Knowing Your Team’s Behavior Styles, and Why It Matters

As a leader, you’ve probably felt the frustration of trying to align your team and getting them all moving towards the same goal. 

You’ve also probably heard many quotes about how it can be lonely at the top, how you can never please everyone, and how if you want everyone to like you, you should sell ice cream. 

While it’s true that you can never fully make everyone happy (especially if you are making changes), you can take the steps to acknowledge your team members as individuals, and understand what drives them. 

The reality is, people are not all motivated by the same thing, therefore, not satisfied by the same results, or driven by the same approach. 

I recently began training to become a certified facilitator for the EverythingDiSC program. I'll be specializing in 3 areas: Work of Leaders, Workplace, and Management. DiSC identifies four primary personality types, allowing leaders and their team members to recognize the behaviors that will resonate best with each one of them.

Let's look at behavioral styles. An individual with a Dominant style might be motivated by a firm goal, a data-driven approach that is clear and to the point. This individual wants a well-communicated plan, concise direction, and outlined expectations. They may see small talk as wasteful and a chore but are excellent at pushing for outcomes. 

A person whose style is Influence is quite different. She may be motivated by teamwork. For her, it’s the journey to the goal that is important. Are we sharing words of encouragement? Are we celebrating the small wins along the way? The optimist in them won’t give up when faced with a challenge, but they may bump heads with those who can’t see the big picture. 

A Steadiness style demonstrates a draw toward calm, getting along, and doing what's needed to keep the peace. Being tactful and gentle is key, and can sometimes overshadow the need for directness or sharing hard truths. 

Finally, the Conscientious style is shown when we see team members who need to be precise, analyze and take time before making a decision. Looking at all possibilities and outcomes before acting is common when describing this behavior. 

So, why is this so important? 

We are now operating in much more collaborative workplaces. There are so many factors that contribute to engagement and happiness, all of which lead to healthy, productive teams. In order to meet the needs of each person individually, we must first be aware of their natural working styles, basic needs, and values. 

I am a strong believer that when you can understand your team and meet them where they are, you are able to build a healthy environment, and have positive and productive conflict and communication. 

Through this work, we can be much more prepared to lead our teams with confidence and heart, not expectations of perfection.