How to Keep DISC Fresh, Even If It’s Not New
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As coaches and trainers, if you have used or plan to use the DiSC®, it can be a valuable tool in measuring and getting to know and understand your clients. But remember, your clients might not share your enthusiasm. They might be polite, or some may even be just tolerant, and see it as “the flavor of the month’” greeting it as just another assessment. After all, we do get quizzed all the time. Sometimes, honestly, as trainers, coaches and organizations we do over assess people.
Depending on how you, personally, process this you might see it one of two ways. Those of you who are external may shrug and think that you have no control over your clients’ attitudes towards assessments and not be concerned. Now, if you tend more toward internal processing, you will be more aware of how your clients feel about them and take that into account.
Having worked with DiSC® for some time, I accept that. But I see it as modern version of 2600 year old model. I’ve noticed that my clients really like this concept. Think about it. This model goes all the way back to the work of the great philosophers Hippocrates, Aristotle, Plato, and many others who tried to understand human behavior. There just really is not much new under the sun. The work of Hippocrates, Aristotle, Plato and all of the forefathers of our more modern version of DiSC® were built on the same four quadrant models of behavior. In fact, some of you may be familiar with the terms sanguine, phlegmatic, bilious, and melancholic. These are the four models of behavior that preceded DiSC®.
In 1928 a psychologist by the name of William Molten Marston wrote a book called “The Emotions of Normal People.” He, essentially, took 2600 years of work by all those people before him and put it into a cultural context to fit today’s society. When you look at Marston’s original work, he referred to D’s as dominance and I’s as influence, but he referred to S’s as submissive, C’s as compliant, and I’s as inducement. As I said, nothing new here, but a fresh take on human behavior that continues to earn more validation and confirmation that what we are doing works!
DISC: You Want to Keep Focused
· CommentsYou might have heard me mention, either in an earlier post, a class, or even a coaching session how important it is to choose a focus for prior to completing a DiSC® profile. One problem I have had with that is even when people pick broad focus, like work, for instance, they get stuck on a particular set of words that trigger certain images.
One set of words might trigger their kids, another their spouse, while another might even trigger a sibling. So one of the things I often tell my clients is to use a Post It note and put it somewhere visible as a reminder. That way they will stay focused and remember to tell themselves, “OK, this isn’t how I am at church or at home or as president of the PTA. This is how I as senior HR director of this organization.” Using that little Post It device tends to help my clients stay on track. That’s just one tip you might try when you are working with someone.
The focus is really important when you do a DiSC profile. When you give clients a DiSC profile, be very clear about the specific situation you are focusing on. Your measurement will only show behavior in a distinct set of circumstances.
Remember the DiSC® provides a nonjudgmental language for exploring behavioral issues across four primary dimensions:
- Dominance: Direct and Decisive
- Influence: Optimistic and Outgoing
- Steadiness: Sympathetic and Cooperative
- Conscientiousness: Concerned and Correct
Let me explain what I mean. I will use my own profile as an illustration. I have done profiles with various focuses. They include, how I am as a:
- Trainer
- Coach
- Manager of my own business
- Manager of people
For me, the two constants is my D. My dominant trait is above the midline. And the midline is about 3.5 or 4, like at the 4 line. My S is always below the midline. But as a manager I’m a creative pattern. My D is above the midline. But my I and my S are below the midline, and my also C comes up. So that is what makes me a creative pattern. When I am training, my D drops down a little bit, but is still above the midline. My I actually inches above the D, but the S and the C are low.
I am always a high D and a low S. But my I and C can change dramatically, depending on my circumstances at any given moment.
Whatever your profile, be aware that if you show it to your best friend or your spouse, they might say “That doesn’t seem like you.” That’s because you may not be that way when you’re with them. You likely have a different set of behaviors with your friends or loved ones.
I have had so much success with my clients by having them take the assessment, even from multiple work perspectives. Some senior managers come to me saying they are experiencing difficulty in managing their employees. So that’s where I start the coaching process, having them take the profile on how they manage their employees.
Then these same managers might express an issue with peers. For instance, they are in a meeting with the senior VP of marketing, senior VP of technology, senior VP of sales, and the senior VP of manufacturing. Now that’s a whole different ballgame. I’ll have them take a profile on how they are in that environment. Like my profile, they will usually see a constant. We don’t turn into completely different people. You are likely to see some scores that remain the same, but other scores may comes up or go down.
So, when you ask your clients or employees to complete their profile you can choose whether you want them just to take a general work focus or you want to ask them to have a more specific work focus. Either one will work.
