Why do Behavioral Styles Matter at Work?
Understanding behavioral styles is a critical component to understanding human behavior. In a work setting this is especially important, as understanding your co-workers’ behavioral styles helps to improve productivity and communication, in addition to reducing stress.
Harvard graduate and esteemed psychologist, Dr. Marston, theorized that there are four fundamental behavioral patterns which govern all individuals and their behavior.
Adopting the foundations of his theory, DiSC emphasizes four behavioral styles that are used to predict behavior: dominance, influence, steadiness, and conscientiousness. We will discuss each more in depth below.
DiSC Behavioral Styles Overview
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Dominance “D”
- Individuals with the “D” style shape their environment by overcoming the odds and accomplishing results. This personality type is motivated by results, action, and challenge. They come across to others as confident and direct. They fear being taken advantage of and can sometimes be impatient.
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Influence “i”
- People with the “I” style shape their environment by persuading and influencing others. Often, they are motivated by social recognition, enthusiasm, and action. They come across to others as persuasive and enthusiastic. They fear loss of influence and can sometimes lack follow through.
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Steadiness “S”
- “S” personality styles shape their environment by placing an emphasis on cooperation. They are motivated by sincerity, support, and collaboration. This behavioral style come across to others as loyal and a team player. They fear loss of stability and can sometimes be indecisive.
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Conscientiousness “C”
- The “C” style shapes their environment by placing an emphasis on quality and accuracy. This leads to the “C” personality types tending to be motivated by order and following the rules. They come across to others as detail oriented. They fear criticism and can sometimes be overly critical.
Benefits of DiSC
Now that you have a brief overview of the different behavioral styles, it is easy to see how understanding your co-workers’ behavioral styles can help you to be more productive, communicate better, and reduce stress. In addition, you are also given a unique opportunity to leverage each other’s strengths to create a dynamic and successful team.
Here is what one of our clients said about DiSC :
“Merle has worked alongside our middle managers, command staff, and myself as a coach and champion in our effort to provide the best services we can for the Ukiah community. Merle has provided our team members with on-going training, team building workshops, and DiSC 360-degree evaluations to improve our performance. He also provided our City Management Team with a team workshop to improve communication and efficiency within our organization.” – Chief Chris Dewey, Ukiah Police Department
Did You Know?
As an authorized partner, we offer DiSC Comparison Reports. Curious to find out how your style compares to a co-worker’s style? Call us today and get your personalized report, so you can begin leveraging your team’s strengths!