The "D" in DiSC®

Submitted by Michael on Sun, 03/05/2006 - 04:30.
in

This is the first of 4 shows giving a high level overview of how to communicate with different behavioral styles at work. We recently used the DiSC® profile system to supplement the way we give feedback. This is a broader application of the four major styles of behavior in the workplace, and how to modify OUR behavior to be more effective with them. After listening to the show, print and use the information below to serve as a quick reminder of some of the key characteristics of the high "D".

Dominant Director Business Characteristics

  • Prefer time frames
  • Seek personal control
  • Get to the point
  • Strive to feel important and be noteworthy in their jobs
  • Demonstrate persistence and single-mindedness to reach goal
  • Express high ego strength
  • Prefer to downplay feelings and relationships
  • Focus on task actions that lead to achieving tangible outcomes
  • Implement changes in the workplace
  • Tend to freely delegate duties, enabling them to take on more projects

Dominant Director: Preferred Business Situations

  • Like to call the shots and tell others what to do
  • Like to challenging workloads which fuel their energy levels
  • Tend to personally oversee, or at least know about, their employees' or co-worker's business activities
  • Like to say what's on their minds without being concerned about hurting anybody's feelings
  • Enjoy taking risks and being involved in changes
  • Prefer to interpret the rules and answer to themselves alone
  • Interested in the answers to what questions, not how ones
  • Like to see a logical road toward increasing and ongoing advancement, since bigger is better to them

Discussion Forums As we discuss at the end of the podcast, we've noted that although many of our listeners really would like to engage in more meaningful discussions on management topics, the blog doesn't lend itself too well to the task. We've attempted to improve the situation by implementing discussion forums on our website. You can find the discussion forums here. We'd very much appreciate it if you would direct your questions and comments to the discussion forums vs. leaving them here on the blog or sending them to us via email. There are an awful lot of good conversations happening, particularly on email, that we would like to share with the broader Manager Tools community. If you have a particular challenge or question for us, it's very likely that others do so as well ... sharing your problems/questions on the discussion forum will allow all of us to benefit and learn!

If you are interested in learning in detail about YOUR profile, you may purchase the online version of the DiSC Profile here.


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mellob's picture
Submitted by mellob on Mon, 04/24/2006 - 11:44.

The real value in understanding the

The real value in understanding the various DiSC personality profiles (i.e., Creative, Practitioner) would be found in understanding how best to relate to them (things such as how to garner their buy-in or what will annoy them). Are there any such formulas?

Brett Mello
Director IT
Grand Rapids, MI

Mark2's picture
Submitted by Mark2 on Mon, 04/24/2006 - 14:05.

Brett- Yes, there are some helpful

Brett-

Yes, there are some helpful insights, though I wouldn't go so far as to call them formulas. People of all stripes tend to get touchy when you relate to them formulaically.

If you'll go to the link below, you'll find our document on USING the DiSC, and I think that will help you.

http://www.manager-tools.com/disc-model-summary/

Good luck, and let us know how it works. Start with how much buy in or annoyance your post might cause, say, a High D... ;-)

Mark

mellob's picture
Submitted by mellob on Sun, 05/07/2006 - 09:22.

Tell me about it... I'm a High D and I.

Tell me about it... I'm a High D and I. ;-)

My challenge has been now that my management team have all recieved their DiSC profiles (which they all more or less agree with), how do I teach them how to use that information to relate to each other better so we can be a tight, highly effective unit.

Brett

Mark2's picture
Submitted by Mark2 on Mon, 05/08/2006 - 08:56.

Brett- I don't think I was as clear

Brett-

I don't think I was as clear as I could have been in my first post. What I meant by my suggestion was that your post, while asking for help, could easily cause annoyance in a High D or I. And, when asking for help, "annoyance" is probably not a "helper emotion." ;-)

You wrote, "the real value... would be found..." I think that a reasonable inference could be drawn that *you* know what the "real" (read: best) value is, and we didn't give it to you ("would be"). I won't argue that might be true from your perspective... but that doesn't mean that will help you get what you want. I normally don't point this kind of stuff out, but the clash of content and delivery seemed to dovetail nicely with the point you were making about styles of communication.

I think that the document I recommended does something like what you need. Do I take from your last post that the areas "You Should Try To," "What They Want," "Be Ready For," and "You Can Help Them Learn," didn't address your question directly/effectively? If so, help me understand better.

Thanks,

Mark

ginuno's picture
Submitted by ginuno on Sun, 05/20/2007 - 00:01.

Is it possible, that assuming people

Is it possible, that assuming people are very complex and different, that to catalogue people, will probably narrow your view of the person in question.

Nuno

Mark's picture
Submitted by Mark on Sun, 05/20/2007 - 00:58.

Nuno- Yes, it is not only possible

Nuno-

Yes, it is not only possible it is certain. Of course, we all already do that, we're just less efficient at it. And, this model does not preclude us paying attention fully to ALL that a person is... in fact, it encourages it.

Mark

Robster's picture
Submitted by Robster on Wed, 02/20/2008 - 21:59.

I think Nuno has a point. Most human

I think Nuno has a point. Most human beings are complex and behave differently in different circumstances.

D = Arrogant bastard with no friends.
i = Spongebob Squarepants
S = Complete door mat.
C = Autistic

Yes there are people that fit these profiles but you would not have them as your friends and you would not hire them.

We have had DiSC training at work but for reason or another. I missed three training sessions over several years. Now in hindsight I understand what has been going on. Two things that I have noticed in people that believe this stuff.

1 Once people that find out their own DiSC they treat it as an affirmation of what they are like and become more like what they THINK their profile is.

2 They try pigeon hole me as a particular profile and behave in ways I found positively weird.

I get in into fierce confrontations with people that are rude to my friends or myself so I must be a “D”. I am a sales person and enjoy people a drink and a joke so I must be an “i”. I know peoples names and the names of their kids and their pets so I must be an “S”. I have expertise on analysis, computers and technical information about our products so I must be a “C”

Nonsense!! “Specialisation is for Insects” Robert Hienlein

Mark's picture
Submitted by Mark on Fri, 02/22/2008 - 05:49.

Robster- I disagree strongly enough

Robster-

I disagree strongly enough with your judgmental characterizations of the various profiles I just stopped reading your post.

Mark

Asop's picture
Submitted by Asop on Mon, 11/16/2009 - 05:25.

as a non mgr

As a non-manager, who has had little dreams of being a manager I am liking these podcasts a lot.  I wish my mgmt would learn from these, and I have actually sent them to your site.

I can see various people in my group falling in to the categories, and may try to use this knowledge to better interact, and be effective myself. 

Thanks for making all these podcast available online.  I found you via this page linked off digg: http://www.businesspundit.com/15-podcasts-that-will-make-you-richer/