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Understanding DISC
People reading made easy if you know their style... here's what Robert Rohm has to say... |
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And so have you heard any of these statements?
If only others understood me better!
How come I like you so much and can't stand him?
Why is she always late for meetings!
If only others understood me better!
How come I like you so much and can't stand him?
Why is she always late for meetings!
Yes it's that Personality we all have! Robert Rohm is one of our mentors. Watch what he has to say about Style:It's fact that people do business with people they like. Yet everyone is different and not that easy to understand! So what is the answer? People-Literacy - learning who you are and what makes other people "tick."
There are four very different style-types - Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, Compliance - four very different styles with very different needs, motivations, and desires. For instance, if you are a talkative "People-Person" you are probably what we call a "High I" (I = Influence style), and if you are selling to a "Bottom line Results Person" or a "High D" (Dominance style), you'll have much more success if you are able to relate and create rapport with them from what THEY need - not what YOU need! This is being PeopleSmart and is a fundamental skill in sales, management, personal relationships - everyday life!
We have all heard of the Golden Rule - and many people live by it. The Golden Rule is not a panacea. Think about it: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." The Golden Rule implies the basic assumption that other people would like to be treated the way that you do! Yet they do not!
There is another Rule, however, that helps us learn to relate to and appreciate our differences. It's the Platinum Rule: "Treat others the way they want to be treated." Ah hah! What a difference. The Platinum Rule takes into considerations the feelings of others. The focus of relationships shifts from "This is what I want, so I'll give everyone the same thing" to "Let me first understand what they want and then I'll give it to them."
There are four very different style-types - Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, Compliance - four very different styles with very different needs, motivations, and desires. For instance, if you are a talkative "People-Person" you are probably what we call a "High I" (I = Influence style), and if you are selling to a "Bottom line Results Person" or a "High D" (Dominance style), you'll have much more success if you are able to relate and create rapport with them from what THEY need - not what YOU need! This is being PeopleSmart and is a fundamental skill in sales, management, personal relationships - everyday life!
We have all heard of the Golden Rule - and many people live by it. The Golden Rule is not a panacea. Think about it: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." The Golden Rule implies the basic assumption that other people would like to be treated the way that you do! Yet they do not!
There is another Rule, however, that helps us learn to relate to and appreciate our differences. It's the Platinum Rule: "Treat others the way they want to be treated." Ah hah! What a difference. The Platinum Rule takes into considerations the feelings of others. The focus of relationships shifts from "This is what I want, so I'll give everyone the same thing" to "Let me first understand what they want and then I'll give it to them."
Are you a D... I... S...or C Style?
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Understanding D's
(Dominant Drivers) High Dominance D's are driven by two governing needs: to control and to achieve. High Dominance D's are goal-oriented go-getters who are most comfortable when they are in charge of people and situations. They want to accomplish many things now so they focus on no-nonsense approaches to bottom-line results. High Dominance D's seek expedience and are not afraid to bend the rules. They figure it is easier to beg forgiveness than to ask permission. High Dominance D's accept challenges, take authority, and plunge head first into solving problems. They are fast-paced, task-oriented, and work quickly and impressively by themselves, which means they become annoyed with delays. High Dominance D's are driven and dominating, which can make them stubborn, impatient, and insensitive to others. High Dominance D's are so focused that they forget to take the time to smell the roses. High Dominance D's tend to gravitate toward the following positions: the hard driving journalist, the stock-broker, the CEO, the independent consultant, and the drill sergeant! |
Understanding I's (Influencing Socializers)
High Influence I's are friendly, enthusiastic "party-animals" who like to be where the action is. They thrive on the admiration, acknowledgment, and compliments that come with being in the lime-light. High Influence I's just want to have fun. They are more relationship-oriented than task-oriented. High Influence I's would rather be with clients over lunch than work in the office. The Socializer's primary strengths are enthusiasm, charm, persuasiveness, and warmth. They are idea-people and dreamers who excel at getting others excited about their vision. They are eternal optimists with an abundance of charisma. These qualities help them influence people and build alliances to accomplish their goals. As wonderful as High Influence I's may sound, they do have their weaknesses: impatience, an aversion to being alone, and a short attention span. High Influence I's are risk-takers who base many of their decisions on intuition, which is not inherently bad. High Influence I's tend to gravitate toward the following positions: sales (especially non technical products/services), public relations, advertising, show business, cruise ship social High Dominance D's, hotel and restaurant personnel and glamorous, high-profile careers. |
Understanding S's
(Steadying Relaters) High Steadiness S's are warm, supportive, and nurturing individuals. They are the most people-oriented of the four styles. High Steadiness S's are excellent listeners, devoted friends, and loyal employees. Their relaxed disposition makes them approachable and warm. They develop strong networks of people who are willing to be mutually supportive and reliable. High Steadiness S's are excellent team players. High Steadiness S's are risk-aversive. In fact, High Steadiness S's may tolerate unpleasant environments rather than risk change. They like the status quo and become distressed when disruptions are severe. When High Steadiness S's are faced with change, they need to think it through, plan, and accept it into their world. High Steadiness S's-more than the other behavioral types strive to maintain personal composure, stability, and balance. In the office, High Steadiness S's are courteous, friendly, and willing to share responsibilities. They are good planners, persistent workers, and good with follow-through. High Steadiness S's are slow decision-makers because of: 1) their need for security; 2) their need to avoid risk; 3) their desire to include others in the decision-making process. |
Understanding C's (Analytical thinkers)
High Compliant, Conscientious C's are analytical, persistent, systematic people who enjoy problem-solving. High Conscientious C's are detail-oriented, which makes them more concerned with content than style. C's are cautiously moving, task-oriented people who enjoy perfecting processes and working toward tangible results. They focus on the trees, whereas High D's and I's focus on the forest. Thinking C's always want to stay in control of their emotions (note the poker-faces of many Jeopardy! contestants) and are very private about their personal lives. In the office, High Conscientious C's work at a slow pace, allowing them to double-check their work. They tend to see the serious, complex side of situations, but their intelligence and ability to see different points of view endow them with quick and unique senses of humour. Compliant to the task and wanting to get it right all the time, C's have high standards and expectations of themselves - and others. This can make them seem overly critical - sometimes cynical - but being liked by other people is not always their highest priority. Their tendency toward perfectionism - taken to an extreme - can cause "paralysis by over-analysis." High Conscientious C's are slow and deliberate decision-makers. |
For a further explanation of DISC