Earlier this summer I took a trip home to Central Illinois, where I grew up. While there, I stayed at my grandparent’s old farmstead, which we lovingly called Snicarte (sny-car-tee). My grandparents, now deceased, raised 5 kids and many cows, pigs, and chickens on this 300+ acre parcel, and I spent many memorable week-ends, holidays, and summertimes there as a kid.
That visit got me thinking about life as a farmer…and pondering the cyclical life of farmers. In the spring, farmers get out in the field. If you’re a farmer, one of your first moves each year is to disc your field. Well, I believe that DiSCing is a good exercise for ALL of us, not just the food producers of the world. While our version of DiSCing may be different from that of the conventional farmer, the overall lesson is the same:
When you dig deep, lift, and turn over the “old” soil, you create optimum conditions for growth.
The DiSC behavioral assessment, much like the disc tractor that a farmer uses, helps you to “dig deep” to understand and describe your natural behavioral style, to “lift out” those traits that are authentically and perfectly YOU, and to “bring to the surface” knowledge and understanding about who you are and why you operate the way you do.
And–the best part– all of this creates room for extraordinary growth, both personally and professionally. It’s a wonderful tool for gaining awareness.
Bonus perk: the DiSC behavioral assessment gives you a tool for sizing up others and determining why it is that they act the way that THEY do! And when you are armed with this kind of intelligence, you are in a much better position to communicate effectively with them (i.e., learn how to speak their language!) and therefore foster better, more productive relationships.
Here’s what I’ve become aware of about myself through DiSC:
My natural behavioral style is High i and S. This means that I am an “influencer” who is steady and stable.
Specifically, this behavioral style is characterized by some of the following:
- I hate rejection. Hate it. Hate it. Hate it.
- I love to wear sparkly things.
- I am a “people person” through and through.
- I am an optimist by nature.
- I am motivated by enthusiasm, collaboration, and support of others.
It also means that I am challenged by individuals and situations that require large amounts of attention to detail, are solely task-focused, or that move too quickly without taking time for the “human” element to be recognized. I am not motivated greatly by challenge or accuracy, and I think those who are can be an opportunity for me in practicing diplomacy.
What does this tell me with regard to my relationships?
Here’s just a sampling of the awareness I’ve gained as a result of my training in DiSC, all of which help me as I interact with people from acroos the behavioral spectrum:
1. When dealing with a D personality, I’ve got to be super-focused and speak in near bullet points. When dealing with a “D”:
- be direct
- focus on results
- don’t waste time
2. When dealing with another i personality, I’ve got to cut the gab and make sure we actually get some work done if we’re collaborating on a project. In other words, we have to SHUT UP and GET TO WORK.
3. When dealing with a C personality (my husband for example), I’ve got to make sure that plenty of time is set aside during any decision process for all of the options to be explored. Example: I’ve got to give him several months to research the purchase of a new car (or anything for that matter).
If you’ve ever been DiSCed, please comment back to me:
What is your DiSC style?
What do you find most enlightening about DiSC?
How has DiSC helped you in your business or personal life?
Never been DiSCed? No worries. Contact me and together we can dig deep, lift, and bring to the surface the soil of your fertile fields.
xoxox,
