Nice To Know You, Steady!

I lost my voice this past week-laryngitis. Just at the time I lost it, I had a multitude of important things planned--coaching engagements, a visit from my family, a dear friend in from out of the country, and then a half-day communication skills workshop for Monday that I had to reschedule. Being forced to stay quiet lead me to think about what it would be like to have a different communication style. What if I were more of an "S" (Steady) or "C" (Conscientious) in the DISC® Profile? If I were more Steady in my communication, I might be more patient with myself when responding to emails and avoid having to write one right after the other to correct or add to my point. If I were Conscientious in my communication, I might be more analytical in my speaking style and have interesting facts available to back up my ideas. Although, like everyone, I am an ultimate mix of all four styles, my strongest types are a "D" (Driver) and an "I" (Influence) which means that I am direct and enthusiastic in my approach. Quite often I can be misinterpreted because I come across as too strong or overly lively, but I have learned how to adjust my style depending on who I am talking to in order to build trust in my conversations. I like doing right by people and because that is true, I stay extra aware of the way that I communicate. It wasn't easy for me to cancel my coaching clients or refrain from many conversations with my out-of-town friend and family, but being that it was impossible to use my voice, I had to surrender into a more Steady approach. Nice to know you, Steady. To be added to Lanartco's Communication Performance Tip of the Week, please connect to this link or send your email address to info@lanartco.com.