Why Bother With Behaviors How to Use DISC to Improve Your Utility
Why Use DISC? Review what DISC actually is and it s assumptions. Know the benefits of applying a behavioral model. Understand the many uses of DISC profiles. Improve communication, teamwork, customer service, and productivity with DISC.
DISC Provides Self-Knowledge
Fundamental Assumptions You can t motivate people. All people are motivated. People do things for their reasons and not yours. Any strength, used to excess, becomes a weakness. If I understand me better than you understand me, I can control the conversation or situation. If I understand me, and I understand you better than you understand yourself, I can control you and the situation.
Some Profiling Techniques Don t Quite Measure Up to DISC
DISC Measures Observable Behaviors, Emotions, and Lifestyle The How of your life... How you walk, talk, work, play, shop, & drive How you relate to people at work You behave under pressure or when you re tired.
How Do You Read People? The same way you always have!
DISC Points of Power DISC is a doorway to Win/Win relationships. Not a Personality Profile. One factor is not better than others. Any person can adapt to any style.
DISC Has Been Around a While Hippocrates noticed the four factors. In 400 B.C. named them Choleric, Sanguine, Melancholy, and Phlegmatic. Still viable for understanding behaviors
Four Dimensions of NORMAL Behavior Dominance: The D factor. How you handle problems or challenges. Influence: The I factor. How you handle people and influence others. Steadiness: The S factor. How you handle change and pace yourself. Compliance: The C factor. How you handle rules and procedures set by others.
READING THE GRAPHS What You Believe Others Expect Your Mask or Game Face Adapted Style Reaction to Present Circumstances Conscious Behavior Most Changeable Battery Pak What you think people want to see Response To Pressure Your Gut Reaction Natural Style Reaction Based on Past Experiences Unconscious Behavior Least Changeable Hardwired What you are like when you can be you OR when you are under stress pressure or fatigue.
General Characteristics Dominance D DOMINANCE DESCRIPTORS: VALUE TO THE TEAM: Bottom-line organizer Forward-looking Challenge-oriented Initiates activity Innovative TENDENCY UNDER STRESS: Demanding Nervy Aggressive Egotistical Adventuresome Competitive Daring Decisive Direct Innovative Persistent Problem Solver Result-oriented Self-starter IDEAL ENVIRONMENT: Freedom from controls, supervision and details An innovative and futuristic-oriented environment Forum to express ideas and viewpoints Non-routine work Work with challenge and opportunity POSSIBLE LIMITATIONS: Overuse of position Set standards too high Lack tact and diplomacy Take on too much, too soon, too fast EMOTION OF THE HIGH D: Anger 12
General Characteristics Influence I INFLUENCE DESCRIPTORS: Charming Confident Convincing Enthusiastic Inspiring Optimistic Persuasive Popular Sociable Trusting VALUE TO THE TEAM: Optimism and enthusiasm Creative problem solving Motivates others toward goals Team player Negotiates conflicts IDEAL ENVIRONMENT: High degree of people contacts Freedom from control and detail Freedom of movement Forum for ideas to be heard Democratic supervisor with whom he can associate UNDER STRESS: Self-promoting Overly optimistic Gabby Unrealistic POSSIBLE LIMITATIONS Inattentive to details Be unrealistic in appraising people Trust people indiscriminately Situational listener Emotion of High I OPTIMISM 13
General Characteristics Steadiness S STEADINESS DESCRIPTORS: Amiable Friendly Good Listener Patient Relaxed Sincere Stable Steady Team Player Understanding VALUE TO THE TEAM: Dependable team player Work for a leader and a cause Patient and empathetic Logical step-wise thinker Service-oriented IDEAL ENVIRONMENT: Stable and predictable environment Environment that allows time to change Long-term work relationships Little conflict between people Freedom from restrictive rules TENDENCY UNDER STRESS: Non-demonstrative Unconcerned Hesitant Inflexible POSSIBLE LIMITATIONS: Yield to avoid controversy Difficulty in establishing priorities Dislike of unwarranted change Difficulty dealing with diverse situations Emotion of High S NON-EMOTIONAL 14
General Characteristics Compliance C Compliance DESCRIPTORS: Accurate Analytical Conscientious Courteous Diplomatic Fact-finder High Standards Mature Patient Precise VALUE TO THE TEAM: Maintains high standards Conscientious and steady Defines, clarifies, gets information and tests Objective the anchor of reality Comprehensive problem solver IDEAL ENVIRONMENT: Where critical thinking is needed Technical work or specialized areas Close relationship with small group Familiar work environment Private office or work area TENDENCY UNDER STRESS: Pessimistic Picky Fussy Overly critical POSSIBLE LIMITATIONS: Be defensive when criticized Get bogged down in details Be overly intense for the situation Appear somewhat aloof and cool EMOTION OF THE HIGH C: Fear 15
People Reading Process Task Oriented Cool/Distant Precise About Use of Time Thinking Creative Fast Acting High Risk Direct Extroverted Task Through People Logical Slow Acting Low Risk Introverted Inquires Sensing Logical People Oriented Warm/Close Imprecise About Use of Time Feelings Resistant to Change
WORDS THAT DON T WORK Frequent Interruptions Follow Directions In My Opinion Feeling Perception Your Opinion Standardized Structured Uniform Theoretical The Same for Everyone Sophisticated Requires Study Clever Educated Guess Experimental New Revolutionary Cutting Edge Substantial Change Innovative Play to Win Complex Abstract Override the People A = Person A B = Person B
Needs-Driven Behavior of DISC High need for control High need to Verbalize ideas High need to follow rules and policies High need to accommodate 22
How To Use DISC: Change Management Change Management a DISC Analysis teaches behaviors for transforming resistance into receptivity. Helps employees how to work together during a change. Helps change agents to address employees in a way that makes change easier to accept.
