How does Catalyst work?

Catalyst™ is a learning platform designed to make it easier to keep the Everything DiSC® learning journey going after the initial training and profile completion.  The way Catalyst works begins with the administrator finding the organization preloaded in the system or creating a new organization. 

After organization set-up,

1. Everything DiSC participants are issued a link to either convert their existing profile report and answering a few more questions around application specific products or following a link to complete a full assessment. 
2. Once complete, the results appear in an interactive format as described in post What is Catalyst post  For example, upon seeing their DiSC style, participants may find a link will take them to an introduction video on their style.  
3. Participants can move around in the site to:  click through their results, find other videos about each style, and hear about their own unique style.
4. Colleagues section is the best option for participants to search for people and choose to sort by name, style, newest, or department.   After selecting someone to review, it connects to a page to learn more about that person’s priorities, motivators and stressors discover similarities and differences.  This allows then to see how they and that person compared on scales such as daring versus careful, but best of all, it provides tips on working better together.

The Everything DISC world has changed as we knew it.  Catalyst help participants meet the interpersonal challenges many organizations are experiencing including feeling isolated, lack of empathy, increased conflict and not feeling valued or heard. It is  a new way to engage, connect, learn and most of all have some fun!

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What is Catalyst?

What is Catalyst?

Are you tired of one-and-done training?  Do you look for ways to onboard new team members?   Are new hires feeling isolated in your organization?

We have the solution! Meet Everything DiSC on Catalyst™.  Catalyst™ is a new participant learning platform designed to make it easier to keep the Everything DiSC® learning journey alive. Here participants receive their results in an interactive learning format which includes:

• An introduction video about the DiSC Model of Human Behavior
• Videos about each style
• An engaging podcast about the learner’s unique style
• The theory and research behind Everything DiSC
• Best of all, Comparisons with Co-Workers (Learner may opt-out of sharing their results)

For more on this innovative approach, view video or read How Does Catalyst Work post.

Training on Catalyst

Catalyst comes with its own facilitation training materials where participants can print a profile or simply have the assessment and portal up on a second device during a training session. We love to find new ways of keeping things green!

This new training, like our traditional Everything DiSC is designed to be modular in nature or combined into a half or full day session.  We have had great experience with using this new material both in the classroom and virtually.

Special offers through December 2021:

• Trainers/Facilitators:  Here’s the good news if you are already using Everything DiSC Facilitation Kits, you may upgrade your Everything DiSC Workplace and or Agile EQ and get them both now on Catalyst (even if you own one of them). Go to: https://register.everythingdisc.com/  Enter your kit serial number to start.
• Profile Participants:  Anyone who has completed any of the Everything DiSC assessments in the past can convert to Workplace on Catalyst at no charge!  Otherwise, Agile EQ is retail $120. If you convert any profile to Workplace and add Agile, it’s only $48.  Also, you may convert an existing Agile EQ to Catalyst, the learner can receive a Workplace profile for Free!!! 

Contact Roy or Mary Anne to take advantage of the best offer for you!

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Personality Styles and Sales – the Dynamic Duo

Like Batman and his trusty sidekick Robin, sales combined with the knowledge of the DISC personality styles are a fantastic pairing that can put you one step ahead of the competition.  DiSC allows you to connect more easily with your customers.  

iISC, coined in the 1928 book by William Marston refers to four different styles, D stands for Dominance, I style refers to an Influencer, S equates to Steadiness and C relishes Conscientiousness.  We are all a blend of the styles; however we all have a natural tendency to lean into one or two of these styles in our everyday interaction.  Now, imagine taking the time to learn your own style and how that comes across in a sales call.  Then, step back and ask yourself a few simple questions that might provide insights into your customer’s iISC personality type.  You can now prepare your approach, your message and your presentation in a way that resonates to the prospect or customer and they can more readily and easily digest your information. This kind of knowledge is invaluable to you as a salesperson as you open more doors, secure more interest and close more sales.

For example, have you ever felt a disconnect with a customer?  Maybe you approached them with enthusiasm and worked at building rapport only to find they were ready for you to get to the point?  Learning to quickly read the style of your customer can help you adapt your sales approach.  You see, if your customer is a high D style, they may simply want you to get to the business at hand, stick to the facts and provide options. The I style prefers a sales rep who is friendly in nature and tries to identify ways to personally connect. The S style wants to know you sincerely care, and they like solutions that are tried and true. Our C style, well, they may make us work a little harder for the sales as they really do like to dig into the details, do their homework, understand the reasoning logic or even research behind a solution and they want to know you will provide quality in your offerings.

