Dissed or DISC-ed?

We had the Moellering Management Company attend our elder meeting last night. Kelly Fair shared with us the results of our DISC profiles and what that means for our communication abilities. It was a very productive evening, and I'm quite thankful Brian saw the need for this and encouraged us to pursue it. I thought I'd share my results with you so that this blog may make a little more sense.

D(ominance): 92 (out of 100)
I(nfluence): 39
S(teadiness): 25
C(ompliance): 24

Basically, that means I am an off the chart "D." The general statements about me that I found most accurate were:

-you may forget that others have different wants and needs
-you do not shy away from confrontation
-you may think of solutions to a problem first, and think of the people second
-you will defend your position
-you are active in the things you do and in your communication
-rather than listening to others, you will be thinking about what you might say next
-you may lack empathy and hurt the feelings of others without realizing it--this is not intentional

Great ways to communicate with me are:

-provide solid yes or no answers--don't say maybe
-provide options, rather than opinions (help us get a solution, don't just state the problems)

Barriers to communicating with me: (stuff that drives me nuts)

-don't say it unless you mean it
-don't hesitate when confronted--fight back (verbally)

What does this mean to "Carnivorous Caribou?"

Well, it explains why so many of my posts are black and white.
It explains why my comment will often be the last comment on a post. I always feel like I need to rebut a point.
It explains why I get frustrated when I find out someone didn't agree and yet didn't comment.
It explains why I miss the fact that some guys who typically disagree with me have quit commenting.

What does it mean about Danny?

To be perfectly honest, I don't like what I see. According to the profile, which I believe is accurate, I am inclined to have a temper problem (as my nature needed one more way to be inclined to sin!) and I can value stuff over people (not exactly an attribute of Jesus). Though I'd love to be balanced in my approach to things, I am dispropotionately a "D" meaning the traits will be even more excessive. I feel really bad for my wife and kids.

What does it mean at Grace?

I have no idea. I know it means I need to change some things about my communication style at elder meetings. I am surrounded by very godly men who don't operate like I do. It means I've got to be very careful that people know I do value them. It means I've got to contain my emotion a little better as some may feel threatened by my excitability.

It means I need to be much more gracious. Seriously, this church has for a teaching pastor a man that I wouldn't even want to listen to. It means I need to constantly remind myself that God is so gracious to provide me a church of patient people who allow love to cover the multitude of my weaknesses. It means that pretty much all that we see that is good happening at Grace is inspite of me, not because of me.

It means that somehow God in His grace is using me despite the fact that my sin nature and my natural personality traits should make that impossible. What a magnificent God we serve!

[By the way, please don't read this post and think I'm down. I am not writing this to receive a bunch of "but I think you're swell" comments. (I think I would throw up on my mac and ruin the keyboard if that happened.) Don't feel sorry for me. This is a really good process for me to go through. Though I realize I don't like much about myself, I am extremely delighted in my God right now and marveling at His grace!]