How to get along with different types of people? In this quick tips episode, Mari-Liis Vaher shares the 4 main personality types according to DISC that all prefer to communicate in a slightly different way. Tune in to find out about people oriented to dominance, to influence, to processes and to relationships.
- People oriented to Dominance or what we call - Reds. They tend to be CEOs, lawyers, and high-ranking military officers. They’re drawn towards power and control and are often driven and motivated by money. Reds are the people who get things done, and they’re used to ordering people around. Usually they’re very well-connected - they know business owners, leaders, and the like. In a negotiation, you need to open with their takeaway. What’s in it for them? Cut to the chase, then you can explain if they want more information. They’re also confident risk takers and prefer action over talking. They’re quick in making decisions, and they don’t procrastinate. If you need to get something done fast, they can make it happen, no matter how difficult it may seem. Their weakness is their big ego. They’re often short tempered, unteachable, and impatient. They’re also impulsive,and their attention span also tends to be quite short. So, make it short and simple for them and remember that their deepest need is for material, physical achievement, satisfaction and fulfillment.
- People oriented to Influence or who we call the ‘Yellows’. Mostly cheerful and impulsive, they tend to be salespeople, public speakers, and great promoters. Yellows like to have fun. They speak loud and fast and they speak way more than other people. They are also great networkers as they’re good at talking to people and getting information out of others. It’s easy for them to motivate and convince other people. They are also creative which helps them generate lots of ideas that are ‘out-of-the-box’.
Their weakness is that they’re often not organized. Because of their impulsive decisions they tend to overcommit themselves, jump on board and rush into things too quickly rather than taking things at a steady pace. To communicate with them, make sure that you are not boring. They do not need to know all the details or how the process technically works. Focus on the big picture, the vision, the goals and make it fun. - People oriented to steadiness or process or who we call the ‘Blues’. They tend to be engineers, researchers, tax advisors, accountants, and analysts. They’re analytical, conservative, reliable, trustworthy, loyal. They need to know ALL the details; all the facts and figures before going any further with any decision. You cannot sell to them, they need to sell to themselves. They’ll research the web, listen to the whole video seminar, read all the reviews, comments, testimonials, and articles. They dislike being late, and people who are late. They dislike when there’s a shortage of facts to work with, and when people show up unprepared for meetings. They also dislike pushy people and aggressive salespeople, and they hate being pushed to commit to deadlines.They like things done "properly", so make sure to follow rules and guidelines. Give them lots of details and information, as well as plenty of time for them to do the necessary research and prepare for meetings or next steps. They typically do not like presenting before big groups of people and hate having to make a decision on the spot, so give them room and space.
- People oriented to relationships or who we call the ‘Greens’. They tend to be down-to-earth, caring and nurturing; kind, generous and compassionate. They’re excellent team players and also generally the best listeners of all the personality types. They’re intelligent, they love to learn, and they’re quick to understand new concepts. They tend to choose professions such as nurses, teachers, counsellors. They give from the heart and don’t have time for themselves, because they wanna give to everybody and help the world. This can also be one of their weaknesses, as they often neglect their own needs when providing for others. Also, they are not very goal oriented. They would sacrifice goals for emotions and comfort any day. They’re followers rather than leaders.
When you talk with a Green, become a Green. Slow the pace. Contain your excitement. Lower the volume. Don’t talk about money - they’ll tune straight out. Talk about their family, their kids, their vacation, focusing on building relationships.
PS! If you'd like to better understand your own behavioral style and how you should approach different personality types according to DISC, then check out the Behavioral Styles Test & Approach Generator.