No, you didn't just stumble into happy hour at a downtown bar (though this technique may also be used in your personal life).  The sign I'm referring to is your behavioral sign, and, more importantly, the behavioral sign of your client.

We've all heard of Myers-Briggs and other personality tests, but the one I like the best is the DISC Personal  DISCernment Inventory, An Instrument for Understanding Yourself and Others.  This is a 30-year old program based on the research of Dr. William Marston (who also created the Wonder Woman comic book character in 1941, interestingly enough), and I've been applying this in my professional life for the past two years with amazing results.  By knowing my style and predicting the style of my clients, I have been able to avoid miscommunications and gain better understanding of what my clients want. 

You can gain much more detail and insight by taking this inexpensive test, but I will highlight the four signs in this series of articles so you can determine how DISC can work for you.  Everyone has a prevailing style, but we are all made up of the four, and the test goes into much more detail about these nuances.

The first behavioral style is D, which stands for Dominant.  D's are decisive and thrive in a challenging environment.  They are task-oriented, independent, and relish tough assignments.  Many of the world's greatest leaders are D's, and you will find them heading major corporations as well.  These people get things done.

A D may be the easiest sign to spot.  These are your clients who tend to buy a house on the first weekend instead of searching for weeks.  They know what they want, and they make no bones about it.  D's also like to be in charge.  These behavior types set high standards for themselves and those around them. 

To communicate with a D, be direct and to the point.  D's do not typically want a ton of detail; they are bullet-point types who want to know the main ideas.  You had also better know your stuff; they chose you as an expert to take care of the details and expect it to be done to perfection.  That doesn't mean they won't try to tell you how to do your job, though.  Remember that they are used to commanding attention, and they do not act this way because they do not think you are doing a good job.  They do not typically realize they are being demanding because they themselves respond to that style of communication.  D's are task-oriented, not relationship-oriented.  This means that getting the transaction checklist completed is more important to them than whether you "hit it off" personally. 

If you are a D, beware of your tendencies to take center stage and be demanding of those around you.  Because you thrive in tough situations or like the challenge of a tough negotiation does not mean your client does.  If you are a D and your client is a D, there is also the chance that you will butt heads trying to take charge.

D's are the movers and shakers of the world.  Having a D for a client typically means you will usually have quick decisions and straightforward conversations.  They are not usually good at small talk.  If you are relationship-oriented, as most agents are, you may wonder if your client even likes you.  Don't worry about this; D's make decisions by focusing on facts, and if you do a good job for them they will keep coming back to you.  In the general population, D's are the rarest behavior type with less than 15% of the population.  If you go to a convention of CEOs, however, you will see this percentage skewed well over 50%.

Knowing that you or your client have this behavior style will help you tailor your communications accordingly and provide a better experience for both parties.  D's can be a little intimidating, but knowing this detail early on will help you give your customer what he or she needs in a real estate transaction.

Check back for the continuation of the series, where we will discuss (I)nfluential behavior types.  At the end of the series I'll share specific encounters with all these signs as well as my own behavior style to better illustrate how this can be of use to you in your professional life.

Update:  Part 2 can be found here.  Part 3 can be found here.  Part 4 can be found here.