People who plan tend to develop an organized course of action, setting clear expectations and deadlines. The alternative is to improvise – figure things out as you go, without much planning and preparation. I used to teach jazz. I assure you that I was nothing like the guy from “Whiplash“. But improvisation is important. And … Read more
People who are initiating often anticipate opportunities and problems and call attention to them. If you’ve ever been a part of a Group Dynamic session, you’ve seen this shopping cart picture. We can spend an hour or more on what it symbolizes; we usually use it to introduce the Four Levels of Maturity. Today, it … Read more
People who are driven tend to urge others to move quickly and can be annoyed when people lack a sense of urgency. The alternative is to remain “low-key” when it’s time to execute. On business teams, this is common when the leader/manager errs on the side of staying hands-off, saying things like, “I don’t like … Read more
People who are encouraging tend to inspire others to believe in the importance of their work. When aligning a team, an aloof or matter-of-fact approach can be the opposite of what you need. I was part of a student activities group in college led by a staff person named Ben. Ben would never begin conversations with … Read more
People who are expressive tend to be upbeat and communicate in an open and lively manner. In a previous life, I was a band director. If you’ve ever been involved in any fall school activity in a Midwestern high school, you know that “Senior Night” is a big night at the football game, especially for … Read more
People who are receptive invite and appreciate different points of view. Leaders who are questioning, skeptical, and challenging can be very helpful when in an early phase such as “exploring implications”. When working toward alignment, however, it can stand in the way. When I was a teacher, I had a principal in my early years who … Read more
People who exchange perspectives tend to encourage dialogue around new ideas and information. In a dysfunctional situation, a leader may do the opposite; present information without room for discussion. I was part of a team once that had to select chaperones for an international youth trip. The chairman explained exactly how the selection had been made … Read more
People who deliver structured messages prioritize organizing what they want to say, making it easier for others to understand. The poor alternative is to deliver “impromptu messages”, when we avoid investing energy into organizing what we have to say before speaking. As an “iD” DiSC style, I’m frequently guilty of that. I had been VP of Community … Read more
People who explain their rationale tend to communicate the reasoning and facts behind an idea or decision. I did some work for a nationally known marching arts ensemble, the “Troubadours”. They were led by executive director “Steve” (names changed). Steve wanted me to lead the whole 120 member group in exercises to determine the most … Read more
People who explore implications show patience in evaluating ideas to determine potential benefits and drawbacks. I stayed in a brand-new hotel recently, and noticed something odd; the bathroom door was spring loaded to swing shut. Furthermore, when I checked in, the bathroom light and fan were on and running. This meant that when I entered … Read more