The biggest problem with communication
is the illusion that it actually happened.
Communication Assessment (GVSU)
Upward Bound QuikStart sample slide show
PERSONAL POWER ON THE COMMUNICATION SUPERHIGHWAY
Many studies clearly show that skillfully navigating the communication super highway produces greater results and creates stronger relationships. Knowing the "highway lanes" and how to adjust to them helps us all become more effective.
This program will help you acquire practical tools you can use immediately. You will learn how to improve your performance, deal more effectively with conflict, and value differences.
WorkSpirit®
This interactive, and informative program is guaranteed to positively change attitudes and boost the communication connection by applying a few simple techniques.
You will walk away with a communication map designed to promote greater self-understanding, create stronger personal relationships, and increase your effectiveness.
Knowing the key checkpoints will help you get what you want, boost cooperation from others, create powerful teams, and make working with others more fun.
THE POWER OF POSITIVE COMMUNICATION
Positive communication is an exceedingly powerful tool. The way you communicate affects whether your message is received positively or negatively. In this program, you will learn how you can communicate in ways that are more likely to get you the cooperation and results you want. Whether you are communicating with customers, colleagues, friends, or family, the techniques you will learn in this program will produce better outcomes.
DiSC® APPLICATION LEVELS
LEVEL 1: QuikDiSC®Activity + Elevator Skit
An entertaining and interactive introduction to the DiSC® model. Participants begin learning and valuing diverse team behavior.
LEVEL 2: DiSC® Classic Online + Workshop
Using the EPIC online system, participants learn where their preferred behaviors fit into the DiSC® model. They learn the strengths and growth opportunities of different tendencies, and the key motivators of all DiSC® styles.
LEVEL 3: DiSC® Culture and Facilitator Reports
The DiSC® Culture and Facilitator Reports allow you to build customized group reports that provide information about your group culture, DiSC® styles, and classical patterns. They also provide reference group data, a Quick Reference page, and Team View reports. We provide online coaching throughout the process.
LEVEL 4: In-house EPIC Account + Tech Support
By using the in-house EPIC account created for you, you can generate professional development reports for application in a wide variety of situations and professional roles. All reports are housed on your system in any format you choose. You may either administer the account yourself, or we can do it for you. We provide free trouble-shooting and tech support for you.
LEVEL 5: DiSC® Certification Training + Coaching
The step-by-step two-day certification training equips you with clear and specific techniques for effectively teaching others the DiSC® model. You learn how to help others create effective strategies for understanding behavior and valuing communication diversity while growing both personally and professionally. Following the certification training, you are eligible for free lifetime coaching and free updates.
LEVEL 6: EPIC Corporate University Courses
Using website links we provide, you can easily include DiSC® and other EPIC resources into your organization’s learning management system to reduce training time and eliminate expensive travel. We provide everything you need and take care of the logistics for you.
LEVEL 7: Role Analysis Applications + Coaching
Using your EPIC system, you may create clear role behavior reports for any role in your organization. These reports can be merged with individual DiSC® reports to boost leadership development and/or generate precise coaching questions for in-house mentoring.
LEVEL 8: DiSC® EPIC Performance Coaching
By merging levels six and seven, your existing performance appraisal system, and our expertise, you can create clearer, more specific performance expectations. You can also streamline and tailor performance appraisals to each individual and to each role.
Training Possibilities
With DiSC® training, there are several tracks we can take depending on your desired outcome.
The DiSC® program provides the opportunity to examine two key aspects of communication: personal awareness and team effectiveness. Both are important to understand and if you let me know the percentage of time you would like to spend on each, we'll make sure that happens.
1) Personal Awareness: individuals understand themselves better and gain a clearer understanding of their communication style and the impact their style may have on others.
2) Team Effectiveness: a close look at how the team will tend to function, strengths and hurdles they will probably encounter, and how the team can be more effective.
We can also help the participants achieve three levels of understanding:
Level 1: Understanding their team member comfort zone
Level 2: Identifying ways of adjusting their team behavior
Level 3: Practicing new behavior outside their comfort zone
At the end of the training, we can also request feedback that would be most helpful to you.
We can ask participants for ...
