Unlocking the Secrets of Effective Communication with DiSC Behavioral Styles
As School Business Managers and Education Support Staff, we all have interactions with parents, students, and other stakeholders where our typical approach may not achieve the desired results. It can be frustrating when we feel like we’re doing everything right, but the other person isn’t responding how we thought they would. That’s where understanding human behaviour and effective communication styles can make all the difference.
Education Support Staff must live by this customer service rule: “One size does NOT fit all”.
As humans, we all have what has referred to us a natural or preferred behavioural style. When we know our natural behavioural style, we can then take steps to adjust our style to more adequately suit the style of the parent, student or stakeholder, and that’s when the magic happens. Even slight adjustments in our communication can have customers more likely to trust us,.
Oh how wonderful… and the best news is, it’s not magic – it’s DiSC.
The 4 DiSC Behavioural Styles
By understanding the 4 DiSC Behavioral Styles, we can become more effective communicators, Business Managers, and motivators and ultimately provide top-level service to our stakeholders.
The 4 DiSC Behavioral Styles are:
D – determined, fast-paced, and task-focused
A D-style customer likes to take control and make quick decisions, so it’s important to be direct and specific with them.
I – inspiring, fast-paced, and people-focused
An I-style customer is positive and good at influencing others, so being friendly, having fun, and scheduling time for chatting can help build a rapport with them.
S – steady, slower-paced, and people-focused
An S-style customer values stability and calmness, so it’s best to present issues logically and focus on building a sincere connection.
C – compliant, slower-paced, and task-focused
A C-style customer seeks data and information to ensure things are done correctly, so providing them with plenty of detailed information and being patient is key.
By identifying a parent’s, student’s or stakeholder’s preferred behavioural style, we can adjust our communication style to better suit them and increase the chances of building trust and improving satisfaction.
Without the knowledge of human behaviour and communication styles, delighting our stakeholders can be a difficult task. But with the right education and training, we can learn to communicate effectively with even the most challenging stakeholders and achieve increased satisfaction and decreased complaints.
So let’s ditch the one-size-fits-all approach and embrace the DiSC Behavioral Styles to become top-level service providers in our schools!
Are you tired of feeling powerless when dealing with difficult people? Do you want to learn practical techniques to take control during and after challenging interactions? Our Dealing with Difficult People training is the solution for you and your Education Support Staff team. Gain insight into why people use challenging behaviours and learn how to respond effectively to minimise negative impact. Don’t wait any longer; book your training session today and become an expert in managing difficult situations with ease!
By Cate Schreck, Author of The A – Z of Service Excellence