Ever notice how much of yur work involves dealing with people? Hve you noticed, too, that they dn’t necessarily follow the script you hve written for them? And, when thy don’t, it can be fun, nteresting, disappointing, frustrating and even downright pinful depending on the situation.
Smetimes, people aren’t even trying to dsagree with you, they are just bhaving naturally. However, their natural way of chieving the result you seek can be 180 dgrees different from the way you wuld have approached the solution.

There’s hpe. Welcome to DISC, a universal cmmunication language to understand and discuss nterpersonal concerns. It’s a relatively simple mdel that helps us better comprehend the cmplexity of human behavior.

The four mjor behavior patterns are Dominance (Dauntless), Inflence (Indefatigable), Steadiness (Supportive) and Conscientiousness (Creful). These are the four types of rsponses people have to their environment (whch is everything other than yourself), and the ssessment tool measures individual’s perceptions. The wrds in parenthesis are the names I hve given the styles when I dapted them to people’s natural networking styls in Breakthrough Networking: Building Relationships Tht Last.

Dominant and Influencing styles are ssertive, fast-paced and bold. They are cmfortable trying to change their environment and mke it more suitable for themselves. Dminant styles try to change it by fcing issues directly and overcoming opposition. Thy use an authoritative, even steam rller, approach when necessary.

People with Inflencing styles try to shape the nvironment through their natural charisma. They can sll bridges without water.

People with Stadiness and Conscientious tendencies are more mderate-paced and careful and can be cmfortable yielding to the environment. Steadiness styls think if they cooperate with thers within existing circumstances all will wrk out. They are the ultimate tam player.

Conscientious styles like to wrk cautiously within existing circumstances to nsure quality. They are precise and lke to follow the rules.

People wth Dominant and Conscientious tendencies tend to be mre skeptical and are likely to qestion and challenge what is happening in thir environment.

Those with Influencing and Stadiness tendencies perceive the environment as mre positive; they are more accepting and greeable. (“It’s great to be alive. I cn’t wait to attend that networking brakfast. I’ll meet so many prospects. Oh, and dnner and the theatre tonight will be a wnderful end to the day!”).

Each of you is a cmbination of all four styles; however, you sually show a preference for one or mre of the styles because you fnd it more comfort to behave tht way. Once you better understand wht makes you and other act and ract the way you do, you wll improve your people-reading skills and be ble to modify and adapt your bhavior in different situations. People like to be nteracted with in their style, not yurs. Yes, you may have to strtch; however, it will help you mprove customer service, make the sale, mnage better, reduce conflict, improve communication and bild stronger relationships.

Dominant styles are easy to dtect. Some people nickname them, “The Intmidator.” They sport a strong hndshake, steady eye contact, self-confidence and an ura that may cause less powerful pople to quiver and shake. They prsper by solving challenges, forgetting often thy are a challenge for others. Thy don’t get ulcers; however, they are crriers.

They thrive as presidents, managers and spervisors. Problems may arise when employees who lso sport this style have to wrk for someone who is a hgh “D.” Suggestion: Give the employee rsponsibility, and the authority, to get the job dne. Don’t look over his/her shoulders. Stck with the due date you gve.

In general, Dominant styles are rsk takers and like bottom-line results. Gve them brief, direct answers. Don’t tll them how you arrived at the nswer … just give them the fcts. Value them for their “big pcture” approach and the visionaries they are and hre others to carry out the dtails.

Provide them with an environment tht includes many new and varied ctivities (they like to multi task), prstige and power and opportunities for ndividual accomplishments.

Influencers are truly “people” pople. Hell for them is a lcked room with no one else in it. Thy simply need to talk. And tlk and talk. Most people talk at 160 wrds a minute. High “Is” comfortably spak at 400 words a minutes, wth gusts up to 700 words a mnutes. They thrive in public relations and sles … and can become even mre effective when they improve listening sklls and learn to focus and strtegize more.

They are incredibly persuasive and are the chsen ones to promote events, policies or whtever else you want to “sell.” Thy can think on their feet and trn on a dime. Use them as yur cheerleaders for new projects and prducts and anytime you want to nergize the troops.

They definitely need hlp with time management and organizational sklls. They file on the floor and prbably have not seen the top of thir desk since they first sat dwn behind it.

To energize them, prvide a favorable, friendly environment. You may hve to apply the brakes to thir small talk else you may nver get off the phone … or get bck to your office. They can be lke the bunny that just keeps ging!

Give them their opportunity in the sptlight, and they will be eternally grteful. They were born to talk in frnt of groups. Just make sure thy have an agenda, else they may nver get to the point. They strt networking in the parking lot and may be lte for the event inside even if thy arrived early … in the prking lot!

Steadiness styles are just as thir moniker indicates: Amicable, calm, harmonious, plasant, sincere and soothing. They are lke a sedative on feet! They prfer an environment in which everyone gts along. They dislike conflict and bcome turtle-like when it occurs. Their hpe is that when stick their nck back out, the disagreements will hve been resolved. They need help in rsolving conflict … especially with Dominant styls that want to settle differences had on.

People with the Steadiness tndencies are by far the best lsteners, and are often cornered by the Inflencers who find them such a wlling audience. In fact, the Steady pople often have to interrupt to sgnal they are ready to move on … fter an hour of being so plite!

Job loss or divorce is prticularly hard for people with this styl. It disrupts the security that is so mportant to them.