Improve Interview Skills Win Rave Reviews
· CommentsBefore I get started, I want make one important caveat for those readers who are in corporate settings. Before you start to use DiSC® assessments, I encourage you to talk to HR and your attorney and to make sure you are not opening yourself up to any liability. The process and interview questions you use are not going to do you any good if you open yourself up for a lawsuit.
My background for years was in real estate. Not just sales, I also owned the largest real estate school in Austin, Texas and have taught over 50,000 realtors. In working with homebuilders that hire new home sales reps, I found their sales reps might have worked for company A and then when they were ready to move on, they might interview with companies B and C. There can be dramatic differences in policies and procedures from one to the other. But they were fairly successful in dealing with the differences in policies and procedures from one company to the other.
The role behavior analysis is even more useful when combined with the DiSC® personal profile system. The Role Behavior Analysis allows you to profile a role (job) within an organization.
An example: You or a client wants to hire a sales representative. To start the process ask the sales manager or your top sales person – you know, the one you’d love to clone if you could – to work on the profile assessment with the client. It’s actually a different assessment, but still based on DiSC®. Then have them complete the role behavior analysis assessment. Now you can coach them on how to do a behavioral interview.
You know the more common interview statement might be:
“We’re looking for someone who’s outgoing and has high sales skills and can really close the sale.”
Of course, the job applicant will usually say:
“Oh, well, I’m a great salesperson. I’m fabulous at closing sales and I can really get the job done.”
Instead why not update your interview skills and have your assessment include open- ended questions that don’t really say what you’re looking for. Then you coach your clients to listen for the DiSC® profile that they really need. This is actually a separate assessment that improves your job interview technique.
Everything DiSC® Virtual Showcases
· CommentsYou’re Invited to one or two Everything DiSC® Virtual Showcases (showcases are from Noon to 1:30 pm Eastern):
- Management Virtual Showcase: February 24, 2010 $40* Buy Me
- Workplace Virtual Showcase: March 25, 2010 $30* Buy Me
*Virtual showcases are a great way to be introduced to the new Everything DiSC® Application Library. You’ll leave the seminar with far more value than the cost of your registration fee. You’ll receive a personalized Everything DiSC® Management assessment valued at $77.50 or a $46.50 Everything DiSC Workplace depending on the webinar(s) you choose and a 90-minute webinar taught by Inscape trainers and a new reality for improving work relationships (priceless)!
Best of all, I’ll continue to be here to support you through any questions or applications you may have. Once you register you’ll receive an email receipt and within 48 hours will receive an access code so that you can take your assessment prior to class. The phone number and pin codes will follow.
Alicia
Alicia Smith, DiSC Ninja™
http://www.aliciasmith.com
ITA WON and You Helped!
· CommentsThe voters have spoken, and ITA’s R.E.A.D. program is the winner for the $20,000 Readers’ Choice Literacy Grant.
Turns out this was the first time they asked people to vote. Over 27,000 people cast their votes, and in the end it wasn’t even close — R.E.A.D. was far and away the winner with 25% of the tally! That’s a lot of support!
Here is the press release: http://www.betterworldbooks.com/custom.aspx?f=readers-choice-winner-jan10 It’s interesting to read about both organizations and how this contest came to be.
THANK YOU for all your votes, your willingness to spread the word, and the great enthusiasm everyone shared. We heard from people all over the world who were pulling for R.E.A.D.
Hunka and I appreciate your votes for ITA’s R.E.A.D. program.
Read on!
Alicia
Relieve Your Test Anxiety
· CommentsThat four-letter word, test, can lead to a lot of anxiety when it comes to an online assessment. So let’s just remove it altogether. Assessments are more appropriately referred to as assessments, surveys or profiles. They are not tests. In asking someone to take an assessment “test” is a “dirty four-letter word.”
Anytime someone takes a test, they think first of pass or fail or having to give the right answer. If anyone taking an assessment is thinking “test”, they are likely to give the answers they think you want from them. As a result, when someone says that the results of an assessment are not accurate for him or her, this is my first question to them:
“Did you answer the way you think you should have or the way you really are?”
Another thing to remember is we are not measuring IQ or even core personality, but behavior within a given environment. Understanding what the assessment measures and what the results indicate helps manage expectations of the profile are key to DiSC® use.
One of the greatest benefits available with these assessments is that there are training materials to support you and your clients/staff. For more information on a variety of training tools check out http://www.internetassessments.com/trainingmaterials.htm.
