Using Behavioral Styles to Improve Management Abilities

I've long been an advocate of understanding behavioral styles ever since I was first exposed to the basic descriptions of "Colors". Colors is a basic awareness of individual tendencies and preferences. Once I became familiar and certified with the DiSC Personality Types and certified in Myers Briggs Type Indicators I've experienced first-hand how these profiles can improve communication and understanding of the managers role of developing those that work with them.



By far MBTI (Myers/Briggs) is the best of the behavioral styles programs, but my experience is that individuals need to be a student of MBTI to really understand it and apply the 16 different temperaments. That is why I find DiSC to be the best in understanding individual preferences and yet, simple enough that with a limited exposure managers can this understanding to improve communication and development strategies for employees that work with them.

This week I'm conducting another session using the DiSC Behavioral Styles as a foundation for team discovery and a process to improve interpersonal relationships. Individuals are constantly amazed in completing the self assessment how the simple selection of words that best describe, and words that least describe oneself, can provide such insight into personal preferences and strengths.

The one facet of DiSC that I constantly stress was a discussion I had with a good friend, Dr. Dennis Deaton, in that as humans we have the remarkable ability to change our thoughts right in the process of thinking them. As this relates to DiSC we can actually identify our initial reactions based upon our natural preferences, yet before we take action, we can analyze these thoughts/reactions and chose if these are the best reactions to the situation at hand.

For managers this is critical, if we ever hope to develop the skill to help others succeed through developing their own strengths and learning to adapt to their weaknesses. DiSC along with our ability to analyze our own thoughts provides the framework for good decision making and communication.