Author: uku

How do you help people become more emotionally intelligent?

In this educational video, Dr. Mark Scullard, Sr. Director of Product Innovation at Wiley, answers this question by inviting viewers into a research-backed process that leverages the DiSC model to develop emotional intelligence at scale.

Assumptions That Can Get Them in Trouble

Even if we’d never say them out loud, we all have unconscious assumptions that sometimes get us into trouble. Here are some common ones that C-style managers sometimes make.

• If I make a mistake, I’ll lose my credibility

• If people haven’t gotten negative feedback, they will assume they’re doing a good job

• We need all of the information before we make a big decision

• It’s undignified to show intense or tender emotions at work

• Time spent relationship building is largely frivolous

• My judgement is completely objective and unbiased because I use logic

• Emotions have no place in decision making

• There’s one best way of doing things

• If my feedback is objective and fair, I don’t need to cater to people’s feelings

• I need to consider all of the variables before I decide

• You should keep emotions to yourself

• If I make a bad decision for the group, it will never be forgotten

• I’ve thought this through and there’s no better way to see it

Unintended Consequences for Their Team

• We get bogged down in over-analysis

• There’s a lack of shared excitement for our work

• We don’t feel like our hard work is appreciated

• We miss opportunities because we’re too cautious

• Our processes are too rigid

• We don’t feel connected to our teammates

Helping Your C-style Managers Rethink Their Role

These managers often need help appreciating that to grow as a leader, they’ll need to embrace the humanity of their direct reports on a deeper level. By understanding other perspectives, they see that the people they manage often need praise, excitement, optimism, camaraderie, or risk-taking at a much greater level than they do.

Download the full-size poster here:

Assumptions That Can Get Them in Trouble

Even if we’d never say them out loud, we all have unconscious assumptions that sometimes get us into trouble. Here are some common ones that S-style managers sometimes make.

• It’s my job to keep my team happy at all times

• I shouldn’t upset people

• It’s rude to be too assertive

• If there is uncertainty, inaction is the best course

• If people are sorry, there doesn’t need to be any other consequences

• Direct, critical feedback should only be a last resort

• It’s better to give people what they want than keep fighting

• Slow and steady is better than unpredictability

• I shouldn’t inconvenience other people

• My needs are less important than other people’s

• I shouldn’t push people to push themselves

• You should always give people the benefit of the doubt

• I need buy-in from everyone before I finalize a decision

Unintended Consequences for Their Team

• Problematic behavior doesn’t get called out

• We don’t get the resources we need from upper management

• There’s no sense of urgency

• We don’t get the feedback we need to grow

• There’s no support for big changes

• Decisions take way too long

Helping Your S-style Managers Rethink Their Role

These managers grow as they start to appreciate that sometimes they’ll actually have to invite tension and instability into their world. By understanding other perspectives, they see that not everyone shares their need for harmony and that the long-term well-being of their team often depends on allowing a little short-term messiness.

Download the full-size poster here:

Assumptions That Can Get Them in Trouble

Even if we’d never say them out loud, we all have unconscious assumptions that sometimes get us into trouble. Here are some common ones that i-style managers sometimes make.

• Most people are fine improvising

• People who are quiet and reserved need to be brought out of their shell

• I have to express my feelings when I have them

• If someone shows confidence, they’re probably competent

• I need to fill the silence to keep things upbeat

• The team should keep things positive, all the time

• I shouldn’t jeopardize my popularity

• It’s ok to build up excitement for an idea, even if it’s only a vague possibility

• Showing my enthusiasm will get everyone excited

• Everyone should assume the best, like I do

• It’s better to move on than dig into problems

• Everyone craves excitement

• If I give critical feedback, our relationship will never recover

Unintended Consequences for Their Team

• We don’t have the stability we need

• We move too fast and quality suffers

• There’s a lot of big talk that goes nowhere

• Problems get glossed over

• Work feels chaotic

• Some of us don’t have the space we need to do our work

Helping Your i-style Managers Rethink Their Role

One of the core insights that helps these managers is realizing just how much more stability, predictability, or control others might need compared to them. By understanding other perspectives, they see that not everyone shares their comfort with improvisation or emotional expression and that sometimes they’ll need to take a more task-oriented or tough-minded approach.

Download the full-size poster here:

Assumptions That Can Get Them in Trouble

Even if we’d never say them out loud, we all have unconscious assumptions that sometimes get us into trouble. Here are some common ones that D-style managers sometimes make.

• I’m the manager—people need to adapt to me

• Praise should be used very sparingly

• I don’t need to be tactful if I’m being honest

• I can’t show weakness or vulnerability

• People are getting paid—they don’t need morale building

• I’m the best suited to make most decisions

• It’s fine to use a little intimidation to get things done

• People who need emotional support are expecting coddling

• I should be the one in control

• If we get results, that’s what matters

• Everyone should be as driven as I am

• I’m the manager—it’s ok if I lose my temper

• I can’t slow down

Helping Your D-style Managers Rethink Their Role

At its core, the DiSC® model is designed to be simple to understand and easy to remember. The respondent needs to be able to leave a DiSC experience with clear, simple principles that can be understood and applied in the real world. However, every model and assessment tool is only a simplification of real life. Real life and real people are always much more colorful and diverse, therefore, interpreting anyone’s DiSC results is always a process best done together with the learner.

