By Daniel Bobinski
Years ago, while conducting emotional intelligence training for a large corporation, I invited a friend to co-facilitate with me. She was also a trainer and author, and much of her work focused on teaching diversity through a cultural lens.
However, by the end of the day, she was fascinated by the concept of DISC behavioral styles.
If you are not familiar with DISC, it is a framework for understanding behavioral and communication styles. I always use DISC when teaching emotional intelligence because each of the four primary behavioral styles is linked to a characteristic emotional expression. As people learn the styles, they also become better at recognizing how others may respond emotionally.
The Four Core DISC Styles
Here is a brief overview.
Core D: The “D” stands for dominance, because people who score high in this area tend to focus on overcoming problems and getting results. When they see a problem, they want to resolve it. They are often known for taking action, making decisions and meeting deadlines. The associated emotion is anger. They may become frustrated quickly, but they usually move past that frustration quickly.
Core I: The “I” stands for influence, because people who score high in this area tend to enjoy influencing and interacting with others. With fast, creative minds, they often think outside the box. They are typically energized by people, ideas and possibilities. Their associated emotions are optimism and enthusiasm.
Core S: The “S” stands for steady, because people who score high in this area prefer stable and predictable situations. They are often supportive and loyal, and they may work long hours without much need for recognition. They also prefer knowing what is expected well in advance. Their emotional expression tends to be more restrained. It is not that they lack emotions; they simply tend not to show them.
Core C: The “C” stands for conscientious, because people who score high in this area are usually careful and meticulous. They prefer analyzing concepts using a logical framework, and thus want time to think through decisions. The associated emotion is fear, because they want to avoid the consequences of making a poor decision.
Valuing Behavioral Differences
At the end of the day, my diversity specialist friend surprised me. She called the DISC model “real diversity training.”
She noted that behavioral differences are present everywhere, regardless of culture, background, age or profession. She believed that if more people made a conscious choice to value behavioral differences instead of criticizing them, workplaces would function much better.
I couldn’t agree more.
Diversity is not only about where people come from or what they look like. It also includes how they think, communicate, solve problems, respond to pressure and make decisions.
The key is to value those differences. A person who frustrates you because he moves too quickly may be the person who gets the team unstuck. A person who asks too many questions may be the one who prevents an expensive mistake. The quiet person who resists sudden change may be protecting the team from something that has been overlooked.
Bottom line: Valuing differences, even when they irritate us, can help teams capitalize on their diversity and create optimal results.
Daniel Bobinski, who has a doctorate in theology, is a best-selling author and a popular speaker at conferences and retreats. For more than 30 years he’s been working with teams and individuals (1:1 coaching) to help them achieve excellence. He was also teaching Emotional Intelligence since before it was a thing. Reach him by email at info@ortoday.com.
