“Whether business blogging, emailing or posting a comment, it is important to understand the four primary DISC styles: Dominant, Interactive, Conscientious and Supportive in order to connect with the widest audience,” says national DISC expert, Merrick Rosenberg.
I saw him speak at a recent leadership conference where his I style of presenting is definitely interactive, funny and engaging. In the new book, Taking Flight with DISC, Rosenberg represents each style with a memorable bird – the dominant Eagle, the interactive Parrot, the conscientious Owl, and the supportive Dove.
In addition to your blog writing style, your DISC style may play a role in which social media outlet you prefer. The decisive Eagle will Tweet away! For the fast-paced and bottom-line D, 140 characters are plenty. Twitter is the preferred network for the D style. The D blogger focuses a lot on “what’s in it for me?”
While the D is looking at ‘what’ is trending, the chatty Parrot (I) is looking at “who” is Friending…. If you are predominantly an I, Facebook is likely your go-to network. The Parrot style likes to be the life of the party, talk to as many people as possible about it, then share the pictures afterwards, including you! (and your pets). The influential and conversational Facebook portal is a blast for the I. The Parrots in our office also use Yammer (a closed Twitter-like network to share what’s happening) more often than the other styles.
The Doves, whose primary style is the Supportive S, appreciate the predictability of the more steady Google+, which offers at least the illusion of privacy and the option of defining your own circles. A strong S style blogger is concerned about the ‘how’ of social media. How do I know I can trust all these people who send me invitations? How much can I believe what people say about themselves on their profile?
The conscientious Owl tends to appreciate all of the detail available on LinkedIn where they can ascertain the where, when and why of a potential business partner before connecting. There are many groups that C’s can join, which gives them the opportunity to learn more details about their areas of interest.
As you read through your feeds and blogs, make a note of the styles used by bloggers in a given platform. You may find some interesting commonalities. The chatty Parrot, the decisive Eagle, the conscientious Owl, or the peace-loving Dove.
So, the question is, “Which bird are you?” You can take the DISC profile and find out!