You can adjust your style accordingly as you learn your customer’s personality type.  It is a tool that puts you ahead of the competition because these are important details that other people are not aware of if they are not familiar with iISC personality profiles.

Sales and DISC personality types.  A dynamic duo that can succeed together!

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How PXT Select Can Help Managers Close the Engagement Gap

As we pointed out in the post “How Managers Can Close the Engagement Gap with Employees,” there are five conditions to stronger employee experience.  In this post, we will discuss how PXT Select hiring and placement assessments can help management close the engagement gap with their employees.  This is done mainly with performance models  and PXT Select reports.

1. Meaningful work:  PXT Select measures 20 traits, its performance model pages help you to determine person-to-job fit using skills and talents not only for the current job, but for future career planning as well.   Matching the employee to the job assignment helps the employee be successful and makes them want to stay longer.  PXT Performance Models define the styles and traits necessary for each job so candidates can be better matched to functions where they will fit best.
2. Hands-on management: PXT Select provides information on employee-to-manager fit using management reports that provide summary data and trait scales for reflection, in order to leverage employee strengths.
3. Positive work environment: For team work environments, PXT Select can provide insights on employee-to-team fit with the Team report. Utilizing PXT Select helps organizations build teams that achieve results.
4. Growth opportunities: PXT Select indicates person-to-culture fit for the organization’s environment so succession planning and career growth are possible. The Coaching report is helpful in planning advancement and future roles, which will require more skills as well as a person-to-culture fit.
5. Trust in leadership: PXT Select allows organizations to support the development of leadership skills within teams and individuals by focusing on the development of 6 critical leadership skills. These skills are outlined in the PXT Leadership Report as:  create a vision, develop strategies, ensure results, inspire people, be approachable, and mentoring others.

Using PXT Select to close the gap between management and staff will build a stronger employee experience and increases employee engagement.  The result will be higher productivity that exceeds expectations.

If you are interested in finding out more about how PXT Select can help you, please contact us.  We also offer The Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team and Everything DiSC behavioral assessments and training.

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Texas Business Achieves Highest Sales Honor for the Fifth Time

Mary Anne and Roy Davis celebrating award

Wiley announced that Dallas-based business Davis Success Solutions is a 2019 Diamond Award winning partner for Everything DiSC^® and The Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team^®. This achievement is in recognition of the company’s continued commitment to improving organizational culture and teamwork.  Typically, this award is announced and given during the April MindLab Conference.  Due to current circumstances, the conference is rescheduled for October 2020 and award winners were notified in advance.

 

“We are proud to partner with Davis Success Solutions in their mission to enrich people’s lives by building better workplaces and high-functioning, cohesive teams,” says Susie Kukkonen, Vice President of Channels at Wiley. “We are honored to have them as an Authorized Partner.”

 

This is the fifth time the Davis Success Solutions has won the Diamond-level award.  The Diamond designation recognizes the Roy Davis’ commitment to building better workplaces with the help of Everything DiSC^® and The Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team^® proven workplace assessment-driven solutions from Wiley.

 

About Davis Success Solutions
Davis Success Solutions (DavisSuccessSolutions.com) is committed to providing professional training solutions and resources with outstanding support. The company focus is delivering workplace performance improvements that align with the professional development goals of organizations and individuals. It has been that way since the beginning of Davis Success Solutions in 2004.  With his extensive management and training experience in various industries and professions, Roy Davis has a proven track record of helping organizations improve communication, processes, productivity and ultimately their profitability and efficiency.  Owner and president of Davis Success Solutions, Roy has almost fifteen years of experience using DiSC®-based tools. Roy Davis, in collaboration with his wife Mary Anne (Wihbey) Davis of Peak Performance Solutions, deliver client-focused solutions and engaging training to their customers throughout the United States and internationally.  Both are certified Everything DiSC® training facilitators and accredited facilitators for The Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team®.

 

Roy Davis says, “I find my partnership with Wiley is an increasing factor in my business success.  Offering Everything DiSC^® and The Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team^® training programs and profiles has been of great benefit to my customers as well. I look forward to similar success with the PXT Select^® hiring and placement tool. I am proud to receive the Diamond award for three years straight [2017-2019] and for a total of five times.”

