Individuals have various learning styles which affect how they take in and process information. Some people show a strong preference for one type of learning style over another. There are visual learners, auditory learners, tactile learners and kinesthetic learners. Understanding an individual’s preferences can help you tailor company training as well as everyday interactions with co-workers.
An article by Sabina Nawaz on the Harvard Business Review blog provides an excellent example of using a Work Style Table to help other members of your team understand your communication and learning preferences. The author suggests having each person identify their preferences and then talk them over with others in order to avoid miscommunication.
Taking the time to reflect on your own learning style as well as those of co-workers can help to reduce future miscommunication. Have you considered the way that individual learning styles of employees may affect how your business operates?