1) Their general reaction and comments
2) Specifically, what they learned
3) Specifically, what new behavior(s) they plan to change/adopt
4) Specifically, what recommendations they have for the team and why
Build Effective Teams
In July, we introduced Team Dimensions Profile 2.0, a value-added EPIC report that helps individuals identify and understand their optimal team role. Now, its advanced companion tool, the Team Dimensions Profile 2.0 Group Report helps groups capitalize on strengths to build a more productive and satisfying team environment.
For years, facilitators have recognized the value of comparing and contrasting group members' roles. Until now, they've had to devise their own methods of capturing this information - creating tables, building spreadsheets, or just jotting it down on paper. The Team Dimensions Profile 2.0 Group Report takes this concept and runs with it. In addition to supplying a snapshot of team members' roles, this new report also provides the following useful information:
- Brief overview of the five team roles
- Percentage of group members in each role
- Team Dimensions Map showing the role distribution of team members
- Graphic summary of the group's priorities
- Discussion of the group's strengths and limitations in the context of the "Z" Process
- Individual Data Table listing the name of each team member and his or her primary role and secondary tendency
To see the new Team Dimensions Profile 2.0 Group Report for yourself, click here. If you’re an EPIC account holder, you can get this free upgrade at any time by. Just email us and say you want it added to your account management features.
Culture & Meaningful Communication
You are probably aware that groups — just like individuals — tend to develop their own unique styles or cultures. Whether group members feel at home or like fish out of water, group culture has a large impact on their behavior, attitudes, and satisfaction.
EPIC's new DiSC GDevelopment Trainerroup Culture Report will help you explore the DiSC style — or culture — of your group. By knowing the culture — its characteristics, advantages, and drawbacks — you are better prepared to open meaningful discussions with group members in a group setting or one-on-one.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of the group culture? How does it affect members with other DiSC styles? Does it influence decision-making? Risk-taking? Only by discussing these types of issues is it possible to change or capitalize on group culture.
The new DiSC Group Culture Report was designed specifically for opening discussions on group culture. No respondent names are included, which assures anonymity and a safe jumping-off point for further exploration.
To see the new DiSC Group Culture Report for yourself, click here. If you’re an EPIC account holder, you can get this free upgrade at any time by. Just email us and say you want it added to your account management features.
DiSC® TOOLS
Boost cooperation and teamwork using standard-setting, valid, and reliable tools. Now online.
With 35 years of proven reliability and over 40 million users, DiSC® remains the most trusted learning instrument in the industry. It is used worldwide in dozens of training and coaching applications, including organizational development and performance improvement. The power of DiSC® is available on paper or online – just choose the response format that best meets your needs. DiSC® is also available in 25 different languages.
The DiSC® model explores a range of behavioral styles anchored by Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, and Conscientiousness. Millions of people have used DiSC® to learn more about themselves and others. The DiSC® profile does two things very well; it highlights blind spots and it clearly presents initial tendencies. We all have blind spots and we all "flex" our styles as we learn more about ourselves and about succeeding in various situations. Flexing is key. Every day, organizations worldwide use DiSC® to establish a common language, paving the way for successful training and coaching applications.
DiSC® is the system to use for providing insight into the dynamics of teams and other groups of people. Its unique ability to measure the relationships of people makes DiSC® ideal for conflict resolution, communication, leadership, and coaching applications. Now available online via the EPIC platform, DiSC® offers unprecedented flexibility and control in delivering leading-edge learning.
Based on a new understanding of the original system by William Moulton Marston, M.D., you have the capability to explore the DiSC® profiles of a team, department, or entire company if you desire. DiSC® provides in-depth understanding of interpersonal relationships from a new perspective.
Marston defined the four D, i, S, C behavior styles as combinations of the two underlying dimensions we now understand as Control and Affiliation. Control is a result of the person’s perception of their power over their environment, and Affiliation is the result of the person’s perception of their environment as being one of alliance. Contemporary psychological theory and research have confirmed that the two dimensions of this theory continue to be valid for describing interpersonal behavior. DiSC® offers a picture of human relational behavior NOT available in any other assessment.