 

About Peak Performance Solutions

Peak Performance Solutions (PeakPerformanceSolutions.com) is committed to “moving individuals to action” through training and advanced learning. Mary Anne (Wihbey) Davis is president and owner of Peak Performance Solutions.  She is an internationally recognized sales and management consultant and trainer.  Her company provides multiple business training and coaching options for her clients, including customized workshops.  Mary Anne is also the author of “The Sales Messenger: 10 Lessons for Sales Success in Your Business and Personal Lives,” which went into a third printing in 2018.

 

Mary Anne added, “Coordinating with Davis Success Solutions on Everything DiSC^® and The Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team^® has allowed me to offer even more options to my client base.  Participating with Roy in the MindLab conferences and associated awards program, along with receiving Wiley certifications, have taken my company to a different level from when it was started in 1994.”

 

About Everything DiSC® and The Five Behaviors®

Everything DiSC is the leading suite of DiSC®-based workplace training and assessment solutions. These advanced applications combine online assessment, classroom facilitation, and post-training follow-up to create powerful, personalized workplace development experiences. With a global network of independent Partners, Everything DiSC solutions are used in thousands of organizations, including major government agencies and Fortune 500 companies.

 

The Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team is the result of the partnership between Wiley Workplace Learning Solutions and Patrick Lencioni, author of The New York Times best-selling book, “The Five Dysfunctions of a Team”. This team development program improves team effectiveness and productivity through the understanding and application of The Five Behaviors: Trust, Conflict, Commitment, Accountability, and Results. This unique learning experience helps individuals and teams build effective work culture through communication and collaboration.

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Three Methods to Build a Job Performance Model

It is important for proper employee placement and as a tool for feedback to have performance models for the job titles within an organization.  Many organizations do this by staring with the job classifications they feel are most important to their organization or for their key functions at the management level.  Afterwards, they will continue down through all the job titles within the company.

There are many methods to build an organization’s performance model.  You can use a lot of time trying to find the best solution, which might include:  trial and error, pricey consultant.  or even create your own models with your Human Resource (HR) department.  You can go through several months and lots of dollars only to find out that your selected approach may not meet your expectations or fit your specific needs.

You may know PXT Select as a hiring and placement tool with a variety of useful HR and manager reports.   Did you know the tool is based on job performance models?  The advantage of PXT Select reports are how they show the candidates results against your performance model and provide potential questions for interviewers.  With PXT Select, you have three possible methods to build performance models for your organization.  PXT authorized partners can help you build a model by:

1. Replicating your top performers by using your existing job descriptions, tasks and skills lists
2. Helping you to create custom models built especially for you via PXT consulting
3. Utilizing their existing PXT Select performance model library of general job specific data

If you are interested in building or updating your job performance models, please contact us.  We are a PXT Select authorized partner.

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PXT Select and the Human Side of Selection

Below is a video explaining the what and why you may want to implement PXT Select assessment in your Human Resources selection process.  For more information on this assessment, read Use PXT Select for better hiring decisions and Manage Easy with PXT Select Reports.  Or contact Peak Performance Solutions, an authorized partner for PXT Select.

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Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team –Team and Personal Development Comparison of Program and Assessment

It’s here! Since 2015 our team leaders have been asking for a way to drive the Cohesive Behaviors through their organizations.  Well, it’s finally here. The Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Teams now comes in the original team version whereby, the Team scores how they feel the interactions are collectively as compared to the behavior.  Now, we have the  new Personal Development option allowing the team member to rate themselves and learn in a team setting how to foster the cohesive behaviors together.  Both versions include behavior profiles, reports, and training.  Below are an image and a brief list of the gains from the team and personal development options.

The Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team Models

Team Development is for organizations trying to change team behavior in specific new or intact work teams.  In other words, you want to move the needle on objective data.

• Target specific team dysfunctions and move toward cohesive model: Trust, Conflict, Commitment, Accountability, and Results
• Understand the personalities on the team and how they can work together better (powered by DiSC profile or All Types)
• Build cohesiveness in intact team’s aims and desired actions
• Focus on empowering a specific team and tracking their results

Personal Development helps identify tendencies and preferences related to each construct.  It is used to overcome barriers related to each construct so individuals can be more successful on teams.

• Increase awareness of individual role and effect on dynamics of cohesive team model
• Expand desired behaviors throughout the organization, whether or not utilizing teams
• Empower an organizational culture of teamwork and collaboration

 

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Diamond Award Winners Two Years in a Row!

