As one famous Christmas song would have us believe – “it’s the most wonderful time of the year” And for many people it is……. ’Tis the season to be jolly, where families come together and celebrate in the spirit of togetherness and joy but for some, family time together can be awkward, challenging and almost intolerable!
So…. how can you navigate the nativity this year and survive the potential seasonal sadness this might ensue? The answer is….. the gift that keeps on giving at any time of year – DISC!
In this article, we help you by sharing our time-tested 5-step strategy to help you survive the season and have some festive fun.
The Festive 5:
- Have a good chat…..with yourself
The first thing to do is have a good honest chat with yourself and recognise (if applicable) that certain people” push your buttons.” Once you have identified them and what they do, you will be in a much better position to work towards a positive outcome
- Start with the end in mind
What outcome do you desire? Is it a realistic outcome? What would this outcome give you an others? On a scale of 1-10 with 1 being not very important and 10 being an absolute necessity, how important is this to you?
- You are in control
Believe it or not, you are in control of your thoughts, feelings, and emotions. You are the only one who can give yourself permission as to how you react or respond to what others say or do. React is what I liken to knee jerk response something said in the heat of the moment then regretted. Respond is more thoughtful and in control, again think before you speak (two ears and one mouth?) how you want to respond I try to adopt the 10-second rule before I reply if I’m in one of those conversations that I know could push by button!
- Know your own DISC style
There’s an old saying “Before you can effectively manage other, you need to be able to manage yourself.” In this scenario, it is important to understand your DISC style and how you may come across to others (in this case the ‘difficult’ person in question).
- Recognise others people’s DISC style
Once you are aware of your own style, you can begin to identify the other person. What is their DISC style? What is their preference in terms of communication?
You can identify what your DISC style is by taking the free DISC test here.
