DataDome Blog

Spring is coming, and with it the return of our popular Align to Thrive workshop.

This workshop, which will be held on April 14th, will show you strategies designed to strengthen businesses and increase profitability… despite the uncertainty of economic and market conditions.

Organizational Alignment is an empowering concept for realizing full business potential. An aligned organization is a fine-tuned machine driving forward with focus, discipline and responsiveness to customer values.

In this workshop, through theory and practical application, you will learn new tools to measure and achieve organizational alignment. Simple, intuitive and quantitative measurements can show you how well your organization is aligned to your customers? and employees? constantly changing needs. This is the vital data needed to make the critical decisions for success.

You can find more detailed information and request your seat by visiting http://www.datadome.com/align2thrive.php or calling 404-814-0739.

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It happens a lot in this world of assessments and behavioral information, the high side of the scale seems to get all the press.  We spotlight the characteristics of the high D, we round up discussion samples of high I’s, S’s and C’s, but the low end of the scale is no less meaningful than the high end.   A low D, I, S, or C is just as indicative of behavioral style as are  their high counterparts.  So for today, here’s a little attention to the low D.

You might be a low D if…

• you always drive in the right lane
• when you and someone else step into a line at the same time you tend to let the other person go first
• your friends describe you as someone who “goes with the flow”
• you’re the one who holds the elevator’s “open” button while waiting for everyone else to get out. You might be an even lower D if you’re the one who stays in the back of the elevator and tells the person holding the door to go ahead.
• you’ve never asked for a raise
• you usually wait for others to stop talking before you join the conversation

Remember even people whose behavior in one quadrant is at the top of the high or at the bottom of the low is still also exhibiting a range of behaviors measurable in the other 3 quadrants. Further, motivations and environmental influences can significantly impact circumstantial behavior.  None of us are “one-trick ponies” when it comes to our behavioral styles.

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Data Dome announces new dates for our a special two day Advanced Experiential DISC Certification workshop in Atlanta.

Once again, classes will be taught by Art Schoeck, Data Dome’s President and Chief Behavioral Style Strategist and recognized as TTI’s International Trainer of the Year. Register for this great opportunity to learn from the best – gain the skills and master the tools that can unlock individual performance and team productivity.

All participants will receive:

• Personal Behavioral Style Assessment
• Personal Job Analysis Assessment
• CPBS Exam

The 2-day class will be conducted on January 19th & 20th, then again on February 23rd & 24th, and March 24th & 25th at Data Dome Conference Center, 1040 Lindridge Dr. NE, Atlanta, GA 30324.  For more information please visit http://www.datadome.com/certification_workshop.php.

Effective leaders and trainers won’t want to miss this opportunity to rapidly gain the skills to maximize the potential of your people.

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As the use of DISC assessments continues to grow in popularity, a new generation of professionals are benefiting from the insights into behavioral styles that these tools provide without necessarily knowing the history behind their origin.  Dr. William Moulton Marston Ph.D., a Harvard-educated psychologist and writer born in 1893, was the publisher of a 1928 essay entitled “Emotions of Normal People.” It was in this document that he presented the DISC Theory.

Although others have played an important role in the development and refinement of the theory, and in the creation of practical tools to apply DISC in ways beneficial for personal and corporate development, it was Marston who first wrote that people behave along passive and active axes. By arranging these axes at a 90 degree angle, a four-sectioned diagram can be made in which each segment can measure a behavioral style. Originally the terms Dominance, Inducement, Submission and Compliance were used to identify the quadrants, but later Influence replaced Inducement and Steadiness replaced Submission.

DISC isn’t Marston’s only claim to fame:  he also developed the systolic blood-pressure test which became a component of the modern polygraph – colloquially referred to as “the lie detector”.  And that’s not all, Marston taught at American University and Tufts University,  and worked for time for Universal Studios, but he is perhaps best know for a comic book character he created under the pen name Charles Moulton.  Yes the grandfather of the modern DISC assessment is also the father of Wonder Woman!  It was Marston’s work as a psychologist and the influence of his wife Elizabeth that led him to present the Wonder Woman idea to comic book publisher, Max Gaines.

Marston passed away in 1947 after living a relatively short, but creative life. His theories and inventions have been influential in the fields of psychology, law enforcement, popular culture and of course, we here at Data Dome are grateful for his contributions that led to the development of today’s practical and insightful DISC assessments.

