We have previously outlined a number of ways to Engage Employees in our E-Reader- Motivating Others: 8 Tips to Engage Your Team including: 1) Get to Know your People, 2) Set Clear Expectations, 3) Develop your Employees, 4) Notice What Gets Done, 5) Empower your People, 6) Provide Meaningful Work, 7) Create Coachable Moments, and 8) Act on Employee Feedback.
All of these approaches are effective, but as a leader, you can have the greatest impact on Employee Engagement if you customize your approach to the individual. As we all know, not every employee is created equally. While one person might be energized by a challenging, risky project, another person would find that same project stressful and it would actually decrease their motivation to do the job.
One way to get insight into your employee’s preferences and motivators is to conduct a Behavioral Style Assessment. There are many great assessments, and among the most common is the DISC. The DISC is a tool used to gain insight into both an individual’s work and personal style. More specifically:
How the person responds to conflict
What causes them stress
How they organize their work
How they solve problems
What motivates them
Some uses for these insights are: to improve working relationships, minimize stress, increase effectiveness, improve communication, and increase motivation and engagement. There are four primary DISC styles.
The D stands for Dominance. It indicates how you approach problems and deal with challenges. A person with a high “D” style tends to be direct and wants to take charge of the situation in order to succeed or win. They are also very decisive and focus on moving action forward. They take risks in pursuit of excellence. Their main drive is achievement or success.
The I stands for Influence: It indicates how you interact with and attempt to influence others. An employees with a high “I” style tends to be outgoing and wants to influence others and inspire them to participate. They are also very optimistic. They want everyone to enjoy an experience and will look for the best in people and situations. Their main drive is collaboration.
The S stands for Steadiness: It indicates how you respond to change and the pace of the environment. An employee with a high “S” style tends to be sympathetic and compassionate. They always consider what will be the best for others. They are accommodating and want to be of help to others. Their main drive is stability.
The C stands for Conscientiousness: It indicates how you respond to rules and procedures. An employee with a high “C” style tends to be precise, wants to do things right and takes pride in the quality of his or her work. They are also reflective and somewhat reserved, always thinking before speaking. They want to pay attention to only the relevant issues and are often very observant of the details. They like to maintain privacy and avoid drawing too much attention to themselves. Their main drive is perfection.
As you can see from the above descriptions, these styles are very different from one another. Therefore, a leader needs to flex and adapt to effectively manage each of these styles. A one size fits all approach to leadership will not get the best out of each individual!
Let’s consider one of the most critical concerns to a leader, motivation:
A high D would be motivated by the opportunity to work on new and cutting edge projects that might not get off the ground.
A high I would be motivated by team projects that are highly collaborative and involve a lot of interaction with others.
A high S would be motivated by a project that is reasonably paced, steady and involves consistent processes.
A high C would be motivated by a complex project needing in depth analysis and a long timeline to allow for perfection.
TAKE AWAYS
The DISC is a valuable tool when it comes to any key leadership behavior. In order to be an effective leader and get the most out of each of your employees you must be willing to get to know each of them and flex your style to meet each of their needs. This one thing can have tremendous impact on the success of your employees and overall team!
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