Teamwork Tips: Communicating as an I-Style Individual

To continue our series on DiSC behaviour styles and how they can be effectively utilized in the workplace, we’re going to focus on i-style individuals. In our last blog, we covered D-style workers, their strengths, weaknesses and how to best communicate if you fall into this category. Every behavioural style is valuable, it’s just a matter of bringing all different types together as a team in positive and meaningful ways. This is what team building should ultimately achieve.

To refresh your memory, DiSC is an acronym representing the four behavioural styles:

D – Dominance
i – Influence
S – Steadiness
C – Conscientiousness

Who are i-types?

The “i” in DiSC stands for Influence. I-types are characterized as being enthusiastic, action-oriented and collaborative. These are positive traits that one can bring to the table when working as a team. Being able to work with others to get things done is incredibly valuable in the workplace. That said, there are sides to everyone’s personalities that clash with others. It doesn’t mean that your behaviours are inherently bad, but there are challenges. I-types often seek the approval of others and fear rejection from peers. I-types also get annoyed or upset when they fear their voice isn’t being heard in the group. Others can find i-types’ overt optimism and constant need for praise annoying and interpret it is as neediness. It’s also common for Influence-types to crack under pressure, leading them to become disorganized and unproductive.

How to communicate with peers as an i-type

At Satori Consulting Inc, we evaluate clients and workshop participants using Everything DiSC® assessment tools. This is an important first step when it comes to team building, as you must first identify your behavioural style, then learn to communicate with others while embracing your strengths and becoming more self-aware of workplace weaknesses.

To better communicate as an i-type, it’s important to remember that your warmth and enthusiasm is incredible and valuable, but you cannot take it personally when your coworkers and superiors do not match your level of energy. This lack of praise, as you might perceive it, might not be that at all. For those who aren’t i-types, high-energy excitement doesn’t come naturally, so don’t misinterpret subdued reactions as rejection.

Furthermore, your fast-paced, “let’s get this done” attitude might be infectious, but it’s important to take a step back and reevaluate your objectives to ensure what you’re proposing is the best way forward. Objectivity can get lost when you’re looking for fast solutions. It’s easy for i-types to get caught up in their excitement. To improve workplace communication and teamwork, it’s important that you respect your colleagues when they question the validity of your plan or idea. It’s also important that when you do agree to move forward on a project, that you follow through with what you proposed and agreed to.

Remember that not everyone is as comfortable speaking up and taking on leadership roles as you are. Teamwork doesn’t just require enthusiastic leadership; it also needs collaboration. Try to shine the light on your colleagues sometimes to ensure all voices are heard. Your voice is valuable, but so are others.

Team building in a time of isolation

I-types are extroverted, social creatures. This means working at home away from people is especially tough. If business is slow, now’s the time to reach out and do some virtually training, coaching or team building. Satori Consulting Inc. is set up to offer virtual team building and more. Contact us today to get started! Just because you’re physically away from your team doesn’t mean you don’t have opportunities to collaborate.