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Happy Holidays!

Well hopefully by now you’ve done your holiday shopping and are ready to relax and enjoy the rest of the season. While you were out there roaming the malls and the big box retail stores (assuming you didn’t do all your shopping online this year) you may have noticed some classic DISC behavioral styles during your people-watching…

Did you spot the Highest D in the crowd? The assertive High D will move powerfully through the crowd. Practically knocking people over! They are efficient shoppers: in, out, done. If the whole scene is too frustrating and anger-producing (crowds, waiting in line, traffic and parking), they may simply delegate the shopping to someone else. The actual gifts the High D buys might just be to address a bottom-line productivity improvement for the recipient or they might simply take the efficient route and give gift certificates.

How about the Highest I? For the High I, shopping is an event. Like a kid in a candy shop, the High I gets excited about the experience of being out and about and shopping. While you were taking a break at the food court you may have seen them holding forth in an animated way near a glittering display. They probably met friends for coffee or snacks to make an occasion of the shopping expedition. If you’re a salesperson watch for the High I – a high I might get frustrated if you don’t give enough attention. The High I will also often buy from emotion, so that extra attention might lead them to buy more than they should. High I’s may accidentally buy more than one gift for some people, and forget to get gifts for others. They may buy gifts they like themselves, assuming that the recipients will like them too. There will be impulse buys, and trendy (even risky) selections. The gifts may be chosen out of shared experiences, and to provide experiences: party and hospitality gear, bed and bath, candles and music.

Did the Highest S get lost in the crowd? You might not see them if the mall is really busy. They certainly don’t like being caught in a last-minute rush. In fact by now all of their shopping is probably done – of course, the High S may have started picking out holiday presents in July! The High S at the mall can be found at the same trusted stores they habitually frequent. The gifts they choose will be solid, reliable favorites, not risky or trendy in any way. High S’s may well prefer to stay home and make personalized gifts, or bake holiday treats for family and friends.

And what about the Highest C? If you saw them at the mall they were likely to be doing research and comparison shopping for purchases that they were then going to make online so they will be sure they are getting both the highest quality and the lowest price. If they are purchasing at the mall (rather than online), it will be in the specialty shops. If they go to a department store, you’ll see them reading labels and decoding the actual terms of the sales coupon. If they engage a salesperson it will be to inquire about scheduling shipping, the details of the return policy or other factual information. High C’s might get bogged down in the details of weighing the relative merits of the mail-in rebate versus the instant rebate, the cost of the warranty versus the percentage of likely future repairs.

Don’t forget these are just the Highs – the Low D, I, S, and C are out there too, and most people aren’t just “one note” – any of the D, I, S or C factors can resonate with another as a behavioral cluster in the same person, but this “broad-strokes” exercise might help you to appreciate (and adapt to) the differences among us as we all prepare for holiday occasions.

Best wishes for the holidays from Art and the Data Dome team!

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Data Dome and Alignment at Work, Inc. are starting the new year right with the return of our popular Align to Thrive workshop.

This workshop, which will be held on January 18th, will show you strategies designed to strengthen businesses and increase profitability… despite the uncertainty of economic and market conditions.

Organizational Alignment is an empowering concept for realizing full business potential. An aligned organization is a fine-tuned machine driving forward with focus, discipline and responsiveness to customer values.

In this workshop, through theory and practical application, you will learn new tools to measure and achieve organizational alignment. Simple, intuitive and quantitative measurements can show you how well your organization is aligned to your customers? and employees? constantly changing needs. This is the vital data needed to make the critical decisions for success.

You can find more detailed information and request your seat by visiting http://www.datadome.com/align2thrive.php or calling 404-814-0739.

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Often when discussing DISC people will fall into the habit of just focusing on the higher marks in the DISC spectrum of behaviors.  We talk about the forcefulness of the high D or how the person who scores a high S craves stability.  These are useful examples and provide a convenient shorthand for discussing DISC behaviors in general, however there is a risk of oversimplifying the sophisticated assessment ability of the DISC concept.

When it comes to an individual’s DISC chart  each attribute is important and it may very well be your lowest measure in one of the four areas of Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, and Conscientiousness that is most strongly impacting your patterns of behavior. A person with an extremely low I may appear to be withdrawn and aloof while the low C can be careless about details, even rebellious.