TEAMS & TEAMWORK
1) Collaboration – Collaboration is based largely in the complementarity of relationships. As mutual needs are satisfied or mutual lacks are offset, relationships become more effective. Understanding how individual styles work together and learning what strategies help when style combinations are different is a key to creating collaboration.
2) Self–directed work teams – Self-directed work teams need to understand the style make-up of all members in order to maximize effectiveness in working together. DiSC® provides insight and understanding at the individual and team levels.
3) Reconfiguring teams – In today’s fast-paced world, many groups are assembled and reassembled on the fly. DiSC® measures and maps interpersonal styles to help teams understand how styles complement and conflict with each other. Consequently, teams can more thoughtfully come together to work more effectively and maximize their performance.
4) Matrix management – Organizations that use matrix management can benefit from incorporating DiSC® into their programs. The instrument has potential impact on two levels—the employee-manager level and the organizational level. While employees may report to multiple managers, they need to understand how to work effectively with each of them. The organization also needs interpersonal feedback in order to structure teams for maximum effectiveness. When individuals in a department complete DiSC® the organization can use the information to create high-performance teams.
5) Improving performance – A group with a predominant number of individuals in one or two quadrants of the DiSC® Interpersonal Map may have challenges in responding to the demands of the work environment.
HRD APPLICATIONS
1) Employee Relations – Differences become a human resource issue when they interfere with work getting done. DiSC® can help individuals understand differences and create action plans to increase the effectiveness of the relationship.
2) Conflict Resolution — Designed specifically for examining one’s self in relation to others, DiSC® pinpoints differences, and provides insight into working effectively together.
3) Coaching – DiSC® can be used to coach individuals at all levels of the organization. When individuals understand their Interpersonal Styles and their relationship with other styles, they can work toward maximizing performance.
4) Manager/Employee relationships – While DiSC® has applications in any interpersonal situation, it is ideal for managing work relationships. Any two individuals can respond to DiSC® and benefit from understanding where their similarities and differences lie. Compassion reports provide individuals with feedback specific to their relationship, and lays out strategies and an action plan for increasing effectiveness.
5) Managing Performance – DiSC® provides specific information about the similarities, differences, and compatibility issues to help alleviate conflict and improve communication between employees.
6) Labor Relations – DiSC® can be used at the onset of negotiations or at the point of impasse to increase understanding and help resolve differences. DiSC® provides detailed feedback about potential obstacles and how to move past them to create new understanding.
ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
1) Mergers and acquisitions – During periods of change and restructuring within organizations, DiSC® provides in-depth interpersonal feedback on a mix of styles and resulting group dynamics for dyads, teams, and departments. The specific, easy-to-understand feedback on DiSC® interpersonal styles can provide new understanding and clarity in the midst of organizational change.
2) Organizational change – Understanding interpersonal styles can help individuals during role reassignments and decrease the potential downtime.
3) Job changes – Job changes usually require working with new groups of people. By understanding their interpersonal styles, individuals can find stability during times of transition. Understanding how they relate to others will help facilitate the adjustment by providing specific strategies for understanding and managing differences. Increased comprehension ultimately increases effectiveness and productivity.
4) Leadership – The most effective leaders understand their behavior and how it affects others. DiSC® provides insight into the dynamics of individual behavior, one-on-one relationship behavior, and group relationship behavior.
5) Emotional Intelligence – As job complexity increases, so does the need for emotional intelligence. By integrating the DiSC® model with maps and measures of relationships, it explains the relationship of DiSC® styles and provides concrete feedback concerning the obstacles that may be encountered when dimensions are different.
ABOUT THE TRAINER
In 1979 Jerry learned about the DiSC Model for the first time and in 1986 he started his own professional growth business. He now has 35 affiliate training centers in eight states. He specializes in helping people respect themselves and respect others.
Jerry has provided communication training for a long list of customers including well-known names like Domino's Pizza, the FBI, Ford Motor Company, the Department of Natural Resources, PaineWebber, and Grand Valley State University.
Jerry earned his bachelor's degree in psychology, his master's degree in instructional psychology, his Distinguished Toastmaster designation from Toastmasters International, and his Certified Speaking Professional designation for the International Speakers Federation.
Jerry can help you simplify your team development journey and shorten your team communication learning curve.