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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTom Brymer DiSC Profile – Tom Brymer Town Council Planning Retreat – May 30, 2014 Tom’s Highest Dimension Tom, your highest dimension(s) - based on your responses to your perceptions of the environment and the amount of control you feel you have in that environment - are Dominance (D) and Influence (I). Read the description of Dominance and Influence and see how it fits with the way you see yourself. Dominance and Influence (DI) Tom, you are high in both the Dominance and Influence dimensions. This means that these dimensions work together to form your style. Those who are strong in Dominance (“high D’s”) like to take action to achieve the results they desire. Those who are strong in Influence (“high I’s”) seek contact with all types of people and look for opportunities to generate enthusiasm from those around them. High D’s seek opportunities for advancement and individual accomplishment, and they often aspire to positions of power and authority. The main objectives for people high in Dominance are typically to get results and have control, as well as gain the freedom to make decisions quickly. High I’s, in contrast, seek to accomplish goals with and through others. They appreciate freedom of expression without the need for much detail or control, and their decision-making style is often based on emotions or “gut feel.” High D’s often find that calculating risks and employing caution are not their strong suits, so they would be wise to surround themselves with people who have these skills. High I’s, on the other hand, are adept at dealing with people but may need to find complementary skills in those individuals better at dealing with tasks. A person high in Dominance should strive to base his or her techniques on personal experience. Verbalizing reasons for conclusions will also be a great asset. People high in Influence have little difficulty pitching their ideas to others. But it’s helpful if they have others to help them support their proposals with facts and data, as well as to develop a systematic, logical approach that will help them stay on task and follow through once the project gets going. Again, these dimensions are not in conflict within you. Aspects of each dimension combine to form your overall style. DiSC Profile – Tom Brymer Town Council Planning Retreat – May 30, 2014 Tom’s Intensity Index Each of us has a set of strengths that make us unique and valuable, and we like to be acknowledged for our strengths, as well as feel effective in our environment. However, any strength, when used excessively or inappropriately, can be perceived as a weakness. Read over the highlighted words in the four columns below. These are the adjectives that describe High, Medium, and Low behavior for each dimension. Then turn the page to learn more about your Intensity Index and how you can become more aware of your potential strengths and weaknesses. DiSC Profile – Tom Brymer Town Council Planning Retreat – May 30, 2014 On the next four pages are explanations of the words that indicate your level of intensity for each DiSC® dimension. D Dimension People with your score on the D Dimension may be generally described by the following adjectives. Circle those that you see as your strengths and highlight potential areas of challenge. Egocentric: Heavy opposition or distracting events usually do not affect your unwavering focus on accomplishing your goals. Being self-focused can be a benefit to the team when red tape or a lack of consensus sidetracks your colleagues. Don’t forget, however, that focusing too much of your attention inward can be perceived as tedious or self-absorbed. Direct: Many people appreciate this quality because they don’t have to second-guess what you say. You can also be an inspiration to others who might be reticent to share their opinions and ideas freely. However, being too blunt can be hurtful to others and counterproductive to further communications. Daring: You usually don’t limit yourself by doing things the same old way. In fact, you’re not afraid to rock the boat, or even tip it, if the urge hits you. This may be an inspiration to others who may shy away from taking chances and trying new things. Don’t forget, though, to keep your bravado in check so you don’t act in a reckless manner that could alienate your co- workers. Domineering: Being goal-oriented and decisive can benefit the bottom line for a team or organization. However, if you’re not listening to the input of others or valuing their opinions when consensus is needed, you’re likely to encounter resentment or even dissent. Demanding: Often this means applying pressure to others to achieve desired results. This can be viewed as a strength when you are working with others toward a common goal or deadline, provided you don’t disregard the feelings of others or become overbearing. DiSC Profile – Tom Brymer Town Council Planning Retreat – May 30, 2014 i Dimension People with your score on the i Dimension may be generally described by the following adjectives. Circle those that you see as your strengths and highlight potential areas of challenge. Enthusiastic: The energy and excitement you create when forming new relationships or starting new projects is almost contagious, often generating similar behavior in others. This is definitely a strength, as long as hard work and follow-through support your initial exuberance to bring a project to fruition. Gregarious: You are likely the kind of person who thrives on meeting new people and interacting with them. This is an asset in many situations, especially when others may be too shy to make the first move or start a conversation. It's important to remember, however, that being excessively sociable when there's work to be done can breed resentment in others. Persuasive: You may have a natural way of winning people over to your opinion. This can be very helpful in getting consensus and moving ahead toward a common goal. Just be careful not to overuse this trait and cause others to feel manipulated or duped. Impulsive: Many people may appreciate your spontaneity and willingness to fly by the seat of your pants, because it creates an opening for the improbable when the odds are against you. You'll know when you've acted too quickly or rashly, though, because others will disassociate from you. Emotional: You may generally feel things more acutely than a lot of people and be willing to talk openly about things, which can help others do the same. When overused, however, emotional candor can make others feel uncomfortable or even upset, because they may feel that their boundaries have been violated. Self-promoting: This means that you may inform others about yourself and offer your expertise to