be visual - dot points, tables, charts or similar work really well, backed up by more detailed information and time to ask questions.
3.
The Thoughtful Interviewer
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Introverted personality / Detail thinker / Auditory learnerImagine you’re an award-winning journalist, and your latest assignment is right up your alley - a one-on-one interview with a former Prime Minister! Why is it right up your alley? Apart from the person you’re interviewing, you’ve had plenty of time to prepare and come up with some stellar, thought-provoking questions. It’s a quiet space, where you get to focus on the subject matter, and where you can respond with new questions as you delve into detail. In fact, your focus on detail enables you to extract really interesting tidbits usually! Later, when people ask you about the interview, you won’t need to refer to your notes - you’ll be able to recall easily what was said and how.If this sounds like a scene you could see yourself in - or something like it - then you are the ‘thoughtful interviewer’! As an introverted personality, you get your energy from being by yourself, and you prefer to have time to think things through before offering an idea or question. Being in a noisy office environment or team meetings (especially when extroverts are present) can really drain you and you need a bit of time out to recharge.You’re also not so much interested in the why, because you think the devil is in the detail! You want to know the ‘how’, ‘what’, ‘when’, and ‘where’ before you make a decision. Having all those questions answered satisfactorily gives you a lot of comfort. And if you’re to retain that information, you need to have heard it in a conversation or presentation - you’re able to easily recall what people said, but less likely to recall something you read or saw, like a diagram or list of dot points. What to tell others about your communication style:I’m really interested in how things will work, and the logistics - when and how. You don’t need to go into too much of the ‘why’.I tend to retain more if I’ve heard it in a meeting or conversation, so I might approach you to chat about something, even if you’ve already sent an email or shown a visual. I find I need a bit of time to think about things before I offer up a suggestion or question. So in a meeting, I might be quiet but I’m just taking it all in. If I’m given some time and space, I’ll have something to contribute. Providing information before a meeting to give me time to think about it will help me come prepared, or some time afterwards to ask questions one on one.How to resonate with others with this communication style:Provide FAQs to help deliver on the detail. Don’t linger too long on the big-picture messages.Provide materials before a meeting so they have time to think about the information, and come up with questions and ideas. Or, provide opportunity after a meeting for people to ask questions, either in person or via email.Use channels that are primarily auditory, such as meetings, webinars, voice notes or podcasts.
4.
The Lone Brainstormer
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Introverted personality | Strategic thinker | Auditory learnerYou’ve had an idea for an initiative at your workplace that you think could be a real gamechanger in how your organisation works with its customers. But before you tell anyone about the idea, you need a bit of time and space to think it through. So you find a nice quiet room and write down some overarching ideas - nothing too detailed. You recall some similar concepts you’ve heard in a few podcasts you’ve listened to, and pull on some of those ideas. Once you’re ready, you approach your leader for a conversation to discuss.If this sounds like a scene you could see yourself in, then you, my friend, are The Lone Brainstormer! You’re a strategic thinker who doesn’t focus on the details until they become more important. You prefer to know the ‘why’ behind an initiative, and how that all fits in with the bigger picture. You’ll get to the logistics later … or someone who loves that stuff will! As an introverted personality, you draw your energy from quiet, alone time. Being in group conversations or meetings becomes very draining, very quickly. And you need time to think through things before offering up ideas and questions, so they’re not the best settings for communication. But a one-on-one conversation where you’ve had time to prepare is absolutely your thing!And while you’ll write down some ideas and read an email, you’re much more likely to recall information if you’ve heard it in a meeting, presentation or podcast. In short - you remember what people say, not necessarily everything that you see or read. So that’s why a conversation is a great tool for you to communicate with others … as long as it’s not too long and it’s not with a big group!What to tell others about your communication style:I don’t need to know the detail (yet), but I’d love to see how things fit into the bigger picture or our strategy or plan.I tend to retain more if I’ve heard it in a meeting or conversation, so I might approach you to chat about something, even if you’ve already sent an email or shown a visual. I find I need a bit of time to think about things before I offer up a suggestion or question. So in a meeting, I might be quiet but I’m just taking it all in. If I’m given some time and space, I’ll have something to contribute. Providing information before a meeting to give me time to think about it will help me come prepared, or some time afterwards to ask questions one on one.How to resonate with others with this communication style:Provide an overview of the context and the why. Don’t get bogged down in the detail.Provide materials before a meeting so they have time to think about the information, and come up with questions and ideas. Or, provide opportunity after a meeting for people to ask questions, either in person or via email.Use channels that are primarily auditory, such as meetings, webinars, voice notes or podcasts.
