As a trainer, it is essential to deliver training programs that meet the expectations of the audience. Each trainee has a unique set of skills, behaviors, and personalities. Therefore, trainers must adopt an approach that suits every participant in the training session. The ability to do this requires an understanding of the DISC model of behavior.
The DISC model of behavior is a widely recognized and used tool in the field of psychology and organizational behavior. It is a system that classifies human behavior into four categories, namely dominance, influence, steadiness, and conscientiousness. Each category describes a specific set of behaviors, traits, and characteristics that individuals exhibit in the course of their daily activities.
Dominance: People who demonstrate dominance are generally assertive, confident, and decisive.
Influence: Individuals that display influence are typically sociable, enthusiastic, and persuasive.
Steadiness: Individuals who exhibit steadiness are often patient, loyal, and reliable.
Conscientiousness: People who embody conscientiousness are typically detail-oriented, analytical, and precise.
Trainers who use the DISC model are equipped with the knowledge to identify and relate to all participants in the training sessions. Knowing who the trainees are and what behavior type they exhibit helps trainers to tailor their training according to the learners’ preferences.
Why Every Soft Skill Trainer Should Know the DISC Model of Behavior?
1. Improves Communication
Effective communication is vital in any field. The DISC model helps trainers to understand the different learning styles of their participants. It empowers trainers to adapt the teaching techniques in a way that resonates with the participant’s personality. Through this, trainers can create effective communication with the trainees by using their preferred words and communication style
For example, a trainer working with a dominance behavior type must know how to communicate in a direct and straightforward manner. Whereas a trainer working with people displaying influence behavior technique may need to employ humor and storytelling.
2. Builds a Personalized Learning Experience
Most soft-skill training programs are designed to improve an individual’s behavior and competency rather than technical skills. By using the DISC model trainers can build a customized learning experience for their trainees. Trainers can target individual behavior types and characteristics with activities, demonstrations, and techniques that appeal to them.
Trainers can make use of videos, games, or hands-on activities in their training sessions to ensure that each participant’s unique learning style is addressed.
3. Enhances Participant Engagement
Participants’ attention is essential to the training process. The DISC model enables trainers to identify the behavior types that may get disengaged easily and find ways to keep them engaged throughout the training. Trainers should make an effort to understand each participant’s behavior type and their preferred learning approach.
When trainers can identify how each learner can best engage, they can create a training environment that is conducive to the diverse personality types. When participants feel comfortable, interested, and engaged, they are happy to learn, and the learning objectives become easier to achieve.
4. Promotes Team Building
The DISC model can foster teamwork and collaboration among participants. In any training program, participants interact with one another, and making sure that everyone in the training program is active is essential. When trainers know the participants’ behavior types, they can help individuals understand one another’s behavior types and work together in teams to achieve common goals.
For example, when establishing groups for group activities, trainers can take into consideration the different behavior types to create a cohesive group. Trainers can group people displaying dominancy and conscientiousness together, as they have similar behaviors like assertiveness and precision.
In conclusion, knowing the DISC model of behavior should be a vital consideration for every soft skills trainer. The ability to identify the behavior type of participants in training sessions and craft training programs that are customized and personalized enhances the learning experience. Effective communication, personalization of learning experience, enhanced participant engagement, and teamwork promotion are just a few of the benefits of using the DISC model. Consequently, ensuring trainees receive a worthwhile training program that motivates and enriches them.
