Relationships are Hard. Need We Say More? (We do when it comes to workplace relationships.)
Anyone who’s watched a traditional rom-com (i.e., everyone) knows that relationships are hard. Through the trials and tribulations, all ends well: Boy gets girl. Boy loses girl. Boy eventually gets girl back. Cue the happy ending with the triumphant music. While there’s somewhat of a formula for these feel-good movies, there’s no formula for work relationships. These relationships are tricky, but essential, in the workplace.
So what’s the trick to productive work relationships? Like it or not, there’s no playbook. You don’t choose your coworkers, and people with different backgrounds, beliefs, personalities, and communication styles are all thrown into the mix. Fostering an effective work relationship requires being open to learning more about yourself and your colleagues. In other words, getting along with others at work takes, well…work.
The key element to good work relationships is the same as it is for personal relationships: communication. And the key to better communication among coworkers is the Everything DiSC® System. That’s because DiSC delivers insight into your own behaviors and the behaviors of coworkers—and it offers recommendations on how to mesh styles and work productively together.
DiSC looks at each individual in four categories: Dominance, Influence, Conscientiousness, and Steadiness. Each category has specific characteristics:
Here’s how they play out in a workplace setting. Say, two colleagues, Ann and Jess, are working together on a project. Ann is along the “D” and “i” range; she’s fast-paced and outspoken. Jess falls along with the “C” and “S” range; she’s cautious and reflective. Ann also works fast, always has a lot going on, and quickly pivots as developments arise. Jess prefers a predictable work setting and does what it takes to get things right. Here, DiSC would recommend to Ann that when she interacts with Jess she should skip the small talk and focus on the facts.
No matter the particular individuals being assessed, DiSC provides recommendations on:
Relationship-building strategies
Adapting your approach to accommodate others
Initiating a dialogue with other employees
and much more.
Once your organization has open, productive communication underway, your teams can thrive. While you won’t have Meg Ryan or Julie Roberts on hand, you’ll still see more smiling faces around the office. In the workplace, good relationships are everything.
Dictionary.com defines agility as “the power of moving quickly and easily” and “the ability to think and draw conclusions quickly.” These are valuable traits to have in an ever-changing workplace. And really, in a world where COVID-19 is dictating new work and school arrangements seemingly every week, being agile can help us get through all aspects of the day-to-day grind.
The reality is that we all have a natural inclination for how we handle new situations as well as conflict that arises. Do you easily adapt to new situations, not just in the workplace, but in society? Your level of agility can affect your relationships with colleagues, family members, and friends. At work, having an agile approach to new projects enables you to successfully manage and execute the tasks at hand. It’s important to note that your agility skills don’t just reflect how you respond to stressful situations—they reflects how you respond to positive developments, too!
If you’re unhappy with your ability to handle various situations, or you’re not sure just how agile you are, you’re not alone. You can’t get out a yardstick and measure agility, after all. The solution is Everything DiSC® Agile EQ™. This DiSC®-based assessment:
Provides awareness of, and insight on, your natural tendencies.
Offers tips for moving beyond your familiar patterns, so you learn how to adapt to whatever situation you’re facing—even when it’s difficult.
Recommends steps for adapting to others’ emotions and effectively interacting with those whose agility is quite different than your own.
Say you’re assigned a new project, and you say, “OK, let’s get this done!” Your co-worker, on the other hand, says, “Let’s do a little bit day by day.” The more agile you both are in this setting, the stronger your relationship will be, despite your differing styles.
You can use Agile EQ for one-on-one counseling or as part of a larger training. Either way, create an action plan, and improve agility in the workplace!
Wiley Publishing has recognized Corexcel as a Diamond Award Winner for its 14th consecutive year!
Becoming a partner with such an established, successful company such as Wiley Publishing is an honor within itself. To be named a Diamond Award winning partner for over a decade is an accomplishment that brings great pride!
Many thanks to Wiley Publishing for being excellent to work with over so many years! Corexcel and all of the employees are humbled and honored.
DiSC is a behavioral-based learning assessment that is offered in many forms. The DiSC Assessment helps people identify their DiSC personality type or style by completing a series of questions. Occasionally referred to as the DiSC Personality Profile, the assessment helps people:
Understand their behavior style(s), also often called personality types.
Discover how to adapt their behavior to improve communications.
Learn about other DiSC personality types to help them understand why people do the things they do and why they think the way they think.
Enhance their performance, and their team’s performance, through their newfound understanding and improved communications.
