Ever notice that some people have more trouble letting go of difficult experiences than others? From a DISC system perspective, this is not surprising. I’s, for example, don’t dwell upon negativity or stress. Their optimistic nature quickly finds silver linings and looks forward to the next interesting or creative experience.
Supportive styles, by contrast, do not just have memories, they build memory museums. An S can recall a difficult experience they had with you from 9 years ago. Why? Because when it happened they framed the incident and hung it on a memory museum wall. Research into memory shows that attaching emotion to a fact or experience significantly increases it’s recall capacity.
Supportive styles are wired for intense emotional experiences. They seek to build trusting relationships that value sincere appreciation and pursue harmony in everything they do. A careless comment, argument, or mistake triggers a deeper emotional response from S’s than for other styles. This can create a burden on relationships as S’s can hold private grudges. While they will outwardly forgive, they’re unlikely to forget!