It is easy to think about a DISC chart as a scorecard, but unlike in other fields, a higher “score” in any given DISC column is not necessarily better. The high measure and the low one and the two that fall in between are all important keys to understanding the behavioral styles of an individual. Get to know your low D, I, S, or C and you’ll be on your way to a deeper understanding of your behavioral tendencies.

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Data Dome and Alignment at Work, Inc. are squeezing in one more Align to Thrive workshop before the end of the year.

This workshop, which will be held on December 17th, will show you strategies designed to strengthen businesses and increase profitability… despite the uncertainty of economic and market conditions.

Organizational Alignment is an empowering concept for realizing full business potential. An aligned organization is a fine-tuned machine driving forward with focus, discipline and responsiveness to customer values.

In this workshop, through theory and practical application, you will learn new tools to measure and achieve organizational alignment. Simple, intuitive and quantitative measurements can show you how well your organization is aligned to your customers? and employees? constantly changing needs. This is the vital data needed to make the critical decisions for success.

You can find more detailed information and request your seat by visiting http://www.datadome.com/align2thrive.php or calling 404-814-0739.

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Behavioral style, that is.

Here’s a little holiday fun – a look at Thanksgiving from each of the DISC categories.

D Style

For high D’s, Thanksgiving is a time to catch up. They never get enough done anyway, so good time to have a short dinner and go on to accomplish other things. Typically, they plan at the last minute – guests, shopping, etc. – and with goals in mind – personal and/or business. Often, when they realize there is not time enough to properly make dinner, they will go out/take everyone to a restaurant.

If they do attempt to make it themselves, better get out of the kitchen. No rules here! The high D goes with whatever looks fast and efficient. Something will probably fall through the cracks, so be prepared to scramble to compensate (run to the store). Once dinner is over, it is over. They will not want to clean up, as they already did all the work/mess. What’s next to do/conquer?

I Style

High I’s look at Thanksgiving as a great opportunity to party. Everything is exciting this time of year, from shopping, to preparing, to the party itself. And everyone must have a good time! They love to decorate for the party and to invite as many friends, family and neighbors as they can seat, especially anyone who may be alone (their worst fear)! If there are too many, they may ask to go pot-luck – everyone bring their favorite _____! And expect creative fun – putting certain people with others, icebreakers to get strangers to converse, anything and everything to keep everyone happy and talking. Often I’s realize that around the holiday is a good time to catch up on work, as all those distracting conversations that always prevent accomplishing things are now impossible, as everyone else is on vacation. Amazing how much more gets done with no one to talk to!!

S Style

High S’s like to be well prepared, with no surprises. They will start preparing well in advance, with lots of home-made items – not the quick off-the-shelf stuff! They will prepare foods they know everyone in the family will like – from family traditions to special dishes for those with special tastes/needs. Try something different? Only if somebody new is coming and they may like something else – better be prepared! The S will drive to grandma’s house using the same route every year. Like the high I, Thanksgiving Day is not a time to be alone, often friends will act as the substitute family. To the high S, making everyone feel comfortable and relaxed is a major focus. They may even have home-made treats for pets to take home, and they probably know everyone’s family members (and pets) by name.

C Style

High C’s are quite a bit different, not necessarily appreciating large gatherings. Quality is more important, both in people and food. They may eat out at a nice place with just a few close friends or family. If they do prepare dinner themselves, they will probably prepare from exact recipes. They will require exactly the right shopping ingredients. They may even send out invitations that require an RSVP. The event itself is typically more formal, from places to sit to décor (and rarely much in leftovers). Be careful if you ask a C how they prepared a particular dish. You will get not only more detail than you ever could imagine, you will also get everything else from prices to the best stores to buy from to seasonal influences, etc. Be careful if you criticize a C – you may get an explanation of why you are not exactly right. And if you offer to help clean up, you better be good at it (i.e. immaculate).

Did you recognize yourself? Or maybe a relative? Whatever your behavioral profile we here at Data Dome wish you and your family a safe and fun Thanksgiving holiday!

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In response to the current climate we’ve put together a new series to help you align yourself with the right career path.  These workshops will give you the tools to help you decide if you should pursue a corporate career and which one, or if you are better suited to entrepreneurship and what paths you might take there.

In addition to the group sessions, each participant will be eligible for a free one-on-one consultation with TTI Trainer of the Year, Arthur Schoeck.

Three workshops that build on each other:

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