This model focuses on four distinct DiSC personality types. The four distinct personality types are represented in the DiSC circular model pictured here.
Several DiSC-based assessments exist in the market today and their terminology varies from one flavor to the next. Most of these assessments use similar terms to identify the four personality types. Basically, the general theme is the same. However, the assessments and the corresponding reports vary a lot. Some DiSC personality types even use colors or animals to represent the four different personalities. I’ve never been a fan of the colors or the animals but they do appeal to some. These assessments are not all created equally but we’ll discuss the differences in another post.
What does the “D” style represent?
Someone with a “D”, or Dominance style, will be focused on achieving results and taking action quickly. We all know this personality type. It may be ourselves, a co-worker, or maybe even our boss. The word dominance is a perfect descriptor because D’s are often perceived as being dominant in the workplace and in their personal relationships. They’re motivated by competition, winning, and success.
Individuals having “D” DiSC personality types are typically direct and to the point. This means they would prefer you to be direct and to the point when you are communicating with them. Imagine how effective a salesperson would be if they adapted their communications to appeal to others. Adjusting tone, or even the number of words, can make communications much more appealing to the person on the receiving end.
If you haven’t noticed already, the dominance personality type, as with all of the DiSC personality types, has its drawbacks. People identifying with the “D” style often come across as having little or no concern for others. Sometimes they can appear impatient and insensitive. Often these people do not realize how they’re perceived. One of the benefits of learning about your DiSC personality type is recognizing the negative aspects of your own behaviors. Understanding their style can help D’s to slow down and be more sensitive to the people around them.
What does the “i” personality type represent?
The small “i” indicates the Influence style. People demonstrating the “i” type often express their enthusiasm openly and they’re usually very friendly people. You might refer to them as a “people-person”. Influencers prefer to act on things quickly and they inspire collaboration in the workplace. People identified with the Influence style enjoy talking and working closely with others. It’s important to them to be recognized socially, especially in the workplace. They put a premium on public recognition.
Things you may notice about someone with the “i” personality type:
They often come across as charming.
They show enthusiasm in most of the things they do.
They’re often more optimistic than most.
They can be talkative.
As with the “D” personality type, influencers also have their drawbacks. They can appear to be impulsive and disorganized. If they don’t take deliberate measures to stay organized, they have a tough time following through on tasks and projects. Often people with the “i” style do very well in sales positions. However, it’s important to note that the DiSC Personality Assessment is a tool to help people gain understanding. It’s not a perfect prediction model for success in a particular job. The assessment can certainly help provide that type of insight. Although it’s much more effective to use an assessment specifically designed for selecting and hiring employees.
What does the “S” DiSC personality type indicate?
The “S” stands for Steadiness. You can probably guess the characteristics of the “S” style. These people enjoy providing support and maintaining stability. A stable workplace environment is very important to people with the “S” personality type. As an employee, they prefer receiving feedback from their supervisor regularly. They’re also consistently looking for ways they can help others.
Individuals with the “S” personality type tend to be more concerned by change than most. If you think about it, that makes perfect sense considering they prefer stable situations and environments. They tend to shy away from conflict and may be overly sensitive to feedback. Maintaining harmony and keeping the peace is important for people who exhibit “S” style characteristics.
As with all of the four DiSC personality types, characteristics viewed as strengths can lead to negative perceptions from others. For instance, people exhibiting the “S” personality type are often viewed as over accommodating. Their desire for stability can make them resistant to change. The S’s will often avoid change altogether. They subscribe to the “if it isn’t broken don’t fix it” approach.
The “C” Personality Type
The “C” in the DiSC acronym stands for Conscientiousness. People with the conscientiousness personality type tend to place priority on accuracy, maintaining stability, and challenging assumptions. They are motivated by opportunities to use their expertise whether it’s at work or at home. People identifying with the “C” personality type desire activities where they can use their expertise to produce quality results.
Being wrong, being criticized, and working with slipshod projects are all fears for people possessing the “C” style. They place a premium on doing things the right way regardless of how long it takes. People with the “C” style often refer to themselves as perfectionists. They’re good at tasks that involve detailed analysis and precision but try not to ask them to do something that needs to be completed right away.
People often notice that C’s operate in a quiet and reserved manner. They prefer to work alone rather than working in a group. Occasionally they can come across as skeptical and overly critical. Sarcasm is a trait that can help you identify someone with the “C” personality type. Colleagues who possess the “C” style can appear as:
Private
Methodical
Skeptical
Precise
Since they place a high level of importance on ensuring accuracy, C’s can tend to overanalyze. Recognizing this potential problem will help people with the “C” style avoid being bottlenecks within an organization.
