When you attend a Situational Leadership® training session, you learn that leadership styles are neither “good” nor “bad.” In large part your degree of success as a leader is a function of the person you are attempting to influence, the task that needs to be accomplished and your ability to effectively execute the leadership style with the highest probability of success.
When you attend DiSC® training you learn that human behavior is a product of how people perceive and respond to their environment. You get a DiSC® profile based on your DiSC® assessment that provides validated insight into why you behave the way you behave. Beyond that, it provides you with valuable insight into why others behave the way they do.
Since leadership is both a complicated and thoughtful endeavor, it stands to reason that leaders will benefit from the ability to integrate tools like Situational Leadership® and DiSC®. In that regard, imagine you are a Situational Leader with a task that needs to be accomplished through a follower whose DiSC® profile suggests they are a “high C” (CONSCIENTIOUSNESS: bold and skeptical). What behaviors would a “high C” tend to exhibit at each of the four levels of Performance Readiness®, and what should you (as the leader) consider doing … and not doing … as you execute each of the four leadership styles?
DiSC® Style—CONSCIENTIOUSNESS Performance Readiness® Cues and Leadership Style Responses
R1/S1
- R1—Unable but Insecure or Unwilling
- Insecure—Immobilized by the perceived absence of a clear path forward
- Unwilling—Openly challenges the value of the task and the validity of the process
- S1—High Task/Low Relationship Behavior
- DO—Use precise language to communicate explicit expectations; recognize that ambiguity on your part will translate to heightened insecurity or lack of commitment on theirs; leverage facts and data
- DON’T—Forget to prepare for challenging questions grounded in an aversion to risk
R2/S2
- R2—Unable and Confident/Willing
- Cautious, intentional and disciplined approach to development
- S2—High Task/High Relationship Behavior
- DO—Favor logic and analysis over intuition; provide context around why task is important in the overall scheme of things; be clear on step-by-step goals and a proactive process to identify unforeseen obstacles
- DON’T—Underestimate their need for stability or their fear of being wrong
R3/S3
- R3—Able but Insecure or Unwilling
- Insecure—Overanalyzes iterative nature of development with an emphasis on setbacks compared to undeniable growth and improvement
- Unwilling—Clearly contests practicality and sustainability of effort
- S3—High Relationship/Low Task Behavior
- DO—Use metrics to make the case for development or continued performance; listen when they provide progress reports or updates and encourage them to share insights on next steps and future progress
- DON’T—Try to rush or expedite the process necessary for them to make decisions of consequence
R4/S4
- R4 —Able and Confident/Willing
- Acts as a calming source of subjective support
- S4—Low Relationship/Low Task
- DO—Allow them the time they need to set quality performance goals grounded in their experience; provide them with opportunities to expand their existing base of knowledge, experience and skill
- DON’T—Allow them to over analyze decisions that impede the progress of others
