WELCOME TO THE LEVELBREAKER NEWSLETTER SERIES

Performance Systems & Associates, Inc. 

Welcome to the PSA Newsletter series. We are always excited to share knowledge and tools with anyone who is interested in improving their relationships or their performance in  sales, client service, team performance, leadership. Anyone who wants to improve their ability to influence others. I was very fortunate in my career. I was introduced to the DISC Behavioral model when I entered the business world working for the second largest computer manufacturer at the time.  

The sales process was long and very complex due to the many fears associated with being an early adopter of technology, the politics of corporate America (power plays and land grabbing) and the number of things and people who could influence a single decision.  

I continued to apply the DISC model in my sales and management career and had a spectacular career climb from sales executive to VP of Sales building successful teams at four different levels of leadership. I truly believe my understanding of people was the difference which enabled me to pick great teammates.  

The one thing I found to be universal is that everyone wants to feel appreciated and understood. When you demonstrate by your FOCUS and your ability to adapt to their preferences you literally demonstrate the highest form of respect.  It starts and accelerates the process for building a high level of trust, confidence and credibility.  

We have all heard of the Golden Rule-and many people aspire to live by it. The Golden Rule is not a panacea. Think about it: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." The Golden Rule implies the basic assumption that other people would like to be treated the way that you would like to be treated.  

The alternative to the Golden Rule is the Platinum Rule: "Treat others the way they want to be treated." Ah hah! What a difference. The Platinum Rule accommodates the feelings of others. The focus of relationships shifts from "this is what I want, so I'll give everyone the same thing" to "let me first understand what they want and then I'll give it to them."  
 
A Modern Model for Chemistry 
 
The goal of The Platinum Rule is personal chemistry and productive relationships. You do not have to change your personality. You do not have to change your values, You do not have to roll over and submit to others. You simply have to understand what drives people and recognize your options for dealing with them. The Platinum Rule uses the DISC model as its implementation platform. DISC is a well understood behavioral model that divides behavioral preferences into four basic styles:

Eagle/Director/Driver
Parrot/Socializer/Expressive
Dove/Relater/Amiable
Owl/Thinker/Analytic

Everyone possesses some of the qualities of each style in various degrees.  Everyone also has a Dominant style. The Dominant Style is reflected in our communications, our assertiveness and pace, our introversion vss. Extroversion our preferences and our motivation.   

Our purpose is to share the DISC communications language and the many ways you can use it to improve every relationship and increase your ability to influence others. We have made every newsletter a simple to read, short narrative with practical illustrations to increase awareness and reinforce the many uses of the DISC language.  

Our first article will start by provide an overview of the FOUR Dominant Styles. If you have completed a DISC Assessment your Dominant Style is reflected on Graph 2. It is the highest plotting point on Graph 2. This is your most dominant trait and is highly influenced by the other three behavior components.  

Enjoy,  

Paul B. Scaffidi 
 
The Platinum Rule and the use of the DISC language will provide powerful life-skills that will serve you well in all your relationships: business, friends, family, spouse, and children.  

Eagles/Directors/Drivers

The Eagle/Director/Drivers are driven by two governing needs: to control and achieve. Eagle/Director/Drivers are goal-oriented go-getters who are most comfortable when they are in charge of people and situations. They want to accomplish many things-now-so they focus on no- nonsense approaches to bottom-line results. Eagle/Director/Drivers seek expedience and are not afraid to bend the rules. They figure it is easier to beg forgiveness than to ask permission. Eagle/Director/Drivers accept challenges, take authority, and plunge headfirst into solving problems. They are fast-paced, task-oriented, and work quickly and impressively by themselves, which means they become annoyed with delays. Eagle/Director/Drivers are driven and dominating, which can make them stubborn, impatient, and insensitive to others. Eagle/Director/Drivers are so focused that they forget to take the time to smell the roses.

Parrot/Socializer/Expressives

Parrot/Socializer/Expressives are friendly, enthusiastic "party-animals" who like to be where the action is. They thrive on the admiration, acknowledgment, and compliments that come with being in the limelight. The Parrot/Socializer/Expressives primary strengths are their creativity, extroverted charm, enthusiasm, persuasiveness, and warmth. They are idea-people and dreamers who excel at getting others excited about their vision. They are eternal optimists with an abundance of charisma. These qualities help them influence people and build alliances to accomplish their goals. Parrot/Socializer/Expressives do have their weaknesses: impatience, an aversion to being alone, and a short attention span. Parrot/Socializer/Expressives are risk-takers who base many of their decisions on intuition, which is not inherently bad. Parrot/Socializer/Expressives are not inclined to verify information; they are more likely to assume someone else will do it.

Owl/Thinker/Analytics

Owl/Thinker/Analytics are analytical, persistent, systematic people who enjoy problem solving. Owl/Thinker/Analytics are detail-oriented, which makes them more concerned with content than style. Owl/Thinker/Analytics are task- oriented people who enjoy perfecting processes and working toward tangible results. They're always in control of their emotions and may become uncomfortable around people who very out-going, e.g., Socializers. Owl/Thinker/Analytics have high expectations of themselves and others, which can make them over-critical. Their tendency toward perfectionism--taken to an extreme--can cause "paralysis by over- analysis." Owl/Thinker/Analytics are slow and deliberate decision-makers. They do research, make comparisons, determine risks, calculate margins of error, and then take action. Owl/Thinker/Analytics become irritated by surprises and glitches, hence their cautious decision-making. Owl/Thinker/Analytics are also skeptical, so they like to see promises in writing.

Doves/Relaters/Amiables

Doves/Relaters/Amiables are warm and nurturing individuals. They are the most people-oriented of the four styles. Doves/Relaters/Amiables are excellent listeners, devoted friends, and loyal employees. Their relaxed disposition makes them approachable and warm. They develop strong networks of people who are willing to be mutually supportive and reliable. Doves/Relaters/Amiables are excellent team players. Doves/Relaters/Amiables are risk-averse. In fact, Doves/Relaters/Amiables may tolerate unpleasant environments rather than risk change. They like the status quo and become distressed when disruptions are severe. When faced with change, they think it through, plan, and accept it into their world. Doves/Relaters/Amiables --more than the other types--strive to maintain personal composure, stability, and balance. In the office, Doves/Relaters/Amiables are courteous, friendly, and willing to share responsibilities. They are good planners, persistent workers, and good with follow-through. Doves/Relaters/Amiables go along with other seven when they do not agree because they do not want to rock the boat. Relaters are slow decision-makers for several reasons: 1) their need for security; 2) their need to avoid risk; 3) their desire to include others in the decision-making process.