General

• Drivers tend to be very independent. They like being in control and will quickly take charge of projects. They are goal-oriented and frequently live and die by their to-do lists.

• Innovators are out-going. They tend to be very creative, and they love the stimulation of brain storming sessions. Innovators are the ultimate multi-taskers.

• Socializers are the glue that hold many organizations together. They are team players and great listeners.

• Correctors are data- and detail-oriented. They are systematic and process-oriented.

• Most of possess a dominant work style, which will become more pronounced in stressful situations. However, each of us possess characteristics of all four styles, allowing us to draw on the assets of another style in a given situation. 

•  You will see a multitude of styles in the workplace. The DISC model helps you understand four major work styles, including Drivers, Innovators, Socializers and Correctors.

Develop Business

• When you meet a current or prospective client at a networking event, use high yield questions to learn about that person's work style. High yield questions are open-ended questions that ask the other to evaluate, speculate or analyze. Most importantly, they are not about your agenda.

• Engage in business development activities that are consistent with your own personality and style. Some options include attending networking events, participating in community activities, writing articles and giving speeches.

• Some propsects will become clients quickly while others will require some time. Still others will never become clients simply because they’re tied to another firm or organization. Keep your "pipeline" constantly filled by engaging in some business development activity every day.

• Upon meeting a prospective client, avoid the fatal error of immediately "pitching" your services or products. Instead, ask questions that help reveal needs. Then, develop messages that respond to those needs. 

• Buyers of goods and services purchase for emotional--not analytical--reasons. You will close the deal when you "flex" to your buyer’s work style preference. 

• Some buyers are very bottom-line oriented. (They typically focus on cost.) Others are more interested in prestige and connections. Understand your buyer’s motivations before proposing solutions.

• Whether you are working to build a relationship with an internal or external client, don’t interpret "No" to mean "Never." A client may not need your services this instant. Stay in touch. Eventually, they will.

Delegate/Give Feedback

• If you’re a supervisor, schedule time with your juniors and ask, "What’s the most important thing we should talk about?"  Then listen.  Give juniors as much time as they need to discuss their work, challenges, and feelings.

•  Edwin Friedman, noted author, wrote, "In any situation, the person who can most accurately describe reality without laying blame will emerge as the leader, whether designated or not." Have a fierce conversation today. Accurately describe your reality at work without laying blame.

• Be sure that you are honest with yourself and your manager when estimating time to complete a project. Don’t underestimate your time expectations. You don’t want to develop the reputation of being chronically late in completing work assignments.

• If you are new to managing projects, here are a few questions to constantly keep in mind: Are deadlines being met? Is the project team communicating well? Is the team on track? Is the team’s progress measurable?

• When assembling a team to tackle a project, make sure you include people who bring to the table different work styles. Teams need people who can think “big ideas” as well as those who can provide lots of supporting data and detail.

• As you advance in your career, delegate away as many administrative tasks as you can. Opening your own mail may be fun, even a nice break, but it’s not the best use of your time.

• Make sure you delegate away some tasks in order to help more junior people grow. In the long run, delegation saves you time and simultaneously helps others develop professionally.

• When delegating work, always keep in mind that there is more than one way to accomplish virtually anything. Unless using a specific method is absolutely critical to success, stay focused on the results your delegee produces rather than the method they employed.

• In today’s busy work environment, if you don’t ask for what you want or need, you may not receive it. So, if you feel the need for feedback, a mentor or a raise, be prepared to stand up and ask for it. Take control of your own career.

• Whenever you need to delegate a task, make sure that you clearly explain to the delegee the end product that you seek. Too frequently, we fail to communicate our expectations as to end results and then feel disappointment at the efforts of others.