Recently I had the privilege of working with a Leader and one of her staff members. They had been working together for about 6 months and were finding that things were not going smoothly. There had been misunderstandings, confused expectations, missed deadlines and a general dissatisfaction on both sides. Proactively, the Leader sat down with the staff member to talk about what was going on. She pulled in their DiSC reports so they could look at their style differences and see what impact that might be having.
In the conversation, the staff member shared that he didn’t think his DiSC results were truly reflective of his style and asked if he could take the assessment again. This happens. I find there are typically 3 reasons why someone may not fully connect with their DiSC style description.
- They may have a “blindspot” and not able to see that element of their style.
- It could be a nuance in their style that is better explored with a “deeper dive” using a DiSC Supplemental Report.
- They may have experienced a significant life event that has caused their style to shift.
As the Leader reached out to me for advice, I suggested we start by looking at his DiSC Supplemental Report. And as I suspected, this did show some nuances in his style.
The next step was the best. I sat with the Leader and staff member to go over the Supplemental Report. We talked about how this was “playing out” in his new work environment. The Leader listened, asked questions, and worked to understand what she could do to help mend the crack that had formed in their work relationship – and she also asked the staff member to do the same. The conversation led to the staff member sharing some significant information about a past work experience that was leading to his current behavior. This revelation helped both parties understand what had occurred and build agreements on steps they could take going forward.
For me – success! When I can help two individuals better understand themselves, and each other, it’s a good day! Creating a safe and comfortable space for open dialogue, having others gain insights into what caused a crack, and facilitate agreements to prevent a “fracture” is extremely satisfying. If you are struggling in a relationship – don’t wait. Attend to the cracks so a permanent divide doesn’t occur.
Interested in a DiSC assessment and debrief to better understand yourself and those around you? Reach out at Robin@Perry.Coach