Stylistic DISCrepancy

This past Wednesday, the MobiTV Finance Department spent the morning taking an off-site DISC assessment. The goal of which was threefold: a) to gain a better understanding of our individual behavioral styles in the context of our current work environment b) to gain an appreciation for the corresponding behavioral tendencies of our colleagues and c) to work together more effectively as a unit.

Suffice to say,  it was a waste of three hours.

Not because the purpose of the exercise was unfounded (promoting a healthy dynamic is absolutely imperative to meeting and even surpassing organizational objectives) but because it presupposes that a group’s success is predicated on reinforcing the contextual style of each individual – even if that particular style is not optimal.

If you ask me, that is analogous to: a marriage counselor advising a couple at a crossroads to maintain status quo; a high school principal telling a divided student-body to emphasize existing social hierarchies; or a parent pushing a child to grow-up by repeatedly underlining his or her youth.

It just doesn’t make sense.

So after much deliberation and scientific research (ha!) I would like to propose an alternative methodology to building a high-performing team, one that maximizes the potential of every individual:

Step 1: Internalize Your Optimal Style – The best teams are comprised of individuals who have an acute awareness of the behavioral tendencies they exhibit when they are at their happiest and most productive.

Step 2: Evaluate Your Contextual Style – Contrary to what it may sound like above, I do think it’s important to understand how you and your coworkers function within the context of your current team dynamic. But only after you have a thorough grasp of how you each function when you’re at your best.

Step 3: Reconcile #1  and # 2  – Not everyone can be a manager, just like not everyone can be an analyst; to a certain extent, we all have to play our role. However, that does not mean you can’t approach your work in a manner that is consistent with your true value potential. For instance, if you’re at your best when you’re leading and/or inspiring others, think about (and ultimately articulate) ways to incorporate those tendencies into your day-to-day tasks regardless of how mundane they might be.

Step 4: Create a Behavioral Map of the Team – Once each member of the team has a sense of who they are, how they currently function, and where they’d like to be, the next step is to summarize the findings in the form of a behavioral map; so that going forward everyone has a concrete sense of how to leverage one another’s optimal styles.  

Step 5: Delegate Accordingly – Finally, it’s not enough to merely acknowledge one another’s “optimal style.” Employees and managers alike must learn to delegate tasks/projects in accordance with the above. For only then will a team be able to ensure its greatest chance of success – only then, will it be equipped to turn potential DISCord into harmony.

Thoughts?