DiSC General Characteristics Training Modules

The DiSC General Characteristics modules below outline possible training formats for various topics using the DiSC General Characteristics Report (PPSS).  Also included are recommendations for supplemental materials from Inscape Publishing.

DiSC General Characteristics Training Modules

• Understanding and Managing Your DiSC Style
• Understanding and Responding to Others
• Persuading and Infuencing Others
• Managing Others
• Maximizing Your Performance
• Improving Personal and Team Productivity
• Recruiting and Interviewing
• Coaching
• Mentoring
• Managing Performance
• Conflict Management

Understanding & Managing Your DiSC Style
Materials	DiSC Training Content
DiSC® General Characteristics Report Everything DiSC® DVD - “Pure Styles”	Overview of behavioral style Understanding Differences The DiSC® Model Review DiSC General Characteristics Report (PPSS) View and discuss Everything DiSC DVD vignettes “Pure Styles” Goals/Motivators Fears/Demotivators Preferred Environment Behaviors in Conflict Understanding your behavioral style Motivating Factors Preferred Environment Tends to Avoid Strategies for Increased Effectiveness Demotivating Factors Behavior in Conflict Create Self-Management Action Plan Use PPSS worksheet Discuss with partner Review “Strategies for Managing” or “Strategies for Creating a Positive Relationship” Select two items from each category Discuss with a partner Create action plan using the worksheet

Understanding and Responding to Others
Materials	DiSC Training Content
DiSC People-Reading Cards DiSC General Characteristics Report (PPSS) Strategies for Creating a Positive Relationship Sub-Report	Understanding Adaptability Difference between Adaptability and Flexibility How adaptability and flexibility interact to shape our behavior Reading and Recognizing the DiSC Styles of others Use DiSC People-Reading Cards to identify and discuss styles observed in video Everything DiSC Video vignettes Communication Strengths People You Prefer to work with Resolving Conflict Processing Information from new People Receiving Negative Information DiSC General Characteristics - “Strategies for Managing” small group discussion Select two items from each category that work best when relating to you Discuss with group (or partner) Use DiSC People-Reading Cards to create Action Plan for understanding and responding to a specific person Identify style of the person Select strategies for: Creating a Positive Relationship Communicating Resolving Conflict Review plan with partner Role play plan (optional)

Persuading and Influencing Others
Materials	DiSC Training Content
DiSC General Characteristics Report (PPSS) How to Create a Positive Relationship Sub-Report Relating to People and the Environment Sub-Report Your Natural Approach to the Selling Process Sub-Report Everything DiSC DVD DiSC People-Reading Cards DiSC Sales Action Planner	Understanding Adaptability Difference between Adaptability and Flexibility How adaptability and flexibility interact to shape our behavior DiSC General Characteristics - Strategies for Creating a Positive Relationship report review and discussion Effective Communication video vignettes Observe and discuss 4 “wrong way” vignettes using People-Reading Card to identify styles and behavioral strategies Observe and discuss 4 “right way” vignettes using People-Reading Card to identify styles and behavioral strategies Understanding your influencing style Use information from the PPSS reports: Relating to People and the Environment Approach to the Selling Create an Action Plan for managing your Persuading and Influencing Style Use PPSS worksheets Review and discuss with partner Using the DiSC Sales Action Planner to adapt to the needs of the person Identify someone you would like to persuade or influence Create an Action Plan using the Sales Action Planner Discuss/Role Play your Plan with a partner

Managing Others
Materials	DiSC Training Content
Everything DiSC DVD DiSC General Characteristics Report (PPSS) How This Person Tends to Manage Sub-Report Strategies for Managing This Person Sub-Report DiSC Management Action Planner	Overview DiSC managing others approach: A manager is someone who works with and through others to achieve results regardless of whether they have the title “manager”. We are perceived as being effective in managing others when we do what they need us to do, how they need us to do it. There is not just one way to perform the management skills of:  Communicating Correcting Counseling Delegating Developing Motivating Solving Problems Making Decisions Observe and discuss style strengths and limitations in DiSC Video Vignette—Team Meeting Approach to Managing Others small group discussion Select two items from each category that work best for you when managing others Discuss with group (or partner) Managing Others Using Management Skills based on DiSC Style Using Management Action Planner to observe and discuss how the manager adapts to the style needs of each person Video Vignettes Kirby with James Kirby with Steve Kirby with Doug Kirby with Jeannie Create an Action Plan for maximizing your Managing Others style using the worksheets from the DiSC PPSS report (How You Manage) Use the DiSC Management Action Planner to create an Action Plan for managing a specific person

Maximizing Your Performance
Materials	DiSC Training Content
DiSC General Characteristics Report DiSC Role Behavior Analysis   DiSC General Characteristics (PPSS) / Role Behavior Analysis (RBA) Comparison   Work Expectations Profile	Understanding Your Goals and Motivators PPSS report “Motivating Factors” and “Preferred Environment” Create action strategies for increasing the number of natural motivators you have in your work environment using PPSS worksheet Understanding Your Demotivators PPSS Report “Tends to Avoid” and “Demotivators” Create action strategies for reducing the number of natural demotivators you have in your work environment using PPSS worksheet Create a Self-Management Action Plan using the worksheet from the PPSS report Understanding your Role Understanding role-based behavior Define the roles that comprise your position Assess priority of roles, time spent and comfort Select role on which to focus Respond to Role Behavior Analysis (RBA) Create a consensus RBA for your role (where possible) RBA/PPS Comparison report identifies Role Fit Behaviors that are Good Fits Behaviors that require “stretching” to meet the needs of the role Behaviors that require “redirecting” to meet the needs of the role Use Performance Coaching questions from PPS/RBA Comparison Report to create an Action Plan for managing the behavioral expectations of your role Understanding what you value at work Work Expectations Profile Identify what your key work expectations are Identify the degree to which they are currently being met and on what expectation you need to take action

