COMMUNICATION STYLES

Directions: Choose which statement is most typical about you at work. For each number, you may only choose
one answer on the left or right. Add up the number of checkmarks for each column to find the highest for each
section. Map your results on pg. 2.

Assertiveness

1. _______ I take action slower than others _______ I take action faster than others
2. _______ I make fewer statements _______ I make more statements
3. _______ I speak softer than others _______ I speak louder than others
4. _______ I make indirect eye contact when talking _______ I make direct eye contact when talking
5. _______ I tend to ask more than tell _______ I tend to tell more than ask
6. _______ I keep my perspective to myself _______ I readily tell people my opinion
7. _______ I am more quiet than aggressive _______ I am more aggressive than quiet

8. _______ I am rarely forceful with my arguments _______ I am often forceful with my arguments
9. _______ I am rarely the first to speak _______ I am often the first person to speak
10. _______ I make decisions slowly _______ I make decisions quickly
11. _______ I prefer hearing others' opinions _______ I trust my own opinion when making
when making decisions decisions
12. _______ I often let others decide _______ I often make decisions
13. _______I am typically indirect in my _______ I am typically direct in my
communication with others communication with others

Total______ Total______

(To the left of the line, low assertive) (To the right of the line, high assertive)

Responsiveness

1. _______ I control my emotions _______ I express my emotions freely

2. _______ Achievement is important to me _______ Acceptance is important to me
3. _______ I tend to be cautious _______ I am rarely cautious
4. _______ I am more serious-minded _______ I am more playful and fun
5. _______ I am more task-oriented _______ I am more people-oriented
6. _______ I trust logic more than emotions _______ I trust emotions more than logic
7. _______ I prefer to work alone _______ I prefer to collaborate with others

8. _______ I prefer a routine _______ I prefer to be spontaneous

9. _______ I process ideas internally completely _______ I process ideas by talking aloud
before speaking
10. _______ I make studied, careful decisions _______ I often make impulsive decisions
11. _______ I am more formal _______ I am more easygoing
12. _______ People find my facial expressions _______ People find my facial expressions easy
difficult to read/understand to read/understand
13. _______I prefer facts and data when _______ I prefer stories when making a decision
making a decision

Total______ Total______

Adapted from Merrill & Reid “Personal Styles & Effective Performance.” 1981. CRC Press.
 (Above the line, low responsive) (Below the line, high responsive)

Low Responsive

Analytical Driver
(Low Assertive, Low Responsive) (High Assertive, Low Responsive)

Low High
Assertive Assertive

Amiable Expressive
(Low Assertive, High Responsive) (High Assertive, High Responsive)
High Responsive

Adapted from Merrill & Reid “Personal Styles & Effective Performance.” 1981. CRC Press.
 Strengths and Weaknesses

Analytical Driver
Strengths Strengths
• Detail-oriented/Thorough • Natural Leader/Takes initiative
• Precise/Accurate/Disciplined • Efficient/Disciplined
• Analyzes Complexity/Logical • Rational/Logical

Weaknesses Weaknesses
• Picky/Critical • Pushy/Dominating/Rigid
• Quiet/Hesitant/Unsure • Not supportive/Harsh
• Hard to Read (facial expressions) • Hard to Read (facial expressions)

Depends on Context Depends on Context

• Prioritizes tasks over relationships • Prioritizes tasks over relationships
• Slow to talk/take action • Quick to talk/take action

Amiable Expressive
Strengths Strengths
• Flexible • Outgoing/expressive gestures
• Supportive/Positive/Fun • Natural Leader/talkative
• Easy to read (facial expression) • Easy to read (facial expressions)

Weaknesses Weaknesses
• Avoids conflict • Undisciplined
• Indecisive • Overwhelming
• Compromises too much • Thinks aloud

Depends on Context Depends on Context

• Prioritizes relationships over tasks • Prioritizes relationships over tasks
• Slow to talk/take action • Quick to talk/take action

Adapted from Merrill & Reid “Personal Styles & Effective Performance.” 1981. CRC Press.
 SELF-MONITORING SCALE
(Mark Snyder, 1974)

DIRECTIONS: The statements below relate to your personal responses to different situations. No two statements
are exactly alike, so consider each statement carefully before answering. IF a statement is TRUE or MOSTLY
TRUE as applied to you, circle the "T" next to the question. If a statement is FALSE or NOT USUALLY TRUE as
applied to you, circle the "F" next to the question.

