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Peter F. Drucker stated in his iconic article, "Managing Oneself (link to full PDF article)" that the world can be divided into two types of people:
Readers and Listeners
A reader is a person who understands through reading. They prefer to read books or articles instead of watching or listening to videos. They learn best by reading text-based material.
A listener is a person who understands through listening. They prefer to listen to the contents, whether that's a video, lecture, or a speech. They learn best through audio and visuals.
This is a simple concept, but many managers don't implement it. It could save them a lot of frustration if they were to cater to each person's specific type.
This is where the issue lies...
An example of this is project management software. Rather than ensuring each employee gets the software they are best at, the manager would on-board them on a standardized tool used by every employee. This is good practice in the long-run. However, managers often forget that not everyone works the same way. So although the tool is same, each person's way of using the tool would be different. The tool should act as a way to narrow the potential solutions, not solve them immediately.
That is why sometimes a manager might upload a brief on the software, but some people overlook crucial aspects of that brief. It might be because those employees are not readers, they are listeners. They dread reading an entire document of requirements, which means they may not understand the content properly. Since they don't understand well, they don't perform well - or at least as expected - which leads to frustrations for clients, managers, and co-workers.
At the end of the day, the "quick" solution ends up taking more time for the project to move forward.
The most major limitation of any best practice is that most, if not every, practice depends on context. It may be "best" practice to time-box activities to manage your time effectively, but many students are not able to follow their own set schedules. However, these same students may become very effective at time-management by having a clock besides them - allowing them to set their own standards for how long each task takes. Just having the clock makes them value time, which leads them to utilize it effectively. Not being able to manage tasks within your own set time-boxes may lead to feelings of dissapointment and reduced motivation (again, for some people).
Different people have different needs. That's why we have so many best practices for managing time, improving productivity, etc. If there was a "best" technique to do something, why are there multiple "best" techniques to do the same thing?
Most managers make the same mistake. They take a best practice and force their employees to learn and implement it. And since they are so sure that it is the best way to do task XYZ, then surely it must be the employee's fault for not being able to follow through.
Here's a quick diagram on how a manager can pass on instructions to their employees, catering to each individual type:
If you take away something from this concept, it's not a lesson on managing people; it's about managing information. That is why in the diagram I have also included the manager translating the instructions into their preferred method of understanding as well. Because, if the manager doesn't understand the task in the first place, they cannot convey it to their employees - whether reader or listener.
It's also important to note that this concept is just a theory; it isn't set in stone. We are dealing with adults (hopefully) and all of us are mature enough to read and listen. It is only when people are bombarded by multiples of varying information does this concept truly shine. That is partly because of a psychological concept called Selective Attention where people, when bombarded with information, prioritize things that seem relevant, familiar, or easy to comprehend. We do this while ignoring other information. It is a cognitive bias. We all have it, and we don't have as much control as we think, over it.
The standard tool to use for text-to-speech or speech-to-text are Google's Text-to-Speech or Speech-to-Text options. Many software companies are becoming accessible by the day, so there might be an option to convert written instructions to speech as well. Although you, as the manager, would have to inform your employees of this option.
A more effective way to make infographics would be to use symbolism or data visualization combined with text. Here's an example:
Readers and Listeners
A reader is a person who understands through reading. They prefer to read books or articles instead of watching or listening to videos. They learn best by reading text-based material.
A listener is a person who understands through listening. They prefer to listen to the contents, whether that's a video, lecture, or a speech. They learn best through audio and visuals.
This is a simple concept, but many managers don't implement it. It could save them a lot of frustration if they were to cater to each person's specific type.
Why Don't Managers Understand This?
Managers are often time-crunched and looking to continously improve the effectiveness of their employees. Sandwiched between the needs of upper-level management and lower-level employees, they have to cut corners to meet each party's needs effectively. This leads to managers looking for quick solutions to problems and exploring best practices for their employees - so they are able to reduce problems for future tasks.This is where the issue lies...
The Problem with "Quick" Solutions
A common problem with implementing quick solutions is it often leads to a generalized solution. If you are managing a workforce of 20-100 people, you cannot cater to each's specific need quickly. So, managers have to choose one solution and apply it to all.An example of this is project management software. Rather than ensuring each employee gets the software they are best at, the manager would on-board them on a standardized tool used by every employee. This is good practice in the long-run. However, managers often forget that not everyone works the same way. So although the tool is same, each person's way of using the tool would be different. The tool should act as a way to narrow the potential solutions, not solve them immediately.
That is why sometimes a manager might upload a brief on the software, but some people overlook crucial aspects of that brief. It might be because those employees are not readers, they are listeners. They dread reading an entire document of requirements, which means they may not understand the content properly. Since they don't understand well, they don't perform well - or at least as expected - which leads to frustrations for clients, managers, and co-workers.
