Flexing Your DISC Style For Success: Adopting Different Mindsets To Boost Your Influence And Impact
Trevor E S Smith
Coaches teams to high performance | Improves Team Dynamics/Productivity | Trains, Coaches & Certifies Leaders | Guides Role Fit Recruitment | Provides Tech Solutions, Done-for-You Online Courses, Competency Framework v2
In our previous newsletters, we shared that our DISCerning Model of Communication and Leadership can help you boost your influence and impact by understanding and adapting to different DISC behavioral styles.
In this edition, we focus on how you can develop flexibility from your DISC profile.
You may recall that the DISC Model classifies how we respond to life’s unfolding events into four behavioral styles: Dominance (D), Influence (I), Steadiness (S), and Conscientiousness (C).
In essence, we have four large toolkits of behaviors to navigate through life. Each style has unique characteristics that influence communication, decision-making, approaches to getting things done, resilience, leadership and interpersonal relationships.
Consequently, developing our behavioral flexibility has immediate and direct beneficial impact on multiple facets of our lives.
We share below some keys to adopting the mindsets that underpin the communication style of each of the four behavioral classifications. We focus solely on communication today given its central role.
However, we want to make it clear that the DISCerning Model can be applied to multiple domains – Leadership, Sales, Negotiations, Conflict Management, Customer Service, Coaching etc.
So, are you ready to flex your DISC profile for success? Let's dive in!
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THE D-STYLE/ S-STYLE DYNAMIC
Communicating in a style that is least like you can be challenging. The D/S dynamic is perhaps the most challenging of all.
Let's look at a practical example of the application of the different mindsets.?
The scenario is a meeting to discuss how to resolve an important issue. All the participants are aware of the issue, and each has way-forward ideas.
S-Style behavior might be influenced by variations on these thoughts:
1. Let's see what others are thinking before sharing.
2. These people are just shouting out their ideas, but I will wait my turn.
3. Someone else might have the same idea so it won't be missed.
4. I could talk to the facilitator after the meeting. There is no rush to share now.
4. What if this is not such a good idea after all?
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The D-Style mindset comes from a different perspective.
D-Style thinking casts itself in the role of a scientist who has a cure for a disease (or at least a vaccine) and so it is imperative that this information is made available ASAP!
The urgency and importance of ensuring that this information is received and appreciated is manifested in the tone, mannerisms and body language that accompanies its delivery.
To sit back a risk bad outcomes would be irresponsible.
?"But what if it is not the best idea D?"
"Well one way to know is to try it or explore it further. If it is not the answer, we scrap it and move on. Only, let's not sit here agonizing over this and that while not taking action."
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THE I-STYLE/C-STYLE DYNAMIC
C-Style thinking guides them towards fact-finding and evidence-gathering.
1. Is the problem properly identified?
2. Are we asking the right questions?
3. What questions should we be asking?
4. What are reliable sources of answers to the right questions?
5. What are reliable indicators that we are on track to resolving the issue?
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" So do you have any suggestions C?"
"Yes. I just outlined a process that if followed will help us to achieve our objective. However, if you mean do I have any off-the-cuff ideas, the answer is no."
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The I-Style mindset wants the team to feel confident that finding the answer is within their capability.
“We can do this!”
The I-Style looks at the issue from a different angle. It is difficult to explain how they got there but it is a unique, out-of-the-box perspective.
You might not be able to come up with the stunning idea. However, you can be engaging. You can also encourage the creation a safe space for throwing up ideas without pre-qualifying their merits.
It is in that environment that I-Style thinking thrives and that is how the team can flex its DISC even without a member who has a natural preference for the I-Style.
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YOUR ACTION
By developing the ability to flex your DISC profile, you will not only improve your communication skills, but you will also boost your influence and impact.
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Trevor E S Smith - Human Capacity Development - Success with People??Academy
We deploy our DISCerning Model of Communication and Leadership to boost personal Influence and Impact by identifying blind spots and removing limiting behaviors. The process is guided by granular Behavioral DNA assessments from Extended DISC? on the revolutionary FinxS? Platform.
We use our system to drive breakthrough conversations with individuals as well as in the development of High Performing Teams.
Happy to have a conversation! WhatsApp 1-876-535-6677
E-mail:?[email protected]
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Would you like to flex your DISC style for greater success in your personal and professional relationships?
This Success with People Newsletter provides critical insights into how to you can do it.