In This Issue

* A Note from The DISC Wizard
* Teleclasses & Workshops - “Boost Your Business by Overcoming Sales Call Reluctance Workshop” - March dates announced!
* Feature Article - Do You Recognize Disengagement?
* The DISC Wizard Recommends - BRAND NEW "Team Engagement Lunch & Learn" Process

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A Note from The DISC Wizard

As I prepare to head to Miami next week to do a half-day workshop with a new client, you might wonder why a company would hire a consultant to fly 1000 miles to work with their team for four hours.

The answer is – they know the cost of employee disengagement. And training sessions like this one next week accomplishes the following:

Brings the team together in a non-work context where trust and bonding can occur (if that sounds too airy fairy to you – I suggest you read “The Speed of Trust” and “Five Dysfunctions of a Team”)
It gives the team a foundation to begin talking about their different personalities and attitudes, communication breakdowns, and any previously “undiscussable” issues
It sends the message, loud and clear, that the company values them as individuals by making this kind of investment in their personal development.

As a matter of fact, I have never done a team building program where the participants didn’t report higher levels of engagement after the process.

Read the article below for 12 questions to determine if you or your employees are engaged at work.

To your personal and professional success!

Nancy (a.k.a. The Wiz!)

P.S. Have you visited the DISC Wizard’s blog lately? You’ll find all kinds of tips and tricks for understanding human behavior (the foundation of performance). http://thediscwizard.blogspot.com/

P.P.S. The DISC Wizard is off to Coral Gables, FL next week to work with a new client, The Department of Veterans Affairs.

Teleclasses & Workshops

BOOST YOUR BUSINESS BY OVERCOMING
SALES CALL RELUCTANCE WORKSHOP

FEBRUARY SESSION SOLD OUT!

There has been so much demand for this workshop that we SOLD OUT 60 seats in for the February session and are half way filled for the March session.
scared woman
What's so appealing about this topic? Well if you have to sell or market yourself for a living, you know how the telephone weighs 2,000 pounds when you have to call certain prospects or customers. If so, then call reluctance
is costing you business, peace of mind and cash in your pocket.

In this 4-hour workshop, I co-faciliate with Chris Kenney, motivational speaker and former Paychex Circle of Excellence Sales Rep, to teach you:

The different types of call reluctance and which one applies to you
Specific strategies for overcoming each type of call reluctance
How your DISC Style and your type of call reluctance are related
Solutions for combating “fear of failure” and “fear of rejection”

FREE BONUS: Complimentary DISC Behavioral Assessment ($100 value) that uncovers possible hindering behaviors that impede your success.

**NEXT DATE AVAILABLE** Saturday, March 13th, 9:00 am to 1:00 pm, Rochester, NY.

The February session sold out! March's session is limited to 60 spots and over half are filled already. Don't delay or you'll have to wait for the next date!

Total Value is $246.00, ONLY $97.00 for my readers

Email nancy@discwizardonline.com for a registration form!

ISN’T IT TIME YOU TOOK CHARGE OF YOUR OWN CAREER?
In times like these, it’s imperative that we take control of our lives by increasing our skills and knowledge, thereby increasing our value to an organization. With our new DISC Certification course, you will be able to add the title of “Certified Professional Behavioral Analyst” to your resume. This will help you stand out if applying for a job or become more valuable in your current position. With your new found expertise in human behavior, you will be able to assist organizations with:

Hiring the right people (and firing the wrong ones)
Coaching, training and developing employees and managers
Improving communication and team relationships

DISC CERTIFICATION WORKSHOP for HR Managers, Trainers and Consultants...next dates in Rochester are coming up: April 14 & 15, 2010.

And, if you’re an HR Professional in career transition – you can now be certified for a third of the regular price. We want to make it easy for you to add this credential to your resume!!

Read more at www.discwizardonline.com/disccertification.html

Feature Article - Do You Recognize Disengagement?

The other day I was having a coaching session with a client of mine, a business owner, and one of his key employees. In previous conversations with the employee, I learned that her stress level was high and feeling appreciated was low and she was considering quitting.