____ 1. I find it hard to imitate the behavior of other people.

____ 2. My behavior is usually an expression of my true inner feelings, attitudes, and beliefs.
____ 3. At parties and social gatherings, I do not attempt to do or say things that others will like.
____ 4. I can only argue for ideas which I already believe.
____ 5. I can make impromptu speeches even on topics about which I have almost no information.
____ 6. I guess I put on a show to impress or entertain people.
____ 7. When I am uncertain how to act in a social situation, I look to the behavior of others for cues.
____ 8. I would probably make a good actor.
____ 9. I rarely seek the advice of my friends to choose movies, books, or music.
____ 10. I sometimes appear to others to be experiencing deeper emotions than I actually am.
____ 11. I laugh more when I watch a comedy with others than when alone.
____ 12. In groups of people, I am rarely the center of attention.
____ 13. In different situations and with different people, I often act like very different persons.
____ 14. I am not particularly good at making other people like me.
____ 15. Even if I am not enjoying myself, I often pretend to be having a good time.
____ 16. I'm not always the person I appear to be.
____ 17. I would not change my opinions (or the way I do things) in order to please someone else or win their favor.
____ 18. I have considered being an entertainer.
____ 19. In order to get along and be liked, I tend to be what people expect me to be rather than anything else.
____ 20. I have never been good at games like charades or improvisational acting.
____ 21. I have trouble changing my behavior to suit different people and different situations.
____ 22. At a party, I let others keep the jokes and stories going.
____ 23. I feel a bit awkward in company and do not show up quite as well as I should.
____24. I can look anyone in the eye and tell a lie with a straight face (if for a right end).
____ 25. I may deceive people by being friendly when I really dislike them.

http://faculty.washington.edu/janegf/selfmonitoring.htm
SCORING
Self-monitoring is the ability and desire to regulate one's public expressiveness to fit the clues and/or requirements
of the situation. "T" and "F" (below) indicate responses of people who are high self-monitors. To calculate your
self-monitoring score, place a check mark next to the questions that match the "T" and "F" responses below. Count
the total number of "check" marks that appear in the margin of your survey. That number is your self-monitoring
score. A score between 0-12 indicates that the respondent is a relatively low self-monitor; a score that is between
13-25 would indicate that the respondent is a relatively high self-monitor.

1. F
2. F
3. F
4. F
5. T
6. T
7. T
8. T
9. F
10. T
11. T
12. F
13. T
14. F
15. T
16. T
17. F
18. T
19. T
20. F
21. F
22. F
23. F
24. T
25. T

Summary

A. High self-monitors are more adaptive in their behaviors, pick up on social cues, have a greater awareness of
social/emotional intelligence, and tend to be clearer communicators. High self-monitors adapt to the needs
of the situation or group to influence how they behave. Hence, these individuals may behave very
differently in public versus in private. *High self-monitors are very conscious of how they are behaving
and communicating and how others respond to them.

B. Low self-monitors are less able to adapt and change behavior. They are unable to “mask” their true feelings
and act similarly in public or private. Low self-monitors tend to be less sensitive to the way others respond
to them, in extreme cases, some people can be oblivious to the way their behavior affects others. Low self-
monitors are less effective at interacting with diverse others because they are less adaptive.

http://faculty.washington.edu/janegf/selfmonitoring.htm
 Conflict Management Style Scale
Interpreting the Conflict Management Style Scale
Add up the scores corresponding to the following numbers: Your highest score represents the style that you typically use in a
group setting.

Accommodating
1, 6, 11, 16 Total:
Compromising
2, 7, 12, 17 Total:
Competing
3, 8, 13, 18 Total:
Collaborating
4, 9, 14, 19 Total:
Avoiding
5, 10, 15, 20 Total:

Directions: Please indicate your answers to the following questions, with 1 meaning Strongly Disagree and 5
meaning Strongly Agree.

1. I give in to the wishes of the other party. 1 2 3 4 5

2. I try to realize a middle-of-the-road solution. 1 2 3 4 5
3. I push my own point of view. 1 2 3 4 5
4. I examine issues until I find a solution that really
satisfies me and the other party. 1 2 3 4 5
5. I avoid confrontation about our differences. 1 2 3 4 5
6. I concur with the other party. 1 2 3 4 5
7. I emphasize that we have to find a compromise
solution. 1 2 3 4 5
8. I search for gains in arguments. 1 2 3 4 5
9. I stand for my own and other’s goals and interests. 1 2 3 4 5
10. I avoid differences of opinion as much as possible 1 2 3 4 5
11. I try to accommodate the other party. 1 2 3 4 5
12. I insist we both give in a little. 1 2 3 4 5
13. I fight for a good outcome for myself. 1 2 3 4 5
14. I examine ideas from both sides to find a mutually
optimal solution. 1 2 3 4 5
15. I try to make differences in opinion seem less severe. 1 2 3 4 5
16. I adapt to the other parties’ goals and interests. 1 2 3 4 5
17. I strive whenever possible towards a fifty-fifty
compromise. 1 2 3 4 5
18. I will do anything to win. 1 2 3 4 5
19. I work out a solution that serves my own as well as
others’ interests as well as possible. 1 2 3 4 5
20. I try to avoid confrontation with others. 1 2 3 4 5

De Drue, C. K. W., Evers, A., Beersma, B., Kluwer, E. S. & Nauta, A. (2001). A theory-based measure of conflict
management strategies in the workplace. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 22, 645-668.