We’d all like to think of ourselves or our style as the ‘best’ one or even ‘perfect’. We are confident in our own abilities and know that we manage our teams effectively, and therefore we are the perfect managers. But at DISCsimple we know that every style brings different perspectives and manages their people in their own unique ways, suited to their behavioural style.  

So, let’s take a look: 

If a D style was the ideal manager: 

They always have a target in mind and effectively delegate responsibilities in order to not only succeed in reaching that target but in pushing their team to beat it. D style managers focus on results and achieving them in any way they can. When communicating with their teams, D styles speak frankly and will not only want, but expect, a direct response. Ultimately, D style managers get the job done, no matter what. 

If an I style was the ideal manager: 

I styles always aim to make things fun. They focus on teamwork, building morale and celebrating every single win the team makes, no matter how big or small, there are no exceptions. Any bit of success is a party. They are always kind managers and like to show their team that they care about them. 

If an S style was the ideal manager: 

They will have an open-door policy; their team will be welcome to come in to talk and address any concerns they may have. S styles will probably prefer to have an open plan office space. These managers are even-tempered and will always make time for their people, even when they have a huge amount going on themselves. They focus on ensuring that everyone else is happy. S styles do not like to be rushed or pressured and will not rush or pressure their team either. 

If a C style was the ideal manager: 

C styles will have a plan, a backup plan, and a backup to their backup plan for everything, just in case, even if plan A is flawless. They will have a to-do list and tick off each item as it gets completed – taking it step by step and finding satisfaction with completing their tasks. They like to work independently and will want their teams to do so as well, it is important that they are not interrupted when in the middle of something. C styles do not like pressure, there will be no tight deadlines, rather a feeling that the job will be finished, when it is finished. They are organised and want to know things in advance and get the task done right the first time round. Do not throw them a curveball! 

The very best managers know themselves, know their team and know what area to stretch into with whom, by how much and when. The perfect manager has to stretch into other styles that they may not be used to. The focus on results and directness of the D’s, the C style’s organisation and focus on the details combined with the I style’s celebration of successes and the S’s openness and care for their team are all ingredients to create a perfect manager. 

No one style, in particular, is the ‘ideal’ manager. Luckily, we are each a blend of all of the styles so nothing is impossible, but adopting other traits can be challenging. If managing people were easy, managing people would be the least problematic thing in a business rather than the opposite!

The only way to grow is to understand, then put that understanding into action. From there every interaction with your team, clients, managers, is practice.  

A mixture of focusing on completing objectives whilst also ensuring that your team are motivated and feeling valued can only lead your business to success. 

Keeping things simple in a complicated world.

To learn more about the DISC tool and how you can learn to identify different DISC styles. Come along to one of our free lunchtime sessions. They are full of powerful insight into the world of Everything DiSC® (part of the Wiley group) and in just 30 minutes you will learn something! We run a learning session every Monday and a Pro session for professionals already working with DISC every other Thursday.

If you are a people development expert, independent consultant or coach and would like to benefit from a like-minded and supportive network of people get in touch at discover@discsimple.com to find out how you can become a partner.