At the end of the day, the "quick" solution ends up taking more time for the project to move forward.
The Problem with "Best" Practices
We are all guilty of taking scientific evidence or data statistics at face value. All of us enjoy reading the latest on the best productivity techniques, tips, tricks or hacks. However, we never take the time to look at the limitations of these studies, which are unsurprisingly mentioned in the original studies where those "hacks" were taken from.The most major limitation of any best practice is that most, if not every, practice depends on context. It may be "best" practice to time-box activities to manage your time effectively, but many students are not able to follow their own set schedules. However, these same students may become very effective at time-management by having a clock besides them - allowing them to set their own standards for how long each task takes. Just having the clock makes them value time, which leads them to utilize it effectively. Not being able to manage tasks within your own set time-boxes may lead to feelings of dissapointment and reduced motivation (again, for some people).
Different people have different needs. That's why we have so many best practices for managing time, improving productivity, etc. If there was a "best" technique to do something, why are there multiple "best" techniques to do the same thing?
Most managers make the same mistake. They take a best practice and force their employees to learn and implement it. And since they are so sure that it is the best way to do task XYZ, then surely it must be the employee's fault for not being able to follow through.
How Can Managers Implement this Concept Effectively?
Managers don't have the time to identify whether or not each of their employee is a reader or a listener - nor is there any guarantee that the employees would themselves know. So, managers must provide instructions that can cater to both readers and listeners effectively.Here's a quick diagram on how a manager can pass on instructions to their employees, catering to each individual type:
If you take away something from this concept, it's not a lesson on managing people; it's about managing information. That is why in the diagram I have also included the manager translating the instructions into their preferred method of understanding as well. Because, if the manager doesn't understand the task in the first place, they cannot convey it to their employees - whether reader or listener.
It's also important to note that this concept is just a theory; it isn't set in stone. We are dealing with adults (hopefully) and all of us are mature enough to read and listen. It is only when people are bombarded by multiples of varying information does this concept truly shine. That is partly because of a psychological concept called Selective Attention where people, when bombarded with information, prioritize things that seem relevant, familiar, or easy to comprehend. We do this while ignoring other information. It is a cognitive bias. We all have it, and we don't have as much control as we think, over it.
Some Real Life Examples
People and businesses seem to be adapting to each type's needs. Here are some common examples of using this concept to your benefit:Audio Options for Text-Based Articles
Some content-based websites, like online newspapers, provide an audio version of an article. This way, people who prefer listening instead of reading, can play the audio instead of read the article. New York Times does this by having a "Listen to This Article" snippet in the start of the article:
Speech-to-Text or Text-to-Speech
If you learn best by reading, but a person you want to communicate with learns best by listening, you can use text-to-speech and vice versa. This also helps prevent those awkward pauses, breaks, and filler words to pollute your verbal message. Assuming you, as a reader, would be more confident writing than talking, you're confidence would be conveyed, even if you aren't the most fluent speaker.The standard tool to use for text-to-speech or speech-to-text are Google's Text-to-Speech or Speech-to-Text options. Many software companies are becoming accessible by the day, so there might be an option to convert written instructions to speech as well. Although you, as the manager, would have to inform your employees of this option.
Inforgraphics Followed by Text
Using infographics has been touted for years as the best way to convey information quickly and effectively. The only downside that's ever highlighted is that it can't contain a lot of detail. However, infographics that just have boxes with a few text in them aren't the best infographics as they might cater to readers more than listeners.A more effective way to make infographics would be to use symbolism or data visualization combined with text. Here's an example:
Good Example:
This is a good infographic because the graphs, pie charts, and other data visualizations make the information easier to digest. This makes it effective at conveying information quickly to both readers and listeners. | Bad Example:
This is an ineffective infographic as the lightbulb in the middle doesn't serve much purpose. These types of infographics often attract a reader with the visual appeal, and persuade them to read the text. However, for a listener, this visual appeal may not be enough to keep them reading. |
Presentations Followed by Notes
Presentations, especially short presentations like explainer videos for on-boarding new hires, can be a great way to get someone up to speed. However, these presentations should be combined with written material such as short notes from the video. Universities get this. Many online degree programs don't only provide video lectures but also handouts that cover the same contents. This is done so that each student can learn at their own pace, and in their own preferred style of learning.Key Takeaways
- People are divided into readers and listeners
- Readers are people who understand better through reading written material
- Listeners are people who understand better through audio/visual material
- Adapt your communication by converting task instructions into both types to appeal to both types of people
- By understanding and adapting to each person's specific type, you can convey information better leading to better outcomes