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Peter Clayton

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Better communication with the DISC system

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Body language expert Peter Clayton looks at the complex subject of profiling and how it can help you better understand how to communicate with your audience whether you are delivering a training programme to managers, presenting to the board or giving a speech at an HR event.

Most of us take in knowledge and analyse it in different ways. Whilst my main focus is on body language, there is something else that should be factored in when observing body language and that is behaviour profiling or personality profiling.
 

The DISC system

 
I use the DISC profiling system (Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, and Compliance) for training course analysis because it is quick and easy to use. I can read different personalities and the body language I would expect from them. This tells me how keen they are to be on the course or if they have been told to attend. It also helps me spot those who are worried that they will get chosen for role-play.
 
 This takes place whilst they introduce themselves and the response allows me to tailor the first stages of the course so it will come together quicker. I can’t go into a great deal of detail here but if there is more interest I would be happy to write more about the subject. I use the DISC system and the first personality type one on the list is the “D”

 

Dominance “The High D”

 
Dominant people have very strong solid body language. They are positive and confident about what they believe. They will not flinch from conflict easily. Eye contact is normally in excess of 95% of the time. They use much shorter sentences when asking or answering questions.
 
So, stick to the point when explaining things and be prepared for them to argue on important points.
 
 

Influencer “The High I”

 
Influential people maintain eye contact for about 75% of the time. They also look up quite a bit when recalling incidents as they store memories in picture format. They would remember who was on the course and the people they got on well with. They sometimes stray away from the point and personalise their comments to include feelings. (The Dominant person on the other hand would remember facts and figures about the course.) The Influencer’s body language is more animated and they tend to be more enthusiastic and vocal if they are enjoying themselves.
 

Steadiness “The High S”

 
The Steady person’s body language is quiet and reserved, eye contact is much lower and they break eye contact pretty quickly when you look at them for more than a few seconds. They make fewer body language movements and appear to be relaxed and sometimes disconnected, but they are usually soaking up information and analysing it in their own way. 
 
I often think of the Steady person as clever, thinking things through. However, on a training course they may appear to be unresponsive because of this.
 

Compliance “The High C”

 
Finally, the Compliant person’s body language is very similar to that of the Dominant person. Strong eye contact, they know what they want and they expect you to stick to the agenda and the rules. The main difference between the Dominant and Compliant person is that the Dominant uses the “I” word: “What I want to get out of the course …” ,“What I want to learn …” The Compliant person uses “we": “What we expect as a company to get from this …”, “How we normally do things is …”
 
Profiling can complicate things for anyone learning body language because of the differences and discrepancies between different profiles, but it is worth becoming familiar with both. 
 
I would normally expect to have three of the four different profiles on every training course. With the Dominant person I explain things more precisely and expect them to agree or disagree. 
 
The Influencer likes talking to people who like them, so for them I have to explain things in a more enthusiastic and interesting way and the Steady and Compliant people need more scientific explanations with proof and statements to justify what I am saying.
 
This information is especially useful if you are delivering a course on a regular basis because of the different personalities involved which you will come across.

 
 
Peter Clayton is a leading body language expert, speaker and trainer as well as a consultant for the BBC and ITV. He writes for a wide range of national papers and magazines and is a specialist consultant to other speakers, leading businesses, celebrities and politicians. For more information, visit his website: www.peterclayton.com.
 

2 Responses

  1. DISC can’t fix motivation to change.

    Hi Peter,

    You said, "This tells me how keen they are to be on the course or if they have been told to attend.". 

    I am sure all Trainers would agree that this is probably the worst nightmare challenge in sustaining the engagement or energy level and in attempting to deliver the ROE. 

    Are you saying you need DISC to find out and turnaround a participant who is not exactly thrilled to attend training. Can personality profiling help turnaround "motivation" in people. Given such a challenge, is DISC the  effective answer?. If so, would it not serve the interest of the trainer and sponsor to use it to affect the behavioral change well ahead of the training. 

    Knowing someone to be a Steady, how do you convince with scientific explanations of proof and statements when the person has not been "engaged" as an adult in taking ownership for self development. Would it not be better to address the "challenge" at the source – workplace.   

    We can use all the tools to make training interesting and experiential, but to make it "stick" is an entirely different ball game. 

  2. Business COmmunication and the DiSC system

    There is no doubt that experienced users of the DiSC based profiling system can help to improve business communication. We are at present in a very strong position of not only delivering improved communication but now using these skills to improve overall business performance by designing teams for companies with the aim of empowering them to understand how to follow a set of processes to improve business performance. {This process is supported by a recognised qualification and includes H$S}.

    The design of this team requires that the individuals that make up this team have certain abilities{Hard and Soft}, to ensure the successful outcome of the challenges facing them. DiSC plays a part in this process alongside competence measurement and management.

    From this article it would appear that it is very simple to identify individuals based on the four factors D, i,S and C.

    It is of course true that there is much more to understanding individulas who are more complex and this is where those of us who have used this for many years come into our own. Yes we can teach others to understand the more intricate profiles, but DiSC used correctly is more about getting each of us to be more open in our communication style with others in a friendly and exciting way, using our strengths rather than our weaknesses.

    Used in this positive format, the reduction in mistakes made as a result of poor communication {and recent surveys still highlight communication issues to be in the top 75% for all businesses} can make a real and significant difference to business performance overall.

    DiSC is not the only solution, but as far as we are concerned it is by far the easiest for everyone in the organisation to understand and take on board for the betterment of everyone.

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