May 27, 2009

Edited and Written by Ira S. Wolfe

Published by Success Performance Solutions. Major Sponsor,

2008 Best Places to Work In Pennsylvania

What's Inside this issue of The TotalView:

1.  D-I-S-C meets Social Networking

2.  Perfect Labor Storm Warnings

3.  Facebook popularity increases with education

4.  Take the Generational Age Quiz

5.  Emotional Intelligence Profile

6.  DISCovering the Styles

Quotes from the Hire Authorities

1.  D-I-S-C meets Social Networking

It's hardly a secret that explosive growth and accelerating popularity have become synonymous with social networking.  More than a quarter million people join MySpace every day. In a single day, it has 4.5 billion page views.  Facebook has over 200 million members, LinkedIn has nearly 40 million, and Twitter jumped from 4 to 17 million "tweeters" in just 3 months. 

But despite this exuberance for connecting with friends, fans, colleagues and even complete strangers, not everyone is embracing this new form of communication with unconditional love.  In that vein I wondered how different behavioral styles (D-I-S-C) might affect an individual's response to social networking.  For those of you who know your behavioral style, do the following responses feel familiar?  Don't know your behavioral style?  Click here to learn how to receive a personalized CriteriaOne DISC report at 50% off our regular price.

D:  Social networking is all about gaining market share and beating the pants off our competition.  The change brought about by all this disruptive innovation, ambiguity, and complexity - it's the perfect environment for me to establish myself as the expert.  I've got so much to tell people and Twitter is great.  What more can I ask for - tell someone what I'm thinking in 140 characters or less!

I:  Woohoo!  For me, social networking sites keep me on a 24/7 high.  They are a dream come true.  I know no strangers, just friends I haven't met yet. I can now become friends with people all over the world.  I feel like I'm at one continuous party.  I love getting invitations to follow other people. That means other people find me interesting.  It's such a warm feeling knowing that I never have to feel alone again.  I can say whatever is on my mind whenever I want and there is always someone who is ready and willing to talk. 

S:  I'm overwhelmed.  I opened accounts in Linkedin and Facebook but I wasn't sure what to do next.  I got to the personal profile and felt uncomfortable sharing my birthday with complete strangers.  How do I know that I can trust all these people who send me invitations? I've never even heard of many of them before? How much can I believe about the information people put on their profile?  If I'm going to join a site, I'm going to start with just one and feel my way around. But I'm exhausted just thinking about getting started.

C:  I'm really squeamish about this whole thing. There's just no research that any of these sites will ever last...and then what happens with all my information. Is it safe?  You never can be too careful. Someone needs to prove to me that my privacy will be protected and that I can control who sees my profile.  Only a fool would want to share their personal information with a complete stranger.  I've got to study this more and evaluate the benefits vs. risk. If I do become a member, you can be assured I will keep my profile protected and only connect with people that I know and trust.

Do you have additional thoughts or comments about how DISC behavioral styles might influence an individual's response to social networking? Post your comments here.

2.  Perfect Labor Storm Warnings   

Subscribe to the Perfect Labor Storm 2.0 blog and receive skilled worker shortage updates like this:

For every 100 girls suspended from public elementary and secondary schools 250 boys are suspended.

Source:boysproject.net

Learn more about workforce trends. Purchase the NEW Perfect Labor Storm 2.0 books (soft and hard cover versions) at PerfectLaborStorm.com.

New Perfect Labor Storm videos added. Watch now!

3. Facebook popularity rises with education

This week's results from the Geeks, Geezers, and Social Media survey conducted during April 2009 focuses on Facebook.

 This week I highlight the demographics of YouTube users. 

The results have important implications for business: how and where they will recruit employees and sell to customers.

Download a free copy of the Geeks, Geezers, and Social Media summary report here.

4. Take the Generational Age Quiz!

6. Long before he was Mohammed Ali, we knew him as ________ _____.


7. You'll wonder where the yellow went, ______  ____ _______ ______ ______ ____ ____________.


8. Before his role as Skipper's little buddy, we knew Bob Denver as Dobie's best friend __________ __ _______.


9. Brylcream, _____ _____ _____ ___ ___.


10. ___ _____ advised us to never trust anyone over 30.

View the answers here.

More about Geeks and Geezers.

5. The Emotional Intelligence Style Profile

Try the Emotional Intelligence Profile, from our line of "style" profiles and assessments.  Both "style" and "competency" profiles and assessments can be used in conjunction with any development activity, to target specific development needs, to assess current competencies or to prepare for a training workshop.

 
The Emotional Intelligence Style Profile has four quadrants based on the intersection of two scales. The 4 styles are:

Reflective (facts-focused) Organized (systems-mindedness) Conceptual (open-minded) and Empathetic (feelings-focused).

The two scales that create the styles are level of thinking structure and drive/motivation (outcome or belief-driven).
 
Participants learn their own preferred Emotional Intelligence (EI) style, the pros and cons associated with each of the four styles, ways to find better balance by developing skills in all four of the EI styles, and helpful advice about how to flex one's own style to better communicate and relate to team members with different EI styles. 
 
Test Drive 'The Emotional Intelligence Style Profile' Today!

Buy today 'The Emotional Intelligence Style Profile' (only $14.95) or take a sneek peak at the 89 other Management Pocketbook topics. 

6. DISCovering the Styles

DISCovering The Styles, a new book by Bill Schult, describes how over 2300 years after Aristotle, the behavioral model DISC is still being used by leaders, managers, salespeople, and coaches to create powerful impressions, build high-performing teams and gain endorsement.

DISCovering the Styles is 162-pages filled with everything you need to know about:
•
How the DISC Behavioral Styles Learn
• DISC Styles Approach to Decision Making
• DISC Styles Approach to Leadership
• DISC Styles Approach to Work

Order DISCovering the Styles

7. Quotes from Hire Authorities

"You make a living by what you get. You make a life by what you give."

   Winston Churchill

Become a fan   

Follow us on

Ira S. Wolfe Copyright 2009 - All Rights Reserved. Reprints and other distribution by permission only.