This came as a surprise to the owner. He knew that they were having communication problems (the reason I was coaching them!) but he didn’t know that her level of dissatisfaction was so high.

The one thing you can count on is that when the economy picks up and people have employment options again, many people who are unhappy right now will not stay. While finding talent was the name of the game two years ago, RETAINING talent has taken its place.

Let’s be clear about one thing. From working with many organizations, I know there are people on your staff right now that need to go. No sugar-coating it. But there are others who are good, honest, hard-working individuals who aren’t being developed to their full potential. That’s the talent I’m talking about. And the talent you should be focused on retaining.

Years ago, the Gallup Management Journal's semi-annual Employee Engagement Index puts the percentage of truly "engaged" employees at 29%. A slim majority, 54%, falls into the "not engaged" category, while 17% of employees are "actively disengaged.” Here is what is meant by those categories:

Engaged employees work with passion and feel a profound connection to their company. They drive innovation and move the organization forward.
Not-engaged employees are essentially “checked out.” They’re sleepwalking through their workday, putting time – but not energy or passion – into their work.
Actively disengaged employees aren’t just unhappy at work; they’re busy acting out their unhappiness. Every day, these workers undermine and sabotage what their engaged coworkers accomplish.

Most people acknowledge that employee engagement is at an all time low. Yet even using these past Gallup statistics, with a potential 71% of the workforce not engaged, is it any wonder that getting strategic objectives accomplished is like pushing a string, uphill, in the winter!

There are 12 simple questions about day-to-day realities that determine whether people are engaged, not engaged, or actively disengaged at work. Can your employees generate affirmative answers to these questions?

Do I know what is expected of me at work?
Do I have the materials and equipment that I need in order to do my work right?
At work, do I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day?
In the past seven days, have I received recognition or praise for doing good work?
Does my supervisor, or someone at work, seem to care about me as a person?
Is there someone at work who encourages my development?
At work, do my opinions seem to count?
Does the mission or purpose of my company make me feel that my job is important?
Are my coworkers committed to doing quality work?
Do I have a best friend at work?
In the past six months, has someone at work talked to me about my progress?
This past year, have I had opportunities at work to learn and grow?

Because the truth is, it doesn’t matter how many people are on the payroll. It matters how many engaged people vs. disengaged people you have on staff. The wrong ratio is a liability that can bring down even the most promising organization.

Quotes:

“Work is either fun or drudgery. It depends on your attitude. I prefer fun.”

~ Colleen C. Barrett

"I believe you are your work. Don't trade the stuff of your life, time, for nothing more than dollars. That's a rotten bargain."

~ Rita Mae Brown

"Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.”

~ Hermain Cain

WANT TO SEE MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS ONE? See The DISC Wizard's Free Resources webpage.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Certified Behavioral Analyst Nancy Roberts, founder of iNsights and "The DISC Wizard", publishes the bi-weekly DISC Wizard Ezine. If you’re ready to jump-start organizational, team and individual development, get your FREE subscription now at www.discwizardonline.com.

Recommended - Team Engagement Lunch & Learn

"What Does Having Highly Engaged Teams Have to do With Thriving in a Recession?"

Everything! Right now is the time when everyone on your “bus” needs to be in the “right seats” and more creative, productive, and engaged than ever before.

That’s why, for the first time, The DISC Wizard is offering team building in a “Lunch & Learn” format. No offsite location, no long periods out of the office or expensive travel. You can bring high-impact training right to your employees in a teleconference or webinar setting. Click here for more details.

About the DISC Wizard

My name is Nancy Roberts and I am The Original DISC Wizard and President of iNsights - a consulting and coaching business. As a consultant, trainer, and business owner myself, I help organizations get to the heart of performance – motivation and behavior.

I have been certified in DISC for over nine years and it’s been the number one tool requested again and again by my clients. I’ve continually been impressed by the impact it has had on individuals, teams, and organizations.

When I didn’t have the time to personally keep up with the growing demand, I created Train-the-Trainer options. Now I spend my time educating others to use this tool to provide the solutions their organizations need.

If you have any questions, please contact me at info@discwizardonline.com or call 888.347.2949, x1501.