What’s Your Behavioral Style?

Have you ever been talking with someone and felt like they just weren’t getting what you were saying? I think we’ve all had that experience at some point. The fact is that that other person probably didn’t understand you because they didn’t understand your communication style. In this age of diversity awareness and embracing individual differences, we are now aware that people do have different behavioral styles which affect how they communicate. The better you are at recognizing someone else’s behavioral style and adapting to it, the more effective you will be as a communicator and you will be less likely to have that sense of frustration you get when someone doesn’t get your point. According to the DiSC Model of behavioral styles, there are four basic behavior styles, each with heir own strengths and weaknesses.

D – D stands for Dominance. Dominant communicators tend to take charge in group situations. They don’t like to be inundated with details - D’s just want the bullet-points. If a D asks what time it is, he DOES NOT want to know how to build a watch. D’s are often leaders because they make decisions without hesitation. D’s are also risk-takers. D’s can be impatient and can be perceived as insensitive. When talking with a D, get to the point, don’t waste time, and stay focused.

I – I stands for Influence. I’s like to have fun and enjoy being the center of attention. I’s will look for ways to make difficult tasks enjoyable. They are the ones who whistle while they work. I’s are very social and need to spend time chit-chatting with people before getting down to work. I’s can be a little absent-minded and can seem self-absorbed. When talking with an I, allow time for chit-chat, tell them a joke, and make it fun.

S – S stands for Steadiness. S’s like the status quo. They have a hard time adapting to change and are especially concerned with how other people feel about things. S’s are great at supporting their teammates, but can be difficult to deal with it if they feel they are being rushed. When talking with an S, focus on the feelings of other people and don’t rush them into making any decisions.

C – C stands for Conscientiousness. C’s are focused on facts and details. They want to know all the background information before they make a decision. If a C asks what time it is, he DOES want to know how to build a watch. C’s can seem indecisive because they are so cautious and afraid of making mistakes. When talking to a C, give them all of the details and allow them time to analyze the facts before asking them for a decision.

It is important to be able to determine someone else’s style relatively quickly so that you can adapt to that person. That really is the key to the DiSC Model. It’s fun to understand your own style and to try to guess the styles of others, but if you aren’t using that knowledge to improve your interactions, you’re not getting the real benefit. It can be very rewarding to start communicating with someone in their style and see them become instantly at ease. You will notice an immediate improvement in your interactions with others and other people will actually like you more and seek out opportunities to interact with you. That’s what’s so empowering about this model.