Teri Coutu

I did it again. My partner was struggling with an issue at work and came home feeling anger, shame, guilt, and humiliation. I reacted with my usual response – systematic, realistic and (hopefully) calming suggestions to bring about a logical solution as quickly as possible. So, I was very surprised when my helpful suggestions were met with agitation, tears, and “that’s not what I need.” My High C/S DISC profile beat out my empathetic touchy-feely side once again, leaving us both feeling...

What’s your greatest strength? Or, at least something that would make your top ten? As someone with a High S/High C DISC profile, one of my greatest strengths is a deep appreciation for precision. I have spent countless hours trying to get the message just right, the graphics perfect, the sales process aligned, and the follow-up first-rate. There have been days when I've worked for eight or ten hours and, by the end of the day, nothing was actually finished. I wasn't avoiding the work. I was...

Have you ever left a meeting convinced everyone was on the same page...only to discover later that everyone had walked away with a completely different understanding? A couple of years ago I was a member of the Board for a local non-profit. The organization was struggling financially due to the impact of COVID on our fundraising, and we spent the day in a strategic meeting to determine how best to move forward. During the meeting, everyone seemed to agree on what needed to be done, who would...