COMMUNICATING WITH COLLEAGUES AND OUR MENTAL HEALTH WITH AMI NEILSON

It might sound obvious working in comms, but communication is key. This was one of the main learnings from our first Hearts and Minds session of 2023, with Executive and Life Coach, Ami Neilson, joining us at Tin Man Towers.  

 Ami led a discursive session during which we chatted about how our “thoughts equal emotional consequence.”  Meaning if we can try and control our thoughts, we’ll have more control of the emotions we feel.  As part of this, we spoke about situations that could challenge our mental health - identifying things like how to switch off during busy work periods, balancing work and personal lives and communicating our feelings with team members. 

We delved into the different types of communication styles people have – and how even as PRs, we can sometimes forget just how key it is to most of the day-to-day issues we face. Ami walked us through the DISC quadrant and the four main types of behavioural styles:  

Dominance  - Someone who is confident, direct, demanding, sometimes outspoken 

Influence - A person who tends to be enthusiastic, optimistic, open and energetic 

Steadiness - Someone who places emphasis on cooperation and sincerity who tends to have a calm disposition and don’t like to be rushed   

Conscientiousness - A person who places emphasis on quality and accuracy, someone who enjoys independence and the finer details 

We identified which of the four styles we fit into as an individual, (and which our colleagues do – cue some interesting office debates!) as well as how to best manage and respond to others who may have a different style compared to ourselves.  

We all know what it is like to work in the fast-paced industry of PR, but this training reminded us that sometimes, it’s not all about us – and that we are all individuals with our own agendas, and own ways of communicating. 

So, which style are you? Take this simple test to find out.