Have you ever heard people say the following phrases:
“I’m not sure if this job suits me!”
 “Why does Sarah always leave things to the last minute and then do it?”
“I just need to get this job done fast, why is she asking so many questions?”
 “Why can’t my boss make decisions quickly and instead of sitting on things?”

If you look closely at each statement, you can actually see that personality has a part in every one of them. The BIG question is how we can effectively communicate with the different personalities.

If we truly understand each personality, it is possible to say the right words that can connect to people quickly and emotionally.  This is extremely critical since everything we do at work or home, is all about handling relationships. This works the same for people in customer service, sales staff, managers communicating with staff, or you with your peers.

There are many different types of personality profiling tests in the market today, but one of the most famous assessments is the DISC Personality Profiling. Although everyone is different, everyone is predictably different. Using DISC greatly aids you in identifying why people work in a certain way and then relate to them in a way they want to be related.

DISC is a simple tool that assesses human behaviour into four types and is the acronym for Dominant, Influencing, Steady and Compliant.  It is wise to say that we are not just one personality type, but a combination of all. The question is the degree of which is more.

High “D” personalities are competitive, demanding, decisive, pioneering, love challenges and solve problems.  They prefer not be bogged down with supervision and details and love freedom from controls.

A High “I” person is generally motivated by flattery, praise and attention they get from people. They strive in a friendly environment and love to handle the relational aspects of things. They are the people-person, enthusiastic and sociable. They are the ones who say that there is no such thing as strangers, only people you have not met.

High “C” behaviours have exceptional standards of quality. When you have finished a 10,000 word essay, they will point out the 3 words that you have misspelt and offer to correct your sentences. They are meticulous people and love logical flow of information. They also provide perspective in all your brainstorming and anchors you back to reality when you get too idealistic.

High “S” personalities are usually dependable, passive and patient. They are also loyal and relaxed. When it comes to people volunteering for a job, they will never be the first to raise their hands and prefers to wait for others to take action first.

In a team setting, you will definitely need a mix of personalities to cover the full range of tasks taken. It is important to know your personality and how you can contribute effectively to the team. Know yourself and know others. Work on your strengths and allow others to compensate for your weaknesses. This creates synergy in the team and frees each person to excel in their capabilities.