Whether you interact with clients or collaborate with colleagues, your communication style has a significant impact on your success. As psychologist Albert Mehrabian famously said, “It’s not what you say but how you say it.”

Your style isn’t just about the words you choose. Tone, intention, and even your needs during a conversation all shape how your message is delivered and received. While personality plays a significant role, your experiences, habits, and career journey also influence your style. You might be naturally enthusiastic and people-oriented, or more reserved and logical. These tendencies, along with other factors like timing, culture, and relationships, affect how you connect with others.

What Is Your Communication Style?

At KCC, we use the DISC: What’s Your Color? assessment to help individuals uncover their natural communication style. DISC identifies four main styles:

• D – The Driver: Direct, decisive, and results-oriented. Drivers like action, clear goals, and getting things done.
• I – The Influencer: Social, enthusiastic, and persuasive. Influencers thrive on connection, collaboration, and big ideas.
• S – The Supporter: Steady, reliable, and patient. Supporters value harmony, consistency, and teamwork.
• C – The Analyzer: Detail-oriented, logical, and thorough. Analyzers seek accuracy, quality, and clear processes.

Each style comes with its own strengths and challenges. Some are more focused on people, others on processes. Some are naturally outgoing, while others are more reserved. All are valuable. Understanding your tendencies and preferences helps you work smarter, communicate better, and build stronger relationships.

3 Benefits of Understanding Your Style

Leverage your strengths. If you’re detail-oriented, you may excel at clarifying rules or creating structure. Knowing this helps you step into roles where you shine, like documenting procedures or coordinating team workflows.

Manage frustration. If you’re relationship-driven, rule-first colleagues may sometimes push your buttons. Recognizing this as a difference in approach, not a personal issue, helps you reframe the situation and reduce tension.

Create better connections. Awareness helps you adapt your communication to different people and situations, making collaboration smoother and more productive.

Recognizing Other Styles

Understanding others’ communication styles also offers benefits. Learning to identify different communication styles in others helps you customize your message more effectively for your audience.

If your communication style matches that of others in the room, you’ll discover that your natural style works well. However, you’re more likely to work in a team with diverse communication styles. Learning to navigate those differences and leverage the strengths of each team member makes the whole team stronger and more effective.

Start with DISC Now!

One of the most powerful aspects of DISC is the shared language it creates. When teams understand one another’s communication needs, it builds trust, enthusiasm, and a stronger sense of being heard. It is an investment in your success. In fact, we often use the DISC for teambuilding sessions.

The benefits are not limited to the workplace. Understanding DISC can improve communication in all areas of life, from family conversations to friendships. There are even teen and kid versions of the DISC that can help you better understand and support the younger people in your life.

Even if you have completed a DISC assessment before, it is worth revisiting. People grow, teams evolve, and circumstances shift. Retaking the DISC every few years keeps your insights current and ensures you are adapting your communication strategies effectively.

Contact us today to schedule a DISC assessment for yourself or even your family, or a DISC session for your whole team.