Learning styles and personality types in effective communication

¶ … collaborative setting, the individual members of the team bring a variety of skills and strengths that, if effectively identified and incorporated, can result in extraordinary outcomes. The key to realizing these outcomes is for the different members of the group to understand and respect the different learning and personality styles that are brought to the group and then consider the means through which the various members can contribute.

Logical mathematical

Logical-mathematical individuals excel at identifying the relationships or connections between objects, ideas, and actions. They are able to see these relationships because of their highly-developed reasoning and logic skills. (Inspiring Breakthrough Ltd., 2003). Logical mathematical thinkers make excellent collaborators in group settings because they thrive in settings that allow them to use their abstract- and deductive-reasoning abilities to "provide solutions and to overcome complex mathematical and logical challenges as well as solv[e] critical and creative problems" (Ld Pride). They excel at selecting "key points in a logical, systematic numbered sequence," and they typically "think more carefully about what [they] may be learning" (Inspiring Breakthrough Ltd., 2003).

Intrapersonal

Individuals with intrapersonal intelligence have excellent interpersonal skills and "get along well with other people" (Inspiring Breakthrough Ltd., 2003). They are specifically adept at learning from their own past experiences because they "analyze and interpret" their experiences very accurately. This is due to their ability to take their own motivations, strengths and weaknesses, into account as they "reason with themselves" to make decisions (Ld Pride).

Individuals with intrapersonal ability are assets in collaborative settings, especially when they have prior experience with the issue at hand. These individuals could help the team identify shortfalls in their plan. Intrapersonal individuals make great team members because of their ability to "self-reflect..., recognise and change your own behaviours, build upon your strengths and improve upon your weaknesses...." (Inspiring Breakthrough Ltd., 2003).

Visual spatial

Visual spatial intelligence is defined as "the ability to perceive the visual world accurately, to perform transformations and modifications upon ones initial perceptions, and to be able to re-create aspects of one's visual experience, even in the absence of relevant physical stimuli" (Inspiring Breakthrough Ltd., 2003). This ability would be a great asset in group settings. These would be the individuals the group should turn to if flowcharts, diagrams, or graphics are needed (Inspiring Breakthrough Ltd., 2003).

Personality types

Individuals with thinker personalities are excellent at solving problems, using logic, and being objective. They are realists who perform their tasks with precision and are adept at explaining the rationale behind their thinking. Thinker personalities also tend to excel with technical and scientific information and coming up with new ideas and approaches.

Thinker individuals make excellent group members in collaborative settings as they tend to "think outside the box..." And therefore are frequently able to "provid[e] original solutions that other personality types may not think of" (Tate, 2010)