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Behaviour is a manifestation of character
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Greetings!
~ John W Holt, Jr ~ ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe ~
For quite a few years now, I've been helping people understand aspects of themselves better via their DISC profiles. I keep emphasizing that DISC profiling is by no means a complete measure of a person, and ought to be used as a conversation starter more than anything else. People seem to understand that behaviour is a manifestation of character when I explain the relationship between the two. However, in practice, most people I have talked to don't seem to have internalized this concept yet. I hear phrases like "It's impossible to work with him, he is SUCH a high 'D'!", "I need to really bring up my 'S' more!" and "Don't worry, she won't have finished the assignment yet, she's such a high 'I', she's just disorganized!" Such phrases indicate that more discussion and exposition on the topic are necessary. I was conducting a team-building session for some hoteliers recently, and I was struck by the fact that many of them seemed to attribute their perceived team dysfunctions to the behaviours of different individuals being at loggerheads with each other. Even after explaining the difference using trust models like the Johari window, they still didn't seem to get it. Oh, they understood what it was ABOUT, but they were only beginning to understand what it really was deep down inside. I spent a few extra hours after the first night's session explaining to a few individuals who requested me to explain their DISC reports to them how they were really not concerned with different behavioural styles but rather differences in expressed values, which were the real sources of tension and added to the perceived team dysfunctions.
 Where behaviour and character are concerned, people are something like two identical-looking moulded sculptures, perhaps with one using ice and the other, solid carbon dioxide, or "dry ice". We might not be able to tell the difference just by looking at the two, but their compositions are very, very different. Behaviour is like the shapes conformed to, and character is the essence of the material used in the moulded sculptures. The ice and dry ice can be re-moulded to take on different forms by melting the ice/ sublimating the dry ice and using another two moulds shaped differently from the first two. If the pressure is great enough and the new moulds strong enough, the ice and dry ice might even be forced into the new moulds in order to take on those different shapes. However, the ice is still comprised of water and the dry ice is still comprised of carbon dioxide. Let's talk a bit more about the relationship between behaviour and character using the three phrases I quoted as illustrations.
"It's impossible to work with him, he is SUCH a high 'D'!"
This speaks of a lack of the qualities of tolerance and sensitivity more than the person having a really high "D" style. The higher the "D", the greater the need for control by imperatives, for example. A "D" displays that he has the quality of tolerance by understanding that people are at different levels of character development at any one time, and gives directions that help the other person achieve the desired goal as effectively and efficiently as possible. In other words, the "D" focuses on WHAT is required to be done, and gives instructions to the person who is supposed to do it based on the current level of that person's capabilities. The "D" displays sensitivity by deliberately choosing to couch the instructions in a manner that would appeal to the person receiving it. In all this, the "D" is still a "D". He has not "lowered his D" in order not to be offensive, he is simply being tolerant and sensitive in his own "D" way.
"I need to really bring up my 'S' more!"
The "S" behavioural trait seeks safety and stability. particularly in relationships. "S" style people are very forgiving and much more tolerant of other people's failings than the other three styles. What this statement might really be saying is that the person needs to "Zero in on Caring for People" a whole lot more. This person's "S" trait is likely to be low (below the midline) on the graphs, meaning that this person's "D", "I" and "C" are likely to be present in greater proportion. Each of these three styles can certainly "Zero in on Caring for People" in their own fashion. The "D" may do this by directing or pointing the person to what they can do to improve relationships, or by pointing to themselves as examples on how to do so. The "I" will endeavour to show how relating well to others can be fun, and the C by showing the researched benefits of relating well to others.
"Don't worry, she won't have finished the assignment yet, she's such a high 'I', she's just disorganized!"
This is a gross generalization of the "I" trait. Even "S" and "C" styles are capable of tardiness in their own ways. The "S" style may complete the assignment in a manner that is just "Good Enough Not To Be Noticed As Bad" (GENTBNAB). Sure, the assignment would be completed on time, but the client or boss won't be getting very much out of it. A "C" style might also finish the assignment well on time or even just on the dot, but may have put in many arguments against doing what the boss originally wanted instead of finding ways to best support the original intent. Now, if an "I" style is completely bought into an assignment, that "I" style will enthusiastically talk about all the possibilities that assignment could entail and might even have reams of research supporting her point. What she might need are gentle and creative reminders to the effect that meeting a deadline is actually a good thing.
I hope you have a clearer picture of how behaviour is a manifestation of character at this juncture. Do contact me if you would like to explore further. Go well! |
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Business Associate this week
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  At the last meeting of the PRZENC Image Club, Damien Tan of Meteorphor shared about jewellery that looks good and doesn't burn a hole in your pocket. Not all jewellery needs to be gold and diamonds, silver and cubic zirconia look pretty cool, too!
Do link up with Damien to find out more here.
Have a "sparkling" new 2012! |
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Elijah Lim
Principal Consultant
Shining Arrow Consulting Pte Ltd
www.shiningarrow.com
65-97119005
60-19-3385138
Semper Audaces |
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