A client has a last-minute emergency. A budget has been drastically cut. An important deadline is looming. A project has gone off scope. Any one of these work situations can cause stress within a team, and when the pressure rises, communication is usually impacted.
Each of your co-workers has a natural behavioral type (denoted by DISC), and each type has different patterns that emerge under pressure. The most common way this manifests is in communication changes.
“When I work with organizations, I’ve found that it’s really helpful to run at least the DISC assessment to establish a baseline and introduce team members to themselves,” said Marcus Straub of Life Is Great!™ Coaching & Consulting. “It helps uncover what’s going on, personally or professionally, or both.”
While your teammates’ communication styles might confound or even irritate you during a high-pressure situation, they’re usually just trying to get their point across. Become a true team player by decoding the meaning behind their behavior.
“Instead of defaulting to the idea that ‘everyone should communicate the way I do under pressure,’ realize that’s not the case,” said Straub. “If you understand that, you can understand the signs of somebody breaking down under pressure and really meet them where they're at. Tailor your approach to fit their style and their need at the moment—that’s what leads to superior communication.”
Here are tips for communicating with coworkers in stressful situations, examining each DISC behavioral style.
Direct communicators are ambitious, decisive, competitive, and confident.
When under moderate pressure, Direct communicators often intensify their style, demanding quick decisions and results. This can feel demanding or disruptive to slower-paced peers, coming across as stubborn or lacking empathy.
In high-pressure situations, Direct people can seem harsh, controlling, or egotistical. They might shut down collaboration and damage communication, even when their intent is to drive progress.
Direct communicators are driven by a strong sense of urgency. Try to find a task with a quick win to encourage them and support progress on a project.
Communicate what is being done next to establish forward momentum and give them a future thought to focus on. Don’t order them around—give them options to move forward instead of instructing them.
Reflective people are modest, adaptable, low-key, cooperative, and agreeable.
When under moderate pressure, Reflective communicators may be perceived as hesitant, timid, or overly compliant, often slipping into a follower role.
Under high pressure, others might view them as anxious, insecure, or meek. Their agreeable nature, while well-intentioned, can appear as an unwillingness or inability to act, creating challenges for decision-making and long-term effectiveness.
Give your Reflective teammate time and space to think. Instead of putting them on the spot, where they might defer, ask them questions and give them time to consider their answer.
Making requests through written communication can also be helpful, as it eliminates the pressure of in-person communication. This will give you a better chance of getting their real opinion instead of a fast answer.
Outgoing communicators are enthusiastic, people-oriented, and persuasive.
When under moderate pressure, Outgoing communicators may be seen as self-promoting, overly fast-paced, or even deceptive, turning collaborators into spectators rather than true partners. Their optimism, while usually energizing, can come across as unrealistic or naïve.
Under extreme pressure, these tendencies intensify, with others perceiving them as arrogant, insincere, or presumptuous. Their rapid-fire communication style, intended to solve problems, can instead overwhelm slower-paced peers, creating barriers to genuine collaboration.
Focus on amicable tone—Outgoing people are very high energy and will become anxious if the people around them are irritated (or they perceive them to be irritated).
Offer positive feedback, keep lines of communication open, and don’t be afraid to help steer them in the right direction. They’ll appreciate that more than being frozen out.
Reserved people are factual, discerning, and perceptive.
When under moderate pressure, Reserved communicators may be viewed as blunt, moody, or overly skeptical. Their careful analysis and fact-finding, intended to be helpful, can feel like criticism or intrusion if not framed with warmth.
In extreme situations, these tendencies intensify, making them appear pessimistic, critical, or suspicious. While their introspection and attention to detail are typically strengths, under stress, they can seem unwilling to collaborate or consider others’ perspectives, turning precision into a perceived obstacle rather than an asset.
Reserved communicators can be easily overwhelmed in tense situations and will likely withdraw into themselves rather than put themselves out there.
Make sure to be specific and factual in your communication, breaking your tasks down into next steps. Share your expectations and needs as clearly as you can, and give them space to meet them.
Steady communicators are considerate, thoughtful, good-natured, and dependable.
Under moderate pressure, Steady communicators may come across as stand-offish, hesitant, or inflexible. Their focus on routines and to-do lists can frustrate faster-paced colleagues, and they may appear frozen or unsure when challenged.
Under extreme pressure, these tendencies intensify, making them seem possessive, unapproachable, and indifferent to others’ input. What is normally seen as calm and cooperative can instead be perceived as insensitivity, with their preferred pace taking precedence over team needs.
Steady communicators work best without forced urgency. Give them as much notice as possible before they have to make decisions, and let them know they’re appreciated.
A slower pace and calm presence might be less flashy than other behavioral types, but there’s a reason Steady communicators are such excellent teammates. Remind them of their importance to the team and let them focus on their contributions.
Dynamic communicators are flexible, active, and energetic.
Under moderate pressure, Dynamic communicators may be seen as intense, restless, impatient, and rushed. Their fast-paced, pressure-driven style can stress slower-paced colleagues and disrupt processes, especially when changes are made unnecessarily.
Under extreme pressure, these tendencies escalate into impulsivity, making them appear edgy, pushy, and like poor listeners. Their rapid pace can leave others behind, creating anxiety and disruption, and they may seem resistant to coaching or slowing down.
Dynamic communicators are change-drivers—don’t try to stifle them! Their urgency and adaptability can be channeled productively, even under pressure. When things get tough, put them on faster-moving, high-change projects and let them innovate.
When you need to guide them to slow down, don’t talk down to them; ask questions instead of giving orders to help them reflect, instead of getting defensive.
Precise communicators are thorough, careful, analytical, and well-informed.
Under moderate stress, Precise communicators may be seen as pessimistic, nitpicky, and overly literal. Their cautious, fact-focused approach can come across as fear or rigidity, especially to those who prefer more interactive or emotional communication.
Under extreme stress, these tendencies intensify, making them appear hard-to-please, defensive, and inflexible. Their strong focus on tasks and precision can alienate peers, hinder teamwork, and be perceived as cold or dismissive.
A Precise communicator tends to buckle down when under stress, so help them focus on the right things instead of getting stuck.
Reduce their fear of failure by being clear and direct with instructions. Lay out safeguards for if (or when) something doesn’t work—instead of getting bogged down by the mistake, a Precise team member can focus on moving forward to the desired conclusion.
Pioneering communicators are independent, improvisational, and “big picture” thinkers.
Under moderate pressure, Pioneering communicators may be seen as individualistic, unconventional, or whimsical. Their ideas can be dismissed as unrealistic, and their focus on innovation may make them appear distracted from immediate tasks or team needs.
Under extreme pressure, these tendencies intensify, and they may be perceived as rebellious or erratic, showing disregard for established systems and making it difficult for others to follow their thought process.
Pioneering communicators care about the outcome more than the process, but some things can’t be changed or rushed. Be clear with them about what absolutely must be done, then give them wiggle room to explore other opportunities within a project.
Demonstrate how details connect to the overall goal to highlight the importance of accuracy, but also give them opportunities to engage their creativity and focus on forward thinking.
No matter the behavioral style, you can find ways to connect and move forward through stress. The best thing you can do as a teammate and peer is earnestly try to understand the perspective of the people around you.
“People don’t want to be changed,” Straub said. “They want to be understood. You build trust, rapport, and credibility when you give others a safe environment in which to meet themselves.”