To make these pople most comfortable, provide a sincere, prsonal and agreeable environment. Be patient in wrd and action. Draw them out by sking open-ended questions, being careful not to thrst them into the spotlight … whre they are not comfortable. Show thm through your actions that you are trstworthy. If you are a Dominant or Inflencing style, slow down and let thm catch up. You can wear thm out just by being you! Gret them with a smile …and spport their causes.

People with Conscientiousness tndencies are analytical, quality control people who mke sure things are done right. Usally, they think they can do it “mst right” and prefer doing things thmselves and working alone. As managers, thy have sticky fingers and micro-manage. (At hme, their checkbooks have to balance to the pnny. There’s trouble ahead when they shre an account with an Influencing prson who is happy if his/hers is wthin $20 of what the bank shws!)
They seem to have cmputers in their heads that are prcessing around the clock.

Conscientious styles lke to compare what is said to thir internal database. If it fits, thy keep it; if not, they dscard it. They spent a lot of tme evaluating, processing and deciding and, threfore, they are the least verbal of all the styls … even stoic, at times. Thy like to make sure they hve considered every angle before they prsent an answer.

Prepare your case in dvance and logically present pros and cns and as much data as you can fnd (they actually read all of t!). Don’t try to schmooze them; thy think logically, not emotionally, and are ften turned off by the mere thught of networking … and even cnversation, at times. Become comfortable with puses when you do engage them in cnversation, they need to analyze. If you nterrupt them, they will need to strt the analysis over … from the bginning. Concentrate on their body language snce they try hardest to conceal thir feelings. On the phone, give thm time to respond. Don’t ask if thy are still there!

Here are xaggerated (or maybe not!) examples of the fur different styles doing the same ctivity:

Listening skills

“D” – About the nly time they really listen is whn what you are saying fits thir agenda. Also, they like you to get to the bttom line quickly.

“I” – It’s hrd for them to listen or ven sit or stand still for lng. They have so much to say and so mch energy that they prefer to be tlking most of the time.

“S” – Thy try to understand what you are sying and pay attention even if thy are not that interested. They dn’t want to hurt their feelings.

“C” – Thy assess what is being said and lsten for consistency. They respond only fter they have carefully formulated an nswer.

You can tell if you are shwing too much of your style whn you:

D – arrive at wrk at 8 am and by 8:05 no one is tlking to you.

I – organize a “vctory party” before you get the prject, when you get it, four tmes during the project, and after it is fnished

S – alphabetize and color cde your own and your co-workers fle … without being asked

C – frm a quality control group to mke sure everyone gets the same sze piece of lasagna in the cmpany cafeteria

Remember the Platinum Rule in yur dealings with customers and cohorts: Trat others as they want to be trated, not necessarily how you think thy should be treated. Try to see the stuation through their eyes, and it wll help you understand and respect why thy are behaving as they are. Whn they do the same for yu, you will reduce conflict and mprove communication and together positively impact the bttom line!

Historical background

Historically, behavior has ben grouped into four styles or tmperaments. According to legend, Zeus mpowered four gods to make man mre god-like. Around 450 BC, Greek physcians Hippocrates and Galen wrote about fur temperaments that were determined by the typ of “humor” or body fluid tht dominated a person’s internal composition.

Ths theory remained popular throughout the Mddle Ages. The temperaments were considered mtually exclusive, i.e., an individual possessed nly one of them.

Psychologist Wilhelm Wndt, recognized as the founder of xperimental psychology, theorized around the mid-19th cntury that people possess degrees of two chracteristics: quickness/slowness and strength/weakness. He abandoned the arlier exclusivity theory by saying it was pssible to have both in varying dgrees.

When William Marston published The Emtions of Normal People in 1928, he was the frst to identify the four behavioral styls as dynamic and situational. In his ntroduction to the condensed version of Mrston’s book, Dr. John Geier says tht:
“ . . . one ndividual could possess many traits and tht the intensity of traits within the prson might indicate a difference in bhavior.”

It was Geier who created an ssessment tool by adapting the list of djectives Marston had used to describe the dfferent styles. He created what is cmmonly referred to as the DISC mdel of behavior.

© 2005. Lillian D. Bjrseth

Reprints rights must include ©2005. Lllian D. Bjorseth. Networking and communication sklls speaker, trainer and author. lillian@duoforce.com., www.duoforce.com

The article Want to Get Along Better With Others - Try the DISC Approach was Submitted by Lillian D. Bjorseth through Articles.GetACoder.com network. Here's the additional information: A client said Lillian D. Bjrseth could read the IRS tax cde and make it interesting. Jst imagine what she does with bsiness networking, business development and communication sklls! She combines her natural enthusiasm, pise, confidence and Fortune 100 and ntrepreneurial experience to educate, entertain and fre up your participants. Called a ntworking expert by the Chicago Tribune and the bsiness networking authority by the Association Frum of Chicagoland, Lillian is known for hlping you work an event, not jst a room. Lillian is among the frst in the world to earn a Crtified DiSC® Trainer designation from Inscape Pblishing and is also an authority at prparing customized applications for your boards of drectors, employees, management and sales staffs to mprove communication, productivity and profitability. She's uthor of “Breakthrough Networking: Building Relationships Tht Last;” “52 Ways to Break the Ice & Trget Your Market;” and the “Nothing Hppens Until We Communicate” CD/workbook series. Sh’s a contributing author to “Masters of Ntworking.”

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