Wiley announced the winners of their product sales awards at the April 24-26, 2019 MindLab Conference in Denver, Colorado (more photos from event).  Among the Diamond-level winners were Roy Davis (owner of Davis Success Solutions) and wife, Mary Anne (owner of Peak Performance Solutions).  Since both Davis’ are certified/accredited facilitators for Everything DiSC and The Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team training options, their separate training companies are able to collaborate on delivering training workshops and seminars to their various customers.  Both Roy and Mary Anne Davis are also asked to speak on DiSC, leadership, and team-building topics at many association luncheons or dinners.  Additionally, Mary Anne is sought out as a sales/marketing speaker.  Roy Davis is also a popular speaker for career development topics.

All award levels are based on sales of Everything DiSC and  The Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team Wiley products lines.  The two highest awards Wiley gives are Diamond ($125K+ sales) and Emerald ($75K+ sales), which are celebrated at a special Authorized Partner evening of the MindLab event.  The Davis couple has won Diamond in 2018, 2017, 2015, and 2013.  They have won Emerald in 2016, 2014, and 2011.  Other Wiley awards levels include:  Ruby, Sapphire, Topaz (new for 2019), and Opal.  Many of the other awards have been won by Davis Success Solutions each year since Roy began his authorized partnership for the variety of DiSC profiles in 2005, shortly after staring his business in 2004.  The selection of Everything DiSC behavior profiles and associated reports includes:  363 for Leaders, , Management, Productive Conflict, Sales, Work of Leaders, and Workplace which can be for both personal and professional communication use.  The Davis’ began offering  The Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team products and training in 2014 and PXT Select assessments and reports in 2017.

Working with Wiley to increase the training offerings of Davis Success Solutions and Peak Performance Solutions has been successful for both companies.  It has also been extremely beneficial to their clients as well.  Customer success stories have been published in Training and Development Magazine (an ATD publication) and as examples published by Wiley.  The Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team success stories include AmerisourceBergen and City of Schertz.  Working with Southwest Business Corporation is an Everything DiSC success story (see also testimonial video).

Peak Performance Solutions has been in the training business since 1994.  Roy Davis and Mary Anne (Wihbey) Davis’ companies have been co- facilitating workshops since 2004 for synergistic success, before the two independent company owners married in 2010.  Each company has other training offerings, besides those based on Wiley products, which are unique based on their individual expertise.  As well as their standard course offerings, both companies also offer customized training in each of their areas of expertise designed to meet their varied client needs.  For training outside their scope of knowledge, each training company may contract with other experts that they collaborate with, in order to insure customers get the best options to fill specific skill gaps within the client’s organization.

Check out their company websites or contact Roy Davis at Davis Success Solutions or Mary Anne Davis at Peak Performance Solutions to find out how they may help you with your training needs.

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Eliminating the Blind Spot from your View

I have been reminded time and time again; that an obstruction in our view can hurt us and more importantly it may hurt others.  This hit home when a distracted driver drove straight into our two-day-old car this December, missing my door by an inch and totaling it.  I am reminded of this type of blind spot every time I hear someone complain about: their bad manager, their incapable employee, or that they did not get the promotion they deserved.  While distracted driving causes auto accidents, those drivers do not wake up in the morning saying “I am going to go out and cause an accident today.” Nor do most preoccupied managers intend on hurting their employees.

You see, we all have our blind spots. A blind spot can be detrimental but because it is blocked from site, we do not see what others can see that is sitting right in front of us. We may never fully realize the pain we are causing others by lack of clarity of our own shortcomings.  Studies keep revealing employee engagement lingers at about 33%. Bringing the blind spot into a clear view takes effort.  By not trying to see what our own blind spot is we go around (without a clue) repeating behaviors that are inflicting pain and even damage to co-workers every day and even on ourselves.

I challenge you to have the courage in the coming year to identify your blind spot, the thing that may be holding you back from: moving into that next position, hitting your next big goal, or making it a better workplace for those around you. How can you do this?  Below are five Quick Tips for Identifying your Blind Spots.

5 tips for identifying your blind spots

1. Ask people who will tell you what you need to hear, not just what you want to hear.
2. Get a 360 Feedback process that gives you concrete strategies for self – improvement.
3. Learn to accept feedback – maybe you are hearing it, but are you really listening?
4. Identify patterns and trends in working relationships – you might find that the common theme has a finger pointing back to you.
5. Hire a coach or find an accountability partner, someone who can help you see it and then be aware when it may be impacting you or your work relationships.

Clarity allows for clear vision and alignment in your life.  Seeing the whole picture will open new doors and increase employee engagement in your work-space.

You can find our scheduled training events on our website.  If you need other training or coaching to help you achieve your new goals, please let us know if we can help.

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