Every style (a la DiSC) has different professional priorities that drive it (see my blog post about that for more info about the styles and their priorities); the way in which every style communicates is different as a result. Learning what those differences are--and how they manifest so that you can use that information to serve your relationship positively--goes a long way toward establishing more effective communication and, therefore, a richer and enhanced relationship. Once you identify …
workplace communication
DiSC: Write an Email so a D-Style Will Read It
When you write an email to a D-style (a la DiSC), be sure to do the following: Make your email direct, straightforward, bottomline. Bullet-points and numbered lists are preferred. Never mind the pleasantries, just express your point. Needless words are that. Don’t use ‘em. Provide the big picture; details can be excluded (unless formerly requested). Here’s an example of what NOT to do when writing an email to your D-style colleagues: Well Hello, …
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Communicating Through Change: Trust, DiSC, + Information Hoarding
Last night, I gave a presentation at the American Family Dream Bank in Madison. It was titled “Effectively Communicating Through Change.” The audience was lively and the interaction rich. I proposed three different ways that my audience, a group of professional Information Technology (IT) Consultants, could effectively communicate with their teams—especially during times of change (when communication is often imperiled!). Here’s what I shared (and what they told me afterward that they found …
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Personality vs. Behavior? What Everything DiSC Says About Your Temperament
Many people think DiSC is a measure of personality. In truth, however, it’s actually measuring your natural behavioral style, specifically how you "default-behave" in varying contexts/situations (in other words, your default temperament). What’s the difference between personality and behavior? Personality is not dependent upon context or situation; behavior often is (for more on this distinction, please see …
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Difficult Coworkers or Misunderstood Intentions? Let DiSC Be Your Guide
Does your coworker block you? Question every single move you make? And/or just plain make your professional life stressful by being seemingly difficult? I get it. I've been there. But... Rarely is anyone ever difficult for the sake of being difficult. I truly, truly believe this. Even when it feels like someone's got it out for you, there is usually an underlying reason that is motivating them to act the way they do. However, intentions aren't always apparent or understood. It doesn't have …
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