Dictionary.com defines agility as “the power of moving quickly and easily” and “the ability to think and draw conclusions quickly.” These are valuable traits to have in an ever-changing workplace. And really, in a world where COVID-19 is dictating new work and school arrangements seemingly every week, being agile can help us get through all aspects of the day-to-day grind.
The reality is that we all have a natural inclination for how we handle new situations as well as conflict that arises. Do you easily adapt to new situations, not just in the workplace, but in society? Your level of agility can affect your relationships with colleagues, family members, and friends. At work, having an agile approach to new projects enables you to successfully manage and execute the tasks at hand. It’s important to note that your agility skills don’t just reflect how you respond to stressful situations—they reflects how you respond to positive developments, too!
If you’re unhappy with your ability to handle various situations, or you’re not sure just how agile you are, you’re not alone. You can’t get out a yardstick and measure agility, after all. The solution is Everything DiSC® Agile EQ™. This DiSC®-based assessment:
Provides awareness of, and insight on, your natural tendencies.
Offers tips for moving beyond your familiar patterns, so you learn how to adapt to whatever situation you’re facing—even when it’s difficult.
Recommends steps for adapting to others’ emotions and effectively interacting with those whose agility is quite different than your own.
Say you’re assigned a new project, and you say, “OK, let’s get this done!” Your co-worker, on the other hand, says, “Let’s do a little bit day by day.” The more agile you both are in this setting, the stronger your relationship will be, despite your differing styles.
You can use Agile EQ for one-on-one counseling or as part of a larger training. Either way, create an action plan, and improve agility in the workplace!
Wiley Publishing has recognized Corexcel as a Diamond Award Winner for its 14th consecutive year!
Becoming a partner with such an established, successful company such as Wiley Publishing is an honor within itself. To be named a Diamond Award winning partner for over a decade is an accomplishment that brings great pride!
Many thanks to Wiley Publishing for being excellent to work with over so many years! Corexcel and all of the employees are humbled and honored.
DiSC is a behavioral-based learning assessment that is offered in many forms. The DiSC Assessment helps people identify their DiSC personality type or style by completing a series of questions. Occasionally referred to as the DiSC Personality Profile, the assessment helps people:
Understand their behavior style(s), also often called personality types.
Discover how to adapt their behavior to improve communications.
Learn about other DiSC personality types to help them understand why people do the things they do and why they think the way they think.
Enhance their performance, and their team’s performance, through their newfound understanding and improved communications.
This model focuses on four distinct DiSC personality types. The four distinct personality types are represented in the DiSC circular model pictured here.
Several DiSC-based assessments exist in the market today and their terminology varies from one flavor to the next. Most of these assessments use similar terms to identify the four personality types. Basically, the general theme is the same. However, the assessments and the corresponding reports vary a lot. Some DiSC personality types even use colors or animals to represent the four different personalities. I’ve never been a fan of the colors or the animals but they do appeal to some. These assessments are not all created equally but we’ll discuss the differences in another post.
What does the “D” style represent?
Someone with a “D”, or Dominance style, will be focused on achieving results and taking action quickly. We all know this personality type. It may be ourselves, a co-worker, or maybe even our boss. The word dominance is a perfect descriptor because D’s are often perceived as being dominant in the workplace and in their personal relationships. They’re motivated by competition, winning, and success.
Individuals having “D” DiSC personality types are typically direct and to the point. This means they would prefer you to be direct and to the point when you are communicating with them. Imagine how effective a salesperson would be if they adapted their communications to appeal to others. Adjusting tone, or even the number of words, can make communications much more appealing to the person on the receiving end.
If you haven’t noticed already, the dominance personality type, as with all of the DiSC personality types, has its drawbacks. People identifying with the “D” style often come across as having little or no concern for others. Sometimes they can appear impatient and insensitive. Often these people do not realize how they’re perceived. One of the benefits of learning about your DiSC personality type is recognizing the negative aspects of your own behaviors. Understanding their style can help D’s to slow down and be more sensitive to the people around them.
What does the “i” personality type represent?
