Remember the premise for this series of posts: the quicker you’re able to identify and adapt to someone’s communication style, the better you’ll be able to get that relationship off to a good start right out of the gate. This is also particularly relevant if the relationship, by its nature, is a brief and important one.
This week, I’m going to give you a high level look at the “I” dimension of the DISC model of behavioural styles, known as the Influencing style.
People who rank high in the “I” component exhibit more active behaviour (as opposed to passive) and are more people oriented (as opposed to task oriented).
General Attributes:
- Enthusiastic
- Persuasive
- Talkative
- Impulsive
- Emotional
- Trusting
- Optimistic
Key Observable Characteristics:
- Verbal – tells stories and anecdotes, shares personal feelings, informal speech
- Vocal – lots of inflection, higher volume, faster speech
- Visual – animated facial expressions, more hand/body movement, contact oriented
Behaviour When Under Stress:
- Sarcastic and superficial
How to Communicate with Them Effectively:
Dos
- Be friendly and light
- Let them talk
- Show interest
- Seek their input
- Use stories and emotional descriptions
- Give decision incentives
Don’ts
- Don’t do all the talking
- Don’t skip social elements of conversations
- Don’t dwell on details
Try putting these things into practice. Share your success stories by leaving comments!
Have an enjoyable and productive day. (Emphasis on enjoyable if you’ve got a lot of “I” in you!)
