I’ve been thinking a lot about the economy lately. I guess everyone is, but I’m not nervous or worried. I see this as an opportunity. I believe that when the pain of staying the same becomes greater than the pain of change is when people change. We’re at that point right now.

It’s time to make changes.

Now is the time to step outside of your box and do something you’ve never done. It’s the time to invest in something you’ve never invested in. It’s the time to evaluate, to build and to grow. It’s time to focus on your number one asset…YOU!

One way to do that is to become a better communicator. The best communicators know who their audience is. They know how to speak their language and get what they want.

Do you know who you’re speaking to? Are you speaking their language? Improving you skills at this ONE THING will improve your success not only in your business, but in all aspects of your life.

First, you have to understand that different people communicate in different ways based on their personality. You can say the exact same thing in the exact same way to two different people and they will hear different things. It’s not their fault or yours; it’s the way we’re made. So the first step is to understand that different people communicate in different ways.

The next step is learning how to recognize the different personalities. Studies show that there are four basic personality styles. The easiest way to spot them without a bunch of testing is one simple statement, “Tell me about yourself.” Their answer will tell you a lot. Below are the responses and what that means. I’m going to use colors, but they’re described in many different ways (DISC, animals, Meyers-Briggs etc.)

Orange – this person will answer that question based on their accomplishments. “I have an MBA. I’m the president of ABC co. etc.” These people are decisive, assertive and direct. They value independence and advancement.

Blue – they will talk about relationships. Actually, they’ll tell you their life story. You might have trouble getting them to stop. They are warm, enthusiastic and impulsive. They value relationships and recognition.

Gold – this person will talk about their family. “I’m married with 2 children and I coach the soccer team.” They are loyal, even-tempered and a team player. They value their security and dependability.

Green – this person will ask, “What do you want to know?” They are accurate, objective, and cautious. They value details and being correct.

The next step is to practice recognizing the styles and learning how to communicate with them. It takes a little more time to do than I have here, but I will give you the key. Focus on what they value. If you can talk to them in terms of their values, you will be able to get what you want.

Author's Bio: 

Mary Dee Freeman is a Professional Success Coach, Trainer, and motivational speaker with Why Ours Works - WOW. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Education. In addition she has taken master degree courses in leadership and interpersonal communication.

She has been a teacher and coach for 12 years in Colorado Springs where she founded and developed the leadership and community of caring programs at Mesa Ridge high school. After that, Mary Dee began working for a fortune 500 company where she and her team shot to the top 2% of the sales force within six months. In 2005, she, along with her mother and sister, founded WOW, a coaching and training firm.

She has worked with many small business owners as well as large companies like AT&T, MoDot and Shaklee to help them become more successful.

She is currently working on her first book and a member of several sales, marketing and coaching associations.

Mary Dee is a teacher, a motivator, a master communicator, a problem solver and a creative thinker. Her motto is “you can be successful too!”