Did you know you can use the DISC Personality Assessment to help Close More Deals?
Most of us have heard about the “Golden Rule” of treating people the way you want to be treated, but there is one better, the “Platinum Rule” – treat people how they want to be treated.
The Platinum Rule is about communicating with people “in their language” so to speak. When you master the art of understanding personality types, you master the art of creating better, stronger connections.
In business, this means creating better communication with clients. When you understand and accommodate someone’s preferred communication style, they trust you – and in business this means more sales!
Today, there are a multitude of tools available that can help you increase your level of communication. The DISC personality assessment happens to be our favorite at McLean International. It is timeless, easy to use, and the results are easy to capture, interpret, and put into use.
Using the fundamentals of DISC, let’s now map out the following:
1. How to identify each personality type
2. The greatest fears of each one
3. Tips for communicating with each type
Once you understand more about each type of personality, then you can ensure to communicate the best way possible with that person to achieve your desired outcome.
D’s (DOMINATORS)
Results oriented people who want things done yesterday.
Identify/Examples:
• D’s are direct, dominant and decisive
• Famous D’s: Donald Trump, Warren Buffett
Greatest Fears:
• That the job won’t get done right
• That they won’t be treated fairly; if a D thinks you’re going to take advantage of them, the door of opportunity will slam shut!
Tips for communicating:
• Speak loudly with little voice inflection and monotone
• Direct, to the point and want to know “the bottom line”
I’s (INFLUENCERS)
The social butterflies, “life of the party” and love to talk.
Identify/Examples:
• I’s are influential, interactive and inspiring
• Famous I’s: Oprah Winfrey, Bill Clinton, Jay Leno
Greatest Fears:
• Rejection
• Not being everybody’s friend
Tips for communicating:
• Speak loudly and fast with lots of emotion and voice inflection
• Spend time developing the relationship, be fun and enthusiastic, talk about people or common interests you may have, don’t do all the talking
S’s (STABLE, STEADY)
The nurturers, relaters who live to help others:
Identify/Examples:
• S’s are stable, steady and secure
• Famous S’s: Martha Stewart, Mother Teresa, Ray Romano
Greatest Fears:
• Losing their sense of security
• If they find themselves in the zone of the unknown, they will retreat
Tips for communicating:
• Speak slower and softer with emotion and voice inflection
• Give them their space to make their decision, let them know you care, don’t talk too fast or be abrupt
C’s (COMPLIANT)
Perfectionists and analytical, crossing every T and dotting every I:
Identify/Examples:
• C’s are correct, cautious and compliant
• Famous C’s: Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Mr. Spock
Greatest Fears:
• That they won’t be able to get the job done right; they want their work to be as close to perfect as possible
• Criticism
Tips for communicating:
• Speak slower and softer with little emotion or voice inflection
• Be prepared, use comparative data, appeal to their logic, don’t be vague or appeal to their emotion and don’t act as if you were best buddies
When you apply the “Platinum Rule” of communication along with a fundamental understanding of the DISC personalty types, you will find it easier to connect and ultimately gain the trust of the people who will do more business with you.
This knowledge can help you understand personality types and master the art of creating better, stronger connections – which will lead to more clients and more sales.
