If you’re anything like me, choosing where to eat dinner is always a struggle and one of the most challenging decisions I make throughout my day. Okay… maybe that’s a bit dramatic, but decision making is a major aspect in business and everyday life. We call on prospects, attend meetings and pitch ideas all for the same reason; to influence someone’s decision. In business we want to hear a magical three letter word – “yes.” A decision maker has two response options, “no” and “yes.” So, how do you increase your chances of hearing that magical word? Distinguishing someone’s personality in circumstances involving decision making is crucial.

D and I dominants are more inclined to take risks and more open to change, whereas S and C personalities are not susceptible to change and avoid risks. Persuading an analytical, tenacious C will be different than persuading the unpredictable, power driven D. By knowing what motivates and exasperates each personality type, you will have an advantage to become more persuasive.

Dominance (D) Personality

If you are trying to persuade a dominant D, you better not waste their time. Get down to business as soon as possible, be very concise and straightforward. For every moment you spend with small talk or about how great your product or service is, you lose another precious chance of attaining that “yes.” Try to capture their attention, present what you have and speak confidently. Remember these are power driven and fast paced people.

Influencer (I) Personality

When dealing with dominant I’s, focus on building relationships. It’s important to highlight talking points and make them feel comfortable and relatable. By focusing the conversation on the person, rather than you and your product or service, you allow the person to express their interests and thoughts. Use inflection in your speech; do not speak slowly and do not waste your time with intangible information such as quantitative information. You will bore them and lose their interest right off the bat.

Steadiness (S) Personality

Someone who is dominant in S may be an easier person to persuade. These people are generally not in a rush; they are ready to listen and want to work with people if it can benefit them in any way. They are agreeable. You may want to focus on relationship building with S dominant individuals because they are people oriented and prefer to work with calm and relatable people.

Conscientious (C) Personality

If you are trying to persuade a C individual, you better have every statistic and piece of data to back up your claims. They will not care about building a relationship with you; they want to see what the outcome of saying “yes” is. Every impressive statistic or quantitative piece of information you have will get you one step closer to hearing that “yes.” A CS will question you and take as long as they need to make a decision. Don’t expect an immediate answer.

This information can help propel your career and make communicating with business professionals just a little bit easier. I hope you enjoyed this series and understand how using the power of personality in your everyday life can help make you a more effective communicator.

I encourage you to take the DISC assessment, understand your personality type and begin leveraging the power of personality in your daily life.