By Victoria Theriault
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The podcast currently has 33 episodes available.
I also had the opportunity to interview Michelle Minnikin, an organizational psychologist, executive coach, and author. We chatted about everything from the best way to use psychometric tools in the workplace, to what compelled us to do the work that we do. You can check out part 1 of my conversation with Michelle on today's episode of DISCovering You 👇
It's International Coffee Month! What's your preference?
High D - Espresso: Swift, bold
High I - Macchiato: Sweet, frothy
High S - Latte: Smooth, mellow
High C - Americano: Strong, precise
If you're interested in learning more about team building, coaching, strategic hiring and onboarding, let's connect!
To learn more about Victoria and her business offerings visit or email her at mailto:[email protected]
Connect with Victoria!
https://pod.link/1614071253
https://discoverwhatworks.org/
https://www.facebook.com/VictoriaDISC
https://www.instagram.com/discoverwhatworks/
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Hi Listeners! I’m excited to welcome you back for our first episode of Season 3!
Today we’re going to be talking about how to become a Supercommunicator, but before we dive in, Let’s do this month’s DISC analogy.
Of all the metaphors, examples, comparisons I’ve done, Social Media has been the DISC analogy that most resonates with people. I had removed it from my Slide Deck when Twitter changed to X, but based on popular demand LOL, I’ve brought it back. So, I give you, an updated DISC as Social Media:
D – X (formerly Twitter): Direct, concise, thrives in conflict
I – Instagram and tik tok: Hearts abound, (no thumbs up liking as on other platforms) aesthetically pleasing, trendy
S – Facebook: Supportive, more space for connection and conversation
C – Linked In: Facts over feelings, business focused
I read a really insightful book on the hiatus by Charles Duhigg, called Supercommunicators, How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection. Well, you can imagine that got my attention, right? Totally in my wheelhouse.
The book is very comprehensive with tons of great material, which I could never cover here, but I’m going to try and distill the main points.
The author, Duhigg, starts the book by explaining why he was inspired to write it.
He says, “this book was born, in part, from my own failures at communication”.
He goes on to say that he was confused by his failures because as a writer he’s supposed to communicate for a living!
He recounts a story of a work project he was managing and was doing very well at it analytically speaking – doing schedules and logistics. (I’m going to put in my guess right now, that Charles has a High C) 😊
BUT…he realized he was failing at connecting with the people he was working with. When they came to him with issues, he responded with practical fixes. He came to realize that they were looking for empathy, but instead of listening to how they were feeling, he responded with practical solutions.
He also noticed this pattern playing out at home in his family life and this was particularly frustrating because these were the people in his life that mattered the most!
In his quest for understanding, he came away with a key finding:
There are 3 different types of conversations. If we aren’t having the same type of conversation with our partners, colleagues, family members, at the same moment, we won’t be able to connect with each other.
Researchers have studied how our mind operates during different types of conversations. It turns out that different parts of our brains are activated, depending on the type of discussion.
Duhigg breaks down this research into 3 mindsets, each corresponding to a different conversation style. Please enjoy!
To learn more about Victoria and her business offerings visit or email her at mailto:[email protected]
Connect with Victoria!
https://pod.link/1614071253
https://discoverwhatworks.org/
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This is the second in a series that I started earlier this year. I’m chatting with some of my clients (each with a different DISC profile) to see how their particular profile operates in the world. I started with High Steadiness, and spoke with Shawn Zigelstein (Episode 26).
Before we dive into that, let’s do this month’s DISC comparison.
National Fashion Day is coming up, so of course it prompted me to explore DISC as Designers!
High D – Jean Paul Gaultier. His designs are known to be unconventional, even audacious.
High I – Versace. Vibrant and exciting.
High S – Ralph Lauren. Consistent, practical
High C – Burberry. Patterned, symmetrical
Today we’re going to be looking at the Influence factor, (High I). I’m pleased to introduce Rachel Hammer as my special guest! Rachel is the founder and leader of Hammer and Associates, a highly successful real estate team in the Ottawa area.
To learn more about Victoria and her business offerings visit or email her at mailto:[email protected]
Connect with Victoria!
https://pod.link/1614071253
https://discoverwhatworks.org/
https://www.facebook.com/VictoriaDISC
https://www.instagram.com/discoverwhatworks/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/discoverwhatworks
As AI increasingly seeps into our lives, it's more essential than ever to hone our EI (Emotional Intelligence) skills.
Why?
Emotional Intelligence is what humanizes us, and therefore sets us apart from Artificial Intelligence. These are the facets that simply can not be replaced.
On this episode of DISCovering You, I explore the intrapersonal side of EI, which is understanding and managing emotions in ourselves. Mastering the ability to do this, can bring us to new heights of connection and success.
