Over the last few weeks, we’ve looked at how each DISC Style views Time and uses Time. I have thoroughly enjoyed putting these blogposts together. Just click here to review these blogposts.
For the next four blogposts in this series, I want to concentrate on the ways each DISC Style can improve their Time Management. I believe this is a goal for most of us. Let’s take the High D-Style person today.
As a quick review, the High D-Style person tends to:
- Like to be in control
- Focus on tasks more than on people
- Have a “high speed motor”
- Be decisive – sometimes without researching the facts
- Get things done quickly
- Be authoritative
- Take charge in a situation
Not surprisingly, then, their Approach to Time includes:
- Do it NOW!
- Don’t give me spreadsheets! We need Action Steps!
- Is an Active Style; a red Ferrari that goes 0-60 in 3 seconds
- Having too much of a short-term perspective
- Expects sresults to be accomplished sooner rather than later
- Can abandon the efforts of their project or their team too soon – “maybe this was a bad idea, maybe we did something wrong”, so quit and start something else
So, for the D-Style to Improve their use of Time:
- Don’t give up too soon on the project, even if results are slow in coming
- Work on being patient with both the people and the task
- Be willing to listen to and consider other people’s thoughts, desires and opinions before making quick decisions
- Choose to slow down if they have lots to accomplish (very counter-intuitive for a D)
- Focus on the long-term perspective and results
- Be wary of multi-tasking – it can just divide your mental clarity
- Don’t just focus on end results; be concerned with the process needed to get to that end result
- Do at least a little planning
- Think of the steps they need to take
- Beware of being so eager to get started right away – can go in the wrong direction which wastes time
- Realize that others on the team who are not High D will be moving at a different speed and have a different perspective
- Allow ideas to develop; then can eventually achieve the desired results
Often, I think it would greatly help a D-Style to take a Time Out – to stop and consider, to plan and prepare. Sometimes, they are in such a rush to get to the end result, to the final product, that they either run over people in the process, or are headed in a misguided direction.
I hope this Review and these Suggestions have given you some practical insights and help, whether you are the High D-Style or live or work with one.
[Thanks to Extended DISC for their insightful webinar on the DISC Styles and Time.]
If you would like to learn more about your own DISC Styles, just click here for more information on getting a DISC Assessment – an easy online process that will gain you lots of insight.
QUESTION: Did you get any new understanding of how a High D-Style can improve their Time Management? I’d love to hear your thoughts and observations. Please share in the comment section below.
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