Category: DISC Webinars

Have you considered using DISC profiles beyond reports? Learn how to maximize the use of your DISC data in this brief webinar.

OVERVIEW

Christina Bowser and COO of Extended DISC Margie Roesner discuss how using your DISC Profiles beyond reports. They’ll share examples of how can DISC profiles be highly useful tool at an organizational level.

The DISC information that we get from Extended DISC reports is highly useful. However, there are additional ways to look at the data. This webinar covers ways to dynamically manage the DISC information you have. You can view overall DISC culture in teams, departments, and even the organization. Learn how to view the DISCS styles of your top performers, track employees who leave the organization, use data in team settings, and more.

As CEO and managers we effectively use the Extended DISC individual and team reports. We may have used DISC in team workshops or departments for team dysfunction, team building, team development etc. Learn how to use the Extended DISC administration site to do even more with your DISC profiles.

Example 1: Using DISC profiles beyond reports to find employees for a project

Let’s say a manager has already had all his or her employees take the Extended DISC assessment. They have even worked on team development. What else can the manager use the DISC profiles for?

The manager is looking to build a special projects team to help launch a new product. She’s looking for a specific set of behaviors for team members. These behaviors are ones that would be the best fit for the quick moving short-term project. First, decide on the most important behaviors that team members would need to make this project a success. Then create a job template which is a grouping of selected behaviors. You can do that by selecting specific behaviors from our 2000 plus behavioral competencies bank. Once you have the job template than you can look at employees in your database and see if there is a high percentage match for employees. Select people you are considering for the project. Of course we always consider other factors such as availability, team make-up, and required skills.

Now that we’ve selected employees we can look at the potential team using the name map to get more information about the DISC styles of the employees. As with all DISC reports, the supporting information is one more useful tool help managers make decisions.

Example #2: Using DISC profiles beyond reports to track employees

You can also use DISC profiles in your Extended DISC Admin account to track your top salespeople profiles or top customer service profiles. These may be more of the obvious examples, but there are many more.

Another helpful use of DISC profiles beyond reports is to keep track of inactive employees. All you have to do is create a folder labeled “Inactive” in your database.  Move the employees who are no longer with the company into that folder. You can look at employees who are no longer with the organization. What about the ones who stayed with company less than 90 days? Is there a more common style of those that leave? It is just as critical to understand that the issue may not be a poor fit. We also need to look at the styles of the managers. Do managers need to be trained more effectively to recruit, manage and retain employees? While the information does not answer questions, it does give more data for us to work with.

Summary

It is very time consuming to recruit and retain employees so anything that helps. Hence, any more data to help managers make decisions is time-saving and cost-effective. You can also find more useful ways to look at DISC profiles beyonds reports.

Ever thought about using DISC videos in your training? View the Extended DISC Training Videos Webinar to learn how to build new resource tools into your practice.

Overview of Extended DISC Training Videos Webinar

We have created a set of brand new training videos on DISC that are now available for you. In the Extended DISC Training Videos Webinar Senior Trainer, Christina Bowser and Client Loyalty and Marketing Manager, Halle Bolender show a preview of Extended DISC’s brand new DISC Training Video series.
The quick and fun videos are great ways to begin learning about DISC.  They work well as a way to remind workshop members after trainings and best of all, at only a few minutes long, you can easily present them on your websites and in your workshops.

Viewing the Training Videos

Accessing the videos is easy!  You can go to our website www.extendeddisc.org or simply click  on link new videos. On the Extended DISC home page you can also view “What is Extended DISC?” video which is a very short promo of the DISC reports.

The five new training videos are brief and multi-purpose.

Introduction to Extended DISC Video

Have you ever been asked, “What is DISC?” The intro video is a great place is answer that question. The video also explains why you should use DISC. The brief 3-minute video covers why you need to use DISC. Your client are shown an overview of the 4 Steps to Effective Communication.  This video is a great introduction to prospects.

Speaking in terms of D-I-S-C the video is great for targeting all styles. D-styles will like fact that it’s short and to-the-point. I-styles will like it because it’s fun and brief. S-styles and C-styles will know what to expect especially if shown before them come to your session.  Hence, get your participants excited and interested in learning more.

Extended DISC Style Videos

These 4 quick videos cover each D, I, S and C styles. What makes them ever better is the tie in to our support materials and the Extended DISC report itself. These videos engage new prospects and can create more interest in DISC.  Use the effectively in information/selling workshops, short training sessions.  They are also great as visual reinforcement once you have gone over the DISC styles.

