Five Ways People Leverage Behavior Styles

Recently, a visitor to our blog page responded to Suzi Kalsow’s post about the common misuses of Behavioral Styles. This individual raised some thought-provoking questions and even suggested a couple of ideas for future blog topics. One of these suggestions has become the focus of this post: “What are five ways people can leverage Behavioral Styles?”

I was thrilled to see this request because the answer lies in taking practical actions with Behavioral Style information. This connects directly with the application and the desired outcome of Behavioral Style training, which is all about practical skill development. Here are five ways we frequently come across how this happens:

1. Strengthening Relationships: The primary goal of a Behavioral Styles workshop is to equip individuals with the skills to adapt their behavior in a way that positively impacts others. Building trust and respect forms the foundation of strong relationships, and achieving this is a direct result of applying Behavioral Styles appropriately.

2. Increasing Self-Awareness: Essential to Emotional Intelligence’s Behavioral Style training is understanding the distinction between intention and impact. When people become aware of how their style can inadvertently have a negative impact, despite their positive intentions, they gain a deeper understanding of themselves. This awareness often reinforces the importance of making a positive impact.

3. Recognizing the Need for Behavioral Adaptation: It’s useful to know another person’s preferred Behavior Style to adjust our behavior accordingly. However, people typically exhibit 2-3 different styles, depending on the situation. The skill lies in recognizing real-time behavioral changes in others and adapting our behavior accordingly. It goes beyond just understanding the four-quadrant model.

4. Understanding Tension-Reaction Behavior: Just as each of the four Styles has its behavioral tendencies, there are also four common behavioral reactions when someone experiences tension. While people don’t always respond the same way, understanding these tendencies helps depersonalize behavior. This knowledge also offers valuable insights into the most effective responses when these behaviors surface.

5. Enhancing Team Performance: An excellent application of Behavioral Style training occurs within teams. This knowledge can uncover a team’s strengths and potential blind spots, enabling team members to develop well-informed action plans that enhance both relationships and performance. Behavioral Styles are also a facet of diversity, and the ability to work together more effectively strengthens this aspect of a team’s diversity.

One of the remarkable aspects of possessing Behavioral Style knowledge and skills is that they prove valuable in any context in both professional and personal relationships. Over the years, we’ve heard countless stories of people experiencing insights, “aha” moments, improved relationships, and more productive conversations and outcomes when they understand Styles and put that knowledge into practice.