DISC/VAK Training
Master communication techniques to connect with any personality type or learning style.
Learning Objectives
- Understand the four DISC personality types and their communication preferences
- Identify personality types quickly in conversation
- Adapt your communication style to build rapport with any personality
- Recognize Visual, Auditory, and Kinesthetic learning preferences
- Master the art of mirroring and matching to create instant connection
"D" Personality - Dominant
Key Traits:
- Direct, decisive, and demanding
- Task-oriented and results-focused
- Confident, competitive, and strong-willed
- Values efficiency and bottom-line results
How to Communicate:
- Be direct and get to the point quickly
- Focus on results and outcomes
- Provide options and let them decide
- Respect their time and be efficient
- Avoid small talk and unnecessary details
"I" Personality - Influential
Key Traits:
- Inspiring, interactive, and impressive
- People-oriented and enthusiastic
- Talkative, optimistic, and persuasive
- Values recognition and social approval
How to Communicate:
- Be friendly and show enthusiasm
- Allow time for socializing and stories
- Focus on the big picture, not details
- Provide testimonials and social proof
- Recognize their ideas and accomplishments
"S" Personality - Steady
Key Traits:
- Supportive, stable, and sweet
- People-oriented and patient
- Good listener, loyal, and dependable
- Values harmony and security
How to Communicate:
- Be warm, sincere, and personal
- Take time to build trust and relationship
- Provide reassurance and guarantees
- Present changes gradually with support
- Show genuine interest in their needs
"C" Personality - Conscientious
Key Traits:
- Cautious, calculating, and competent
- Task-oriented and analytical
- Precise, logical, and systematic
- Values accuracy and quality
How to Communicate:
- Be prepared with facts and details
- Present information logically and systematically
- Provide proof and evidence for claims
- Respect their need for time to analyze
- Focus on quality and accuracy
VAK Learning Styles
VAK represents the three primary sensory learning styles: Visual, Auditory, and Kinesthetic. Understanding these preferences helps you communicate more effectively.
Visual Learners
- Process information through seeing
- Prefer charts, diagrams, and pictures
- Say phrases like "I see what you mean"
- Notice visual details and appearances
- May gesture toward their eyes
Auditory Learners
- Process information through hearing
- Prefer discussions and verbal instructions
- Say phrases like "That sounds right"
- May tilt head when listening
- Distracted by noise
Kinesthetic Learners
- Process information through feeling/doing
- Prefer hands-on activities
- Say phrases like "That feels right"
- Use gestures and movement
- May touch objects while talking
The Art of Connection
Understanding how communication really works is the foundation of building meaningful connections with others.
The 7-38-55 Communication Rule
Words Used
The actual words and content of what you say
Tonality
The tone, pace, and inflection of your voice
Body Language
Your posture, gestures, and physical presence
Key Insight: What you say matters less than how you say it and how you present yourself.
The Similarity Principle
"People like people who are like themselves"
Think of Someone You Like
Consider the qualities, interests, or behaviors you share with people you enjoy being around.
Think of Someone You Don't
Notice how different values, communication styles, or approaches can create distance.
Application: By adapting your communication style to match others, you create instant rapport and connection.
Understanding Mirror & Matching
Milton Erickson's Technique
The Foundation of Rapport Building
Milton Erickson is credited with the technique of "mirror and matching". He believed that when people got close to each other they would begin to mirror each other.
⚠️ Common Mistake
The common mistake is waiting until you find words in common. There are multiple ways to communicate and all of those ways can follow this method.
Mirror & Matching Techniques
Physical Expression
- Gestures
- Facial expressions
- Tempo
Sensory Connection
- Breathing
- Touch
- Specific words
Communication Style
- Volume
- Posture
- Eye contact
Environmental Mirroring
- Proximity
- Simple actions (drinking)
- Picking up objects (pen)
Key Principle: Effective mirroring goes beyond words - it encompasses all forms of human communication and behavior.
How to Build Rapport
Selling is NOT Telling
Rapport is created by a feeling of commonality; focus on them.
Rapport Building Techniques
Active Listening
- Repeat and affirm what they say
- Rephrase to show understanding
- Label emotions to show empathy
Sensory Awareness
- Use your sensory acuity
- Notice subtle changes in expression
- Respond to non-verbal cues
Conversation Flow
- Pacing and leading
- Match their communication style
- Gradually guide the conversation
Feedback Loops
- "Does that make sense?"
- "Does that work for you?"
- Check for understanding regularly
Key Insights
If you understand your strategies, you can use them powerfully to create action that otherwise would not have been possible to create.
Always remember that selling is rapport and connection which is built by asking a set of questions so that you can understand the prospects needs and make them feel comfortable and understood.