One of the biggest values of the videos lies in their use in reinforcing DISC learning. Send the training video links as follow-up reminders. Clients and employees are reminded to keep DISC in the forefront even after sessions are done.

This 30 minute webinar focuses on the causes and signs of stress for different DISC-styles. More importantly, learn tips for managing stress for all styles.

DISC Styles and stress

Individuals are unique and respond differently to stress and pressure. Stress is a part of every day life. We are constantly in situations where we deal with people, changes, surprises and daily life. The topic of stress often comes up when we are working with our employees and clients. DISC styles perceive, display, and respond to stress differently. Stress is the enemy to being able to modify our communication style and therefore, can get us into trouble. By becoming more aware of how our DISC style functions under pressure, we develop better skills to managing stress.

Causes of stress

Every morning we wake up we get ready to take on the day. We often have well laid out plans on accomplishing tasks, but then things begin to happen.  Sometimes these are unexpected or we have to deal with change, and we can be unprepared. We also communicate daily with people and these interactions cause pressure and strong emotions.

Stressful environments and situations aren’t the same for everyone. What can be stressful to you may be energizing for someone else. For example, it is challenging and exciting to near your project completion. You will have accomplished another success task. For an individual with a different DISC style the same deadline may cause stress and anxiety. Therefore, we need to remember that DISC styles do not share the same stress triggers.

Signs of stress

Just as there are differences in our causes of stress, our DISC styles display signs of stress uniquely as well. The more pressure and emotional we feel can cause us not only to overuse our strengths, but also begin to display the negative aspects of your DISC style. For example, when an S style feels overwhelmed, then the normal careful and thorough behaviors can suddenly changed to stubborn resistance to change.

D styles can become aggressive, impatient and demanding. I styles can have strong emotional opinions and focus too much on the opinions of others. S styles can become overly cautious and stubbornly resistant to change. C styles may expect the worst and become withdrawn and distant. DISC styles show signs of stress differently.

Recognizing signs of stress in others

When we feel more pressured and emotional our willingness and ability to modify our behavior gets less and less. This can spiral downwards and extend the stress to others in the work environment.  As managers, co-workers and friends we can begin to identify signs of stress in others. Recognizing the signs helps us better support and assist them and thus, improves the work environment.

Managing stress better based on my DISC style

The DISC tool is powerful in improving communication, but it also help you in managing stress more effectively. Learn the practical tips for alleviating stress based on the different DISC styles. Ultimately, we cannot control or modify other people’s behaviors. We can only change ourself. The big take away is to develop a more confident self-awareness. We need to be more mindful of how we interact with others and also of our own stress levels.

Click here to read our newest blog Causes of Stress for the Different DISC Personality Profiles

Discover the many resources available in our Extended DISC Resources Webinar. Take it one step better by getting tips on how to best use them. Learn how to access written resources, power points, training exercises, the client resource web portal, and so much more!

Where to start with DISC resources

Taylor Warrick, Sales and Customer Service Manager, and Christina Bowser, Senior Trainer highlight the DISC resource materials that can enhance your use of the Extended DISC Assessment tools. During the Extended DISC Resources webinar find what resources are best to get started and how to best incorporate them into your practice.

Written Support Resources Available

In the DISC Resources webinar we initially cover our written support materials. We show how you can use them with the Extended DISC Reports. Here are a few examples:

Our clients find the Extended DISC Overview Cards quick and handy. Use it as a take-away tool for reinforcing behavioral change. The Overview Cards provide targeted information to quickly identify and review the DISC-styles.  Each DISC style has brief topics including what is each style’s primary focus, preferred environment, biggest fear, pressure response, limitations, and more. The cards do just what their title suggests, a great DISC style overview!

Need a practical and easy-to-use reinforcement tool? Quick Reference Cards ensures behaviors really do change. These laminated cards provides a speedy overview and tips on how to identify the four DISC Styles. In addition, learn the “Do’s and Don’t’s” when talking with the other styles. Finally, get specific tips on how to adjust your communication style with other DISC Styles. The Quick Reference cards are one of our most popular resources.

Self-Development Guide, also known as Four Steps to Effective Communication Guide, is a tool for everyone. The guide assists your clients and employees in getting the most of the Extended DISC® Reports. We even recommend it as a resource for trainers! Learn easy ways to practice and reinforce new skills. This go-to resource shows easy-to-use steps to modifying behaviors. You will not be filing away these useful, high-quality guides.