Learn More About DiSC
DiSC is an assessment model that has been used by individuals and corporations for 40+ years. As people begin to understand their personality type they also begin to recognize other people’s DiSC personality types. This knowledge helps them grow professionally and personally. It improves their ability to communicate and makes them much better at working with others. Relationships improve and they become more effective in their careers. It’s an interesting and amazing transformation.
When the pandemic began, it abruptly threw businesses into turmoil. Workers went remote. Hiring in many industries was put on hold. Management focused on how to stay afloat and move forward. Now that states are starting to reopen and move towards a sense of normalcy, businesses are lifting the pause button, resetting, and starting to hire again. If you’re one of them, here’s what we suggest:
Consider hiring remote workers1. Instead of bringing people on board and planning for them to eventually come to the office, you can add permanent telecommuters to the team. Unsure? Try a candidate out as a freelancer. Start with an experienced remote worker, communicate your business’s values, and establish guidelines. Also, be sure to convey your corporate culture and to verify a candidate’s identity.
Use a hiring tool. In the best of times, it’s a challenge to make sure you bring the right people on board. Now, without meeting candidates in person, you want as much insight as possible at your disposal as you decide who to hire. We recommend PXT Select™, an online hiring assessment designed to help you select the best candidates for your organization. It not only assesses thinking style (e.g. verbal reasoning), but also behavioral traits (e.g., independence), and interests (e.g., technical). It measures verbal and math skills, too.
This is important because you don’t want to hire someone who, although good at the job, ultimately won’t stay because they don’t feel fulfilled or engaged. PXT Select takes a variety of factors into consideration and provides information that lets you know if a candidate is truly a good fit.
Candidates complete an assessment online that takes an hour or less to complete. The system generates reports that let you truly get to know a candidate. It even suggests personalized interview questions for you to ask a candidate to probe deeper for more insight on certain points. You can also use the reports to compare multiple candidates.
So dust off your pre-pandemic hiring practices and reset with these tips. You’ll start fresh and bring in the best new hires for your organization.
Perhaps you’ve heard of something called emotional intelligence, or EQ. It’s mentioned a lot these days! In the workplace, it’s important to understand not only what emotional intelligence is, but also the effect it can have on your team. According to Psychology Today, emotional intelligence is the “ability to identify and manage one’s own emotions, as well as the emotions of others.”
The key elements of emotional intelligence are:
Self-awareness: How well an individual identifies their emotions.
Self-management: How well an individual controls their emotions and adapts when thinking and solving problems.
Social awareness/relationship management: How well an individual can empathize and maintain healthy relationships.
Having a handle on your emotions and using that awareness to react differently in times of conflict is called agility. That’s why many agile leaders are integrating an EQ test in their workplace, by providing EQ assessments to better understand their teams. The idea is that managers and team members who have control of their emotions and an awareness of others are agile enough to have productive relationships with coworkers, and thus be an asset to the team.
“It is very important to understand that emotional intelligence is not the opposite of intelligence, it is not the triumph of heart over head—it is the unique intersection of both.”
David Caruso, Ph.D., Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence
We are thrilled to introduce an online emotional intelligence assessment for organizations. With the information this DiSC®-based assessment provides, you can make effective hiring decisions, create agile teams, and facilitate workplace harmony.
Consultants, human resources specialists, and internal corporate trainers interested in facilitating Everything DiSC Workplace® workshops: We get it. The Everything DiSC Workplace® profile is a phenomenal tool that helps improve employee communication and relationships in any workplace. Earn your certification, and you’ll be on your way to running DiSC training sessions—and launching an exciting new chapter in your career!
Earn DiSC Certification Online Our online DiSC certification program lets you become DiSC-certified from the comfort of your home (or wherever you like). The comprehensive four-week program includes three, 90-minute live training sessions. In between these instructor-led classes, you have self-directed work. At the end of the program, you take an exam that leads to certification.
Not only will you learn how to facilitate professional training sessions using the power of DiSC, but also how to customize the standard presentation to make it your own. Once you’re a certified trainer, you will be able to incorporate your own style as you present the material!
DiSC in the Workplace Matters Every organization—big, small, corporate, nonprofit—has employees with distinct personalities and behavioral traits. There’s sure to be conflict and communication challenges. The beauty of Everything DiSC is that it provides insight on individuals’ primary and secondary behavioral styles across a variety of business functions. Whether it’s Workplace, Management, Sales, Productive Conflict or Work of Leaders, Everything DiSC helps people gain knowledge and understanding, which can improve workplace camaraderie.