National Wine Day is next week, so here is DISC as Wine!
High D - Malbec. Full bodied, rich
High I - Sparkling. Bubbly, effervescent
High S - Rosé. Balanced, pleasing
High C - Sauvignon Blanc. Crisp, clean
If you'd like to learn more about Emotional Intelligence assessments and coaching, let's connect!
To learn more about Victoria and her business offerings visit or email her at mailto:[email protected]
Connect with Victoria!
https://pod.link/1614071253
https://discoverwhatworks.org/
https://www.facebook.com/VictoriaDISC
https://www.instagram.com/discoverwhatworks/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/discoverwhatworks
Today, I’m going to be looking at how to recruit and hire with the help of DISC, but first…It’s World Art Day so to illustrate (pun intended) this theme, here is: DISC as Art
D – Cubism. Described as Revolutionary and Rebellious. Picasso is an example.
I – Post Impressionism. Colourful, emotive. There’s a focus on the artist’s feelings towards the subject. Van Gogh’s Starry night expresses this.
S – Impressionism. Depicting nature and tranquility. Think Monet’s water lilies.
C – Precisionism – Using precise, sharply defined geometrical forms. Georgia O’Keefe’s early work of cityscapes embodies this.
Okay, let’s get into our topic. I spend a lot of time on this podcast talking about DISC and other tools from a “theoretical perspective”, but today I’m going to get into the very practical applications of using DISC as a recruiting/hiring/onboarding tool.
To learn more about Victoria and her business offerings visit or email her at mailto:[email protected]
Connect with Victoria!
https://pod.link/1614071253
https://discoverwhatworks.org/
https://www.facebook.com/VictoriaDISC
https://www.instagram.com/discoverwhatworks/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/discoverwhatworks
Today I’ll be exploring the topic of Happiness and breaking it down into 4 Categories.
But as always, we’ll start with a timely DISC Analogy. We are recording on National Jewel Day, so here are how the DISC factors align with jewels. For those of you who are DISC afficionados or loyal listeners you’ll recognize the DISC colours in this example.
High D – Ruby. A vivid shade of red; it symbolizes passion
High I – Canary Diamond. Yellow in colour; it represents happiness and hope
High S – Emerald. Emerald green is associated with balance, harmony and calmness.
High C - Sapphire. This shade of blue is associated with wisdom and truth.
Let’s get into the topic at Hand. The Four Archetypes of Happiness. You know how I love 4 categories of things LOL. Hint: D I S C
To learn more about Victoria and her business offerings visit or email her at mailto:[email protected]
Connect with Victoria!
https://pod.link/1614071253
https://discoverwhatworks.org/
https://www.facebook.com/VictoriaDISC
https://www.instagram.com/discoverwhatworks/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/discoverwhatworks
Today, we’re kicking off the first of a series that I’ll be doing over this year. I’ll be interviewing some of my clients (each with a different DISC profile) kind of like case studies, to see how each particular profile operates in the world. A day in the life of…so to speak.
Before we dive into that, let’s do this month’s DISC illustration. It’s OSCAR season, so here is:
DISC According to OSCAR NOMINATED FILMS! (Not necessarily Best Pic noms, could be acting as is the case for the first one):
High D is Nyad - It’s the true story of a woman’s relentless quest to swim from Cuba to Florida. Diana Nyad personifies High D. She’s very direct, driven, and highly competitive.
High I is Barbie - I’m pretty sure most people are familiar with this movie. 😊 It provides all the feels. It runs the gamut of emotions from joy to sadness and discouragement, back to empowerment and inspiration!
High S is The Holdovers - A story about a grumpy teacher at a Prep school who has to babysit some students over Christmas Break. It focuses on unlikely bonds that are created by spending time learning about, and listening to others, culminating in care and support.
High C is Oppenheimer - The movie is very detailed and historically accurate about a physicist and team of scientists who create the atom bomb. The focus on science, confidentiality, and facts over feelings is very High C.
Okay, let’s get to it! There’s a strong focus on different personality and DISC profiles on this podcast, but I thought it might have a stronger resonance by talking to someone who embodies the essence of their profile and to take a walk in their shoes. An opportunity to see the profile in action!
We’re going to start with High S. Yes, that’s right, I’m not doing it in order. High D’s you always get to be first, so…I’m shaking things up LOL
It’s my absolute pleasure to introduce you to Shawn Zigelstein. Shawn has been in the real estate industry for 20 years. He’s the founder and Team Lead of Team Zold, and ranks consistently in the top 1% of sales reps for Royal LePage. He’s also the winner of the 2022 A.E. LePage Realtor of the Year Award.