Additionally, our DISC Support Materials include the Facilitator’s Guide, Taking Flight book, Coach’s Playbook, Play and Learn Card game, posters, avatars, and more!

Brand new resources!

Introducing our DISC Notepads. Use these handy notepads simply as notepads or build them into workshop games and activities.

Last, but not least, our DISC Training Videos series have arrived! Training can be fun and effective with the right tools. Looking for something creative and interesting? Using these videos can ramp up the public’s knowledge of DISC and improve the quality of your sessions. Learn key points of the four DISC Styles and the how to use DISC in work and everyday life. Need more on the new videos? Listen to our Introducing Extended DISC Training Videos Webinar.

Extended DISC VIP Client Resource Center

Did you know that being a client of Extended DISC allows you access to our VIP Client Resource Center? Need a sample reports, missed a webinar, or looking for a DISC power point?  Feel even more confident conducting a DISC workshop because you have all these materials available to you. We tour the site and highlight the places that good to go to first or used most often.  Click here to log in if you have a VIP User Account or contact us at +12812986073.

Final thoughts

Many clients share new ideas and training materials with us. Clients share their ideas, exercises, blogs, and training materials with us which we use to create new materials. Checking our website, VIP Clients Resource Center, and being on our email list helps you to stay current.

In addition the DISC Resources Webinar, you can find more webinars, resources, and videos on our website www.ExtendedDISC.org

DISC sessions are often fun and helpful. However, DISC must be used in daily practice in order to provide real value to an organization.

Why is this topic so important?

Markku Kauppinen, President and CEO of Extended DISC NA, Inc. and Christina Bowser, Senior Trainer, share simple, yet powerful ideas on building DISC into the culture of your organization.

Facilitators, consultants, and trainers frequently ask us how to build DISC into organization’s culture. People love the DISC workshops, but how to we create more value for the organization? How do we make DISC “stick?”

Challenges to using DISC in an organization

There are challenges when it comes to incorporating DISC. Challenges are not unique to DISC training, but to training in general. Often times it’s an event – fun, exciting, and informative, but reality is we go back to work (e.g., emails, phone messages, deadlines, customers, etc.) so we basically go back to our routines.

DISC Reports get filed away and then behaviors don’t change. We need to remember why we are doing this. The goal is to create a better more confident self-awareness. Knowing ourselves, how to identify communication styles of others, and modifying our behaviors to better sell, communicate and interact means success.

We all want to do it, but how do start?

Top management’s role requires the message to be clear. These folks are successful and in charge. They give the message importance and value. If my boss thinks it important, then I better make it important for me. It’s tough, but if you can get management to communicate the value of why DISC is important.  Top management needs to use DISC language daily and everyone will soon adopt it.

The role of the manager

Each and every manager plays a critical role. If employees know what is expected of them then  they will more likely comply. People don’t quit the organization they quit their managers. Ask one critical question, “What DISC styles is that prospect/customer/co-worker?” This ensures that employees know it’s important and expected.  If managers don’t pay attention then other training come up and it fades away.  Use the critical question in meetings.  It’s a coaching moment for everyone. This will create conversation around DISC and it will more likely integrate. You can’t use exact same question every time, but use same context.

What can managers start doing

We forget a lot from trainings so managers need to coach to help employees incorporate DISC. Ask two questions.  First, “Is that person more active or reserved?” Listen to what a person talks about, how they talk, and any visual cues. Secondly, ask, “Is the person more task or people focused?” Does the person focus more on team vs numbers, processes, emotions, or things vs relationships. If you can help your employees put those two answers together than you can easily identify others’ styles. It becomes a habit and it supports the primary question.

A simple way is to remind staff is to keep DISC physically visible. You can plot your employees’ styles on DISC chart and post it in a visible place.  This reinforces and reminds us that employees communicate differently and we constantly need to make adjustments.

Communicating DISC tools is important

Don’t let it become out of sight and out of mind.  Use your CRM system to add DISC style field. The more information we have the better. This is critical because we don’t always have face-to-face interactions. You can use DISC in phone calls and emails. If you are not sure then put your best guess style followed with a question mark. Then next time you can listen or look for more clues. This makes your life and co workers lives easier.

Support materials can also help reinforce DISC learning. We use the Quick Reference Card which is our most popular and useful tool.  The simple card gives you specific words you’re looking for and quick ideas to remind us how to better communicate. People carry it around and keep it handy. The Self Development Guid Booklet gives more detailed information. Think of it as Cliff Notes to enhance knowledge and reminds us not to go into auto-pilot.

