Although we may now be seeing the light at the end of the tunnel and people are starting to talk about a return to the workplace in the coming months, it is clear that some element of remote working is likely to be here to stay. Businesses have finally realised that working away from the office can be equally, if not more, productive. Individuals have appreciated the opportunity to avoid the commute and spend more time at home. Moving forward it seems that a blended solution is likely, comprising both time in the office alongside a 'work from anywhere' approach.
One of the challenges this has brought, and will continue to highlight, is how hard it can be for people to maintain a connection and engagement with both the organisation and their team. Since the start of the pandemic restrictions we have been addressing this with our client to help them better understand themselves, others in their teams and find ways to work more effectively together whether in-person or remotely.
The launch of Everything DiSC on Catalyst was perfectly timed to support new ways of working, and learning! It provides an ongoing tool for people to return to, and learn about their colleagues through an on-demand platform that brings company-wide transparency to individual DiSC reports.
So how does Catalyst work?
It all starts with the self-assessment. Each individual answers a set of questions from which over 40 years of research kicks in to produce an insightful set of results about the behavioural tendencies and preferences they may have. Rather than a paper report being produced, the results appear on the Catalyst platform. This allows for personal learning of not only the individual results but also about the DiSC model and the underpinning theories. The platform is interactive and engaging providing a one-stop-shop where you can learn about your DiSC style, what drives you, your relationship with people of other styles and how you can build better relationships.
How is Catalyst different from the paper version of DiSC?
The biggest benefit is that because Catalyst offers full transparency, you are able to see the style of all of your colleagues. You can dive deeper to receive detailed information about how your styles combine to work together, the potential difficulties you may encounter and a set of practical tips and strategies for working better together in a range of situations. You can generate these comparisons as many times as you want, with whoever you want. This is ideal if you're joining a new department, working on a new project team or are just insatiably curious!
Is Catalyst purely an online solution?
No. Taking the self-assessment and exploring Catalyst is just the start. It can be complemented by a series of short virtual training sessions that will add to your learning, ensure you are comfortable with the underpinning principles of DiSC and getting the most from the Catalyst platform. These sessions are interactive and allow you time to discuss your learning with your colleagues and identify ways you can apply the suggested approaches for working better together.
A recent client has deployed Catalyst across their whole organisation. Everyone took part in one 90-minute introductory session and three further 60-minute sessions, spread over four weeks. The sessions follow a journey that starts with self-understanding, continues with learning how to recognise the value of all of the other styles and culminates in identifying strategies for working together when you need to connect, when you need to collaborate, when things get tense and when you're looking to get buy-in.
Does Catalyst only include the Workplace profile?
Anyone joining the Catalyst platform will have all of the information about their style which is contained in the Workplace profile. This is the introductory profile that is applicable to everyone irrespective of job role or position. You can also continue your Everything DiSC journey by activating additional insights based on the AgileEQ or Management profile.
To find out more about how Catalyst can help you and your team to work more effectively together, you can either visit our website page here or contact us for a demonstration of the platform in action.