How To Use DISC: Coaching Discover how to use the DISC activities to help others reach their real potential consistently! Help employees to develop strengths and leverage limitations.
How To Use DISC: Conflict Resolution Conflict Resolution When used properly, Disc almost magically dissipates tension & mistrust! Employees can see and understand what they do to arouse conflict and exactly what to do to have a more positive impact. Understanding how co-workers think and works help resolve conflicts and prevent misunderstanding.
How To Use DISC: Customer Service Customer Service Use the DISC to show how one can determine how to exceed expectations. Determine which applicant will be have the best behaviors for Customer Service Discover how CSR s will respond or react to pressure. Employees will learn how to respond to customers in the customer s preferred style. DISC can help CSR s understanding of how the customer views things and how the customer wants to be treated.
How To Use DISC: Diversity Training Diversity Training Illustrate to staff why contrasting behavioral styles is good for an organization. Discover and expand employees personal comfort level with people with different behavioral styles. Limit use of stereotypes. Employees can learn to transfer knowledge into acceptance and cooperation.
How To Use DISC: Hiring Hiring Learn to use DISC results as part of the hiring process to find the right fit the first time around! Typical American companies base 80% of their hiring decisions on the intellectual aspect of the person, that is to say resume, skills, training, and experience. The result is 85% of turnover is due to Behavior or Style incompatibility the person could do the job, but for some reason, it was not getting done. This inadequate process results in poor employee retention, inadequate performance due to poor job fit, and high turnover costs and explains why the national average rate of successful hiring is less than 50%. While DISC is very informative as to how people will behave at work, it should be a part of your hiring procedure, not the only hiring determiner. DISC allows assumptions as to behavior and fit, but not HR to make a predictor of success.
How To Use DISC: Leadership Tools Leadership Programs People prefer to work for leaders they like and respect. CEO s, Managers, Foreman can learn HOW to empower others with DISC Leadership profiles. Leaders learn how to build relationship with groups as well as one person at a time. Stronger teams and utilities can be built by understanding behaviors and values of employees. Leaders success comes from the ability to read, lead, and influence people.
Partial List of Leaders Using DISC Key Employee Coaching Key Employee Coaching is for High Performance or High Potential Employees. The DISC profiles are used extensively in this program. Tim Smith CEO Tippa EPA Sandy Grogan VP Pennyrile ECC Paige Mengel Dir. of Fin Greenville Light & Power Nancy Nanny SR VP Jackson Energy Authority John Burt CEO Philadelphia Utilities CFO David Middlebrooks SR VP Bill Carroll CEO Greenville Light & Power Stacey Chastain CEO Tri-State EMC Jackson Energy Authority Steve Raper SR VP Jackson Energy Authority Jim Ferrell CEO Jackson Energy Authority Jay Stowe SR VP Huntsville Utilities Shannon Littleton CEO Lenoir City Utilities Michael Watson VP Duck River Vic Pusser CEO Lawrenceburg Utility Systems EMC Alex Smith CEO Humbolt Utilities John Wheeler VP Pennyrile ECC These names used by permission.
How To Use DISC: Mentoring Mentoring is made easier by understanding the persons behavioral traits, making mentoring high performance/high potential people more complete. DISC profile programs not only provide leaders with a background of personality traits and characteristics of potential employees, but they also afford management the opportunity of cultivating their mentoring skills to match the needs and requirements of their team members. Leveraging DISC profile programs to refine your own skills and strengthen the foundation of leadership for your employees will only enhance the overall success of your team.
How To Use DISC: New Employee Orientation New Employee Orientation Teach your new employees how to be communication experts. Help newbies understand the behaviors to expect in their new role. Shows how to approach others when asking for assistance. Also helps existing team accept new people more readily.
How To Use DISC: Performance Development Plans Gives reviewer insights into employees motivation and how the employee makes decisions as to what s most important. Helps employees understand themselves better. DISC can help the reviewer build a bond with the employee by being aware of their behavioral styles. Can be used as a tool to help teams in conflict work together more effectively. DISC can help the employee reduce their stress...and everyone else s as well!
How To Use DISC: Team Building Team Building By communicating with behavioral styles in mind teams can become more effective and increase overall productivity. Individuals gain a greater understanding of the behaviors and values that drive their interactions with others and the activities of their roles. In addition, by understanding how others experience them, individuals are able to learn new adaptive strategies to increase their effectiveness with a wider community of colleagues, clients, staff and leaders. The team can explore the composite team profile with a focus on the likely strengths and potential blind spots the team has when compared to it s primary business objectives.
How To Use DISC: Managers/Supervisors Managers first learn about their own management preferences. DISC can be used to teach managers to understand: how each DISC style likes to work what motivates them how to identify areas where the people they manage have strong potential and areas where they may face obstacles DISC can show your Managers how to easily motivate everyone on their staff! Supervisors can learn to successfully select the right person for a job. Understand how an employee will react under the pressure of the job.
How To Use DISC: Productive Meetings When DISC becomes party of the culture, people get more done in meetings. When meetings are planned with the behavioral styles in mind, they become much more productive. Team Behavioral Report will help you detail the strengths and weaknesses, problem solving abilities, communication preferences, and potential areas of conflict in team meetings. Awareness of DISC behavioral factors can make meetings in teams more productive and cohesive.
People don t get up in the morning thinking about how they can make it a bad day for you. Judy Suiter