45: How Leaders and Followers Take in Information

Everyone takes in information differently. Our personalities influence what we see and don’t see. In this episode, I explore the two dichotomies that help explain how people take in information. Then, I discuss strategies leaders can use with folks who have preferences for each dichotomy in order to maximize the impact of what we take in and how we communicate that to others.

Sensing preference

• Tangible realities
• Concrete information from five senses
• Orientated towards present reality
• Real-life experience
• Take time to reach conclusions
• Need details to put together concepts and theories
• Experience

Tips for leaders who prefer sensing:

• Tell people where you are going
• You can’t ever collect it all
• Get help thinking about the future
• Watch out for missing the big picture

How to lead those with a sensing preference:

• Talk about the here and now
• Give plenty of details up front and lead them through to the conclusion
• Reference how practical experience is forming this communication/decision

Intuition preference

• Intangibles
• Concepts and patterns – plus the sixth sense
• Oriented towards the future
• Ideas, possibilities, visioning
• Reach conclusions more quickly
• Starts with meaning first -> works back to details
• Inspiration

Tips for leaders who prefer intuition:

• People don’t always get it until they see how it’s really going to happen
• Demonstrate how you’ve done your homework
• Get help looking at all the details
• Watch out for missing important details

How to lead those with an intuition preference:

• Talk about the future
• Set the stage for the big picture and fill in the details later
• Reference how inspiration is leading to this

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