At its core, the DiSC® model is designed to be simple to understand and easy to remember. The respondent needs to be able to leave a DiSC experience with clear, simple principles that can be understood and applied in the real world. However, every model and assessment tool is only a simplification of real life. Real life and real people are always much more colorful and diverse, therefore, interpreting anyone’s DiSC results is always a process best done together with the learner.

At its core, the DiSC® model is designed to be simple to understand and easy to remember. The respondent needs to be able to leave a DiSC experience with clear, simple principles that can be understood and applied in the real world. However, every model and assessment tool is only a simplification of real life. Real life and real people are always much more colorful and diverse, therefore, interpreting anyone’s DiSC results is always a process best done together with the learner.

In the last three years, we have seen more glimpses into one another’s personal lives than ever before. How often has someone’s pet (or child!) popped into view on a video call, or have you heard the familiar click of a blinker as a coworker takes a meeting while shuttling the kids to school? It’s not entirely uncommon to get a “decline” for a meeting invitation because it’s during someone’s weekly yoga class or telehealth appointment. What was once seen as verboten in the pre-pandemic workplace is now par for the course in the new employee-centered world of work. Being able to focus more on work/life balance has been an evolution in many organizations and for the most part, people have enjoyed the increased flexibility that keeps them connected to home and wellness while continuing to drive results.

However, the question is – are they driving results? And how does this new people-centric focus affect managers who are learning to walk the fine line between making space for employee well-being while also continuing to meet goals, increase the bottom line, and power their business? We wondered how managers are faring in this new paradigm.

Balancing Well-Being and Results

Wiley Workplace Intelligence surveyed 6,004 individuals, of which 3,363 identify as people managers, to find out how managers, specifically, are coping with these changes. The evolution of leadership from the outdated “command and control” model to a more egalitarian, people-focused, and accessible approach has put unique pressure on those in the middle.

It’s clear that managers are in an increasingly complicated role. While our survey respondents reported facing multiple challenges, balancing employee satisfaction and productivity ranked the highest.

Evolving Relationships with Leadership

The relationships between people and their managers have also evolved. While these changes have created a more open and progressive dynamic that promotes increased overall job satisfaction due to better communication, it can be challenging for managers to hold people accountable in this new context.

While better work/life balance is the norm, what happens when someone’s weekly yoga class or home life responsibilities are causing them to miss deadlines or decrease the quality of their work? Nearly 20% of managers and supervisors said that holding employees accountable is their biggest challenge, which speaks to the difficulty managers specifically face in holding space for both wellness and results compared to executive-level employees who are more removed from the day-to-day goings-on within the organization.

Making accountability even more tricky is the shocking statistic that 63% of people managers find dealing with interpersonal/attitude issues with their direct reports the most challenging.

There is a clear opportunity here for employees at all levels to reflect on how they are showing up in their relationships at work and with their teams. Additionally, people managers have the opportunity to incorporate well-being initiatives into the process of achieving organizational goals in order to meet employees where they are, while working towards better accountability and consistent results.

Increased Well-Being Leads to Better Results

Despite the manager-specific issues we have outlined here, overall, the new focus on well-being has led to positive changes in the workplace. Almost half of those surveyed, including employees at all levels within the organization, reports that employee wellness has positively impacted performance in their organization.

How Managers Can Leverage Well-Being Initiatives for Increased Performance

In this new context, it is important that managers embrace the balance of well-being and results. Working to find ways to make room for well-being while still maintaining high expectations for performance is a key to success. In fact, when managers set an example by leveraging well-being initiatives themselves, it can help combat some of the stress they are feeling as they try to find stability in the new normal.

Whether that means holding firm boundaries around working hours, not working while on vacation (not even that one call you make an exception for!), or participating in wellness initiatives, managers can both lead by example and reap the benefits of a well-being-focused organization.

In fact, building wellness into results by celebrating team accomplishments with rewards like a free afternoon or a fun activity, or treating team objectives like a journey instead of a destination can go a long way in creating a culture that can prioritize both wellness and results. While managers may be under unique pressure, they can also leverage the benefits that are designed to bring increased balance and wellness to the workplace.

Help Your People Work Better Together While Achieving Results

While the world of work is constantly evolving, one thing is certain: strong interpersonal skills are imperative in today’s workplace. Whether it’s to improve communication, encourage accountability and drive results, or increase cohesion on teams, facilitated learning experiences with proven brands like Everything DiSC^® and The Five Behaviors^® give organizations the tools they need to succeed.

Interpersonal skills don’t necessarily come easily to everyone and need to be learned and practiced like any other skill. Wiley assessment brands bring these skills to life in your organization, helping bridge the gap between results and well-being, proving that your organization can have it all.

This blog content belongs to Everything DiSC, a Wiley brand.