Do you need engaged and motivated staff?

30th April 2018

You know what they say in most businesses – that ‘people are our most important asset’? But is that really true? Often, ‘people’ can simply feel like your biggest headache!

Being able to work with all types of personalities – and get the best from everyone – is critical for any happy, growing business.

It can take a long time to get to know what makes people “tick” and it can be a painful process – using the DISC profiling analysis helps you to understand people in minutes rather than months ….

How well do you know your team?  take a closer look at the needs of the different DISC styles:

The D’s (Dominant) like to take on an active role and are task oriented.  An environment that suites them is a job where they can be in charge of their destiny!  D’s are competitive, they like to get results and have no trouble making decisions and keeping their eye on the long-term goal.  They need space to spread their wings and don’t like routine work.  They like opportunities for progress based on their performance.

The I’s (Influencers) enjoy interaction with others and love to socialize and connect with people..  They are easy to identify because they are friendly and outgoing, they will be the ‘cheer leaders’ in your teams.  They are often creative, but may struggle to settle on one idea.  They enjoy freedom to express ideas and prefer to work for an empowering and motivating manager.

The S’s (Steady) like clarity of purpose, and a calm and stable work environment.  They prefer to complete one task at a time and work at a steady pace.  They are great listeners and team-players.  They prefer incremental change rather than sudden changes.  They like to work in harmony with their teams and enjoy working in a close group with minimal conflict and a high degree of trust and respect.

The C’s (Compliant) are accurate, analytical and conscientious; they like things to be done to a high standard and value quality. They are often perfectionists. They can be slower to make decisions, but that is because they can never have enough information.  C’s like to work with clearly defined rules and regulations and like process and procedure.  They are detailed focused and prefer to work in a quiet workspace with minimal interruptions.  They like to demonstrate their expertise and need to have sufficient time in order to produce quality results.

This is not about putting people in boxes, it is about understanding and celebrating differences.  If a person communicates with you according to your behavioural preferences, you are more likely to be receptive and respond positively.

In working within your teams, focus on communicating with your team members in a way that reflects their personal preference – using this method of understanding will help everyone to appreciate and respect each others’ differences and you will produce a team with happy and motivated staff and one that gets results!

Louise Turner,

Barefoot Trainers