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THE DYNAMICS OF INFLUENCING YOUR DISCIPLES ACCORDING TO THEIR DESIGNS

THE DYNAMICS OF INFLUENCING YOUR DISCIPLES ACCORDING TO THEIR DESIGNS

In the previous essay, I discussed influencing your disciples, and to do that effectively, the leader must understand the individual designs of the disciples. Their design I mean here is the why they act and respond to things the way they uniquely do both as individuals or a group. The truth is that you can never influence your disciples if you only see them through your own eyes and not theirs. The rest of this essay will endeavor to discuss in a concise manner the dynamics associated with influencing your disciples according to their designs.

Before the leader begins the process of leading the disciples, he or she must come to the knowledge of the personality dimensions of the individual disciples, because every individual has specific but similar inherent abilities that predispose them to agree or disagree in following instructions that result into their transformation in leadership. In my previous essays, I explained the personality dimensions, so I am not going to do that here again; rather I will go straight to let you know that all your disciples will eventually fall into four categories of personality dimensions, which are:

1. The Rational Disciples
2. The Artisan Disciples
3. The Guardian Disciples
4. The Idealist Disciples

Each of these respond to influence based on their personality preference along their temperament, which the leader must pay attention to understand. A brief description of these dimensions is as follows:

The Rational Disciples
This set of disciples, being Rationals, do not need your supervision in carrying out any instructions, because on their own they have a way of figuring things out for themselves, which makes them appear to be independent sometimes. They understand principles of how things work without being taught. If they would need supervision, they would rather make the request. Leaders who do not understand why these disciples behave the way they do will become threatened and feel that they are not relevant anymore in their lives. But this is a false alarm triggered by ignorance on the part of the leader to understand the design of the rational disciples. One thing that these disciples need most is guidance at the onset of their and difficult times.

The Artisan Disciples
These disciples, in their unique disposition to life and things enjoy being observed. They often need the leader to watch them perform any assignment given to them in relation to actualizing the purpose of the leadership. By having the leader as the spectator, they interpret his/her body language in order to make the necessary adjustments in carrying out instructions. They will always be like you to be around and also engage you in the work you have assigned to them. Being around you as the leader gives them the assurance that they are on the right track. Furthermore, these disciples are often noisy sometimes and actors in a way, the leader must be careful not to shut them down or out, because that is just who they are.

The Guardian Disciples
This set of disciples love to be supervised right from the start and value the need to be reminded of the details of the work assigned to them unlike the Rationals that would interpret this kind of gesture as an act of imposition from the leader. They are often disposed to needing help and would always call on the leader to validate their performance. The leader should be careful not end up being the one doing the job, because the guardian disciples often have the tendency to manipulate those who lead.

The Idealist Disciples
These disciples do not need supervision or observation in contrast to the Artisans and Guardians because they often work in secret figuring things out for themselves like the Rationals. One amazing thing about the Idealist Disciples is that they need and yearn for support in very many ways that are often undetectable to the leader. When these are not forthcoming, they stand aloof. They are the most difficult disciples to lead because they believe that they know how the leader should lead them. The leader should bear in mind that for him or her to influence them he or she must be ready to always offer words of assurance and physical support that sometimes could be tied to emotional responses or feedback. Idealist disciples love to be praised for a job well done unlike the Rationals that see praise as a distraction.

If you will succeed as a leader you must first of all carryout the assay that helps you understand the personality dimensions and temperaments of your disciples for the purpose of effective communication and influence. The School of Leadership Development through IDB Consult can help you carryout this assay for your leaders, followers, disciples and collaborators individually or as a group. If you need this service, call or send a WhatsApp chat via +2348163115394 for more details.

In the next essay, the collaborators will be deliberated upon. Be on the lookout for more essays. Meanwhile, a free pre-sensitization class will be holding this weekend in close WhatsApp Group towards a 2 Week Personal Leadership Course. Details of will be made available later for interested persons, groups and organizations.

Elvis C. Umez
Leadership Consultant
School of Leadership Development (SOLD)
IDB Consult

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