Data Dome Blog: News and Events

Data Dome has created our very own LinkedIn group for alumni of our Advanced Experiential DISC Behavioral Certification class.

Over the years Art Schoeck has trained some of the best and brightest in the industry and we wanted to provide a forum for this elite community to share experiences, create dialogue around areas of professional interest, and work towards mutual growth in our understanding and application of DISC behavioral insights.

We’ve also created a reciprocal page on this website that we hope you will bookmark: http://datadome.com/linkedingroup.php. Here we will gather information relevant to our community and announce continuing education, refresher courses, tips and other resources relevant to our alumni.

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Well after a lot of hype and anticipation the iPad a.k.a. the “game changer” hit the market and love it or loathe it, Steve Jobs’ new vision for how we interact with computers is making its mark on our culture. Apps are already appearing in abundance and legions of users are taking the plunge with the new device, including our old friends the High D, High I, High S and High C…

The High D was the first in town to get the iPad, but he didn’t wait in line – that’s what assistants are for, right? He wanted THE BEST model, but when his assistant called from the store to ask which configuration to buy he lost patience and just barked at the assistant to “get the job done and get back to work”. First app loaded: Dragon Dictation.

The High I was shopping at the mall the day the iPads came out, but she didn’t know it ahead of time. She just got there and saw a big line outside the store and struck up a conversation with some of the folks in the line. Before long she knew half the line by first name and was having such a good time she ended up at the counter before she realized it – and she just HAD TO show it to her co-workers so she bought it on impulse. Then spent the rest of the day touring the office so all her friends could see it. First app loaded: Facebook.

The High S is just getting comfortable with his desktop and is worried that the office IT department is going to switch him to a laptop, which would mean taking away the desktop computer. He wouldn’t say no of course because he wouldn’t want to upset the technician, but he has no idea how he would be able to get any work done on the new machine, and where would he put his sticky notes? When a friend showed him an iPad he was upset to see him touch the screen – you’re not supposed to touch computer screens, right? First app loaded: N/A, still using Lotus Notes.

The High C pre-ordered her iPad. She read up on the lines that formed when the iPhone was released and used the data to plan a meticulous schedule for an efficient pick-up the day her iPad arrived. She was originally going to pass on the iPad because a line-by-line comparison of specs with several tablet computers and netbooks revealed missing features. In the end her spread-sheet analysis of increased productivity due to the extended battery life won her over to make the purchase. First app loaded: Project Planner.

DISC behavior is seldom this polarized around a single behavioral style, but we hope you found this to be an amusing and informative speculation. Part of the remarkable value of DISC is that understanding a person’s profile can help anticipate behaviors even when someone is shopping for Apple’s hot new gadget!

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It’s that time of year – we’re just a few days away from April 15th, let’s have a little fun and take a look at how our classic DISC behavioral profiles are handling tax season:

The High D – Just called the accountant, doesn’t understand why she can’t drop everything to work on his filing RIGHT NOW. Gave his receipts to an assistant with orders to organize them and deliver them to the accountant.

The High I – Is chatting with all the friends made at their CPA’s office. It’s the third trip there because of forgetting to bring receipts and 1099 forms.

The High S – Finished filing last month like they always do. Was very upset two years ago when their trusted tax accountant retired and they had to start with someone new. Will take a vacation this year with their return just like they have for the last ten years in a row.

The High C – Hasn’t missed a deduction in 20 years. Always files the long form. Thinks popular tax software cuts too many corners. Receipts are neatly filed and cross-indexed by alphabet, date, and project code.

We hope you enjoyed this lighthearted look at how various behaviors measured by DISC might be expressed during tax season. Hopefully you’re all set for Thursday, and as they say… Many happy returns!

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Sometimes around the office we find that people are “reaching their limit” or “at the breaking point”, but we don’t know why or how things got so out of control. Understanding the impact of various situations and how they relate to differing behavioral styles can help you to better understand your coworkers and perhaps recognize and avoid repeating patterns that in the past were inadvertently causing stress levels to rise.

Previously, as part of our “World According to DISC” series we discussed ways in which one can “stress out” a classic High D, High I, High S and High C (The World According to DISC™: How We Stress Someone Out in Style). But what if someone’s most telling category is one in which they score significantly low instead of high?

How to stress out a Low D:
Tell them that they have to “step up and take the reins”. Put them in charge of a team. Let them know that everyone is counting on them to the lead the way.

How to stress out a Low I:
Ask them to cheer up a co-worker or plan an office party. Give them a big enthusiastic pep talk. Give them projects that involve lots of team interaction. Ask them to drum up enthusiasm for a new initiative among the staff.

How to stress out a Low S:
Force them to work a highly repetitive task. Ask them to work a rigid checklist of activity. Make them wait for extended periods. Demand multiple layers of process and approval for very action.

How to stress out a Low C:
Put them on a quality initiative. Tell them that every fact must be rigorously checked and documented. Ask them to provide detailed annotations. Request that they adhere strictly to the facts and avoid injecting opinion.

Behave Responsibly
We certainly don’t advocate setting out to “stress out” your coworkers, but what we hope is that you will find these examples helpful in recognizing that sometimes, without meaning to, we can say or suggest the wrong thing in the wrong way and end up adding significantly to our coworker’s stress levels.

DISC profiles are powerful allies in learning how to adjust your communication and management style to meet the needs of your employees. Without taking the time to learn the styles and how best to communicate to each, it is too easy to find yourself bringing anxiety and stress when you thought you were bringing solutions.