The small “i” indicates the Influence style. People demonstrating the “i” type often express their enthusiasm openly and they’re usually very friendly people. You might refer to them as a “people-person”. Influencers prefer to act on things quickly and they inspire collaboration in the workplace. People identified with the Influence style enjoy talking and working closely with others. It’s important to them to be recognized socially, especially in the workplace. They put a premium on public recognition.
Things you may notice about someone with the “i” personality type:
They often come across as charming.
They show enthusiasm in most of the things they do.
They’re often more optimistic than most.
They can be talkative.
As with the “D” personality type, influencers also have their drawbacks. They can appear to be impulsive and disorganized. If they don’t take deliberate measures to stay organized, they have a tough time following through on tasks and projects. Often people with the “i” style do very well in sales positions. However, it’s important to note that the DiSC Personality Assessment is a tool to help people gain understanding. It’s not a perfect prediction model for success in a particular job. The assessment can certainly help provide that type of insight. Although it’s much more effective to use an assessment specifically designed for selecting and hiring employees.
What does the “S” DiSC personality type indicate?
The “S” stands for Steadiness. You can probably guess the characteristics of the “S” style. These people enjoy providing support and maintaining stability. A stable workplace environment is very important to people with the “S” personality type. As an employee, they prefer receiving feedback from their supervisor regularly. They’re also consistently looking for ways they can help others.
Individuals with the “S” personality type tend to be more concerned by change than most. If you think about it, that makes perfect sense considering they prefer stable situations and environments. They tend to shy away from conflict and may be overly sensitive to feedback. Maintaining harmony and keeping the peace is important for people who exhibit “S” style characteristics.
As with all of the four DiSC personality types, characteristics viewed as strengths can lead to negative perceptions from others. For instance, people exhibiting the “S” personality type are often viewed as over accommodating. Their desire for stability can make them resistant to change. The S’s will often avoid change altogether. They subscribe to the “if it isn’t broken don’t fix it” approach.
The “C” Personality Type
The “C” in the DiSC acronym stands for Conscientiousness. People with the conscientiousness personality type tend to place priority on accuracy, maintaining stability, and challenging assumptions. They are motivated by opportunities to use their expertise whether it’s at work or at home. People identifying with the “C” personality type desire activities where they can use their expertise to produce quality results.
Being wrong, being criticized, and working with slipshod projects are all fears for people possessing the “C” style. They place a premium on doing things the right way regardless of how long it takes. People with the “C” style often refer to themselves as perfectionists. They’re good at tasks that involve detailed analysis and precision but try not to ask them to do something that needs to be completed right away.
People often notice that C’s operate in a quiet and reserved manner. They prefer to work alone rather than working in a group. Occasionally they can come across as skeptical and overly critical. Sarcasm is a trait that can help you identify someone with the “C” personality type. Colleagues who possess the “C” style can appear as:
Private
Methodical
Skeptical
Precise
Since they place a high level of importance on ensuring accuracy, C’s can tend to overanalyze. Recognizing this potential problem will help people with the “C” style avoid being bottlenecks within an organization.
Learn More About DiSC
DiSC is an assessment model that has been used by individuals and corporations for 40+ years. As people begin to understand their personality type they also begin to recognize other people’s DiSC personality types. This knowledge helps them grow professionally and personally. It improves their ability to communicate and makes them much better at working with others. Relationships improve and they become more effective in their careers. It’s an interesting and amazing transformation.
There has never been a back-to-school season like this one. Schools across the country—from small, private elementary schools to large, public universities—grappled with how to open. There’s no “pandemic playbook,” after all. As plans unfolded, teachers stepped up, ready to educate students, whether their schools opened remotely, in person, or with a hybrid format somewhere in between.
Now, more than ever before, we have so much to learn from teachers. Those working from home had to start from scratch and figure out how to effectively teach students remotely. Longstanding lesson plans had to be revised. “Classroom space” had to be carved out at home. Equipment had to be set up. Talk about a lesson in adapting to circumstances!
Teachers going to their schools to teach in person might be uncomfortable, afraid of getting sick. They must constantly take measures to keep themselves and their students safe. These days, in addition to clearly conveying the curriculum, teachers must ensure that students keep their masks on and remain at least six feet apart from one another. They must learn the names of students whose faces are blocked by masks while struggling to be understood through their own mask.
