Effective leaders are capable of recognizing the different behavioral styles that are present on their team and then adjust their own communication and approach to working with those different styles. Today I’d like to share a tool that you as a leader can use to improve your workplace relationships. It’s called the Everything DiSC model and it can help you take a clearer look at the needs and priorities of the people on your team.
What I love about the DiSC is that it’s both easy to understand and to apply in different contexts. So once you understand the basic model, you can apply it to your relationship with your partner at home, best friend, clients, co-workers, etc.
While we can never be fully sure of another person’s DiSC style until they tell us, by answering these two key questions, you can start with a base of knowledge when you interact with them. Right now, I want you to think of a person you know. Picture them in your mind and then get ready to answer these two questions:
The first question to consider is whether this person is more fast-paced and outspoken or more cautious and reflective. So think about that person’s body language, tone of voice, and pace of speaking. Do they speak quickly, use a lot of hand gestures, and have a variety of facial expressions? If so, they fall into the fast-paced and outspoken category. Or are they more quiet and still with their body? Do they pause to reflect before speaking? They are probably more on the cautious and reflective side.
The second question is whether this person is more questioning and skeptical or more accepting and warm. A questioning and skeptical person is asked a question, they tend to answer “NO” or ask “Why?” in a questioning way. Whereas an accepting and warm person might answer “YES” or be more willing to go along with a suggested idea right off the bat.
Now, combine the answers to your two questions to determine the person’s DiSC style. There are no right or wrong answers here because all DISC styles are equally valuable. But most of us tend to find a “home base” in one of these DiSC areas.
This is where it gets interesting. The DiSC tells us what our co-workers prioritize in the workplace. Let’s take a look at this DiSC map with the eight priorities listed next to them.
Let’s think about Ellen, who has a D, or Dominance, style. She’s direct and outspoken. She has a strong drive to achieve, so she’s not afraid to make the tough calls or urge the team toward a goal. And when she has a clear vision of how to get there, she can become frustrated if things get take longer than they should. She prioritizes results, action, and challenge in her role.
Then there’s Anthony, who leads with an I, or Influence, style. He is outgoing and enthusiastic and thrives in a lively, fast-paced environment where people come together and collaborate. And because that sense of connection means so much to him, he can be left feeling discouraged and drained when it’s missing from his work life. Anthony is motivated by enthusiasm, action, and collaboration.
Ramon, who has an S, or Steadiness, style, is patient and accommodating. He has a calm, supportive way about him that helps others feel welcome. And though his colleagues know he’s dependable, they don’t always get how much he doesn’t want to let them down. Or how important it is for him to keep things on an even keel. Ramon’s priorities at work are Support, Stability, and Collaboration.
Finally, there’s Nadia, who has a C, or Conscientiousness, style. She’s analytical and precise and likes having personal space to dig deeply and logically into a topic. Like others with the C style, she puts a lot of pressure on herself to get things right. So, even though she presents a calm face to the world, she gets stressed out when she doesn’t have the time or stability to do her job properly. Nadia likes to focus on Accuracy, Stability, and Challenge.
Now, of course, there’s a lot more to people than their DiSC® style. But what the DiSC model can do is help you take a fresh look at the people on your team, what motivates them, and how you can provide support as a leader. And once you get where people are coming from, you can choose to engage in ways that are more productive.
I love working with teams to determine their DiSC styles and see what priorities that their team as a whole likes to focus on. In a perfect world, we would have all DiSC styles present on a team so we can focus on action and moving forward, but not so fast that we sacrifice stability, and that we challenge ways of thinking so we innovate, but also find common ground to collaborate in order to reach our goals. All of these priorities are important to get our work done
If you’d like to learn more about how you can support your team by using the DiSC model, please reach out and we can talk through the possibilities.