Corexcel President and CEO Don Bowlby said, “We’ve found that our customers who use Everything DiSC and integrate it with their culture often experience exceptional team performance and rising stock prices. Helping that happen is extremely rewarding for us.”
To bring the benefits of Everything DiSC Workplace® to your workplace or the workplaces you support, earn your certification through our online program.
You need to fill that job, and you need to fill it now. You interview a candidate, have a terrific conversation, and hire them. A few months later, your new employee isn’t up to snuff. Sound familiar?
When you have an open position, it’s tempting to cut corners and quickly fill the spot. However, hiring mistakes cost your organization time, money, and emotions. In the long run, it pays to take the steps necessary to hire right.
A Hiring Solution
To add objectivity to your hiring process, use a hiring assessment. We recommend PXT SelectTM, a powerful online tool. PXT Select helps you hire the best candidates, onboard them effectively, and develop them over time.
The first step is for a candidate to take an assessment that looks at their behavioral traits, thinking style, and interests. Then reports are generated: 1) providing insight on the candidate and 2) letting you compare the candidate against job-specific models. You can quickly see if the candidate’s characteristics align with the ideal person for the job. There is even a report that suggests personalized interview questions to use to learn more about a specific candidate. Moreover, you can compare candidates to one another.
What sets PXT Select apart from other hiring assessments?
Once a candidate takes an assessment, you have ongoing access to all reports in the PXT Select suite. So down the road, when that employee wants a promotion, for example, you can use the data and check their suitability.
The reports are useful and easy to read. Packed with information on candidates’ skills, job compatibility, manager compatibility, and more, the reports don’t require interpretation.
Hiring tip: When you share candidates’ results with them, see how they respond. Their attitude when receiving feedback provides additional information for your decision.
Using a hiring assessment adds objectivity and efficiency to your hiring process. When you’re considering multiple candidates—all with good resumes and good personalities—the data removes some of the guesswork and points you to the best hire for your organization.
Interested in expanding your network? Looking to put your business on the map? Trying to grow your business online? If you answered YES to any of these, come out and join us for the 2019 Delaware Networking Station – Your Business Connection Destination! Corexcel is a proud to announce that we will be one of the attending sponsors during the largest business to business tabletop event in Delaware. Make sure to look up our Drop Pin on Google Maps to come stop by our table and see what amazing prizes we will be giving away!
Event Details:
Thursday, September 19, 2019 Chase Center on the Riverfront 815 Justison Street Wilmington, DE 19801
Corexcel will be stationed at Table 74!
Can’t make the event? There is still plenty you can do to connect with Corexcel:
Do you live in proximity to the tri-state area of Delaware, New Jersey & Pennsylvania?
Are you energetic? Are you also a people person? Do you focus on customers and have an eye for details?
If you answered “Yes” to all the above, we have an opportunity for you! Apply to join our award-winning service team.
We’re looking for an experienced Customer Service Associate to answer phones, respond to emails, chat with customers and reply to text messages. The position also entails interacting with our students, helping them enroll in courses and shipping products. If you like helping people and enjoy learning new things, apply today.
This is an opportunity to grow professionally and to be part of an extraordinary team.
*** Update *** The position for an experienced Customer Service Associate has been filled. We truly appreciate your time and interest. If you would like, you can certainly still email us your resume to learn@corexcel.com. We will keep your information on file for when new positions open in the future.
Anyone who’s watched a traditional rom-com (i.e., everyone) knows that relationships are hard. Through the trials and tribulations, all ends well: Boy gets girl. Boy loses girl. Boy eventually gets girl back. Cue the happy ending with the triumphant music. While there’s somewhat of a formula for these feel-good movies, there’s no formula for work relationships. These relationships are tricky, but essential, in the workplace.
Dictionary.com defines agility as “the power of moving quickly and easily” and “the ability to think and draw conclusions quickly.” These are valuable traits to have in an ever-changing workplace. And really, in a world where COVID-19 is dictating new work and school arrangements seemingly every week, being agile can help us get through all aspects of the day-to-day grind.
Consultants, human resources specialists, and internal corporate trainers interested in facilitating Everything DiSC Workplace® workshops: We get it. The 
Interested in expanding your network? Looking to put your business on the map? Trying to grow your business online? If you answered YES to any of these, come out and join us for the 2019 Delaware Networking Station – Your Business Connection Destination! 