Last year, being a teacher was just being a teacher. This year, being a teacher is being a teacher, a medical professional, a therapist, and a juggler extraordinaire.
If you’re a teacher, thank you! These unfamiliar routines and long days can be draining, so be sure to take steps to minimize stress. Consider these options:
Answer emails once or twice a day. Checking your inbox all day long can make you crazy. Looking less often can save time and reduce stress.
Schedule “me time.” Set aside time throughout the week to do yoga, go for a run, take a long bath, sit outside with a cup of tea, or listen to your favorite music. Whatever helps you unwind, do it!
Give yourself credit. These are unusual times. With all the unknowns and unexpected challenges you’re sure to face as the school year unfolds, you’re stepping up to handle them. You’re still teaching, and the students are still learning.
All of us at Corexcel are in awe of teachers during the pandemic.
We respect you and we’re learning from you. Thank you Teachers!!!
Are you bored of working from home? If you’re like many people, you’ve been working from home for months. And you’re over it. At first, it seemed like a novelty—a chance to skip the commute and work in comfy clothes while staying safe. As the weeks went on, however, you realized it can be tough to work with spouses, kids, and pets around, and it can get awfully boring looking at the same walls.
Fortunately, there are steps you can take to get out of your rut and combat the boredom you might be feeling at home:
Plan a busy schedule. If you pack a lot into your workday, your mind will be focused on the tasks. Now is the time to add those often-put-off housekeeping projects, like cleaning out old emails, deleting files, and filing papers, in your schedule. Fill the gaps and avoid the lulls.
Schedule breaks. This means actually put time for breaks on your calendar. Step away from the desk. Get up and stretch. Talk to a family member in the house. Stay put and call a friend. Squeeze in a workout. The point is to use the time to focus on something other than work so you can come back to it fresh.
Change your location. If you usually work in a bedroom, try a day in the kitchen. Or the family room. Or the dining room. Just mix it up! When you feel boredom setting in, take a walk, even if it’s just around the house. A change of scenery, even if brief, goes a long way.
Pursue training opportunities. You’re not spending time going to and from work, so use the downtime to explore training your employer offers. If your employer will compensate you for taking outside classes, take advantage of that. Or, if you want to switch or advance your career, take one of our many online courses and professional certificate programs. All of these options will expand your skill set, bolster your resume, and alleviate boredom.
Set up a fun distraction. Listen to music while you work—rock, jazz, country—whatever lifts your mood. Have a favorite show playing off on the side, if it won’t distract you from work. A little bit of fun can have a big, positive effect on your day.
Working from home might be a lasting trend. Once you learn how to keep boredom at bay, it might be a trend to embrace.
You’re home, socially isolating. Maybe you’re working remotely. Unless you’re on the front lines of medical care or you work for “essential” business, chances are you have extra time on your hands. Why not take that online course you’ve long said, “I’ll take someday”?
Taking an online course can pave the way to a new career or do wonders for the career you’re in—and you never have to leave your home. Corexcel offers a full suite of online courses for you to consider.
For healthcare professionals and those looking to get into a medical field, there’s:
We offer 12 online certificate programs as well. These help you stay current, improve your skills, and enhance your marketability. Corexcel is approved as an Authorized Provider by the International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training, and many of the courses we offer carry multiple accreditations.
Being stuck at home because of the coronavirus can seem like a big bowl of lemons. Why not boost your career and make lemonade?
Perhaps you’ve heard of something called emotional intelligence, or EQ. It’s mentioned a lot these days! In the workplace, it’s important to understand not only what emotional intelligence is, but also the effect it can have on your team. According to Psychology Today, emotional intelligence is the “ability to identify and manage one’s own emotions, as well as the emotions of others.”
The key elements of emotional intelligence are:
Self-awareness: How well an individual identifies their emotions.
Self-management: How well an individual controls their emotions and adapts when thinking and solving problems.
Social awareness/relationship management: How well an individual can empathize and maintain healthy relationships.
