How to Be More Dynamic
Are there times when you wish you had a more dynamic personality? Situations in which you want to move faster and command attention? For some people, a dynamic personality comes naturally. For others, this mindset takes a lot of effort and energy. If you'd like to learn how to be more dynamic, there are ways to practice this skill.
Key Takeaways
- People with dynamic personalities are good at rallying others to action and creating change.
- People of all personality types may want to call upon the dynamic mindset when they need to persuade others, push toward a goal, or seize opportunities.
- You can practice being more dynamic by recognizing the thoughts standing in your way, setting goals, and practicing.
- Practice a dynamic personality by taking risks, making quick decisions, and adding energy to your body language and facial expressions, among other tips.
We all have natural tendencies that direct our behaviors and choices throughout the day. These attitudes feel so intuitive that we can forget there are other options.
What is a dynamic personality?
“I know what I want and I go after it.”
People with dynamic personalities have a passion for persuasion. They are good at rallying colleagues to action and influencing change. They value momentum and excitement and are happy when shaping the world around them.
Everything DiSC® Agile EQ™
Dynamic individuals take initiative, set ambitious goals, and act quickly to transform ideas into reality. They want to make their mark and be at the center of the action. To do so, they are willing to take risks and seize opportunities. Naturally dynamic people often project strong, confident personalities that others find compelling.
Which needs drive the dynamic mindset?
Our natural mindsets are the ones we use automatically and with little effort. They emerge from our personal needs. Dynamic people find the mindset comfortable because it helps them satisfy needs such as:
- making progress
- influencing people and decisions
- achieving great things
- experiencing stimulation, excitement, adventure, variety
- directing their own fate
- commanding attention
- being in control
Benefits of the dynamic mindset
A dynamic mindset may come most naturally for people with Di and iD DiSC® styles. However, people of all personality types can call upon this mindset when the situation calls for it. Whatever your personality style, a dynamic mindset allows you to:
- create interest and momentum to move your ideas forward
- take concrete steps to make your ideas a reality
- take advantage of novel opportunities that might otherwise go untapped
- lead others with energy and confidence
- take action rather than moving in circles
- embrace exciting events that might cause negative stress for others
- give your ideas more of a fighting chance
People of various DiSC® styles will receive different benefits from practicing the dynamic mindset.
- It allows people with D styles and i styles, who might find the mindset more natural, to move ideas to action and influence others.
- C styles may think the logic of their idea should speak for itself. However, when they invoke the dynamic mindset, they can also connect with people on an emotional level. This helps to promote their view.
- S styles may have great ideas but hold back because they don’t like leading. Or, they may present suggestions tentatively, which ensures that others bury them. A dynamic mindset helps S styles make their voice heard and make a contribution.
Limitations of the dynamic mindset
The key to growing your agile emotional intelligence is being able to read a situation and react wisely. This involves developing an awareness of when you might be overusing the mindsets in your comfort zone. If you get stuck in the dynamic mindset, you might:
- disregard others’ concerns or forget to consider alternative options as you charge forward
- allow your drive to cloud your judgment
- allow your passion to overtake you
- push others to move ahead without giving them time to consider an issue
- be so goal-focused that you close yourself off to warning signs that something is wrong
- overwhelm your less dynamic colleagues, which can create resentment
- miss out on important or interesting discussions with people too reserved to speak up through your forcefulness
Situations that may call for a dynamic mindset
People of all DiSC styles can learn to read situations. They can determine when a dynamic approach is best, and when a different mindset might be more useful. It can change from day to day. The dynamic mindset may serve you well in today’s staff meeting, but cause tension in tomorrow’s.
You may need to be more dynamic when:
- persuading others
- promoting your ideas
- making an impression
- advocating for change
- moving from idea to execution
- inspiring others to action
- pushing toward a goal
- saying “yes” to new opportunities
When operating from the dynamic frame of mind, you don’t just “float your idea” and see what comes of it. You advocate for it, make a compelling argument, and take steps to make it happen.
How to be more dynamic
How you approach practicing this skill will differ depending on your personality. We recommend taking the Everything DiSC® Agile EQ™ assessment to see where your “effort meter” is for the dynamic mindset (see sample profile). These reports are highly personalized, giving individual learners insight into what subconscious thoughts may be standing in their way. Here is some general guidance.
Recognize your thoughts
Thoughts that can stand in the way of becoming more dynamic include:
- I don’t want to push people into this if they’re not interested.
- My idea is good, so I shouldn't have to sell it.
- If no one else seems excited about this, it’s probably not that great of an idea.
- If this doesn’t work out, I’ll look foolish.
- It would take too much energy to make this happen.
If you catch yourself having these thoughts, identify them. Then challenge them.
Yes, a good idea should sell itself. But that doesn't always happen, so what if you tried pitching your idea a little more this time?
Yes, it will take a lot of energy to build support for your idea and keep fighting for it. But think about the sense of accomplishment you'll feel when it succeeds. And think about how your team will benefit from your efforts.
Set goals
Take steps toward making it more comfortable for you to act dynamically. This may be things like:
- When I have a good idea, I share it with others to generate excitement.
- I consider my audience before pitching an idea or making a request.
- I bring positive energy and momentum to my collaborations.
- I’m someone who tends to shape the direction of projects and meetings.
- I’m comfortable acting now and working out the details later.
- I act decisively when needed.
That “when needed” is key. We’re not talking about a wholesale personality change.
If the dynamic mindset does not come naturally to you, it will likely never be the one your instincts reach for. But you can practice the skills required so that, when the situation calls for it, you know how to employ the dynamic mindset. It just may take a little more effort than other approaches.
Start practicing
Some general tips on being more dynamic:
- Be willing to put yourself out there.
- Be open to criticism.
- Take risks, and believe that you can bounce back if they don’t work out.
- Be aware of your body language and facial expressions. Can you add a bit more energy to your demeanor to help get people on board?
- Be the first one to speak up with an idea.
- Make decisions quickly and independently.
- Choose language and questions that create momentum, not uncertainty.
- Tailor arguments to your audience.
The Agile EQ profile goes into detail for these tips, with concrete ways to work them into your daily routine.
If you’re thinking about it like, “I want to become a dynamic person,” it’s easy to get overwhelmed. You feel like you’re trying to change who you are—your core personality.
Instead, think: “I want to become more comfortable having a dynamic mindset.” This won’t happen overnight, but each small bit of progress will be rewarding. You will grow in ways you would not have otherwise.
Growing your emotional agility
The Everything DiSC Agile EQ assessment provides concrete tips to grow your EQ and learn how to stretch into other attitudes. It’s a helpful resource to use when working with a leadership or life coach, mentor, or accountability partner.
Understanding your own intuitive mindsets is the first step in developing your emotional intelligence. Then, you’ll want to learn about the mindsets that other people naturally call upon. This shows you the benefits and limitations of those approaches. It also helps you understand your coworkers and other people in your life who feel comfortable using them.
The more you practice stretching into all available frames of mind and recognizing when each is appropriate, the more agile you’ll be in your response to complex situations.
If you need one last bit of motivation to practice the dynamic mindset, think of it this way: No one else will ever be as invested in your vision as you are, so it’s up to you to bring it about.
Posted 08/10/2020, Last Updated 12/26/2024
