eKourier July 2014

FEATURES

Understanding DISC

observable — it’s on the outside for all to see, whereas personality is not. DISC is not a measure of who we are, but simply how we tend to act and communicate, which we can adjust at any given moment to suit the situation. A lack of understanding of ourselves and others can lead to real problems such as tension, disappointment, hurt feelings and most commonly, poor communication. You may have experi- enced how hard it is to deal with a problem, when you don’t know what is going on inside the mind of the other person. Understanding DISC and the human behaviour model, will help you to understand how people behave and how they are motivated. It will teach Different is not bad, it’s just different!

you how to create healthy relationships, reduce conflict and relate to others in ways that are more effective. Since our communication style affects every interaction we have with others, DISC becomes an extremely useful tool, both in the workplace and at home with family and friends. DISC does not determine right or wrong behaviours, it reveals how individuals behave when confronted with conflict, how they prefer to show their emotions, react to change or how they accommo- date other people or situations. “If I understand you, and you understand me, doesn’t it make sense that we work more effectively together?” – Dr Robert Rohm This four part series will focus on each of the “behaviour styles”, from a practical view point. We begin with the “D” behaviour style.

W hile it is common to think that DISC is a person- ality test, it is in fact a behavioural assessment. DISC explores four traits within our personality. Personality is much, much more than our behaviour and includes things like our values, passions, beliefs, sense of humour, character, ethics and emotional intelligence. Behaviour is

Con’t page 5...

Kennards Kourier July 2014

4