HOW WILL YOU KNOW A STYLE BY LETTER? PT 1

Dominance – High "D" Style – Director – Eagle

THEIR LETTERS ARE BRIEF AND TO THE POINT

A letter from a Dominant Style tends to be brief, forceful, and to the point. They may mention highlights of conversations or materials, but they don't belabor them. They may give specifics for your follow-through or raise questions they want answers to now. "The Mulvany account needs to be reworked. I hear he's got a new partner and a different address. Track him down and get the data we need so we can let him know that we've studied his account and we know our stuff."

Even notes and cards take on abbreviated forms and may show little or no indication of feelings. "Todd, hope you're doing well. I'm working hard." We know more than one Dominant Style who signs personal birthday and Christmas cards with no closing, not even Sincerely, but with just their names. Steady Styles and Interactive Styles gravitate more toward Warmly, Fondly, or Cordially. But Dominant Styles, perhaps in their efforts to get as many things accomplished as possible, tend to opt for brevity.

Influence – High "I" Style – Socializer – Parrot

Letters, too, can reveal the Interactive Style behind the correspondence. Often, this type overuses exclamation points, underlining, and bold highlighting. You can almost hear her emphasizing those picturesque adjectives and adverbs. Just as the Interactive Style tends to speak in a stimulating, energetic way, so does she write. She may also throw in an image-provoking personal anecdote or reference to some mutually satisfying experience. "I'll never forget our adventure on the freeway en route to Los Angeles - in rush hour, of course!" When she's finished a letter or note, she may add a postscript (P.S.), a P.P.S., or even a P.P.P.S.  

Caution: Again, these tendencies may not as readily reveal themselves if the Interactive Style has learned to tone down her natural flair while conducting business. And there's always a possibility that the secretary cleans up her copy before typing it out, especially if she is a more exacting, less animated behavioral type.