Enhancing Personal Communication

John (not his real name) is a Sales Manager with a sales budget of approximately $5 million. Relationships between John and his colleagues were difficult and many considered him a little arrogant and distant. Feedback from customers was negative and they openly told other team members that they did not enjoy dealing with him.

As a result of customers’ comments, the CEO of the organisation decided that they needed to take some action to diffuse customers’ complaints and so he transferred John as Sales Manager to another area. However there was no improvement in the feedback from his new customers and the CEO decided that he had to take more drastic action. He told John that he needed to do something about his attitude or face the real possibility of being transferred yet again to a position involving less customer contact and less responsibility.

It transpired that John completed the on-line questionnaire to obtain an Extended DISC® Personal Analysis Report. The behavioural style detailed in the resulting report revealed that John was 100% “D” (dominant) in his unconscious behavioural style. A couple of hours was spent with John to help him to better understand himself and explain how he needed to change his communication style. John then began to understand that his strong decisive and controlling style irritated and even threatened other people.

A month or so later, the CEO of the business felt John seemed to be changing his style and he decided to look further into Extended DISC. The firm conducted an Extended DISC® 360° and the results of the 360° Assessment confirmed that John's workmates felt that he should develop a more social and friendly attitude.

John made a decision to work hard on changing his conscious behaviour and everyone began to notice the difference in his communication style. He found that by taking notice of his personal analysis report and the 360° feedback he had noticed a remarkable change in his relationship with customers and his workmates. He now understood the enormous impact that this change in behavioural style was having on his life. Suddenly he found he was enjoying his job and the increase in sales generated through the change in attitude impressed the CEO.

The company now uses Extended DISC® as part of its recruitment process and besides using the 360° Assessment and Job Analysis, has recently conducted an Extended DISC® Team Analysis.

John continues to develop and become more productive without losing the natural strengths of his “D” style.

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