6 Things You Need to Know About the Most Difficult “Blocker”

by William Walsh | Sep 6, 2022 | 2022

By Scott Gillum
Estimated read time: 5 Minutes

The last of our four part series on how to navigate decision making blockers. 

If your pipeline is a little clogged right now, you’ve already met the last of the four “blockers” and you probably know them well.

The “Steady” is THE blocker. The “S” in DISC personality assessment is the most difficult to identify, and the most challenging personality to navigate for so many reasons. The word “frustrating” may come to mind. 

On the surface they seem engaged, and they are. They read and return your emails and make time on their calendars for a call or meeting. Steadies will also give insight into the organization and the need. You may view them as a “coach” or advocate inside the company. 

For marketers, Steadies are present at the beginning of the buyer’s journey. They actively engage with content.  In fact, you will probably find (as we have in our research) a large group of them subscribe to your company newsletter. 

In general, they’re very nice people, but have two distinct characteristics that make them a challenge. 

Steadies are friendly, but they are not your friend. 

First, Steadies are comfortable with the status quo. They like working in a calm and stable work environment. Second, they want to be liked and that’s why it is hard to identify them as a “blocker”. You’ll think they’re on your side, but they’re not. They won’t advocate for you, your brand, or your solution. Steadies love being on the “team,” but they’re not going to be the captain. 

Steadies are present early in the buying process because they like to stay informed but mostly out of self interest.  They like to stay informed.  It’s why they hit your content, take your calls, etc. They’re interested in understanding how what you’re offering will impact them or others.

Identifying their personality type is rather easy. If you suspect you’re dealing with a Steady, check their LinkedIn profile. Unlike the Dominants, who are very career driven and build their profiles to attract attention of others, Steadies don’t. Their LinkedIn profile may not be updated, it may show that they’ve had relatively few roles, and may have worked for the same organization for a number of years. 

Here’s how to manage the challenge that is the Steady. 

1. 1. Don’t try the “end around.” You may be incredibly frustrated with the lack of movement but don’t try going around them. There are a number of reasons why. First, Steadies are the most sensitive of all the blockers. Second, they have a habit of looking at everything and they consult others when a decision is needed. If you try sending something to someone else be warned, there is a very good chance they will catch it, and it may damage the relationship.
   2. Don’t be inconsistent! Steadies seek order, so give it to them. Set an agenda, stick to it. Give them the “heads up” on things to come, keep them informed. They are not a fan of surprises, so be predictable and reliable. See above…
   3. Don’t try to close them.  You’re not going to like this but don’t try to force a Steady to make a decision. You’ll end up banging your head against a wall. Take things slowly and keep in mind they move when the whole team moves, and that takes time. More on this below.   
   4. Do make the need that your solution/product addresses THE priority. Steadies manage the priorities of others. You will need to use the buying group to move your opportunity. (Target key influencers within the group and create a strong business case for why the need for your solution should be the organizational priority).   
   5. Do use empathy.  Because Steadies are sensitive, they feel for others. Try to understand the situation and use language that connects with them emotionally. Talk about the benefits of your product/solution in terms of what it can do to help people on a personal level – improve their confidence, reduce frustrations, eliminate risk, etc. Only selling the rational business benefits of the offering will have absolutely no impact.     
   6. Do make them feel valuable. Although they most likely are not the decision maker or budget owner, they still believe they are an important part of the buying process. And it’s your job to validate it. This may be completely counter to how you feel about them. 

When we first began researching Steadies, we believed that they were preliminary motivated by keeping a calm predictable work environment which is true. What we have since learned, is this extends to others, especially team members. Their loyalty lies with their peers, not vendors.  

Speaking of teams, with the NFL starting up in a couple of weeks, let’s use a football analogy to summarize the series. On offense, the quarterback is the “Influencer.” His job is to read the offense and distribute the ball to another player who will hopefully advance it down the field. 

Those players are most likely the running backs and receivers (the “Dominants”) moving the ball downfield and usually getting the glory of scoring a touchdown. 

The steadies well they’re the offensive lineman. They love being on the team and play an important role, but they’re never gonna touch the ball – they’ll try to keep you from the quarterback and running backs. 

The only way they advance is when the entire team moves the ball. These “grinders” play a vital role on the team, but are perfectly happy letting others make the call, and watching them get the glory. 

To win, you need to have a playbook and patience. It will be a long game and you’ll have to move the entire team. Companies often abandon the pursuit because of the lack of movement but the key to winning is staying in the game.