“The best mechanic in a factory may fail as a foreman for lack of social intelligence”
edward thorndike, 1920
Move over, emotional intelligence! Put simply, social intelligence is the ability to get along with people. Not just pretending to get along or getting along just to keep the peace or get stuff done, but really getting along. It’s people skills and emotional intelligence all rolled into one. Our social intelligence training – Social Style – helps you and your employees to win allies and influence people for greater business success.
Social intelligence training enhances your people skills
Organisations thrive through the collective efforts of a bunch of people who have mutual trust and respect. Businesses prosper when customer relationships are strong. Deals get closed when real human connections are made.
If you manage people, run a business, sell things or are responsible for customer relationships, then you need people skills. You need social intelligence training. Enter, Social Style(R).
SOCIAL STYLE is a world-leading social intelligence training program. The skills are easy to learn, easy to remember, and easy to apply. With SOCIAL STYLE social intelligence training, you can become more Versatile, that is, more effective at navigating workplace relationships. You will gain trust and respect, build lasting connections with customers and close more deals. Find out more about Social Style on the Tracom website.
Social Style is easy to understand.
The SOCIAL STYLE model is simple and effective. The four Styles each have some basic principles that underly them. Once you know others’ Styles, and apply the basic principles, you’ll build the trust and respect needed for effective working relationships.
SOCIAL STYLE is powerful.
Applying your knowledge of SOCIAL STYLE demonstrates in a subtle but powerful way, that you get them. You’ve got their back. When you meet their underlying needs, you put them at ease, you earn their trust, and everyone flourishes.
Improve employee engagement, close more deals, and retain more customers, by uncovering the basic needs of people with the SOCIAL STYLE model.
Don’t just take our word for it, check out this short explainer video:
Frequently asked questions
How is the training delivered? Do I need to travel or get to a classroom?
Our SOCIAL STYLE social intelligence training workshops can be delivered virtually or in-person. We’re happy to come to your workplace if you have eight or more people that you would like to attend social intelligence training.
What equipment do I need for a virtual classroom?
You will need to have a laptop or computer with webcam and microphone. This is important because in our social intelligence training workshops, we like to simulate the classroom as much as we can. By being able to see each other and talk to each other, the learning process is enriched and you will get more value from the training. You may also need to download software that allows you to connect to the classroom. We recommend that this is arranged with your workplace, or sorted on your home equipment well in advance of the workshop so you are up and running on the day.
Is SOCIAL STYLE a personality profiling tool?
SOCIAL STYLE is not a personality profiling tool. And unlike things like DISC and MBTI, it’s not all about you. OK well it’s a little bit about you.
While it’s important to understand your behaviour and how others perceive you, SOCIAL STYLE emphasises your understanding of other people. You get the tools to uncover what makes other people tick, specifically what their basic needs at work are. You can then use this information to build relationships and influence people in a positive way.
What is Social Style?
Social Style(R) is a model for understanding people’s behavioural styles and using this information to interact more effectively with others. SOCIAL STYLE is determined by observable “say and do” behaviours that represent a theme or pattern of typical behaviours. Once you know how a person typically behaves, you can predict how that person will probably behaviour in future situations. Being able to anticipate their behaviour pattern enables you to build relationships more effectively because you can work with others in the ways that they prefer. The end result is your earning their trust and respect, and you do it in a very subtle way. That person will perceive that you “get them”.
What is Versatility?
Versatility is a measure of workplace behaviours that lead to interpersonal effectiveness. TRACOM, the developers of SOCIAL STYLE, through their research identified four areas that are essential for workplace effectiveness: image, presentation, competence and feedback. You apply your knowledge of Style in each of these four areas, in different ways for people of different Styles. By focusing on their preferences rather than your own, you display high Versatility.
Which is the best Style to be?
There is no best Style. All Styles have strengths and weaknesses. It’s not Style that makes you successful at work, it’s your knowledge of your Style and others’ Styles, and then using that information to adjust your behaviour to adapt to others’ Styles. People of ALL Styles are capable of doing this.
How is SOCIAL STYLE taught?
You start by completing a self-assessment, and having three other people completing a short assessment of their observations of your behaviour. In your SOCIAL STYLE social intelligence training workshop, you will learn:
- About the four Styles
- What your assessment of your Style is, and others’ assessment of your Style
- How to profile other people
- What your assessment of your Versatility is, and others’ assessment of your Versatility
- How to increase your Versatility – how to use your knowledge of others’ Styles and focussing on their needs to build trust and respect.
How do I find out what others’ SOCIAL STYLE is?
In your one-day workshop, you will learn how to profile other people by observing them communicating with various people in a range of workplace situations. You will learn which observable (and therefore objective) behaviours to take note of, such as voice volume, eye contact, hand gestures. Once you’ve discovered a pattern, you will know their SOCIAL STYLE and can get to the important part: adjusting your behaviour according to the Style of the person you are working with.
What support is available after social style training?
After your workshop, we can provide:
- one on one or small group coaching for specific queries
- refresher training in groups – tailor-made if needed.
Our team leader and new manager training has a SOCIAL STYLE stream. We build Social Style concepts into each workshop. Note you can only join workshops that have SOCIAL STYLE content if you have attended a SOCIAL STYLE workshop.
Why is SOCIAL STYLE so easy to apply?
The beauty of SOCIAL STYLE is that there isn’t much to remember. And It’s small changes in your communication behaviour according to others’ Styles, that makes the difference.
Once you uncover peoples’ basic needs, it provides you with strong clues about what drives their behaviour, how they will react in certain situations … and most importantly, what they need from you. Here are some examples:
- someone who is Driving Style needs you to help them move towards results and goals and be on board with what they want to achieve.
- someone who is Expressive Style needs you to acknowledge their achievements and contributions.
- someone who is Amiable Style needs you to build a personal connection with them and reassure them that your relationship is harmonious.
- someone who is Analytical Style needs you to provide them with facts and data and give them time to make decisions.
Can I apply SOCIAL STYLE concepts outside of work with friends and family?
Social Style has been developed specifically for the workplace. That said, having knowledge of Social Style, and with your skills in observing people’s behaviour, you might notice some personality traits of your friends and family. This might reveal some behaviour changes you can make when around these people, to “win friends and influence people”.
Can my Style change over time?
Generally, your Style stays as it is. This training is about improving your Versatility – what you do with your knowledge of Style. Your Versatility can improve over time, through conscious changes in your behavior. While these behaviour adjustments will need thought and planning, over time they will become more natural. So you can change your behaviour, resulting in improved Versatility, while retaining your Style.
Is SOCIAL STYLE based in science?
Yes it is! The work to create the SOCIAL STYLE and Versatility model started in the 1960’s and has been created using robust scientific research and validation. Since it was created, the SOCIAL STYLE and Versatility model has continuously evolved and has been studied and validated numerous times and remains one of the leading social intelligence training programs available today.
We’d love to hear from you
Call us on 021 284 9994 or email stephanie@peopleandcapability.co.nz.