5.
The Collaborative Creator
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Extraverted personality / Detail thinker / Visual learnerOh my giddy aunt, you do LOVE a good Gannt chart, don’t you? Or a PowerPoint deck if it’s a few slides of diagrams with a lot of detail behind it. Better still, why not bring all the team together to develop it? That way, you can brainstorm the ideas out loud, have time to talk through all of the details and ‘what ifs’, and then document them in a visual way…Sound like a situation you could see yourself in? Then you’re The Collaborative Creator! You do your best thinking and come up with the best questions when you’re in the company of others. If you’re given an opportunity to delve into the detail during a meeting, where everyone can put their thoughts on the table and dissect them, you’re a happy camper. You get your energy from being around others, and you love getting into the logistics (the big picture is important, but it’s not THE most important thing for you - you want to know how it’s all going to work). But when it comes to sharing that information with others - or receiving it - unless there’s a visual element to it, you’ll find the information hard to consume or recall later. “Remember when Jane said in that meeting…” results in a blank stare. But “remember that slide that had all the dates of key milestones on it…” will get a lightbulb appearing above your head! In short - if you see it, you’ll remember it.What to tell others about your communication style:I’m really interested in how things will work, and the logistics - when and how. You don’t need to go into too much of the ‘why’.It’s great if you can give me a few dot points or a quick visual to help me understand how something fits together. I might not remember everything you’ve said in a meeting, so a back-up email would be really helpful.Sometimes I’ll talk a lot in meetings, but often it’s not questions - it’s just me thinking out loud! It helps me process information and get my head around the detail.How to resonate with others with this communication style:Provide FAQs to help deliver on the detail. Don’t linger too long on the big-picture messages.Materials should be visual - dot points, tables, charts or similar work really well, backed up by more detailed information and time to ask questions.Provide opportunities for group brainstorming time, and recognise that in conversation, not every statement is a question or needs a response. It’s often just a thought spoken out loud.
6.
The Whiteboarder
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Extraverted personality | Strategic thinker | Visual learnerStand aside everyone, this human has a whiteboard marker and is not afraid to use it! Here’s the scene: you’re in a meeting about a strategy and as they’re talking through the detail, all you’re hearing is ‘blah blah blah’ or you’re getting more confused. It’s time to draw it out - and talk it out as you’re drawing it out! As you do, you keep drawing the conversation back to the bigger picture as some people in the room want to get down into the detail. But that’s not what’s most important to you - you need to understand the bigger picture first. And you need that opportunity to talk it out … at least, to think out loud!Sound like a scene you could see yourself in? You’re officially The Whiteboarder! You get the most out of communication when you have the opportunity to process it out loud, and you come up with your best ideas and questions when you’re in the company of others. It’s where you draw your energy.You’re also a strategic thinker. You like the big ideas, concepts, and strategies. You’re more interested in how things fit together, or the roadmap, rather than how it will all be executed in detail.Things start to click for you when you draw it out, or when someone presents it as a diagram, chart, infographic, or any other visual … but it’s likely you won’t remember too much of what you heard in a presentation or video. That’s the visual thinker in you - you’re more likely to remember what you saw or drew, and less likely to remember what someone said.What to tell others about your communication style:I’m really interested in the big picture - how it all fits together. The details are less important to me if I can understand the ‘why’.It’s great if you can give me a few dot points or a quick visual to help me understand how something fits together. I might not remember everything you’ve said in a meeting, so a back-up email would be really helpful.Sometimes I’ll talk a lot in meetings, but often it’s not questions - it’s just me thinking out loud! It helps me process information and get my head around the detail.How to resonate with others with this communication style:Provide information on the context, or the ‘why’, and don’t delve too deeply into the detail.Materials should be visual - dot points, tables, charts or similar work really well, backed up by more detailed information and time to ask questions.Provide opportunities for group brainstorming time, and recognise that in conversation, not every statement is a question or needs a response. It’s often just a thought spoken out loud.
