As we discussed in the first article of this series, knowing your DISC behavioral sign and that of your clients will help you provide better communication with them throughout your relationship.  In the first article we discussed the (D)ominant behavioral sign, the strengths and weaknesses associated with it, and the preferred communication style of that sign.  Today we will move on to the (I)nfluential sign. 

I could talk all day about the (I)* sign, first because it is my primary sign, and second because that is one of the traits of an (I).  We like to socialize.  (I)'s are like D's in that they have active responses to situations (rather than cautious).  We want to dive in!  Where they start to differ from D's is that they are relationship-oriented instead of task-oriented.  (I)'s thrive on social contact and tend to get along well with others.  (I)'s would not do well in a solitary job with no regular human interaction.  (I)'s typically meet new people and network with others very well, which is why you will see many (I)'s in sales positions.  (I)'s are typically very positive people and make excellent team leaders because of their motivational and networking skills.  (I)'s can also be very charismatic and inspiring to those around them.  Like D's, they thrive on being the center of attention, though they want to be center stage due to popularity, not because they are in charge.

As much as I hate to admit it, we (I)'s do have some weaknesses.  A lot, actually.  Because of our outgoing and positive natures, we can sometimes be seen by others as unrealistic or too trusting (I'm sure many of the (I)'s have been accused of wearing rose-colored glasses).  We are also sometimes poor listeners due to our own need to talk and be the center of attention.  Whether it is good or bad, (I)'s can be seen as self-promoters, which works good when the job/cause requires self-promotion, not so good when it doesn't.  (I)'s are typically not interested in highly detailed work unless they have a strong component of another sign. 

As David Podgursky said in his comment on the previous article, when his Organizational Behavior class took this test, the Engineers were squarely in the "task-oriented" side and Marketing was in the "people-oriented" side.  The jobs you want in this life are generally right in line with your natural behavioral tendencies.  (I)'s also like to be free from control and are naturally independent and self-sufficient.

If your client is an (I), you will have a great time finding them a home or loan.  They are social and likeable people and will likely stay in touch with you after closing if you give them the chance.  They will return your calls, though they may keep you on the phone a bit too long.  Remember the social relationship first with (I)'s; they will not respond well if you call and immediately start talking about the business at hand.  (I)'s like to know how you are doing and want to tell you what's new with them.  This boundary has to be established before they are ready to move on to business.  (I)'s will also mention you to others, which is why it pays to stay in touch with these natural networkers.  (I)'s are typically not detail-oriented; they are much more the "big picture" types and will appreciate you giving them the big picture first.  They will ask for the necessary details after they visualize the big picture.

If you are an (I), you have a natural tendency to be in sales.  You like people and you are a natural motivator, so helping them find the home of their dreams may not even seem like work to you most of the time.  What does seem like work are the details of a transaction and working with people who don't understand what an important transaction this is for your buyer/seller.  (I)'s can lose patience with inspectors, other agents, lenders, etc., who do not treat their clients well or make them look bad in front of their client.  (I)'s, like D's, are very self-confident and have high expections of those around them.  (I)'s will do almost anything to preserve a social relationship they think is important.

Like D's, (I)'s are fairly easy to spot with their outgoing personalities and relationship-oriented natures.  (I)'s make great clients and are excellent resources in your sphere of influence.  If they like you, they will work for you.

Again, I encourage you to take the DISC survey on your own or as a training exercise with the other agents/mortgate professionals in your office.  It is a great learning exercise and will teach you the many nuances of this theory that I cannot in a series of articles.  For those of you who have used the DISC theory, please feel free to elaborate on some of your successes/failures in the comments below. 

The next article will address the (S)teady type and will appear on Tuesday, and the series will conclude later this week with the (C)onscientious type and a wrap up of the DISC theory and the practical applications in Real Estate.

*Because "I" is a word by itself, I will use parentheses to distinguish the (I) sign from the word "I" throughout this article.

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