DISC is the Secret Sauce to Improving Communication
February 5, 2021
CONSUME CREATIVELY
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Marketing is all about communication – Communicating with your audience and communicating with your team. One of my favorite tools to understand personal and audience behavioral and communication styles is DISC. When we hit a bumpy spot with a client or team member we go right to DISC. The results are incredible. Heck, my husband and I agree we’re still married because we did DISC training when we started dating (no joke).
So when I met the Chapman Foundation for Caring Communities and learned about their mission “to motivate cultural change by transforming communication one person at a time”, I was hooked. They teach DISC! And I knew I had to share this magic with anyone who would listen!
Join me as I interview DISC trainer Misty Janks and Executive Director, Rebecca Buell and unlock the secret sauce to improve communication.
DISC is the Secret Sauce to Improving Communication Cliff Notes
DISC is a 24-question assessment that helps us catalog all of our behavioral tendencies, or how we choose to respond in different situations. Understanding the personalities of your nonprofit’s staff and where they are coming from (through DISC) can improve your team’s life satisfaction, work satisfaction, and make your team more effective.
DISC consists of only 4 primary behavioral tendencies, but there are actually over 110 million different variations of the individualized report, based upon the individual taking that assessment.
The Extended DISC Program shows you the difference between your natural style (or how you might operate in your home life vs. your perceived need to adjust), which the basic DISC doesn’t have. People who work in jobs that are outside of their natural style usually expend a lot of energy which can make them exhausted.
Adapting our communication style to the traits of who we’re talking to can make us more persuasive and create healthier relationships. For instance, when you send an internal email, include bullet points for the D’s, but also all the details below it for the S’s and C’s
The 4 Primary Tendencies
- The D’s in DISC are Drivers – They like to control, direct, and are very to the point
- I’s are Influencers – They want to be loved, connected socially, and are very creative
- S’s are all about Steadiness – They seek to serve a higher purpose, focus on harmony with people, and tend not to change very much
- C’s are Conscientious – Their focus is about perfection, doing things well, details, and tasks
A few ways to tell right away what style a person is, without knowing their DISC results:
- Do they ask or tell? D’s and I’s generally tell people to do things, C’s and S’s generally ask
- How fast they talk: D’s and I’s generally have a quick, active pace, but C’s and S’s have a slower, moderate, calm, and cheerful pace
- D’s and C’s are task-oriented, I’s and S’s are people-oriented
After testing, you typically stay in the same D, I, S, or C tendency over time, but the percentages of each might change. One exception to that rule is if you experience a tremendous life change, your core behavioral tendency might change drastically
It’s actually very affordable to get your team trained on DISC. You can find Extended DISC online and choose to pay for a report directly with them, or you can get trainings through Our Community Listens.
Who Manifested This Madness?
This fabulous human, that's who.
Monica Maye Pitts
Monica is the creative force and founder of MayeCreate. She has a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture with an emphasis in Economics, Education and Plant Science from the University of Missouri. Monica possesses a rare combination of design savvy and technological know-how. Her clients know this quite well. Her passion for making friends and helping businesses grow gives her the skills she needs to make sure that each client, or friend, gets the attention and service he or she deserves.
