June 18, 2003
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-- DISC to the Rescue
-- Integrity and Ethics Survey Results
-- 25 Trends That Will Change The Way You Do Business
-- Managing the Generation Mix(tm)
-- What is DISC?
-- Competency ID was never easier!
-- Testing and Assessments: An Employer's Guide to Best Practices
-- What TotalView readers have to say -
-- Rule #1 of good employee behavior - Show up for work!
-- Stop Guessing, Start Knowing - August 20, 2003 at The Lancaster Chamber
-- Pocket Guides for Managers As Low as $9.95
-- What is Your Interviewing IQ

DISC to the Rescue
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We moved last week. We downsized.

We've been empty-nesters for years. Of course, in between our childern's high school graduation and today, they did live on our yo-yo. You know what I'm talking about. They're out on their own, they're back. They're out again, then they're back. Now they are out. So before they came back again - we're outta here.

In our new home, my wife and I will be sharing one bedroom as a home office. Researchers get paid big dollars to observe situations like this. Based on our working and behavioral styles, we both must be out of our minds - or else after 25 years and surviving the adolescence of our two children, we're bold enough to think our marriage will survive nearly any test.

Our approach to work goes beyond the usual Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus things like: Who left the seat up? Whose dishes are in the sink? Why are all the lights on? Who put the toilet paper on backwards? (By the way - which is the correct way? Over the top or underneath?)

Our behavioral styles are as different as they can get. You've heard that opposites attract? I'm a D on the DISC scale. (To learn more about DISC, read below What is DISC? ) My wife is a much lower D. She is a very high I. I'm a low I. My wife is high S. I'm a very low S. Our closest behavioral styles are our C styles and they are not that close.

Opposites may attract but without understanding DISC, the Universal Language, we only observe others behaving differently and generally don't like what we see. By learning first to understand your own style and the impact your style has on others, you learn two lessons. First you recognize that family, friends, co- workers and even complete strangers may have different behavioral styles. And secondly, these different styles aren't designed exclusively for the sake of nagging or irritating the crap out of you. There are no right or wrong behaviors. There are just different styles and we each "speak" a different style.

For instance, a high D is energized by problems. When faced with a stack of emergencies and a pile of routine chores, Ds prefer to tackle the difficult tasks first. They have a short fuse and react quickly when challenged. They must get it over with and out of the way. Facing the same problem, low Ds are de-energized by conflict and problems. They have a much longer fuse. They prefer to get the routine chores out of the way first before focusing on the problem. Unfortunately to the high D, it looks like the low D is avoiding the issue. Need I go further? Although we continue to irritate each other between "get it done now" verses "I'll get to it when I have time", we've learned to understand each other. She understands that I'm not deliberately taking control (or at least acts like she does) and I know she is not deliberately ignoring the inevitable. It's just our behavioral approach to dealing with problems and challenges.

Can you say TV and cats?

Compared to our I-challenge, our D differences look innocuous.

Like other I styles, my wife is energized by influencing other people through words. That's what high Is do - they verbalize. They can't wait to tell a story - and elaborate on the details. They know no strangers in the world, just people they haven't met yet. High Is are quite trusting. Low Is are more skeptical. Low Is verbalize when the need arises and prefer to listen, write emails or leave voice messages. They don't understand how anyone can walk into a room of complete strangers and within minutes be sharing stories. Didn't high-I mothers ever tell them "don't talk to strangers"? Completely de-motivating to high I individuals is a lot of isolated time, working alone with no one to talk to.

This is where our story gets interesting. My wife works with the TV on. To her this is like having some else in the room speaking with her. My wife also has lively and engaging conversations with our cats. If ever reincarnated, I hope I return as one of my wife's cats!

In contrast, when working on a project or writing an article or The Total View, I work best in silence. TV, music and other background noises are distracting. It's not that I don't like TV and music. It is just that my attention is easily diverted and I find myself listening and watching instead of concentrating and focusing.

In an effort to accomodate our high I and low I styles, we divided the room with a panel. We now each have our own space. My desk is on one side, hers on the other. My high-I wife however seems to think that this 5 foot fabric panel has acoustically sealed my space and I won't hear her TV. "I'll keep it low" she says, but just doesn't cut it with a low I. We're now shopping for earphones or a headset.

Of course, conversations with the cats and "you've got to see this just for a minute" will be a little tougher to curtail. But my wife in true High-I form promises it will be okay. I, on the other hand, thinks "how does she know that"?

Many people think DISC is a test. It is not. It's about real life relationships whether they are personal or work-related. DISC is merely an assessment to help individuals understand how others see us respond to problems, people, pace and procedures. DISC doesn't "expose" how you behave; these behaviors are observable to everyone. In fact if you don't know what your DISC style is, you may be the last one to know.

Whether it is work or play, parenting or teaching, managing or leading, selling or serving, the effectiveness of our relationships with others begins by understanding your personal style. Improve your relationships with customers, co-workers, team members or family by learning your DISC style and learning to recognize other.

Click here to order your Personal Insights Profile.

Integrity and Ethics Survey Results
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How uncanny! On the eve of the release of our "Report on Integrity and Ethics", the longtime chairman and CEO of Freddie Mac, the president and COO, and the CFO were asked to step aside. Why? Lack of "cooperation and candor" and "management misjudgements"!

Don't miss reading survey respondents viewpoints on holding back information.

Click here to see the complete results of the Integrity and Ethics Survey.

25 Trends That Will Change The Way You Do Business
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>From e-mail to health care, and from artificial intelligence to the end of HR as we know it, here are forecasts of how different the world of workforce management will be 10 years from now.

To read 25 Trends that will change your business, click here. Don't miss Trend #16.

Managing the Generation Mix(tm)
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Are you managing age diversity? Understand the four generations in the workplace today - each at different life stages, ech with conflicting perspectives, expectations, and needs. Learn best practices to foster understanding, leverage strengths, avoid clashes, improve productivity, and maximize teamwork. Turn diversity into a strategic advantage.

Managing the Generation Mix is a complete, customizable, off-the-shelf training program based on the principles contained in Bruce Tulgan and Dr. Carolyn A. Martin's popular book. Pricing includes an unlimited license and the following training materials on a single CD-R: