Looking Backwards to See Forward

Many years ago, I attended an employee training session in which I was introduced to the concept that people could be roughly divided into four different communications styles or value orientations. While I believe that people are too complex and individualistic to be conveniently placed in distinct boxes, over the years I have found this concept a useful tool in interacting with others and one that has some important lessons for emergency managers.

In his 1980 book Training for the Cross-Cultural Mind: A Handbook for Cross-Cultural Trainers and Consultants, Professor Pierre Casse identified the four communications styles as:

1. Action – oriented towards objectives, results, and accomplishments
2. Process - oriented towards facts, procedures, and planning
3. People – oriented towards social processes, communication, and teamwork
4. Idea – oriented towards concepts, theories, and innovations

Casse’s key point is that a person’s style has a tremendous impact on how they communicate. This suggests that identifying a person's communications style and adapting to it can lead to more persuasive communication. For example, opening a conversation with a deep dive into facts and figures might appeal to a process-oriented person but might be an immediate turn off to a people-oriented person. Similarly, the type of small-talk introduction that makes a people-oriented person comfortable would make an action-oriented person impatient.

As useful as this concept is, however, what really struck me about the speaker’s presentation was her thoughts on idea-oriented people. Idea-oriented people tend to be interested in the big picture, seeing what things could be rather than what they are. In essence, they live in the future rather than the present. The point that had the most resonance for me was this: living in the future carries the inherent implication that you are dissatisfied with the status quo. This tends to make people who are invested in the status quo uncomfortable and in some cases, hostile. This can be exacerbated by the tendency for some idea-oriented people to be unrealistic and to take on more tasks than they can accomplish.

One of Casse’s fundamental concepts is that the four communications styles can be found in any individual. I believe that the best emergency managers, although we may consider ourselves action-oriented, lean strongly towards idea-orientation. Our work is based on the assessment of risk and risk is a future concept. We anticipate and plan for what may occur, even as we deal with what is occurring. We are never satisfied with the status quo because we know we are nowhere near where we should be. In many ways, we are like Cassandra, the tragic Greek prophetess, doomed to see the future but not able to convince anyone to heed our warnings. This does not tend to make us popular, particularly when we point out problems that have the potential to embarrass senior officials.

I remember once hearing that when on a journey, the indigenous people of the Artic while from time to time turn around and look back at the way they have come. This not so much to see how far they have come but to be able to recognize landmarks for the journey home. I have no idea is this is true or not, but I think the concept is important. I think it is critical for emergency managers to periodically pause and look back. You might see that you have come further than you thought. It may also help you gather strength for the journey that still lies ahead.