the group as often as possible. It is a strength when used to forge communications with others, who won't have to dig for information from you. Be careful not to be conceited, though, because people may start to tune you out. Trusting: Believing in others without hesitation is a refreshing trait, especially when working with those who are more skeptical. Real trust is built from positive experiences. There's such a thing as being too trusting, however, in which case you run the risk of being viewed as naive. DiSC Profile – Tom Brymer Town Council Planning Retreat – May 30, 2014 S Dimension People with your score on the S Dimension may be generally described by the following adjectives. Circle those that you see as your strengths and highlight potential areas of challenge. Change-oriented: Avoiding the pitfalls of stagnation necessitates employing this skill, which keeps you always on the lookout for novel ideas and innovative solutions. But take care that you do not become so change-oriented that you dismiss the positive aspects of tradition. Fault-finding: When you uncover errors or identify flaws that others may have missed, you are using this trait to its fullest, most positive potential. The flip side is that you run the risk of becoming nitpicky or cynical, which can keep others from sharing ideas or work with you. Spontaneous: You may find that your best ideas come in a burst of inspiration and activity. In this way, you can keep things vibrant and fresh while still creating great solutions to vexing problems. However, when you have to work within a predictable routine or set system, you may find these limitations frustrating Frustrated by status quo: Creative breakthroughs are often the result of discontent with the status quo, and you may often innovate your way around former barriers. Be careful to temper your irritation, though, if your attempts at change are thwarted. This can help you avoid a run-in with higher-ups. Active: Meeting deadlines and finishing projects are not problems when the positive aspects of this trait are employed. But efficiency can suffer when careful thought and deliberation are neglected in favor of blind action. DiSC Profile – Tom Brymer Town Council Planning Retreat – May 30, 2014 C Dimension People with your score on the C Dimension may be generally described by the following adjectives. Circle those that you see as your strengths and highlight potential areas of challenge. Stubborn: When confronted with barriers, you may often display a tenacious zeal for sticking to your plans. Your persistence can greatly increase the odds of success in complex projects. A refusal to make any compromises, however, can be counterproductive when it keeps the job from completion. Arbitrary: This trait is a strength when you use it to keep your colleagues on their toes and encourage their creativity. It becomes a weakness if you are so unpredictable that others avoid your input. Rebellious: To dismiss conventional thinking may often appeal to you. By ignoring traditional barriers, you may cultivate fresh ideas and breakthrough approaches. But problems can arise if your rebellion becomes a knee-jerk reaction in every situation. Defiant: An aura of fierce independence may often surround you. This refusal to yield to peer pressure can reap great benefits when you are able to provide much-needed constructive criticism. However, take care that your principled stands don’t meld into outright insubordination. Obstinate: This means that backing down or quietly acquiescing may be difficult for you. Such determination comes in handy when important goals are in danger of being wiped out. It is not so positive, though, if your stubborn attitude gets in the way of genuine improvement. Tactless: You may often speak in clear-cut language that bypasses social niceties, which means that there is never confusion about where you stand or what you think. This is a benefit when the work environment requires straightforward communication. Of course, this has the disadvantages of offending others and alienating yourself. Sarcastic: The use of humor to defuse tense situations is probably a well-known tactic for you, and it can break the ice at awkward moments. But using this trait to excess can anger your colleagues, who may feel that you are mocking them. DiSC Profile – Tom Brymer Town Council Planning Retreat – May 30, 2014 Tom’s Motivation As someone with an Inspirational Pattern, Tom, you may often display a dazzling ability to persuade others. The tools you use to achieve this goal can vary. Often, you can be quite charming and convince people to do what you want by strength of pure likeability. At other times, however, you may employ obvious intimidation to get your point across. Usually, the most important factor for you is control, which you tend to seek over your environment or your audience. You are likely to be clear in your own mind about the results you want. However, you might not always articulate these ambitions. You probably prefer to reach your goals through cooperation and persuasion, rather than by exercising domination. As part of your tendency to persuade people, you may downplay your own need for affection. This method of maintaining some distance may be part of your conscious attempt to modify the thoughts and actions of others. Insights for Tom You may believe that the ends justify the means, and your main goal is likely to be the control of your environment during the process. This straightforward approach can lead to outstanding accomplishments and innovative breakthroughs. However, it could also create ill will among your colleagues. In extreme cases, some of your colleagues may even feel that you have used them or taken them for granted. People may feel drawn to your charisma and charm, but these same individuals can sometimes feel distanced from the “real you.” You may be able to lessen this sense of alienation by showing a willingness to help others succeed in their personal development and advance in their careers. The first step in achieving this might be to take a real interest in others rather than viewing them as assets. Embracing a sense of genuine sincerity should help in this endeavor. A barrier to working more closely with your colleagues may be your tendency to fear a loss in your social status. You may believe that your well-established ability to convince and direct people helps keep you moving forward. In addition, you may not want anyone to view you as weak, so you may strive to keep your intimidation skills sharp. However, you would be wise to remember that your ability to persuade your colleagues is a talent that does not require aggressive tactics. Tom, you are likely to be an influential and articulate individual who has a tremendous capacity to inspire and lead people.