In last week’s column, I wrote about the “D” in the DISC profile which is the dominant director behavior that we see in people. The DISC profile is the universal language of observable human behavior and was founded originally by William Marston in 1928 but he never copyrighted the acronym of the four primary personality behavioral types or temperaments so you may have seen this by other names. Much has been written about this personal profile system or assessment and it is fascinating to know what your own style is as well as the style of those people you interact with. It is like a magic wand that allows you know how to act with certain type of people. In reality, it is a tool that can help put more money in your pocket and create stronger relationships. Know about DISC can put a positive “spin” your business and your networking efforts.
Last week I wrote about the high “D” behavior traits. Those traits are found in the people who would be described as ambitious, forceful, decisive, direct, independent and challenging. Some famous people who have been described as high “D’s are: Ted Koppel, Kevin Costner, Bernard Shaw and Diane Sawyer to name a few. Before I tell you about the characteristics of the high “I” of which I am one, there is a great poem about the high “D” that I found which was written by Randy Widrick. Think of the people you know who might fit this category and that you come into contact with.
The dominant direct, the driver, the “D”
Unconquerable, demanding, aggressive, free
Brave, decisive, competitive, tough
Up to the task, direct, sometimes rough
Quick to the draw, flip with the lip
You’ll get it direct, straight from the hip
They’ll climb any mountain, nothing’s too high
They aim to succeed, whatever they try!
Results is the focus, press on to new heights
Along the way, expect a few fights
Don’t take it personal, they just speak their mind
So pick up the pace, or get left behind!
You may smirk a little when you hear them rant
Of all that they’ll win if their wish you grant
Give them a challenge that’s brave and bold
Stand back and watch as they “bring home the gold”!
It is so interesting to know the behavior types of the people you are dealing with. You can speak in a language that can be heard and understood. Often when behavior is misread or not understood, the gaps in communication lead to lost sales, lost connections and sometimes a plain dislike for the person want to connect with. The DISC profile is an amazing tool to help you understand yourself and others whether in networking, business, sales or personal situation.
In this article, I am going to talk about the person with a high “I” on the DISC scale, the person who is an influencer. Some famous people who have been described as high “I”s are Robin Williams, Arnold Palmer and President Clinton. These people have an inherent need to interact, love opportunities to verbalize, have a tendency to talk smoothly, readily and at length. They use friendly and persuasive verbal behavior as a way to promote a team effort. They consistently try to inspire others to their point of view. Does this sound like anyone you know?
At their core, the high “I” wants to be liked and usually likes other indiscriminately. When I took the DISC profile, my score was 99 out of 100 in the “I” category. It is no wonder that I talk to strangers, love public speaking and have over 10,000 people on my email list, most of whom I have met at one time or another. It is also no wonder that my desk is disorganized and that have never met a stranger that did not become a friend. It is a trait that is endearing to many and annoying to others. As a professional business networker and speaker, it serves me well. As a mom of two daughters, 18 and 20, I am a source of embarrassment since I talk to everyone I meet. There is always two sides to every behavior and not everyone is attracted to the talkative extrovert. This I know from personal experience.
The fear of the high “I” is social rejection but the high “I” is incredibly optimistic and will build on the good in others and see the positive side of a negative situation. You can expect people in this category to be involved in everything so if you are looking for someone with personality plus for your committee, find someone with a high “I”. Emotion is hard for these types to contain and it has been said that they wear their heart on their sleeve. They usually have expressions that are easy to read and their positive enthusiasm is very contagious causing others to join in with whatever the high “I” is involved in. If you are in direct sales, in a people business, customer service or a similar type business, a high “I” is someone you want to have on your team or in your business.
These people interestingly enough will often be disorganized since they tend to over extend themselves and will be very extroverted so it is easy to spot them in a crowd. They are moderate risk takers and use lots of gestures and are impulse buyers. They are not great at setting goals since their focus is on the present, not planning.
It is fascinating to use the DISC profile as a tool to know more about the people you work and play with. Please feel free to send me an email at connectwithunow@yahoo.com if you would like a complimentary DISC profile done. Now that you know more about the “D” and the “I” on the high end of the scale, look at the people you are meeting and look at your own behavior and see if you can tell where you and others fit. Next week I will talk about the “C” in DISC, the person whose behavior is more analytical and compliant. Those are people like Vice President Al Gore, Chris Evert and Felix Under from the Odd Couple. Until next week, keep talking to strangers and mastering the “f” word, follow-up and you will be two minutes and two people away from your next referral.
Rhonda L Sher: The Sloganator Rhonda L Sher was born talking. She fell in love with words as a child and has never stopped communicating since. Her father once commented that she was vaccinated with a phonograph needle. Not only has Rhonda inherited her father's humor, but it's that quick wit that has become the signature that has helped propel her clients to stardom.Acclaimed Keynote and workshop leader, Rhonda has authored two books, "The 2 Minute Networker" and "The ABC's of LinkedIn," "Get LinkedIn or Get Left Out" as well as numerous action guides, articles, workbooks, jingles and corporate slogans.
In addition to writing, Rhonda uses her gift of gab as a featured keynote speaker, consultant and corporate trainer throughout North America. She has successfully taught hundreds of business men and women on the art of business networking and written hundreds of elevator pitches and slogans.Rhonda's greatest talent lies in her ability to create fabulously catchy slogans that are memorable, upbeat, easy to repeat and create instant brand identification. In addition to the books, audio and video, Rhonda creates slogans and taglines for her clients which are memorable, bring them business and make them, money. She works with you to create a corporate slogan for your business that sets you apart from your competition. Her creativity and energy will tap into your customer's mind and have your phone ringing off the hook with new business.
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