Managing Time with Style
For many years, I've used the DISC assessment tool to help new and established professionals understand and flex to the behaviors that they observe at work. I think it's an invaluable tool that can help new professionals understand why one person with whom they work wants bottom-line answers while another needs a mountain of back-up information.
DISC can also be used to help people understand their personal time management challenges. Below I've provided some basic information about each of the four behavioral styles and some time management strategies suitable to each.
Drive Style
People with this behavioral style preference are independent, like being in control (if you don't place them in charge of a project, they'll take charge of it anyway), and prefer quick action. They are extremely goal-oriented and oftentimes live and die by their to-do lists.
If this is your preferred behavioral style:
Prioritizing tasks: Identifying and prioritizing tasks is second nature to you. You would benefit by periodically stepping back to refocus on big picture issues.
Managing your email inbox: You are driven to accomplish things. Try setting a stopwatch every two hours during which time you delete emails that you don't need to retain. Also, consider setting a goal for the maximum number of emails that you do retain.
Contributing to meetings: You bring to meetings a desire to know how suggestions and strategies will be implemented. You drive everyone to agree to specific due dates.
Low tech/High tech tools that work for you: You already live and die by your to-do list, and you're happy using a legal pad or lined journal for this purpose. Electronic to-do lists offer you the benefit of being able to back up your to-do list to a cloud storage system.
Innovate Style
People with this behavioral style preference are enthusiastic and gregarious. They easily imagine a bigger and better tomorrow. They tend to be extremely creative. Routine and inflexibility drive them up a wall. (Avoid telling this person, "You need to do it this way, because it's the way we've always done things here.")
If this is your preferred behavioral style:
Prioritizing tasks: You love to engage in "big picture" thinking, and many view you as visionary. Set aside some time each day to shift from the "big picture" to discreet outcomes that you need to achieve.
Managing your email inbox: You are naturally drawn to new ideas and connections, and you know that every email may contain a fascinating tidbit of information. Particularly when you need to focus, turn off your computer's new message prompt.
Contributing to meetings: You bring to meetings a desire to keep people focused on why the meeting is important and where a team should be going. You are the person who contributes unique ideas.
Low tech/High tech tools that work for you: Visit your local art supply store to acquire visually vibrant tools, for example, colorful Post-it notes, notebooks with unlined pages, and multiple colored pens and markers. Electronic whiteboards will help you to express and share your creative ideas.
Socialize Style
People with this behavioral style preference are amiable and respectful. They are great team players mostly because they are such good listeners. They are attuned to other people's feelings. While others might say, "It's not personal, it's business," people with this behavioral style preference know that "It's business and personal."
If this is your preferred behavioral style:
Prioritizing tasks: Your naturally think in terms of people issues. At work, increase your focus on outcomes and action steps.
Managing your email inbox: People with this behavioral style preference may avoid email, viewing it as a cold method of communication. If this is your case, try listening to music while you tackle email.
Contributing to meetings: You bring to meetings a desire to give everyone a chance to contribute. You give a second hearing to ideas that others quickly dismissed.
Low tech/High tech tools that work for you: You prefer office supplies that are visually and kinesthetically appealing. High tech tools that work especially well for you include voice translation dictation apps and web-based collaboration tools.
Correct Style
People with this behavioral style preference are organized, practical, persistent, and precise. They love collecting data. Others sometimes view them as procrastinators, though they rarely put off projects. Instead, they get started early and at the very last minute find themselves muttering, "If I just had 10 more minutes, I'd find the one perfect case. Then we ought to proofread this document again."
If this is your preferred behavioral style:
Prioritizing tasks: You are expert at seeing details, especially potential flaws in thinking that others can't even imagine. Avoid paralysis by analysis. Refocus periodically on the "big picture."
Managing your email inbox: Establish a regular schedule to review and clean your inbox.
Contributing to meetings: You bring to meetings the data and reference materials others need in order to make good decisions. Be prepared to voice concerns about potential errors, especially when you see others start to rush to judgment.
Low tech/High tech tools that work for you: Visiting your local Staples or Office Depot store makes your heart sing. Anything that helps keep you organized--a label maker, filing cabinets, pen holders--resonates with you. Look for high tech tools that help you track projects by person, place, date, etc.
What You Need To Know
Your behavioral style preference influences the time management tools and techniques that will work best for you. Choose systems that maximize your productivity.
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