Manager’s role is critical

Managers need to help coach employees to become more fluent and comfortable with DISC. Our time is limited and we have so much to do already. The nice thing about DISC is it doesn’t take a lot of time. You may need to practice it a little bit in the beginning, but then it becomes a part of the culture.

ing and debriefing the moment and listing ways you used to identify the customer’s style really puts it into practice. Ask them to think about what they talked about, words they used, tonality, types of questions asked (who, what, how, why), and when possible, eye-contact and body language.

Have employee think about specific ways you modified your own behavior to effectively communicate, motivate and influence. What adjustments works and didn’t work?  Could you have done any better? What did you learn from interaction? Is there at least one takeaway. Anything you will start doing and stop doing in the future?

Top management is ideal

It’s optimal and ensures success when top management buys into the DISC tool. Even still, there are many levels of managers especially in large organizations that impact the success of building DISC into your organization’s culture . There are more challenges for managers when their own boss doesn’t reinforce DISC. Think of it as the “trickle down effect.” Managers are key players when it comes to making DISC a part of the organization’s culture.

Lastly, as managers and employees, are you using DISC at home with your spouses, kids and partners? Using it at home with most important people in your life has a powerful impact and you will see the carry over value in the workplace.

There is no one best way to identify styles of others. This webinar focuses on the six basic profile types as another way to help us understand the DISC profiles to be more successful in our interactions.

Overview

Senior Trainer, Christina Bowser and CEO of Extended DISC Markku Kauppinen discuss the six basic profile types as a way to better identify the DISC styles of people. In this webinar we assume that you already have a basic understanding of the DISC styles and profiles. Click here for the accompanying power point.

Why do basic profile types help?

People are intrigued when we show the six basic profile types in workshops and trainings. One reason is that it gives us another way of really understanding the DISC profiles. We find it useful to describe a person’s style as a D-Style or a DI, but if you have another angle or way to identify that person then it can be even easier. Hence, any information that helps us to understand a person better can also help us know ourselves better as well.

Three keys to looking at the six basic profile types

The first is one we already spoke about which is to better understand the DISC styles beyond D-style, I-style etc. The second to is gain better insight into improves interactions with other people. When we have more information to be able to look at Profile I and Profile II in the DISC report we have more tools to use.

Often, we go into auto-pilot when we interact with others so it’s important to take a moment to reset. When you are done interacting with one person think about what adjustments you need to make to communicate with the next person.  You won’t always adjust the same way every time. Knowing another way to identify the other person’s DISC profile can make the transition quicker and easier. This works even with people you know.  Take the time to think about what things you should and should not be doing when interacting with each person.

Overview of the six basic profile types

We are looking at the Profile II or natural style for a person. The of the six profile types covered is the “I Lead/I Sell” profile. The person will be a combination of D-style and I-style above the graph line or the right side of the Diamond model. Next is the “I Execute” profile. This profile is a combination of S-style and C-style. This profile will show up on the left side of the Diamond model.

Then we look at the profile that shows up on the bottom half of the Diamond model.  The “I Participate” profile is one that has I-style and S-style. Next is the “I build/I create” profile which shows up on the top half of the Diamond model. This profile combines D-style and C-style.

Last are the less common profiles. The “I Plan” profile is a combinations of D-style and S-style. This is less common because D-style and S-style tends to be more opposite. Finally, is the “I Communicate” which is a combination of I-style and C-style which is also an opposite profile.

Using the profile types to improve interaction

When we are interacting with others we need to adjust to make the interaction better. We will get into trouble if we only use one DISC style all the time or stay in auto-pilot mode. If we have a deeper understanding of what a person’s DISC profile represents, then we are more likely able to change. Take a few minutes to think about which profile type the other person is. Now you can make adjustments to improve your exchange.

Think of how the interaction can go when you are with a person who’s profile is opposite of yours. For example, if you are a “I Sell” profile, on the top of the model versus someone who is an “I Execute,” on the bottom half. This can cause conflict, but awareness can help turn it into positive exchange.

Using the profile types in teams

You can look for a grouping of team members. Using the profile types when you are looking at the team maps can give even more insight into the behavioral style of the team. Sometimes when we have a lot of similar styles in a team then our behavioral strengths and weakness can be amplified.

Take away

Ultimately, it comes down to achieving behavioral modification. Learning one more way to understand the DISC profiles can help us to more awareness of ourselves and others. The six basic profiles type can help here. We choose whether we make changes to our style or not.