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Employee communication, why aren't they getting the message?
"The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place."
-- George Bernard Shaw, 1856 Co-founder of the London School of Economics
and Nobel Prize Winner
Do you know why it seems almost impossible to communicate with some of your employees?
Aren't they listening? The answer to this concern lies in one drastically different
yet simple idea which suggests that the core of communication is not about the words that
are used but, rather, about the people that use them. More specifically, effective communication
is dependent upon the communication and personality style, also known as a DISC profile, of all
parties involved in the communication process and, more importantly, how those styles interact.
By mastering the art of DISC Profiling, business owners can increase productivity, decrease
misunderstandings, increase training retention, and improve relationships within both their
business and personal lives.
What is the DISC profile? The DISC profile theory originated in the
book Emotions of Normal People written in 1928 by Mouton Marston, a physiological psychologist
with a Ph.D. from Harvard. Since then, it has been refined and used as an employee assessment
tool by organizations of all industries and sizes around the world.
At its very core, the DISC profile focuses on four major categories or communication
styles that affect how people interpret the world around them and communicate within it.
These styles include: Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, and Conscientiousness. However,
there is no such thing as a pure profile. No one has a purely "Dominant" or "Steady"
communication style. Instead, everyone has a unique mixture of all four of these categories
which, in turn, affects how they communicate and manage relationships. However, most people
possess one trait that is much more prominent than the others which ultimately has a greater
influence on their communication style. It is critical to realize that there is no
"bad", "worse", or "ideal" DISC profile or trait. Rather, each trait has a specific function
that it is important in any workplace and in any group of people. In fact, a wider combination
of styles working together produces far better results than if those with similar personality
profiles. Implementing the DISC profile
The first step to using the DISC profile affectively involves being able to identify the characteristics
of these styles both within yourself and within others in order to determine how the differences
and similarities will affect the communication process. While these styles are extremely
intricate, the following provides a brief summary of the different profile as well as
a few tips on how to better communicate with each of the profile types.
Dominant profile types are characterized by assertiveness and control. Dominants are often
motivated by challenges and change, are highly objective, can be competitive, results oriented,
and impulsive. However, they play a critical role within the workplace. They are drivers
because they motivate the people around them to be productive and make decisions in a timely
fashion. Communicating with the dominant profile type:
Individuals with high dominant styles like the facts to be presented in a timely and
complete manner but have difficulty seeing the value in "small talk." Keep in mind that
they enjoy making decisions, but often times rely on other people to have answers to any
questions that they may have before those questions are asked.
Influencer profile types are characterized by assertiveness and emotional intuition.
They are often optimistic, enthusiastic, and not afraid to exhibit emotion. By merging
both their assertive and emotional natures, they are often considered to "Social Specialists",
spokesmen and women, conflict negotiators, and people motivators. Influencers have a
critical role within the workplace because they act as a bridge between personalities
and are able to recognize conflict and misunderstandings because of their social sensitivity.
Communicating with the influencer profile type: When communicating find the middle ground
between chitchat and assertiveness. Influencers work best when the
work environment moves at a quick pace but also enjoys some personal interaction. Come
prepared with ideas for implementation and action rather than speculation. Provide options
for the decision making process, but be prepared to back up those options with research and
reason. Influencers often like to see things in a written format; so consider using handouts,
statistics, and images to convey ideas. Steady profile types are characterized by
responsiveness and amenability. In other words they are emotionally expressive, personable,
non-argumentative, cooperative, and extremely supportive. They play a critical in the workplace
because they are highly dependable and provide stability to a group which would otherwise
be unpredictable. Communicating with the steady profile type:
Start with an icebreaker, be prepared to listen carefully, and refrain from interrupting their
train of thought. Deliberately and carefully consider their feelings and be emotionally
observant by watching for signs of hurt feelings. Do not assume that because they agreed with
you means that they liked or agreed with your decision. For decision making, give them time
to digest and process the options but provide them with a specific time to offer their answer.
Conscientious profile types are characterized by being analytical and organized. They are
task oriented and objective yet prefer others to make final decisions. They have a unique
ability to remove their personal bias for the good of a group or project. As such they
play a critical role in the workplace by providing options with excellent detail and accuracy,
yet they welcome the opinions and perspective of others.
Communication with the conscientious profile type: Like the dominant style, they prefer
directness and careful objectivity when they communicate. As such, avoid rambling, small
talk, and emotional appeals. Get the point, but not too rapidly to make you seem impulsive.
Like the steady profile, they need more time to make decisions so that they can research
all of the facts. These descriptions are simply a brief glimpse
at the DISC profile, but learning to implement DISC is a lifelong process and is never complete. Franchisees at The Dwyer GroupĀ®
have the opportunity to participate in sessions discussing the use of the DISC profile, its
affects on training and communicating with employees, co-worker and customer relationships,
as well as sales and recruiting. You can request more information about communication
and business practices from experts at The Dwyer Group by filling out the contact information
section at www.leadingtheserviceindustry.com.