Directness is the way one deals with information and situations. It is also the amount of control and forcefulness a person attempts to exercise over situations or other people’s thoughts and emotions.

INDIRECT BEHAVIORS

• Approaches risk, decision, or change slowly/cautiously
• Infrequent contributor to group conversations
• Infrequent use of gestures and voice intonation to emphasize points
• Often makes qualified statements: “According to my sources,” or “I think ”
• Emphasizes points through explanations of the content of the message
• Questions tend to be for clarification/support/information
• Reserves expression of opinions
• More patient and cooperative
• Diplomatic
• When not in agreement (if it’s no big deal), most likely to go along
• Understated; reserved
• Initial eye contact is intermittent
• At social gathering, more likely to wait for others to introduce themselves
• Gentle handshake
• Tends to follow established rules and policies

DIRECT BEHAVIORS

• Approaches risk, decisions, or change quickly/spontaneously
• Frequent contributor to group conversations
• Frequently uses gestures and voice intonation to emphasize points
• Often makes emphatic statements:  “This is so!” or “I’m positive!”
• Emphasizes points through confident vocal intonation and assertive body language
• Questions tend to be rhetorical, to emphasize points, or to challenge information
• Expresses opinions readily
• Less patient; competitive
• Confronting
• More likely to maintain his or her position when not in agreement (argue)
• Intense; assertive
• Initial eye contact is sustained
• More likely to introduce self to others at social gathering
• Firm handshake
• Tends to bend/break established rules and policies