Have you ever felt you can communicate effectively with certain people but have trouble getting your message across to others?

If you've ever felt a disconnect with someone, maybe you're not speaking each other's language. Different personalities have different ways of communicating, and by better understanding yourself and others, you can become a more effective communicator. 

Personality is important when it comes to effective communication. Many tests can help you learn more about yourself. Perhaps you might have taken a few, and you might recall whether you thought your results were accurate or found the test interesting. However, the problem is that most assessments are often too complicated and not sticky enough for us to remember the results and how to apply them. 

Let me introduce you to the 5 Voices system, a framework for understanding personality that is simple and intuitive.

Before we get going, I want to address one of the biggest complaints we hear about any test related to personality: "you can't put people in a box." This is undoubtedly true. In the 5 Voices system, everyone can speak all five voices. The issue in discussion is not about which one you are or are not. Instead, the system acknowledges that we all have access to each of the five voices but that some are more natural for us.

Think of it as being right and left-handed, you can use both hands, but one will naturally be more dominant and effective. Usually, there are two voices that represent how we typically come across to others, so as we run through each voice, try to consider what your order of most prevalently used voices might be in your everyday life. 

Now that we have the basic assumptions out of the way, the 5 Voices are:  

 THE NURTURER

Champion of People

Are you always concerned about the relational health and harmony of the group? Are you completely committed to protecting values and principles? Do you innately understand how certain actions, behaviors, or initiatives will affect people?

THE CREATIVE

Champion of Innovation

Are you an outside-the-box thinker? Do you always believe things can be better? Do you often ask the question: "Why do people never seem to fully understand my ideas?"

THE GUARDIAN

Champion of Responsibility and Stewardship

Do you respect and value logic, order, procedure, and process? Do you seek clarity as well as logical and proven decision-making criteria even if you have to ask the tough questions to get there? Do you like to see established track records of success to justify trying something different?

THE CONNECTOR

Champion of Relationships and Strategic Partnerships

Do you rally people to causes and things you believe in? Are you good at building and maintaining large networks of personal and professional relationships? Do you often respond to challenges with: "Whatever we need, I can get it, or I have a source"?

THE PIONEER

Champion of Results and Progress

Do you approach life with an "Anything is possible!" attitude? Do you believe visioning a new future is always the highest priority? Are you always looking for the quickest, fastest, and most efficient ways so that you can win?

Find out if you are a Nurturer, Creative, Guardian, Connector, or Pioneer. Learn what's it like to be on the other side of you.