Summary:
Your DISC communication profile is based on the Dominant, Influencer, Steadiness, and Conscientious styles and develops in your teenage years. Events can influence it in your later life. In this article, I will tell you about an experience that has changed my communication style.
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Back to my years as a student…
In the third year of my studies, I did a project with my fellow students for the municipality of Arnhem, The Netherlands. The aim was to search for historical data about the use of the land. Based on this, other students were able to determine the historical background values of the soil. As a result, the municipality could get more insight into the soil contamination, which is historically and naturally present.
I still remember the first days of the project very well. We were in a remote room of the town hall, and there was a map of the town on the wall. There was also a desktop computer and a telephone on a desk.
To work
After we discussed the project and the tasks, I went to work enthusiastically. One of the first things I did was to find someone within the municipality who could help us with the archive investigation. Soon, we received data with which we could continue. The collaboration with the city and the environmental consultancy firm that was also involved in the project went very well, in my opinion, and I found it a fascinating project.
Evaluation
During the evaluation, it turned out that our group had been the fastest and was able to retrieve the most accurate data. We were very proud of our result.
After the evaluation, a mentor from my school asked me if he could talk to a fellow student and me for a moment. The other students left, and we were left alone in the room.
I no longer remember what was said exactly, but it came down to the fact that the fellow student was very annoyed with me. He was so upset by my behavior that he had considered quitting the project and to look for another group. There had been many conversations between him and the school mentor. The school mentor had managed to convince him to stay and to start a conversation with me after completion of the project.
He was very annoyed by my enthusiasm, my talkativeness, and my constant initiative to approach other people to make connections and to get information. He didn’t feel heard and thought my behavior was terrible.
I remember that on the way home, I was upset and displeased that I had not heard this before so that I could have changed my behavior (or could have defended myself).
The DISC communication model
Within the DISC communication model, there are four main styles of behavior: Dominant, Influencer, Steadiness, and Conscientious.
Your communication profile is based on these styles and develops in your teenage years. Events can influence it in your later life.
My basic primary (and preferred) communication profile is Influence. The characteristics of this style are extrovert, fast, and decisive behavior. People with an I (Influence) communication style are also talkative, optimistic, and enthusiastic. If you’ve ever met me, maybe you recognize me in that behavior.
People can go too far in a communication style. They become impulsive, meaningless, disorganized, manipulative, or perhaps an opportunist. It may very well be that my fellow student was annoyed by this.
Even though it was not pleasant at all to receive this feedback, I learned a valuable lesson from it. Something that I still benefit from every day.
Can your DISC communication style change?
Yes. Because of this experience, my communication style has moved to S (Steadiness). I listen more to others and have become more patient. As a result, I started to enjoy the collaboration more, I want to support others within a project, and I try to guarantee more stability within a group.
You may also recognize me in that if you have ever worked with me.
A DiSC assessment can help you (or your team) to develop into higher self-awareness through self-reflection. In this way, you can adjust your communication, connect better, be more effective, be more energetic, and ultimately be happier.
Do you want that too? I am a certified DISC trainer. I can help you (or your entire team) to take a DISC assessment for better cooperation. Visit this page for more information on how a DISC assessment can help you and your team.
Contact me to talk about the possibilities or read this article with more information about the DISC model.
You can also do a FREE DiSC test here to gain more insight into someone else’s communication profile. You will receive tips from me on how you can communicate more effectively with that person.
How do you prefer to communicate with others? What are the advantages of your style, and what is the downside? Let me know in the comment field below. The other readers of this article and I are looking forward to reading from you!
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