The document discusses five communication strategies known as the Satir categories that may be used in tonight's leaders debate: 1. The Placator seeks to please others and avoid confrontation through vulnerability. 2. The Blamer aggressively puts blame on others to regain control. 3. The Computer appears thoughtful and logical through rational arguments. 4. The Distractor constantly changes topics to avoid errors being noticed. 5. The Leveller takes relaxed control by openly sharing information with their audience.

1. Five Powerful Communication Strategies to watch
out for in tonight’s Leaders Debate

2. In high stress, high stakes environments
such as tonight’s Leaders debate you will
see these communication strategies played
out to the max

3. What are the Satir Catagories?
As a broad rule of thumb, Virginia Satir identified five
typical behavioural types of human being.
These five types are not intended as labels, but as
commonly identified patterns that occurs within human
interactions.
These categories of behaviour can be applied to differing
contexts. One useful application is in the context of
communicating and presenting.
To be able to alternate consciously between the five
types adds dimension, flexibility and variety to your
platform skills.

4. The Placator.
Seeks to please and avoid confrontation.
Exhibits vulnerability.
Typical posture: hands spread with palms up.
Main sensory channel: Kinaesthetic.
Use this category to soften, influence through vulnerability
and offer approachability.

5. Seeks to put the blame on others.
Aggressive, authoritarian, and, in the extreme, bullying.
Typical posture: pointing finger.
Main sensory channel: Visual.
Use this category to dominate, control, challenge
others, question their responsibility for X and regain
the initiative.
The Blamer.

6. Seeks to influence through logic and rational argument.
Remote and unemotional.
Main sensory channel: Auditory internal dialogue (they talk as
if they are holding a running internal commentary with
themselves).
Typical posture is folded arms or one arm across the body and
the other arm upright with fingers connecting the mouth and
the ear (telephone position).
Use this category to slow yourself down, and to appear
thoughtful, reasonable and logical.
The Computer/Super-Reasonable

7. An ever changing combination of the previous three.
A good example is the flustered hostess at the party who is
trying to please everyone; scurrying here and there,
forgetting everything immediately, and totally confusing
themselves.
Movement is constant, unfocused and asymmetrical.
Use this category to change direction and tempo, and to
cover up any problem before it becomes apparent.
In other words, use this category to confuse others before
they notice your errors
The Distractor

8. Assertive, organising and managing.
Levels with the audience, puts their cards on the
table, brings things out into the open.
Typical stance: arms in front, palms down.
Use this category to take easy relaxed control of
your audience and the information.
The Leveller

9. Paul Miller
www.thementalmusclecompany.com
@mentalmuscleco.