The Power of Understanding People’s Wiring

Have you ever heard the statement; people do not come with an owner’s manual?

I have been guilty of saying those words myself. While it is not possible to totally understand how another person ticks, we do have clues to other people’s behavior, how they respond to their environment and process information.

My eyes were opened several years ago when I was introduced to the DiSC Personality Assessments and understood the power of understanding how we are wired.

DiSC profiles help you:

• Understand yourself: how you respond to conflict, what motivates you, what causes you stress and how to solve problems.
• Facilitate better teamwork and minimize conflict.
• Develop sales success by being able to identify and respond appropriately to various styles.
• Manage a team more effectively.

In spite of raising two fine young men I believe I would have been a better parent if I had been equipped with this knowledge as a young dad.

Last week we had our two precious Great Nieces, Sophie and Lily spend the night with us. We raised two boys so an evening with these two young ladies was a new and fun experience for me.

Even at ages six and four, these two girls personalities were clear to me. The six-year-old Sophie was a High ”I” personality bubbling with conversation and imagination. Four-year-old Lily was fun and playful but more subdued.

When I asked Lily how old she was, she responded, “Four”. Not four and a half, not almost five, just four. A direct answer that I saw as a pattern in all of our conversations. She is a “D” Wired child.

Because “D” wiring is considered dominant and driven, they take a very task oriented approach to situations. As we were talking Cory and Frankie, their parents, we learned that as a four-year-old, Lily was given the full responsibility of feeding and watering their dog. She has never missed a feeding and has never been reminded.

These parents were very wise to understand early that these two children could not be parented the same. By understanding their differences, they can help them be all they were meant to be.

You can do the same with all of the relationships in your life, personal and professional. People really do come with an owner’s manual. You just have to take the time to learn the clues.

Have a great week!

P.S. What do the letters in DiSC mean?

• Dominance
  Person places emphasis on accomplishing results, the bottom line, confidence
• Influence
  Person places emphasis on influencing or persuading others, openness, relationships
• Steadiness
  Person places emphasis on cooperation, sincerity, dependability
• Conscientiousness
  Person places emphasis on quality and accuracy, expertise, competency

*Click here to get your own DiSC Personality Assessment. Parents, to better understand your children, go to my good friend Deb Ingino’s site, MyWiredStyle.com