Improving Personal and Team Productivity
Materials	DiSC Training Content
DiSC Team Building Reports DiSC Role Behavior Analysis (RBA) Time Mastery Profile DiSC General Characteristics Report How This Person Relates to People and Their Environment Sub-Report	Understanding your Team Styles  PPSS Team Building Reports (15 People comparison) Team Graph Team Behavioral Tendency Continuum Using the Behavioral Tendency Continuum Identify the behaviors most likely to enhance team performance Identify the behaviors most likely to have a negative impact on Team performance Create a team action plan for improving team effectiveness Understanding the role of Team Member Use the Role Behavior Analysis (RBA) to create consensus Role Behavior Analysis (RBA) for the role of team member Use PPS/RBA Comparison Performance Coaching Questions to identify areas of “good fit”, “stretches”,“redirects” for each team member Create action plan for increasing role fit using worksheet from PPS/RBA Comparison Personal and Team Time Management Identifying your personal “Time Wasters” using Time Mastery profile and the Time Management section from the PPSS report Develop action strategies for increasing personal time effectiveness Create personal action plan Identifying Your Team “Time Wasters” Strategies for team time effectiveness Create a team time mastery action plan

Recruiting and Interviewing
Materials	DiSC Training Content
DiSC PPSS Role Behavior Analysis (RBA) DiSC General Characteristics Report / Role Behavior Analysis Comparison	Discuss and define Key Criteria for the Position List key criteria for the position Identify which the criteria are Skills, Knowledge or Style/Strength Determine the Performance Priority of each criteria Must have Nice to have  Add key criteria to job description Identify the roles that comprise the position Determine priority of each role in the position Determine what are must have “role fits” at time of hiring Determine the roles where job fit can be developed over time Using the Role Behavior Analysis (RBA) to define behavioral expectations for roles Create Consensus Role Behavior Analysis (RBA) for the roles in the position Come to agreement on behavioral expectations foreach role Add behavioral expectations to job description Create Behavioral Interviewing Questions Using the PPS/RBA Comparison Performance Coaching Questions to create specific questions for role fit Create questions for other key criteria (skills and knowledge) Use PPS/RBA Comparison to identify and discuss potential development needs for candidates Identify “Good Fits” Identify “Stretches” Identify “Redirects” Create PPS/RBA Development plan using worksheet Identify which “stretch” or “redirect” behaviors need training, coaching or mentoring Define resources available for developing each identified behavior

Coaching
Materials	DiSC Training Content
DiSC General Characteristics Report Strategies for Managing Sub-Report	Overview of Coaching  Definition Benefits Challenges Using a structured process to maximize coaching effectiveness Prepare Open discussion and state problem Solicit perceptions from Coachee Request solutions from Coachee Agree on solution and implementation plan Set time and date for review Follow-up and review performance results Key Skills for effective coaching Identifying and describing specific behaviors Questioning techniques Listening techniques Adapting coaching techniques to behavioral style Communicating style Giving Feedback Counseling Problem-solving Decision-making Preparing for the discussion using DiSC General Characteristics Report (PPSS) “Strategies for Managing” Create a Coaching Action Plan Review plan with partner Role Play Action Plan

Mentoring
Materials	DiSC Training Content
DiSC General Characteristics Report Strategies for Managing Sub-Report	Overview of Mentoring Definition Difference between mentoring and coaching Benefits Challenges  Key Skills for effective mentoring Identifying development needs Questioning techniques Listening techniques Adapting mentoring techniques to behavioral style Communicating style Developing Problem-solving Decision-making Mentoring Case studies Preparing for the discussion using DiSC General Characteristics Report (PPSS) “Strategies for Managing” Create a Mentoring Action Plan Review plan with partner Role Play Action Plan

Managing Performance
Materials	DiSC Training Content
DiSC General Characteristics Report (PPSS) Strategies for Managing Sub-Report Everything DiSC DVD DiSC Managing Performance Action Planner	Understanding how willingness and ability affect performance Assessing Performance level Define and describe a performance need using specific behavioral description Assess Skill level Assess Willingness level Select Management Approach based on specific development need Directive Supportive Combination Empowerment Adapting Management Approach to Style Identify the person’s style Select strategy based on combination of development need and style Video Case Studies ED DVD Team Meeting Vignettes Determine development need based on assessment of ability and willingness Select strategy based on development need and style using Managing Performance Action Planner Written case studies Determine development need based on assessment of ability and willingness Select strategy based on development need and style using Managing Performance Action Planner Managing Performance Action Plan Determine development need based on assessment of ability and willingness Select strategy based on development need and style using Managing Performance Action Planner Create and Action Plan and review with partner Role play Action Plan

Conflict Management
Materials	DiSC Training Content
DiSC General Characteristics Report Everything DiSC DVD DiSC People-Reading Cards	Understanding how you handle conflict PPSS Report General Characteristics Understanding how others handle conflict DiSC Video vignettes People Reading card  Conflict Resolution techniques Dealing with aggressive behavior Dealing with nonassertive behavior Assertive techniques Fogging Negative Assertion Negative Inquiry Creating a workable solution Developing specific conflict resolution techniques for specific behavioral styles Techniques for dealing with people with a Dominance style Techniques for dealing with people with an Influencing style Techniques for dealing with people with a Steadiness style Techniques for dealing with people with a Conscientiousness style Developing conflict resolution strategies for specific people Use PPSS Report “Strategies for creating a Positive relationship” People Reading Card Create a Conflict Management Action Plan

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