DiSC® Profile characteristics and personality style’s can’t be more telling than in this picture of Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer’s finger and President Obama. You may want to put your politics and your personality style aside for a minute to read this.
Ok so the situation was clearly uncomfortable regardless of the side of the political aisle you’re on. Now put yourself in Obama’s shoes. How would you feel if someone in your workplace with a dominant DiSC® Profile personality style was shaking a finger like Jan Brewer’s right in your face? How about with a co-worker? Imagine that you or a co-worker were in Obama’s shoes and your boss in Brewer’s shoes.
What kind of a workplace reputation would any supervisor have after causing a public scene like this one? And how many workplace employees would stay employed where bosses regularly yell and humiliate employees?
Could we flip the roles? If an employee with a dominant DiSC® Profile did this to a supervisor, how long would they have a job? Acting out like Jan is not a respectful way to manage uphill or downhill. You may love or hate her but she could destroy her credibility with people by publicly confronting President Obama.
Being aggressive, yelling and getting in someone’s face is the absolute worst way to make your point. This behavior negates what you’re saying, because:
- Such behavior is disrespectful;
- You look unprofessional… and
- Your point gets lost, because the focus is on what you do and not on what you say.
Ineffective or overuse of your DiSC® Profile or personality style can hurt your reputation. Such behavior negatively affects how people in your workplace perceive you. In short, how you communicate is a direct reflection on your character.
So, if Gov. Jan Brewer wants to hurt her credibility with President Obama or the general public, then all she has to do is keep throwing fits in public or in Arizona state government.
If you want to use the strengths of your DiSC® Profile or Workplace Profile to manage effectively, keep your personality style’s in check. Think before you speak, and look for ways to make your communication personality style stronger. Then, use those DiSC® Profile skills to build bridges.
