A few years ago, I overheard a conversation that went like this:
“But I only want to say it once! Can’t you get it if I just say it once?!” to which the partner in the conversation clearly answered, “NO! I can’t get it if you just fire through it once. I still don’t understand!”
As we go through this life, I’m sure that you all share my desire to have excellent relationships with those around us. In our offices, we seek to be a fully functioning team with minimal turnover. One of the key factors to achieve these goals is to develop good communication. Not surprisingly, using the DISC System can also give us better understanding of how each Style prefers to communicate.
Let’s take the next 4 weeks to look at one Style at a time. We will do a quick review of each Style’s characteristics, then zero in on their communication preferences. We’ll start with the High D-Style.
As a 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
So the ways a High D-Style naturally communicates:
- They are a “Direct Teller” (see last week’s blogpost, “Are You a Direct Teller or a Persuasive Seller”)
- They tend to be frank, even blunt, not subtle or “beating around the bush”
- They can be forceful, stating their opinions and desires strongly
- They like to say things once and often don’t realize others may need to hear things repeated
- They speak with authority, even becoming authoritative or demanding at times
Remember that a High D’s main goals are to be in charge and get things done. So their communication will reflect these goals.
Do you have any High D’s on your staff, in your home, extended family, workplace or neighborhood? Have you noticed that they prefer any of these natural communication tendencies?
This week let’s observe the High D’s as they communicate in their preferred way.
Next week, we’ll focus on how High I’s prefer to communicate… vastly different!
If you would like to know precisely what Style you or those in your office or family are, please click here for more information on the online DISC Assessment.
QUESTION: Do you think it makes a difference to understand how someone prefers to communicate? I’d love to hear your thoughts and observations. Please share in the comment section below.
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