While some people see the D Styles in their life as rude or harsh, due to more directness and bluntness than most other people, the reality is that they simply want to get the task accomplished and reach the bottom line as quickly as humanly possible.
On this DISCovery journey, we’ve examined some basic, yet key principles about the necessity and benefits of efficacious communication in all areas of life. From personal relationships, to successful team building, to productive project outcomes, to constructive leadership objectives, understanding how to improve and adapt our own communication style is essential in improving performance in each of these areas.
As part of our ‘roadmap’, we have relied upon the DISC Model of Human Behavior to give us guidance and direction. The first stop of our journey begins with a deeper look into the uniqueness of the first of the 4 major behavioral patterns - the D style.
Robert A. Rohm, Ph.D., author of Who Do You Think You Are…Anyway? writes:
“These 'personality insights' are tools…not weapons! The great value in understanding yourself and others is creating “win-win” opportunities, not using other people’s strengths and weakness against them in order to get them to do our bidding or bring you success.”
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People who are high in the DISC D Style are often described as follows:
Their rendering of the idiom, ‘Ready, Aim, Fire!’ would likely be, ‘Ready, Fire, Aim!’ The D personality prefers to be in control and thrives on challenges.
Because of their directness and bluntness, they may come across as being rude or harsh, when the reality is that they simply want to get the task accomplished and reach the bottom line as quickly as humanly possible.
A tip in identifying and remembering the "personality" styles is by using words that begin with the first letter of their style. In the case of the D, some descriptive words are: Dominant, Direct, Determined, Decisive, Dogmatic, Diligent, Doer. However, under duress, they may also become Defiant.
Their basic outlook on life is to lead, be in charge, and get the job done!
Individuals that share the D Style are: Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, Donald Trump, Bobby Knight, as well as the Miss Piggy and Oscar characters.
Professions that are well suited for them might include: Lawyers, Athletes, Business Owners, Executives, Developers, Military/Special Forces, and Race Car Drivers.
Whether one is the employer or the employee, having a better grasp on the uniqueness of each primary DISC style will be helpful in finding vocations that are a better match for the individual or position.
D Styles: Because of their directness and bluntness, they may come across as being rude or harsh, when the reality is that they simply want to get the task accomplished and reach the bottom line as quickly as humanly possible.
Sheer force of will drives a D Style.
Their key strength is firmness, while their key weakness is they are not very friendly.
Their Motivating Statement is “I want you to be in charge!” while their Killer Statement is “You can’t do that!”
Suggestions for increased productivity and recognition of success for D Styles include:
- communicate often
- reward achievement of others
- practice patience
- improve listening skills
- display more empathy
"When we have a false view of others because we do not understand their behavioral styles, or when we view them through the cracked lenses of our own style, or when we falsely believe we can discern their hearts based on this flawed information, we sabotage our ability to create healthy, long-lasting relationships."
Dr. Robert Rohm
Recognizing our own strengths and weaknesses is critical to growth in relationships and leadership.
Just as we each have strengths; those strengths can also present as weaknesses if we are not equipped and prepared to ‘reign in’ our emotions during stressful times and situations.
Understanding these traits about yourself, if you are a D Style, or recognizing this of others who may be D’s, helps diffuse misunderstandings and incorrect judgments toward others.
The goal is not to be imbalanced with only one set of traits – but to be able to adapt our behavior to suit any occasion, and ideally be so skilled that people cannot pick out our basic/primary style.
Comparing a ‘good day’ with a ‘bad day’ could look like the following for the D Style: Courageous vs. Reckless; Quick to Respond vs. Rude; Results-Oriented vs. Pushy; Direct vs. Offensive; Self-Reliant vs. Arrogant.
Dr. Robert Rohm shares a ‘secret tip’ for the D: Before you can be IN authority, you must first be UNDER authority. This is a great reminder for all of us as we seek to improve our language of leadership!
Each of us tends to think that our way is THE way, yet we must remember that each personality style views things differently, not incorrectly.
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As a reminder...
DISC should be used in a positive way to encourage a person to be his or her best, not as a way to “label” someone.
DISC is a practical and widely used assessment tool that has been employed in various organizations worldwide, from Fortune 500 companies to nonprofits and small businesses, to individuals within their personal lives and relationships.
The letters D, I, S, and C describe the four intrinsic drives that manifest in behavioral patterns. This makes it a less complicated, and more memorable, model for application than some of the other assessments on the market.
- One of the best ways to gain a better understanding of the model is to take the assessment yourself. It only takes about 10-15 minutes to complete.
In this series:
We're exploring how understanding yourself and others reduces stress in your life... How to better understand others and predict potential conflicts as you develop better relationships... How to use the process in interviews, staff evaluations, team structuring and building, and more! And how this affects decisions to invest in people, or in "human capital."