Unlock The Power In You And Accelerate Your Business and Career With Positive Communications.
Intuitive Leadership® encompasses all aspects of the person who chooses to lead others. This person knows the importance of unlocking their inner business wisdom to master change quickly, tune in, listen on many levels, and work with this information in a practical, logical and emotional manner. This skill allows the Intuitive Leader to effectively and positively guide and lead others well.
These leaders understand that success is a daily function, and small steps are equally as important as big ones. They also understand that profit revolves around people – human capital. When we invest in leadership, professional development, and understand our own inner workings, we can then positively influence our teams, co-workers and employees to grow and thrive in business and life because what drives us on the inside, organically shows on the outside.
Intuitive Leaders know that we each communicate in our own language based on nonverbal communication, tone of voice, and words. The Intuitive Leader knows that understanding their own communication preferences offers insights that helps them to become clearer on their own strengths and challenges, and how they influence and communicate with others, negatively or positively, to be heard and understood. Learning how to communicate well offers opportunities for positive workplace growth and performance.
My preferred tool for teaching leaders how to communicate well is called DISC. I integrate the DISC assessment with Emotional Intelligence and Strength Identification profiles to create a comprehensive leadership report. This report is further enhanced with training and coaching on words and phrases that influence or impede positive results.
DISC is a behavior assessment tool based on theories developed by lawyer and psychologist, William Moulton Marston. He contributed to creating the first polygraph test, authored self-help books, and with his wife, Elizabeth Holloway Marston, created one of my favorite characters: Wonder Woman.
Marston studied human emotions and published his findings in his 1928 book, Emotions of Normal People, where he introduced the theory of people using four behavior types to show their emotions. He called these types Dominance (D), Inducement (I), Submission (S), and Compliance (C). Industrial psychologists Walter Clarke, and later, John Geier, contributed to this communication language, which led to the creation of the first Personal Profile System in the 1970s.
When I was first introduced to this tool in 1993, the accuracy of the generated report was shocking and eye-opening to me, and at first I denied a lot of the report’s results. After I re-read the report two weeks later, I knew that I had to use this tool to help me become a better leader and communicator. Everything I denied I had previously done.
In my business, the DISC communication language helps me to guide teams and entrepreneurs to determine a course of action when challenges present themselves. DISC helps my clients to hire and assign the right people for a job or task, thus saving time, energy and money. They understand why co-workers and clients do what they do, and it further benefits them by helping them better understand family members.
Below is a short description of each communication style modernized for today’s audience. Note that most of us are a combination of these pure styles.
- Danny Directors: These folks love change! They are practical, logical and tend to move at mach speed, leaving others in the dust. Their focus is on results and getting the job done. They move very quickly and may make decisions without having all the facts because they didn’t take time to listen. Tasks come first with this communication style, and people second. No-nonsense Dannys love being in control, and can be quick to anger when things don’t go their way. An animal avatar that best represents this style is an Eagle or Hawk. They are direct, eagle-eyed and focused.
- Izzy Socializer: These high energy and talkative cheerleaders enjoy change, and love putting people first and tasks second. They are great motivators and quite engaging, frequently promising the moon. Their challenge is follow-through and being on time. Their need to be liked and being the center of attention are their drivers. Managers do well to identify and tap into the Izzy’s in their organization as they may have a strong sense on what is going on in the workplace. They are really good at rallying the troops! At a party you can easily identify Izzys as they tend to be the center of attention. An animal avatar that represents this style is a Parrot or Peacock… talkative and flamboyant.
- Sam Empathizer: These folks prefer to stay in the background and let others take charge. The Sam’s of the world intensely dislike change! Once comfortable with an idea or decision that creates change in their world, they do the job well. They are brilliant at leading and serving others with care and compassion. Of all four styles they are the best at merging tasks and people. These people pleasers need to learn how to say “no” and create boundaries to help them stay healthy since they tend to say “yes” to everything, thus constantly facing burnout. An animal avatar that best represents this style is the Dove who focuses on keeping the peace.
- Conrad Analyzer: These detail-focused people appreciate change only if it’s slow and controlled! Details, details and more details are their mantra! They are task-focused like the Dannys, though slow-paced and methodical. They can be skeptical and pessimistic folks who find the holes in a project, and then ask powerful questions that make others think. Their perfectionistic tendencies can get in the way of forward movement and create stress for themselves and others. An animal avatar that best represents this style is the Owl. They are wise and sensitive even though they portray a cool appearance.
- And now the fifth style of leadership – the Intuitive Leader. This person can be any of the above styles who works integrates mind, body and spirit. They have the gift of being able to work easily with tasks and people because they listen to everything, trust what they feel, and work from their heart with compassion, logic and practicality. They are masters of merging the practical, emotional and intuitive, and focus on bringing out the best in themselves so they can positively influence others in their world. They know their flaws, limitations and strengths, and work towards improving themselves on every level.
Let’s take a look at how Intuitive Leaders evolve by working with and integrating the S.P.E.C.I.A.L.I.S.T System.™
- Social – Intuitive leaders know that being social is a necessary part of the human experience. They learn about others so they can serve them to the best of their ability.
- Practical – Intuitive leaders engage level-headedness and efficiency.
- Emotional Energy –Intuitive leaders understand that everything is made of energy. Emotions are based on perceptions of what is in front of us and influence our positive or negative energy, also known as vibrations. They understand how to shift their energy to change their personal results and feed the mind, heart and soul on multi-dimensional levels.
- Considerate and Compassionate – Intuitive leaders are engaged, focused, tuned-in, and understand that everything is connected. They are considerate of others and are aware and mindful of what is happening in the present moment. They put people first because they realize that human capital is what drives profit. When people feel appreciated and cared for in the workplace, their focus and dedication trickles down to the client or customer, and serves them powerfully. This people-first perspective influences financial profit.
- Intuition – Intuitive leaders use their “internal GPS system” and guidance received from hearing, seeing, and touching… or just a knowingness of what is around them. They tap into the spirit of all that they do and listen to the nudges.
- Authentic – Intuitive leaders are the “real deal.” A person who presents themselves as who they are. No games found here! You feel it and know that they are genuine and say what they mean and mean what they say.
- Logical – Intuitive Leaders use logic, reason and understanding merged with emotions and care to make great decisions.
- Influential – Intuitive leaders guide others from the heart. Leaders who work deeply at this level use “T.H.R.I.L.L. Leadership” when interacting with others; Trust, Honor, Respect, Integrity, Loyalty, Love of Fellow Man. The energy can be felt when they walk into a room, present themselves online, or even in their written word.
- Spiritual – Intuitive leaders know it’s important to connect with something or someone outside of themselves such as a higher power or the “Universe.” This is non-dogmatic spiritualism based on positive values that influences all levels of leadership in business and life.
- Trust – Intuitive leaders trust and believe what comes to them, and take action on the intuitive nudges. They have insight and a demeanor that creates trust and respect when interacting with others that creates powerful and long-lasting relationships.
Imagine working with a leader who integrates and understands the DISC behavior styles and the values of the S.P.E.C.I.A.L.I.S.T System.™ The workplace culture is compassionate and productive, and makes a difference on all levels by improving productivity, communication and trust.
To hear Terry speaking about Intuitive Leadership®, tune in to her recent interview on the Chris Salem’s Sustainable Success Show. https://www.voiceamerica.com/episode/107086/become-an-unstoppable-intuitive-leader
To Your Success!
Terry Wildemann
www.IntuitiveLeadership.com
401.849.5900