Steps for Reaching Your Highest Potential

Knowing now that overused strengths become liabilities, the key to personal growth lies not in fixing weaknesses, but rather in toning down the overuse of our strengths. As the Oracle at Delphi noted 2,500 years ago, “Everything in moderation.”

The same holds true with DISC. Toning down your predominant style allows your underused styles to emerge. The following strategies will help you minimize the overuse of your style and actually tap into your less-used styles.

Those with a strong Dominant style may need to tone down

• Directness—D’s have a thin filter between thinking and speaking. This leads to directness that can be perceived as blunt insensitivity. Ask more questions and soften your tone.

• Fast pace—When D’s are too hasty, they can make poor decisions and become reckless. Slow down and process your thoughts.

• Reactive nature—In a crisis, D’s can save the day with their quick thinking and reactive nature. However, everything is not an emergency. Exercise patience and anticipate how your words or decisions might impact others.

• Drive—An intense drive for results enables D’s to achieve great things. It can also lead to high levels of personal stress. Take time to relax and enjoy the fruits of your labor.

• Ego—Confidence is a good thing, but when overused, it comes across as arrogance. Your unwavering conviction can shut down the ideas of others, especially if your mind is already made up. Recognize the abilities and contributions of others.

• Powerful stature—D’s embody power and authority, but in overuse, this can be intimidating, preventing the best idea from emerging. Be aware of your body language. Smile and make eye contact.

• Seeking Authority—D’s like to be directive, but this can limit opportunities for others, creating dependencies instead of multiplying the capabilities of teammates. Allow others to take the lead, delegate more, and share in decision making.

• Risk-taking—D’s take big risks to get big rewards. Sometimes the most effective approach is a tried-and-true method. You don’t always have to reinvent the wheel.

Those with a strong Interactive style may need to tone down

• Talkativeness—If there’s one behavior that truly characterizes the I style, it’s the tendency to talk...a lot. And when other people are speaking, I’s are likely thinking about what they’re going to say next. Ask more questions and show more interest in what others have to say.

• Optimism—The I’s tendency to see the best in everyone and everything can lead to unrealistic expectations. Develop the objectivity to view things as they are, not as you want them to be.

• Spontaneity—I’s enjoy living in the moment. Sometimes, this results in a lack of planning and thinking things through. Consider several options before acting.

• Multitasking—I’s desire variety and stimulation. This can lead to working on too many things at once, such as checking email while talking on the phone. Complete one task before starting another one.

• Casualness—I’s enjoy building relationships. Consequently, they can come across as too friendly in formal situations. Recognize that certain environments require a more professional demeanor.

• Enthusiasm—I’s exude positive energy and excitement for everything they do. Their bubbly nature can annoy others who want to see results, focus on details, or prefer a more tranquil, or serious, environment. Stay focused on the task, not just the idea of the task.

• Unstructured approach—I’s seek freedom from constraints, as this allows their creativity to flow in new directions. However, their nonconformity can stray too far from accepted norms and lead them to break the rules. Recognize the importance of following established procedures.

• Big-picture thinking—The ability to see the forest from the trees enables I’s to generate innovative solutions to problems. Yet this visionary focus can lead to overlooking key details and making mistakes. Take time to consider all of the facts before making decisions.

Those with a strong Supportive style may need to tone down

• Harmony—S’s thrive in settings that are free of conflict and discontent. They can shy away from potential disagreements that could lead to innovation, better results, or higher levels of trust. Purposefully engage in candid conversations that address your concerns.

• Laid-back nature—S’s tend to go with the flow, so as not to make waves. And while they may have strong opinions, they may not voice them. Thus, S’s can appear unsure or indifferent. Speak up and stand up for what you believe in.

• Steadiness—S’s seek to maintain the status quo. This can lead to a lack of innovation and an aversion to change. Go beyond the norm by trying new things and experimenting with different approaches.

• Accommodation—S’s want to please others and thus find it difficult to say no. Assert and respect your own priorities.

• Self-sufficiency—While S’s are great team players, they often take on too much work, as they don’t want to impose on others. Delegate if your plate is full.

• Followership—S’s don’t often gravitate to roles of authority. If you feel passionately about a cause or project, take control and lead.

• Security—S’s tend to go with what’s tried and true. Try new things, even if you’re a little scared.

• Methodical nature—S’s tend to work within pre-established procedures. Their step-by-step approach can make it difficult to deal with the unexpected. Be ready and willing to act without a plan.

Those with a strong Conscientious style may need to tone down

• Logic—C’s need tangible verification before making a decision. But sometimes decisions must be made without all the facts. Trust your instincts, even when lacking all of the data to back you up.

• Criticalness—C’s have high standards. When applied to people, this can lead to judgment and a lack of acceptance. Establish realistic expectations for the work of others.

• Perfectionism—The desire for accuracy enables C’s to engineer quality results. However, perfection is time-consuming and can lead to ideal plans with little or no action analysis. Seek excellence not perfection and accept that in some situations, good enough may well be...good enough.

• Planning—Instead of trying to orchestrate everything with perfect plans, let it go and see what happens.

• Sarcasm—C’s tend to be uncomfortable with interpersonal conflict. When situations get emotionally charged, they tend to use sarcasm to indirectly raise concerns and mask attacks with humor. Address concerns directly with others.

• Rationality—C’s respond to situations from the head rather than the heart. They focus on facts and disregard that others are driven by emotions and intuition. Recognize that decisions aren’t just about logic, and some people do things just because it “feels” right.

• Self-reliance—C’s set high standards and follow processes. Sometimes, their standards are so high and the processes are so complicated that they themselves are the only ones who can complete the task. Recognize that there may be more than one way to solve a problem, and tap into the strengths of others.

• Pride—C’s take great pride in their work. This can cause them to associate the quality of what they do with their self-worth. Accept yourself for who you are rather than what you do.