Profiling Leadership Styles with eDISC
“Leadership is unlocking people’s potential to become better.” —Bill Bradley
When it comes to profiling, there are many quality systems available, MBTI, Gallop, variations of DISC and NLP-Meta Dynamics.
I’ve had plenty of interviews, I’m sure you have too. I’ve had leadership roles, I’m sure you have also or are looking to…But what happens with the information. What really is the purpose ? What do we do with it, once we’ve completed the questionnaire….?
Extended DISC as one example, used by Flick the Switch Coaching for Recruitment, Sales, Team development, Succession-Exit Plans and Leadership identification, is identified by their clear diamond structure which presents certainty and clarity on questions surrounding ‘who, what, where, when, how and why’ .
These questions are directly linked to a targeted role eg. those mentioned above : sales, leadership, HR, customer service. Answers provide both management and the recipient clarity around the emotional, mental and physical response to pressures and interaction with others.
The point being both you and they are in a better position to respond, develop or recognise attributes, tendencies and habits.
In business terms, it enables an owner or manager, HR department or recruitment agency; the ability to identify the right person for the right role and to better recruit, develop and retain from internal or external candidates.
This article focuses on the ‘Lead & Manage Assessment’.
This identify’s the leadership style of all members of a business.
Leadership, being influence, demonstrated through attitude, and therefore having an enormous impact on teamwork, productivity, growth and profitability including financial resources.
A business has a purpose or ‘why’.
Where we identify ‘what’ attitude will bring the team together, then we identify ‘how’ implementation will bring the business forward to ‘who’ (customers and employees).
Bottomline: “Greater Leadership equals an enjoyable workspace with enjoyable opportunities, peace of mind, accountability and growth”
Often, we assume a leader has to have “D” or ‘dominant’ characteristics.
Whilst this can be desirable, it can also be detrimental where it ostracises, assumes and expects standards from others without actually demonstrating value, interest or how.
An example to this could be communicating change or a task by:
‘Explanation. Demonstration. Initiation. Correction. Repetition’
Or
Say what you need
Show what you need
Let them show you what you need
Ask them to change what they do incorrectly
Ask them to do again and again (so they may demonstrate to someone else instead of you aka time management)
I’m sure you are aware, great leaders emerge from all behavioural styles. How they utilise their attitude in influencing an outcome, makes the difference.
Within Extended DISC, the leadership type becomes apparent when aligned to the culture of the business (vision, mission, values, goals).
DISC as we may or may not know focuses on:
Sensing or Intuition
Thinking or Feeling
Extroversion or Introversion
Judging or Perceiving
“Thinking” includes, C and D styles is power-centred or positional leaders
“Feeling”, includes“IS” styles are participative or relationship leaders
“Sensing”,includes “SC” styles are planning or productivity leaders
“Intuitive”, includes “DI” styles, are change or people oriented leaders
The Behavioural Styles are typically:
D : Authoritative or Dominant Leaders
I : Informal or Influence Leaders
S : Supportive or Steadfastness Leaders
C : Quality Standard or Compliance Leaders
1. D or Authoritative Leaders
- Are great in crisis situations however prone to creating their own crisis
- They look for results and often see people as a resource or a means to an end.
- They enjoy challenges, fast decisions, are highly directive and have one-way communication - their approach is “I am the leader, and you will listen”
- They tend to exert pressure by setting demanding goals with an emphasis on speed and results.
- Finally, they perceive themselves entirely in charge.
Whilst this may appear functional and forward thinking from the traditional business sense; they have enormous dysfunctions and do not consider people or team members who bring the business forward. Theirs is a solo role.
2. I or Informal or Influence Leadership
- Are more informal and social. They are great at creating a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere.
- They often lead by being a friend to their followers. As a ‘people’ leader, they want and need a lot of contact with team members.
- Creativity, positiveness and good energy tend to be valued more than accuracy or rules at times. - Personal relationships are essential to them and at times are more emphasised than arriving at the end results.
- An I-style leader encourages competitiveness through inspiration rather than applying pressure.
S or Supporting Leadership Style
- Guides, teaches, and develops followers.
- Supporting Leaders are comfortable in maintaining routines and in general, tend to be stable and service-orientated.
- They prefer “small teams” as they have a very participative approach to their leadership.
- Their patience provides the ability to guide, teach and develop people. They have an emphasis on trust, loyalty and sincerity – privacy and confidentiality for all people are crucial and expected in reverse.
- Support is mutual, given and expected
3. C or Quality Leadership Style
- Focus on quality, rules and compliance with little tolerance for mistakes.
- They are fascinated by facts, details and analyses.
- They have an emphasis on rules and compliance and not usually through inspiration or words of encouragement.
- As a leader, they don’t feel they need to connect or have a relationship with their followers and tend to be remote or emotionally disconnected, (the complete opposite to I-style people who crave connection).
- These leadership types are systematic in their approach, they ensure everyone knows what is expected.
- They apply ‘systems’ to positions, not themselves, they are the “do as I say, not as I do” leader
- Their systems are highly detailed, structured and rules are enforced.
Each of these styles have both functional and dysfunctional elements and as such, provide opportunities for growth.
So which leadership style do you think you, your management, your team members or your chief management fall into and how could the business make this work more for the people to improve results, rather than directed at the people with blinkers on ?
A successful business as an idea, has multiple leadership styles all operating at the same time - collaboration, communication, consideration, compassion and consistency drive a business forward - every single time….
Where aligned to the vision, mission, values and goals (actual not just written and forgotten)
When aligned to employee and employer what is important and matters, their values and beliefs; then, only then does this create an incredible culture or environment in which all members prosper.
The challenge businesses of all sizes face, is to recognise functional and dysfunctional attributes in an individual before they serve a position.
The right candidate leads to success, the wrong festers a negative culture and results in low retention, poor recruitment and reduced profit opportunities. Otherwise experienced as ‘chaos, complaint and blame’ aka ‘culture’
We are always in a position to change our culture by recognising and shifting habits.
Where a person is not interested in improvement, then one need only ask how are they impacting this business, these teams, these customers.
As an overview:
D are decisive and not afraid to take control.
I are charismatic and promote ideas
S get things done while still maintaining the company’s core values
C focus on high quality and doing things correctly
If you are looking for results, listen, learn, language then lead
Organise a conversation, open the door, step forward
If it matters to You : it matters to Me
#flicktheswitchcoaching #Success #SuccessThroughLeadership #leadership #teamwork #business #accountability #SelfValue #BusinessWomen #Franchising #motivation #BusinessCoach #GrowthMindset #BusinessMentor #Goals #BusinessOwner #SalesSuccess #SydneyBusiness #MelbourneBusiness #BrisbaneBusiness #AucklandBusiness #SelfDevelopment