Skip to main content

Reflections on my D-behaviour preference

Pádraig Ó Lúanaigh and his Everything DiSC - D style

I wonder if discovering your Everything DiSC® preferred behaviour style is a bit like ordering a meal in a restaurant ? While you are happy with your style - everyone else's style looks more appealing !

Completing the online assessment to uncover my Everything DiSC® type was easy and took about 20 minutes to complete - and it turns out I am a 'strong' D style. There are four 'types' in the DiSC system D - Dominance, i - Influence, S -Steadiness and C - Conscientiousness.

Of course there is no ideal or perfect style to be and in truth most of us will demonstrate a mix of styles. I was assessed as unmistakably D and it is hard for me to disagree since the assessment result was based on my responses to the questions ! 

Doing this assessment allowed me to reflect and re-consider my behavioural patterns and reactions. 

My detailed report reminded me and I had to agree that I am motivated by power and authority and success. I couldn't disagree and neither could my family and colleagues that I prioritise taking action and challenging myself and others in almost everything I do. 

And there was no hiding from the fact that I can be impatient and insensitive when under pressure. As I reviewed my style, I wished I had been an S or I style ! 

I saw those other qualities and behaviours are so much better; giving support, enjoying collaboration, humility ....

As I read more of my personal assessment I was reminded that the key message is not so much your preferred behaviour style but how you have increased awareness of how your approach and view of things can differ from others - not because they are wrong or trying to frustrate you - but simply that they 'see' and approach things differently. 

And this has been the real benefit of doing an Everything DiSC® assessment - my personal reminder to be more self-aware of how my behaviour is influenced by my priorities and fears and the need to have a genuine appreciation for others and remembering that their motivation and fears may be different to mine.

If you are interested in what style you might be - try this .... which statement do you identify with more 

1 -Active, Fast-paced, Assertive, Dynamic, Bold   or

2 - Thoughtful, Moderate-paced, Calm, Methodical, Careful 

now choose between one of these

3 - Questioning, Logic-focused, Objective, Skeptical, Challenging   or 

4 - Accepting, People-focused, Empathising, Receptive, Agreeable

If you chose the words in 

1 and 3 you could be a D style

1 and 4 you could be an i style

2 and 4 you could be an S style

2 and 3 you could be a C style

Knowing you preferred behaviour style is of course just the beginning - the real benefit of an Everything DiSC® profile is the insight and information about how your can better interact and communicate/work with all four styles.

While I still envy the qualities of the other three DiSC styles - I am learning to maximise my own tendencies while also watching out and controlling better my reactions when under stress - which I guess is key to being a better version of myself and an more enlightened leader !

I loved Everything DiSC® so much I went off and became a certified trainer. If you want to find out more about the suite of assessments and profiles I have created an Everything DiSC® page on my website that has more detail, videos and sample reports.

CH Executive Coaching

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The being busy trap

Today’s walk along the road was achieved by careful timing and watching the clouds to avoid the rain. I found myself wondering about a conversation I had last week about the language we use in work situations relating to how busy we all are.   I caught myself saying that I had ‘back to back meetings all day’ not sure if I was looking for admiration or pity.  The fact that I could feel the uncomfortableness of the fact, combined with an annoyance with myself for getting into this situation collided and I adopted a resigned to accept it outlook.  With the time to reflect today – I wonder how often I willingly allow myself to get into the too busy being busy mode.  The day goes so quickly – for sure ! Some around may marvel at my revolving office door and the constant foot fall ….  When I reflect on what I achieved during my day of meetings it is clear little or any of it could truly be called ‘deep work’ – in contrast to what is described as ‘shallow work’ – those non-productive meetings

a tribute to Brenda, 1935 - 2022

Todays walk along the road was an altogether very different one - peaceful, still and sad. We had been in preparation and expectation of my mothers death for the past few years. The person we knew was long gone, wrapped in a fog of confusion and circular conversations ... frail and vulnerable ... different but still a presence. The one and only Christmas card I still send; this year is reduced to none.  We spent time together on Saturday, looking at old photographs and for about 30 minutes the conversation flowed, the stories remembered, the familiar connection made, the need to say goodbye - not said; but instinctively communicated and heard ... the hardest of goodbyes. The finality of death must be the most painful to accept, no second chance, no opportunity to go back, final.  No Facebook or Tik Tok page has ever featured and no grave stone will stand to document a life, but in the presence of her family yesterday, I sat and thought of a life lived and fulfilled. Today as I walk an

Don't overlook the importance of trust when developing your team

As a nurse manager, you understand the importance of building a strong team. One of the key factors in achieving this is trust. Trust is the foundation of any successful team, and it can have a huge impact on the quality of patient care. When team members trust each other, they are more likely to communicate openly, collaborate effectively, and work towards a common goal. Building trust within your team takes time and effort, but the benefits are well worth it. One of the best ways to build trust is to lead by example. Be honest, transparent, and consistent in your actions and decisions. Encourage open communication and show that you value everyone's input. Celebrate successes and learn from mistakes together. Another important aspect of building trust is creating a culture of psychological safety. This means creating an environment where team members feel comfortable expressing their ideas and concerns without fear of judgment or reprisal. When team members feel safe to speak up,