Leveraging our strengths is a powerful way to grow, increase our impact, and collaborate more effectively with those around us.
Working regularly with team trainers and coaches, I know how good it feels to see individuals score highly on certain SOI 360 Influencing Styles.
For example, styles that are central to their roles or styles that could help them develop career-wise.
And yes—higher ratings generally mean better or more success. (That’s how you choose an Amazon book or a hotel stay, right?)
But is this always the case with communication?
Different Styles, Different Strengths and Weaknesses
Unlike product reviews, where more is better, communication styles are slightly more complex.
Both overusing and underusing them can cause unexpected challenges; it’s a delicate and often context-dependent equilibrium, to say the least.
For example, here’s how the Instruct influencing style might look when underused or overused, as well as in its perfect setting.
Underuse = Uncertainty
Every trainer has worked with a team that feels uncertain about their tasks and responsibilities. A perfect example is the team Erik leads—his members frequently need to ask for clarification and often miss deadlines due to a lack of clear guidance.
Erik, our example leader, doesn’t use the Instruct style confidently or in appropriate situations. His team feels like they’re stumbling blindfolded, constantly guessing what Erik wants.
So, how might Erik improve his team’s culture and collective performance?
There are a few ways he might leverage the Instruct style: he could provide clarity by setting up rules, hold his teammates accountable so they deliver on commitments, and support their development by correcting them like a coach.
Providing Clarity
Instruct is a core part of Misha’s role, and she is well-known for her clarity.
She gives her team clear instructions and expectations, ensuring everyone knows their roles. Misha’s team appreciates the structured approach it provides because they know what’s expected of them and feel supported. They consistently meet deadlines and strive to achieve their best possible results.
Overuse = Over-Controlling
In contrast to Erik, Alejandro’s team always knows exactly what is expected of them—every last detail.
He gives meticulous instructions and feedback, often leading to wonderful results that exceed everyone’s expectations.
The problem is that Alejandro tends to overuse this style or apply it when the situation doesn’t call for it. His team often feels stifled and micro-managed, especially the more experienced members who crave autonomy.
In this case, overusing the Instruct style has often resulted in frustrated, demotivated teammates who don’t feel like taking initiative.
Three different shades of the Instruct style, three different impacts on each team.
Capabilities, Development Points, Talents, and Pitfalls
Each Sphere of Influence 360 interaction style can fall into different levels of effectiveness.
Based on a coachee’s score compared to a norm group, it can be considered a basic capability, a development point, or a talent that might also be a pitfall:
- Basic Capability: When a coachee uses this style an average amount compared to the norm group, it facilitates team performance and cohesion. Like Misha!
- Development Point: Underutilized styles that coachees may need to develop further to enhance their effectiveness, as in Erik’s case. (This applies only if it aligns with their role and values.)
- Talent and Pitfall: This is the juggling act of over- and under-using an influencing style. Leveraging a strength to an appropriate degree, in a fitting context, is the golden ticket to making an impact. However, that talent becomes a pitfall when the style is overused or not situationally appropriate, as we’ve seen in the case of Alejandro.
Pitfalls of Different Influencing Styles
So, we’ve seen the different shades of the Inspire style.
As you can see below, they also apply to every other interaction style in the Sphere of Influence 360 model:
Communicating Adaptively
Helping teammates understand these nuances is an important first step toward enhancing their interactions and performance.
Make them aware of this as a development professional, and you empower them to proactively step up or ease back on certain styles, depending on their context, personality, and role. Start by encouraging regular reflection and self-awareness about the impact of their behaviors on other people.
It’s how you can maximize each teammate’s influence by enabling adaptive communication that aligns with their personality and role demands.
Can you recall the last time you worked with a team where you felt a certain SOI 360 style was more of a pitfall? How did that impact the dynamics of your coachees?
