Often when we engage with people, we make the mistake of not seeing people as they truly really are.
We tend to see people through our own lens, which is driven by what seems normal and natural to us. In turn, we often fail to recognize that others’ needs, hopes, fears, and/or orientation to the world may be very different from our very own – though it may seem very normal and natural to them. This is the paradox of behavioral tendencies.
The science of behavioral tendencies helps us better understand ourselves and others in terms of how we are naturally wired to orient to and operate in the world around us.
These ways of orientating and operating are observable in four distinctive patterns, otherwise known as DISC:
Dominate (risk-taking, driven, competitive, do-er)
Influence (sociable, optimistic, talkative, persuasive)
Steady (sincere, team player, loyal, humble)
Conscientious (systematic, accurate, perfectionist, stable)
Each tendency will tend to have differing needs, hopes, fears and styles of communicating that can be easily observed if you are looking through the corrective lens of the DISC Behavioral Tendencies. Each tendency puts different priority on people or tasks. The style of communication used by one behavioral tendency can be easily detected.
Even how people tend to move out into the world around them is noticeable if one is wearing the corrective lens of the DISC Behavioral Tendencies. It allows us to see other people in terms of what is comfortable, normal and natural for them.
Learn more by watching this episode of Coffee Conversations through the link above.
Reflect and respond…
- Am I able to see other people through the corrective lens of the DISC Behavioral Tendencies?
- When I recognize where I differ from other people, do I modify my behaviors to make it easier for the that person and/or to create comfort for him or her?
- In my personal life or those within in my span of care, the one person who would benefit the most from me making a concerted effort to adapt my behavior to better fit their needs would likely be...
- What is one action I can take today to help this person in my personal life or this person in my span of care?
- What might halt or hinder me from doing adapting my behavior with this person?
David VanderMolen is a former professor in Barry-Wehmiller University and the host of Coffee Conversations.