DiSC People Reading Skills

For many students, summer vacation is wrapping up and they are heading back to school.  This can be stressful for many students especially if they are headed to a new school or they are in a different class than most of their friends.

Change can be stressful at any age.  Whether you are the “new kid” on the playground or been promoted within a company you have been working at for 20 years, you will face challenges.  No matter how simple or complex, something inside triggers stress regardless if it is the best decision for you.  It is the big, bad unknown as you prepare for it that causes this.

But wouldn't it be nice if you could walk into a new environment and know exactly how everyone reacted.  How do they want information provide to them? Do they like a lot of details or the ability to use their own creative juices to develop the idea?  Maybe they hesitate before taking on a new project or dive right in with no questions asked?

While we can’t ask everyone to wear a name tag for an easy reference, we do have some tricks for you to identify their styles.   Take a look at these 3 easy steps highlighted below to provide some insight into someone you work with.

First, does this person tend to be more Fast-Paced and Outspoken or Cautious and Reflective? Next, think about is this person Questioning and Skeptical or Accepting and Warm? Once you have combined their tendencies, they should fall in one of the following styles.

D – Dominance Fast-paced & Outspoken Questioning & Skeptical	i – influence Fast-paced & Outspoken Accepting & Warm
C – Conscientiousness Questioning & Skeptical Cautious & Reflective	S – Steadiness Accepting & Warm Cautious & Reflective

Now that you have been able to hone in on their DiSC style, you need to be able to use this information to work more effectively with others.  What are their priorities, motivations, fears, or limitations?  Below you will find descriptions outlining these attributes.

Dominance

Priorities	Motivations	Fears	Limitations
·   Taking Action ·   Challenging Self ·   Immediate Results	· Power and Authority · Competition · Success	· Loss of control ·  Vulnerability	· Insensitivity · Impatience · Lack of concern

Influence

Priorities	Motivations	Fears	Limitations
· Expressing Enthusiasm · Taking Action · Encouraging Collaboration	· Social Recognition · Group Activities · Friendly Relationships	· Social Rejection ·  Disapproval ·  Being Ignored	· Impulsiveness ·Disorganization · Lack of Follow-Through

Steadiness

Priorities	Motivations	Fears	Limitations
·  Giving Support ·  Maintaining Stability ·  Enjoying Collaboration	·  Stable Environments ·  Sincere Appreciation ·  Cooperation	· Loss of stability · Change · Loss of Harmony · Offending Others	· Overly Accommodating · Tendency to Avoid Change ·  Indecisiveness

Conscientiousness

Priorities	Motivations	Fears	Limitations
·  Ensuring Accuracy ·  Maintaining Stability ·  Challenging Assumptions	· Opportunities to Use Expertise ·  Gain Knowledge ·  Attention to Quality	· Criticism ·  Being Wrong ·   Careless Methods	· Overly Critical · Over-analyze ·  Isolate self

For more tips on how to work effectively with each style, we offer Interaction Guides.  These are job aids that support the Everything DiSC Workplace training program. Featuring the Everything DiSC Workplace Map and tips for working with each style, these maps can be used to identify a colleague's style or as a reminder before meetings.

To order the Everything DiSC Interaction Guides, click here or contact us at 515.278.1292!