Resolution Remedy 2010!
· CommentsSolo-E, a virtual learning resource for solo entrepreneurs, is hosting a one-of-a-kind event that couldn’t be more timely … the Post Resolution Hangover giveaway. This isn’t your typical giveaway … each item is a real product that you normally would have to pay to get. The value of each item is the price at which it sells today. How cool is that?!
The gifts include ebooks, audios, home-study packages and more, on topics including: 101 Ways to Attract Clients, Create Your Second Life After 40, The Social Media Content Creation Kit, Building a Strong Brand in a Weak Economy, How to Move Through Fear for More Money; From Drab to Dynamic, The Finding Time Quick-Start Guide and lots more. Here’s how it works:
For just 12 days, January 25th to February 5th, business owners are invited to visit http://www.solo-e.com/PostHolidayHangoverRemedy and gain immediate access to these incredible resources to help cure your Resolution Hangover, provided exclusively by solo entrepreneur gurus including your truly…
Alicia Smith, Nina East, Ann Ronan, Loren Fogelman, Tracey Lawton, Allison Babb, Tina Forsyth, Rebecca Zwar, Christine Gallagher, Lou Bortone, Heather Dominic, Laurie Weiss, Laurie Mandato, Zahra Efan, Hazel Palache, Laura West, Eva Gregory, Alicia Forest, Michele PW and Paula Eder
The goal in the Post Resolution Hangover giveaway is to provide you value while supporting the growth of your business at the same time. The best part? Just visit http://www.solo-e.com/PostHolidayHangoverRemedy and download your gifts.
So join us, learn what the fuss is all about and at the same time gain immediate access to fantastic resources.
Visit http://www.solo-e.com/PostHolidayHangoverRemedy
Evolution and Online Assessments
· CommentsTo be useful, any tool must adapt and change as conditions change. DiSC® assessments have shifted and evolved over time and continue to do so. The online DiSC® profile has made the process even more valuable as it becomes more accessible. As the online version also provides anonymity, its effectiveness also increases.
The online behavioral profiles allow researchers to crunch huge numbers. Five years ago a sample might have been 400 – 1000 people. Whereas, now, the last major DiSC® online research had a sample of 26,000! Computational power allows us to make greater distinctions about human behavior and how to best deal with self and others.
Having these online profiles at your fingertips, evolving all the time, means that you are assessing accurately and researchers are getting data from broader and broader samples:
- DiSC® ® Classic Online Profile
- DiSC® ® PPSS Online Profile
- DiSC® ® Indra Online Profile
- Team Dimensions Profile
- Time Mastery Profile®
- DiSC® ®
- Action Planners Personal Listening Profile®
- DiSC® overing Diversity Profile®
- Work Expectations Profile
Feeling Gratitude? Do a Good Deed Today.
· CommentsIt’s a New Year and that turns our thoughts to gratitude for all we have. If you’re feeling grateful and in the mood to do a good deed for others I’ve got an easy solution to put a smile on your face in less than a minute.
Many of you know that Hunka and I volunteer weekly, as a registered Animal Therapy Team (http://therapyanimals.org/), at the local hospital. We are also registered as a Reading Education Assistance Dogs (R.E.A.D.) team (http://therapyanimals.org/). This program targets below-level reading students in elementary schools and supports them in gaining reading skills, vocabulary, confidence and, interestingly enough, self grooming skills. Hint: the dogs have to be groomed (bathed, nails clipped, teeth clean) before each visit so the kids often want to do the same.
Today I have exciting news! ITA’s Reading Education Assistance Dogs program has been selected as a finalist to receive a $20,000 grant from the Better World Books organization, and now it will be up to you! We need every single one of you (and all your friends, co-workers and distant relatives!) to VOTE for ITA/R.E.A.D.
I’d like to ask you to vote for the R.E.A.D. program to receive the $20,000 grant below. R.E.A.D. is a program of Intermountain Therapy Animals, which is who Hunka and I volunteer through. Although we visit the hospital weekly Hunka is a registered R.E.A.D. dog and we have been read to by many a kid!
This $20,000 grant would allow so many more kids to have R.E.A.D. partners in their elementary schools as well as local libraries.
At last count that I’m aware of we’re ranked #2, so your action could be the defining vote.
Thanks for your consideration. Also, feel free to forward, blog, Tweet, Facebook, or share to anyone you think might like to help.
Alicia & Hunka
P.S. Here is Hunka at the hospital: http://discninja.com/2009/05/hunka-at-the-hospital/
