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What's Your Chunk Size?

Written by: Sean McPheat

Article Overview: In this article you will learn what your chunk size is.

What's Your Chunk Size?

Over the past 2 sessions we have been looking at some Advanced Communication Skills techniques. Well, in this mini series we are now going to finish up by taking a look at how people like to receive and indeed communicate information.

CHUNK SIZE

People can be categorised into two when it comes down to the amount of detail they think and also communicate to others about.

Overall you are either a detailed person (specific person) or you prefer large chunks of information (global person).

Specific People give you all the small details. They like to understand and go into pieces of work with the minutest of detail.

(Sorry specific people but you frustrate the life out of me!!)

Global People like to talk in big pictures and are not detailed at all. They are conceptual and abstract. The give you the overall framework or brief of what is happening rather than going into details.

(......and I am sorry to all of those specific people because I know I frustrate the life out of you because I am a global person!)

You know when someone is specific and when someone is global just by asking them any question!

What their response will tell you:

Specific people will give you all the details and go to great lengths to explain everything. They give you more and more detail when you ask questions. Specific people become frustrated with Global People because there is no detail in what they say.

Global People give you an overview without details. They tend to use large generalisations. Global People become frustrated with Specific People because they go into far too much detail

Using this in the real world:

In Negotiations:

With Specific People...

Avoid generalisations and vagueness. Break things down into the detail and be specific. Present things in logical sequences.

With Global People...

Avoid details and present the bigger picture.

In Managing these people:

With Specific People...

Tell the person in detail what needs to be done and ensure that there is a logical sequence. Do not expect them to think about the bigger picture

With Global People...

Skip the details and tell the person a broad overview. Tell them what the end game is and then let them fill in the rest.

Influencing Language To Use

With Specific People...

Next, then, precisely, exactly, specifically, first, second, details,

With Global People...

Big picture, framework, in brief, result, generally, overview

Short and sweet this week!

These techniques and strategies are covered in our Advanced Communication Skills courses - it's a must if you really want to influence and take your communication skills to the next level.

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