To learn more about Victoria and her business offerings visit or email her at mailto:[email protected]
Connect with Victoria!
https://pod.link/1614071253
https://discoverwhatworks.org/
https://www.facebook.com/VictoriaDISC
https://www.instagram.com/discoverwhatworks/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/discoverwhatworks
Since Valentine’s Day is coming soon, I thought it would be timely to discuss Love Languages on today’s episode! And, on that note, I’ve also incorporated Valentines into this month’s DISC illustration.
So, here is DISC according to symbols of Love:
High D – Red Rose. Vibrant, strong, beware of the thorns though LOL D’s 😊
High I – Heart. The quintessential symbol of love, who better to embody it than I’s who wear their hearts on their sleeves
High S - Love birds – They support each other, they’re loyal (mate for life)
High C - Love Letter. C’s value the written word and what better way to express their thoughts!
Let’s jump into today’s topic – Love Languages! I’m sure many of you are familiar with the book, “The 5 Love Languages” and this is where most of the source material comes from.
I read this book many years ago and had categorized it in my mind, as something for romantic partners only.
So, I was surprised when one of my clients, who represents a large organization, mentioned that they had used the Love Languages as a team building exercise in the past. That caught me off guard initially, but then I started to think about it, and realized that it’s applicable to the workplace as well, and so, here we are!
The concept that different personalities speak different “languages” (air quotes) is a common thread running throughout my work. You’ve heard me say that High Dominance and High Steadiness are polar opposites. And that in order to truly connect, High D needs to learn to speak High S and vice versa!
Same thing goes for love languages. You most likely speak a different one than your partner, or your colleagues.
So, what are the 5 love languages? Listen on to learn more.
To learn more about Victoria and her business offerings visit or email her at mailto:[email protected]
Connect with Victoria!
https://pod.link/1614071253
https://discoverwhatworks.org/
https://www.facebook.com/VictoriaDISC
https://www.instagram.com/discoverwhatworks/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/discoverwhatworks
Please enjoy the best of 2023!
Optimism; Friend or Foe? https://pod.link/1614071253/episode/c4a3a55699d106cd5337d7388f8adf27
The Highly Sensitive Person Part 1 https://pod.link/1614071253/episode/c0f9d9df2d33314a4e3a051852dafd30
Thriving As A Highly Sensitive Person https://pod.link/1614071253/episode/29ca59b3d5760c69964fd06b7ed5b82d
Synthesising the S in DISC https://pod.link/1614071253/episode/24458e1ada47c0f82764fb3af6c3952a
Special Guest! Dr. Robin Stern on Emotional Intelligence https://pod.link/1614071253/episode/88ec6c6a9764c5100a1d096dabcf3002
Contemplating the C in DISC https://pod.link/1614071253/episode/808195dbbdb18fa5b02d485fa7f41b79
Building Highly Effective Teams https://pod.link/1614071253/episode/a26d6f9d3dde58a2f6bdf37786cd7356
Exploring Empathy https://pod.link/1614071253/episode/8a5439a280d42be21f82a8b41e66cac7
What's Your Tendency? https://pod.link/1614071253/episode/dc98e91adcb291005d260d7218d69879
How Do YOU Lead? https://pod.link/1614071253/episode/8fda1cc0c168062dfbe1ad65a13c3397
To learn more about Victoria and her business offerings visit or email her at mailto:[email protected]
Connect with Victoria!
https://pod.link/1614071253
https://discoverwhatworks.org/
https://www.facebook.com/VictoriaDISC
https://www.instagram.com/discoverwhatworks/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/discoverwhatworks
Today we’re going to be chatting about Leadership Styles and what each brings to the table.
Before we get to that though, International Cake Day is on the weekend, so of course that means I’m comparing DISC to types of Cake!
High D – Devil’s Food Cake – Strong and substantial, both in texture and flavour
High I – Ice Cream Cake – Whimsical, refreshing
High S – Pound Cake – A staple item, appeals to most people
High C – Bundt Cake – Perfectly formed, a classic
Before I delve into the topic at hand, different styles of Leadership, let me clarify that you don’t have to be in a job where Leader or something equivalent, is part of your title, or even job description. We are all called upon to be leaders from time to time, whether it’s situational – having an important talk with a colleague, providing feedback, setting the tone for your workspace, even in scenarios in our personal lives.
I think there’s a lot of cross-over between leadership at work, and leadership at home, specifically parenting. So, this material is relevant to everyone.
To learn more about Victoria and her business offerings visit or email her at mailto:[email protected]
Connect with Victoria!
https://discoverwhatworks.org/
https://www.facebook.com/VictoriaDISC
https://www.instagram.com/discoverwhatworks/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/discoverwhatworks
The podcast currently has 33 episodes available.