subject: How To Engage Employees - Part 2 [print this page] How To Engage Employees - Part 2 How To Engage Employees - Part 2
Each person on a team brings different strengths and challenges, but not all of them think alike. It is much easier to gauge and engage people that you see face-to-face, but can be particularly problematic when dealing with virtual teams.
In our last segment, we looked at the DiSC behavioral system, which looks at how we tend to behave and what motivates us in a given situation by breaking behaviors into four categories corresponding to those letters.
Today we will delve into the DiSC profile in more depth. The first thing you need to be able to do is recognize the four behavioral styles in order to effectively communicate and engage your virtual employees.
The D, or dominant style employees like to have control and they like to decide what the team is doing and how they are doing it.
The I, or influence style employees are the team builders and motivators.
The S, or steadiness style employees can be counted on to support the team through loyalty and cooperation.
The C, or conscientiousness style employees prefer to work alone so they must be actively kept in the loop.
Now that you know how to recognize the four traits, you need to know how to adapt to each individual in order to be able to effectively communicate with and engage your virtual team. To adapt to the D employees, you need to be direct and organized, focus on results, and always be decisive. To adapt to the I employees, don't overload them with details, ask for their input, and do not rush into task-related conversations. To adapt to the S employees, present your case logically, give them options and let them know which one you recommend, and provide them with a structure and let them know what the priorities are. To adapt to the C employees, be direct and present the facts, let them work alone when possible, and let them know that you value high standards and that you appreciate diligence.
We've covered a lot of ground about how to determine the four basic behavioral styles of employees and how to adapt to these individuals. Be sure to check back next week for Part 3, where we will go into the final details regarding "How to engage your virtual employees." See you there!
Click here to hear our podcast on the DiSC system.