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Art Schoeck was recently asked the following question via our Ask the Expert form:

“On the page that describes the two DISC charts, why are both the most (Adaptive) and least (Natural) scores presented? With today’s culture it seems to me that Most and Least really do not apply, especially with many people working from home, and other cultural issues blurring the line between home and work. Wouldn’t it be less confusing if only one score was presented?”

Art’s answer:

Actually for the very reasons you state it is more vital than ever to examine what adjustments individuals are making to survive/excel in this environment.

Although the two graphs may at first seem like a lot of information to take in, once you get comfortable reading the graphs you realize how useful they are in understanding any changes in behavior that are being caused by the demands of the environment – critical observations that provide important insights into everything from job placement and team fit to strategies for communication and remediation of undesirable behaviors.

These are hectic times that have changed the boundaries of the workplace, but working from home is still work and as such can require activities and modes of communication that are not necessarily part of our natural style. Analyzing our adaptive behaviors is required to see if the person assessed is adjusting as efficiently and appropriately as necessary to be successful, especially if the person does not have a boss and is having to self-manage. These critical comparisons could be severely hindered without the handy reference of both Adaptive and Natural behavioral profiles.

What’s your question?

Data Dome founder, Art Schoeck, often receives questions through our Ask the Expert form. We try to answer questions here on this blog that are representative of common questions regarding DISC and other assessment tools.

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Originally broadcast in 2007, Art Schoeck, founder and CEO of Data Dome, Inc., was interviewed by Jeff Davis on Business Radio 1160′s “Atlanta’s Business,” a half-hour show that focuses on the movers and shakers of Atlanta’s business community.

Host Jeff Davis and Schoeck discussed the topic “The Three Worst Hiring Mistakes and How to Avoid Them” during the show that aired in early April. Schoeck is an expert on employee assessments and behavioral style strategies for the workplace.

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Originally aired in 2007, this podcast features our founder, Art Schoeck, interviewed by Jeff Davis on “Atlanta’s Business.” for Business Radio 1160, WCFO, JW Broadcasting.

Art discusses behavioral style assessments and their usefulness in the workplace with host, Jeff Davis.

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Here at Data Dome we talk a lot about behavioral styles and how DISC can be used to measure both natural and adapted behaviors, but it is important to remember that behaviors alone are only part of the story. Examining values and motivators are essential for understanding an employee and for creating harmonious and productive work environments. One of the original thinkers in the area of values and motivators was the German philosopher and psychologist, Eduard Spranger.

In his book, Types of Men (1914), Spranger put forth his major contribution to personality theory; what he called value attitudes:

• The Theoretical whose dominant interest is the discovery of truth
• The Economic who is interested in what is useful
• The Aesthetic whose highest value is form and harmony
• The Social whose highest value is love of people
• The Political whose interest is primarily in power
• The Religious whose highest value is unity

Later, TTI founder, Bill Bonnstetter, changed the names of three of Spranger’s six attitudes:

• Economic became Utilitarian
• Political became Individualistic
• Religious became Traditional

These updated names are now a familiar part of the tools we use today.

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Art Schoeck recently presented to a gathering of leaders at the exclusive CEO Central 60 organized by the Georgia Center for Non-profits. The prestigious gathering included top executives from several companies including Covenant House Georgia, Southern Arts Federation, Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation, Athens Community Council on Aging Atlanta, Atlanta Youth Academies, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Atlanta, CETPA, Inc., Must Ministries, Operation Homefront Georgia, The Salvation Army, Arthritis Foundation Georgia Chapter, Gateway Center, Project GRAD Atlanta, Inc, Butler Street YMCA, Open Hand Atlanta, and Enrichment Services Program, Inc.

CEO CENTRAL 60 is designed for an elite group of 20-30 top executives who are proven nonprofit leaders. Participants typically come from organizations with annual revenues of $5 – $100 million and have substantial work experience at the senior level.

About Georgia Center for Nonprofits
The Georgia Center for Nonprofits is Georgia’s association for nonprofit, charitable organizations. Our mission is to serve, strengthen and support Georgia’s nonprofit community. The Center advocates to improve the environment in which nonprofits work and helps nonprofits manage better by offering information, training, consulting and nonprofit jobs services.

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Later this month, Behavioral Style Strategist and President of Data Dome, Inc. Art Schoeck, will once again be bringing his expertise to the Scarlett Leadership Institute’s Signature Executive retreat. Participants will receive advanced training in leadership applications and strategies using the insights of DISC behavioral style analysis. Attendees include executives from HCA, LP Bldg Products, Tristar Energy, Brisgestone Americas, HealthSpring and Ingram Barge amongst others.

About the Signature Executive Program
The Scarlett Leadership Institute, located at Belmont University in Nashville Tennessee, hosts the Signature Executive Program, which offers a unique and engaging means of transferring leadership experience to the next generation of business leaders. Open only to high potential individuals nominated by senior leadership in their organizations, the Institute brings together world-class business minds from Fortune 500 companies and successful leading-edge organizations to interact with a selected class of participants. This “for-leaders by-leaders” executive education program was designed by leading business minds to develop the people and talent they most need to support the continued success of their organizations. It offers a unique opportunity because it asks for a unique commitment: a written pledge from both the participating individual and a senior on-the-job mentor in the sponsoring organization.

Last year’s participants were asked to complete an evaluation – many indicated that Art Schoeck’s seminar was their favorite piece in this exclusive and sought-after week-long leadership program.

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