Effective Communication Using the Core Values Index Psychometric Assessment

You see the world through the lens of your own psychometric profile. What you hear people say is internally translated and interpreted based on your profile. The way you communicate with others is influenced the same way.

Once you've taken the Core Values Index psychometric assessment and read your full report, you have access to a new level of information and insight about how you interact with the world. Understanding how you filter the world through the lens of your own profile will help you communicate better with others.

This article is a brief guide describing how each of the four core value energies communicates with the other three.

Let's get started!

Builders

Since Builders are all about power and decisive action, this can influence their patience level when communicating with others. Never give a Builder a long, drawn-out report or lecture. They like bullet points and succinct communications that are direct and have clear objectives. Builders will read the summary at the top of a report but likely won't read the rest. (That's why we listed Builders first in this article.)

Bankers and Innovators need to avoid long explanations with Builders, and Merchants need to avoid their tendency to turn everything into a story.

Merchants

As we mentioned, Merchants often communicate through stories, typically lacking much detail. They respond to messages that have color and flair and a personal connection; raw, linear facts bore them, so Bankers be aware of this.

For those communicating with a Merchant, remember that they respond well when there is an interesting story or the message makes them feel worthy of your attention. They also appreciate creativity and opportunities to establish emotional connections.

An approach of "Just the facts" doesn't resonate effectively with Merchants.

Innovators

These folks are driven by the need to be wise and to be the source of answers to all of life's problems. Saying or communicating anything that makes them feel unwise or incompetent is the quickest way to get them to flip into their conflict resolution strategy. Asking an Innovator questions that gives them an opportunity to solve problems makes them feel wise; this is an effective strategy to engage them in the conversation.

Innovators should remember that Builders don't want their time wasted with tedious theories and long-winded explanations, while Bankers respond most to well-researched facts presented in a linear and thorough manner. Merchants are creative and intuitive and can spot a lie from a mile away.

Bankers

Since Bankers value knowledge and justice above all things, this plays a huge role in how they communicate with others and how they like others to communicate with them. They appreciate and value facts and knowledge, especially when it is presented in a linear and organized manner. Disjointed or incomplete messages can frustrate a Banker.

Builders can be brief with Bankers as long as their message has the authority of research and facts behind it. Merchants can engage with Bankers effectively by remembering they don't care about how the Merchant fits into the story, as long as the story is rational and true. Innovators should remember that Bankers appreciate data and information more than clever solutions.

Final Guidelines

The bottom line about communication is that there are two sides to every story: the one you think you're telling, and the one the other person thinks they're hearing. The way we perceive other people's communications is filtered and shaped by our own core value profiles. Remembering that will help you better understand what other people are trying to convey.

If you feel offended by what someone else is communicating, remember that 90% of the time the offense is due to how you perceived the message, not how it was intended. Remembering the other person's primary core value energy can give you the perspective you need to accurately receive their intended message.

Also, understanding the core values of those to whom you are communicating will give you guidance about how to make your message as effective as possible. People will receive your message through the lens of their profile so shape it based on that knowledge.

These inward and outward insights will help you communicate with others more effectively.

Bonus Tip

The Full CVI includes The Core Values Handbook, a downloadable eBook (PDF), for free. It is an incredible resource that helps you learn more about the CVI and how the different core value energies see the world.