7.
The Conversationalist
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Extraverted personality | Detail thinker | Auditory learnerYou’ve been appointed as part of a project team at your business, and you’ve been given an high-level briefing a Gannt chart, but it’s still not giving you a sense of comfort in how this thing will be executed. So you take the initiative to get a few team members together in a room so you can drill the Project Manager with questions, and thrash out the detail in a conversation. When you get back to your desk, you reflect on a few things the Project Manager said and now it’s all making a bit more sense!If this sounds like something you’d be quite happy doing, then welcome to The Conversationalist club! You love a good chat - in fact, it’s how communication resonates best with you. You tend to remember what someone said, not necessarily what you saw (like a diagram or table) or what you read. If you’re given the opportunity to talk something through and get into the detail, you’re as happy as can be!As an extrovert, you do process information out loud, so often in a meeting or conversation you’ll pipe up but it’s not necessarily a question - just a thought! It also means you get your energy from being around people, which is why you prefer to meet and work with people as a group, rather than on your own (most of the time).And while you can see the importance of the ‘why’, you’re not hung up on how a project fits in with other projects or how it supports the organisation’s strategy. But you are interested in the logistics. In your mind, the devil is in the detail! So you actively seek out the when, what, where and how. Once you have that, you’re much more comfortable.What to tell others about your communication style:I’m really interested in how things will work, and the logistics - when and how. You don’t need to go into too much of the ‘why’.I tend to retain more if I’ve heard it in a meeting or conversation, so I might approach you to chat about something, even if you’ve already sent an email or shown a visual. Sometimes I’ll talk a lot in meetings, but often it’s not questions - it’s just me thinking out loud! It helps me process information and get my head around the detail.How to resonate with others with this communication style:Provide FAQs to help deliver on the detail. Don’t linger too long on the big-picture messages.Use channels that are primarily auditory, such as meetings, webinars, voice notes or podcasts.Provide opportunities for group brainstorming time, and recognise that in conversation, not every statement is a question or needs a response. It’s often just a thought spoken out loud.
8.
The Group Brainstormer
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Extraverted personality | Strategic thinker | Auditory learnerYou and your partner are sick of your jobs and thinking about quitting and starting your own business. And why not - between you, you have decades of experience, you’re smart, you have a great idea, and you reckon you’d enjoy working for yourselves a lot more. But while your partner has gone straight to the logistics, your thinking is more about what you’re trying to achieve, and the best approach to get there. So you get on the phone and before you know it, your partner and two friends who have been through a similar process are meeting at a cafe and discussing the high-level roadmap to making your dream a reality…If that’s a setting that makes you comfortable, then you’re our Group Brainstormer! A strategic thinker, you’re not interested in the details until they become more relevant. But you are interested in the longer-term picture and what the roadmap is to the bigger goal. You’re also interested in how initiatives or projects fit together in a bigger picture or pipeline. You don’t need to get bored with the detail of how they’ll be executed - just the ‘why’ behind the decisions. But to understand that ‘why’, you need to have a conversation or a presentation. A visual like a diagram, infographic or similar won’t cut it. For starters, you’re more likely to recall information you heard, rather than information you saw or read; but you also want the opportunity to ask questions and toss around some ideas. You get your energy - and so come up with your best questions and ideas - when you’re in the company of others. So a group brainstorming session is one of your favourite ways to not only gather information, but to share it as well.What to tell others about your communication style:I’m really interested in the big picture - how it all fits together. The details are less important to me if I can understand the ‘why’.Sometimes I’ll talk a lot in meetings, but often it’s not questions - it’s just me thinking out loud! It helps me process information and get my head around the big picture.I tend to retain more if I’ve heard it in a meeting or conversation, so I might approach you to chat about something, even if you’ve already sent an email or shown a visual. How to resonate with others with this communication style:Provide opportunities for group brainstorming time, and recognise that in conversation, not every statement is a question or needs a response. It’s often just a thought spoken out loud.Use channels that are primarily auditory, such as meetings, webinars, voice notes or podcasts.Provide information on the context, or the ‘why’, and don’t delve too deeply into the detail.