August 23, 2007
Yesterday, I offered some examples of the “communication chaos” that often runs rampant in law firms and gave a sneak peek on a teleseminar that I’m offering along with two colleagues to teach participants how to avoid chaos and communicate most effectively. Here’s more about the teleseminar and what you’ll learn by participating, along with the top 10 FAQ based on questions from my individual coaching clients. (If you’re ready to sign up, here’s the link you need; just scroll to the bottom and follow the link.)
The DISC assessment measures how people tend to behave and specifically how we communicate. Participants in the teleseminar will receive a copy of their own DISC report, will learn about their behavioral tendencies, and will learn how to identify other people’s tendencies and how best to adapt for maximally effective communication. Perhaps most importantly, participants will have an opportunity to present communications challenges and get input from three DISC experts. It’s a terrific way to learn the DISC system at a fraction of the regular cost and to begin putting your learning into action while having access to expert advice and training. Benefits of this learning include:
* Increased self-understanding and self-management opportunities. If you know your tendencies — overzealous attention to detail, for example (yes, it is possible!) — you’ll know how to adjust. The DISC provides this information in a way that allows you to recognize your own behavior for what it is. (One client took the assessment and left her report lying around her house. Her husband came home, read a paragraph from her DISC report, and demanded to know who knew her so well!)
* Ability to predict behavior and reactions of others. Imagine being able to craft an argument to the court with the words, the pace, and the physical presentation that mirror the judge’s style of thinking, or knowing how to communicate with your colleagues and assistants so you get their best work and eliminate confusion.
* Avoid arguments and misunderstandings that arise from how you’re communicating rather than what you’re saying. What if you were able to determine who wants to hear bullet points and who needs exhaustive details before you even start talking? You’d short-circuit tons of frustration on both sides of the conversation.
* Create balanced teams with members who know how to work with each other, not against each other. Delivery of legal services often requires teamwork, but teams suffer when they’re composed of individuals who all see things in exactly the same way and miss out on other perspectives. And teams marked by power struggles and in-fighting are too busy with their own problems to present a united and effective effort.
* Hire and retain staff who are best suited for the tasks you need performed. Why hire someone who enjoys lots of variety for a position that requires exacting detail on routine tasks? And why hire someone who needs to know exactly how a task should be performed if you’re wanting someone with independence and creativity?
Learning the DISC via this special teleseminar offers several advantages not available elsewhere:
- Access to three Certified Professional Behavioral Analysts, trained in the DISC and its interpretation, each bringing a different background and perspective.
- Four hours of training at a significantly reduced price as compared with what you’d spend to work with one expert on an individual basis.
- Training by telephone, with recordings available to deepen your understanding or to take part in the training at a time that’s more convenient for you — no missed classes.
- Input from other participants on the call and opportunities to practice the skills you’re learning immediately and in a safe atmosphere.
Ready to sign up? Here’s the link for full information on the teleseminar. And here’s the link to get registered now. (Note that both of these links are hosted by one of the other DISC experts, Annetta Wilson.)
Have more questions? Please don’t hesitate to call me (800.758.6214) or email me at jfb(AT)lifeatthebar.com. I’ll be delighted to answer any questions you may have. Meanwhile, here are the top 10 FAQ I’ve compiled from my individual coaching clients:
Top 10 FAQ about the DISC and the DISC teleseminar
1. I’ve seen so much hype — is the DISC really that good? Of course I’m going to say yes since I’m promoting use of the DISC! However, I believed in the benefits of the DISC while I was practicing law full-time, and that’s what led me to offer the DISC to my coaching clients. I was first exposed to the DISC at a law firm retreat, in the context of using the DISC to tailor communications for better business development. I was intrigued and applied what I learned during that 1-hour meeting with great success. I tried using the tools with my husband (then fiance) and that worked well too. So, I had my full DISC assessment done and increased my knowledge; that knowledge helped me communicate better with everyone I met both professionally and personally and was invaluable when I began searching for a new position. When I started coaching, one of my first moves was to get certified to administer and interpret the DISC. It’s that good.
2. How much does it cost? I deliver the DISC as a stand-alone service, with one-on-one coaching clients, and in training for entire teams or small businesses. The one-on-one fee is typically between $300 (for the assessment and a half-hour debrief) and $750 (for the assessment, a one-hour debrief, and one hour of coaching on how to make use of the information). Fees for group training depend on a variety of factors, but generally run from $5000 up.
Annetta, Lynette, and I created this teleseminar because we wanted to make the DISC knowledge available at a price that just about anyone can afford. Sign up before midnight ET on September 5 and you’ll pay only $297, or register between September 6 and 13 for just $497.
3. Will I learn as much in a group as I will one-on-one? Absolutely. In fact, you may learn even more. You’ll not only get your personalized DISC report and training on each of the behavioral styles, you’ll also get on-the-spot training in how to recognize those styles in other people. As you hear other participants talk and then identify their DISC styles, you’ll get to check your observations. When you have questions on your own situations, you’ll get input from the experts and from other participants, and you’ll also learn from the questions that others ask.
4. Is training by telephone really effective? Yes, if you design your environment to facilitate your success. Don’t multitask while you’re on the call, make sure you’re in a quiet environment, and participate actively in the conversation.
5. What if I have to miss a call? Not a problem. Every call will be recorded and an MP3 will be circulated by email shortly after the call ends. You’ll be able to listen to the call, download it to your computer and/or MP3 player, and get all of the benefits. (And since you won’t have to worry about traffic or even leaving your home or office, your chances to participate live are substantially increased over an in-person meeting.)
6. Can I call in from any location? As long as you have a phone, yes. The telephone number you’ll dial will be accessible internationally (note that you will be responsible for long distance charges) and you can call in wherever in the world you may be. Occasionally the call quality will be compromised by cell phone callers, and if that turns out to be a problem, we may ask you to stay on mute unless you’re speaking or to place your call again in hopes of getting a better line.
7. When will this teleseminar be offered again? At this point, we have no plans to offer it again.
8. When are the calls? Calls will take place at 8 PM ET/5 PM PT on 4 consecutive Mondays: September 17 and 24, and October 1 and 8.
9. Is the group size limited? Yes. We will accept no more than 30 participants, whether they’re live or listening to recordings. We set that limitation because we want to give every participant plenty of opportunity to ask questions and present challenges for expert advice.
10. I’m a lawyer. I’m skeptical. I’m risk-averse. Why should I give this a try? My anecdotal experience shows that people who take the DISC assessment find their report is about 95% accurate in reflecting their tendencies and habits. Research shows that over 90% of individuals agree that their DISC results are valid. Could you be in the 10% who disagree? Sure. However, in my experience, disagreement is limited to particular words and phrases and does not reflect overall disagreement. At a bare minimum, you’ll learn about yourself and what kinds of environments bring out your best and worst tendencies. You’re also likely to learn something about how other people perceive you, and that will allow you to adjust your behavior so you present your best self. Chances are good that you’ll learn quite a bit more, but even if you don’t, you’ll still come out with valuable new information and insights.
Again, feel free to call (800.758.6214) or email me (jfb(AT)lifeatthebar.com) with any additional questions. Here’s the link for full information on the teleseminar. And here’s the link to get registered now. Don’t miss the September 5 early-bird deadline to save $200!
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