According to Aristotle, "Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom."
Why is this so important? Numerous studies indicate that individuals who score high in self-awareness are happier and achieve greater success than those who lack it. Self-awareness enables people to build their lives around their strengths and better manage their challenges.
As people become more self-aware, they are usually amazed at the abilities of the conscious mind to choose, handle situations with deliberation, and behave appropriately for different occasions.
On the flip side, the unconscious mind is a powerful force driving our behaviour. Within our unconscious lie veiled assumptions and beliefs that formulate what is called default behaviour. The dictionary defines default as the “failure to perform a task or fulfill an obligation, which means that default behaviours are reactive responses that occur when we fail to consider the appropriate response.
Becoming aware of our personal reactive tendencies is crucial if we want to make sense of our toxic behaviours, understand why we have permitted these gremlins to continue, and develop a plan for taming them.
Our attitudes are choices, some of the most important choices we will ever make. Attitudes are reflections of what goes on inside our heads. They affect everything we do - positively or negatively. A negative attitude acts like the accelerator of a car. When we put our pedal to the metal, we learn very quickly that driving can indeed be dangerous to our health and to our career aspirations. Default behaviours occur when we decide not to act, but to react. And default behaviours may not represent our best side or our ideal self.
Becoming aware of the effect our personality and default tendencies have on the people in our lives helps us engineer better communication and leadership styles. The four quadrants of the brain generally correspond to specific behavioural patterns. Our brain's hardwiring drives how we think, feel and act, which in turn defines who we are.
The DISC-type self-assessment, is based on a four-quadrant model that reliably describe four dimensions of human behaviour (Dominance, Influence, Steadiness and Conscientiousness). Some people are stronger in one quadrant, others are strong in two, and some may be strong in three. There are unique patterns that most commonly occur and are known as classical profile patterns.
There are four important points to consider as we delve into the world of DISC-type quadrants. First, all quadrants are positive and contribute to the world in meaningful ways. Each quadrant possesses unique strengths and capabilities that should be celebrated. Simply put, there is no "best" quadrant or strength.
Second, there's no need to change the core essence of who you are. That would be exchanging one set of potential strengths and challenges for another. Embracing the quadrant means fully recognising and accepting your natural gifts.
Third, nobody is just made of one quadrant. We are each a combination of all four.
And fourth, we each have the capacity to adapt to different situations through quadrant flexibility. By tapping into the abilities of all four quadrants, we build healthier and happier relationships and achieve our highest potential.
Let’s Be Honest with Ourselves…think about our own default behaviours. What behavioural tendencies do you exhibit under stress? (Raising your voice, becoming silent, interrupting others, stomping away from discussions, gossiping about others, etc.?)
Take the time to research your particular behaviour type by taking an online DISC self-assessment with PINNACLE Business Solutions; as the more we know about ourselves, the more we can alter, fix, and fine-tune our behaviour.
Make a Change: Where Needed. The key to successful personal relations lies in being constantly aware of two things: You will want to embrace and develop your strong skills, but at the same time be aware that when they are overused, they can become a weakness.
All of us have default behaviours that are often tied to our assumptions and beliefs. Being vigilant about when, where, and why these offensive behavioural tendencies surface will allow us to exert better control over our actions.
For an obligation free chat about completing an online DISC Personality profile, telephone: 02 6687 7765 or email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Business Tips
Knowing Yourself
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- Parent Category: Business Tips
- Category: Self-Motivation & Awareness