Having a handle on your emotions and using that awareness to react differently in times of conflict is called agility. That’s why many agile leaders are integrating an EQ test in their workplace, by providing EQ assessments to better understand their teams. The idea is that managers and team members who have control of their emotions and an awareness of others are agile enough to have productive relationships with coworkers, and thus be an asset to the team.
“It is very important to understand that emotional intelligence is not the opposite of intelligence, it is not the triumph of heart over head—it is the unique intersection of both.”
David Caruso, Ph.D., Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence
We are thrilled to introduce an online emotional intelligence assessment for organizations. With the information this DiSC®-based assessment provides, you can make effective hiring decisions, create agile teams, and facilitate workplace harmony.
Corexcel is accredited by the International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) and is authorized to issue the IACET CEU.
Corexcel has been an accredited provider for IACET for more than 25 years and has successfully helped thousands of students earn Continuing Education Units. It is an honor to work with an organization so dedicated to helping others achieve their goals!
There are approximately 1.1 million firefighters in the United States. These professional and volunteer men and women bravely put themselves in harm’s way every time they respond to a call. That’s why we appreciate them, too. We also appreciate the 262,000+ paramedics in the U.S. who show up to treat people requiring urgent medical care.
First responders: We know you have busy, unpredictable schedules. (We also know that’s an understatement!) So, fitting in the medical courses you’re required to take can be difficult. After all, what are the chances you’re free on the days when classes are given?
Thankfully, we have a solution. You can meet your requirements by taking our Anatomy & Physiology and Medical Terminology courses online, whenever and wherever you like. These courses provide the flexibility you need with your ever-changing schedule, and they’re self-paced so you work at your own speed. Plus, we give you access to the material for a year, so you can squeeze in the work a little bit at a time—or you can knock it out on a free weekend!
How you take our courses is your call. But when you respond to the next 9-1-1 call, with these courses under your belt, you’ll be ready. Thank you for all that you do.
Consultants, human resources specialists, and internal corporate trainers interested in facilitating Everything DiSC Workplace® workshops: We get it. The Everything DiSC Workplace® profile is a phenomenal tool that helps improve employee communication and relationships in any workplace. Earn your certification, and you’ll be on your way to running DiSC training sessions—and launching an exciting new chapter in your career!
Earn DiSC Certification Online Our online DiSC certification program lets you become DiSC-certified from the comfort of your home (or wherever you like). The comprehensive four-week program includes three, 90-minute live training sessions. In between these instructor-led classes, you have self-directed work. At the end of the program, you take an exam that leads to certification.
Not only will you learn how to facilitate professional training sessions using the power of DiSC, but also how to customize the standard presentation to make it your own. Once you’re a certified trainer, you will be able to incorporate your own style as you present the material!
DiSC in the Workplace Matters Every organization—big, small, corporate, nonprofit—has employees with distinct personalities and behavioral traits. There’s sure to be conflict and communication challenges. The beauty of Everything DiSC is that it provides insight on individuals’ primary and secondary behavioral styles across a variety of business functions. Whether it’s Workplace, Management, Sales, Productive Conflict or Work of Leaders, Everything DiSC helps people gain knowledge and understanding, which can improve workplace camaraderie.
Corexcel President and CEO Don Bowlby said, “We’ve found that our customers who use Everything DiSC and integrate it with their culture often experience exceptional team performance and rising stock prices. Helping that happen is extremely rewarding for us.”
To bring the benefits of Everything DiSC Workplace® to your workplace or the workplaces you support, earn your certification through our online program.
Dictionary.com defines agility as “the power of moving quickly and easily” and “the ability to think and draw conclusions quickly.” These are valuable traits to have in an ever-changing workplace. And really, in a world where COVID-19 is dictating new work and school arrangements seemingly every week, being agile can help us get through all aspects of the day-to-day grind.
You’re home, socially isolating. Maybe you’re working remotely. Unless you’re on the front lines of medical care or you work for “essential” business, chances are you have extra time on your hands. Why not take that online course you’ve long said, “I’ll take someday”?
Consultants, human resources specialists, and internal corporate trainers interested in facilitating Everything DiSC Workplace® workshops: We get it. The 
