What Is DISC?
DISC is a Model of Human Behavior that gives insight into how people think, act, and interact in different situations.
The four underlying dimensions of a person’s behavior - represented by the letters D, I, S, and C - provide you with an understanding of what drives people and how they interact with their environment.
The four underlying dimensions of a person’s behavior - represented by the letters D, I, S, and C - provide you with an understanding of what drives people and how they interact with their environment.
The Four DISC Personality Types
A Dominant (D) person is Outgoing and Task-oriented. 'D's are assertive and goal-oriented people. They often take charge in new situations and are strong decision-makers. They are direct and competitive and often challenge the status quo.
An Inspiring (I) person is Outgoing and People-oriented. 'I's are creative, outgoing individuals who excel in relationships. They have good people skills and work well with others to reach a common goal. They are energetic, persuasive, enthusiastic, and tend to be optimistic about the future.
A Supportive (S) person is Reserved and People-oriented. 'S's are reliable people with a calm demeanor who consistently think about how things will impact people. They enjoy helping others, are very supportive and work great in a team environment. They value stability and follow through on their commitments without complaint or fanfare.
A Cautious (C) person is reserved and task-oriented. 'C's are analytical thinkers who prefer order over chaos. They are organized and detail-oriented, with a unique strength in planning ahead to counter potential problems before they arise. They like structure and rules but also enjoy analyzing data to discover patterns or trends to help them make better decisions for their organization or team.
Healthy, positive relationships come from having an accurate understanding of yourself and others.
Robert A. Rohm, Ph.D.
Who Created DISC?
Who created this powerful behavioral model? Let’s take a quick peek at history.
Dr. William Moulton Marston, an industrial psychologist and inventor, was the brains behind DISC. Marston observed that normal people had their own distinct behavior patterns when dealing with others. He then theorized that people are motivated by four intrinsic drives that direct behavioral patterns. He published “The Emotions of Normal People” in 1928 providing his findings which led to the development of the DISC model which is widely used today.
Now you know a little history about the history of DISC, how do you learn how to apply the model to the relationships in your life? You can start by taking a DISC Assessment.
Dr. William Moulton Marston, an industrial psychologist and inventor, was the brains behind DISC. Marston observed that normal people had their own distinct behavior patterns when dealing with others. He then theorized that people are motivated by four intrinsic drives that direct behavioral patterns. He published “The Emotions of Normal People” in 1928 providing his findings which led to the development of the DISC model which is widely used today.
Now you know a little history about the history of DISC, how do you learn how to apply the model to the relationships in your life? You can start by taking a DISC Assessment.
What are the Benefits of DISC Assessment?
DISC personality assessments provide a systematic way for you to gain a better understanding of yourself and your interactions with others.
By learning more about your own behavioral tendencies, you can become more self-aware and better able to interact with team members effectively. You'll also get insight into potential blind spots you may have to help you eliminate them and build stronger relationships.
Additionally, a DISC assessment has a multiplier effect in a team environment because when people understand their own behaviors, motivations, and communication styles as well as that of their team members, team dynamics are enhanced.
Key benefits of DISC assessment:
By learning more about your own behavioral tendencies, you can become more self-aware and better able to interact with team members effectively. You'll also get insight into potential blind spots you may have to help you eliminate them and build stronger relationships.
Additionally, a DISC assessment has a multiplier effect in a team environment because when people understand their own behaviors, motivations, and communication styles as well as that of their team members, team dynamics are enhanced.
Key benefits of DISC assessment:
- Greater self-awareness
- Develop your own unique strengths
- Enhanced confidence
- Improved ability to interact with others
How Long Does a DISC Assessment Take to Complete?
There are several different companies that have built DISC assessments based on Marston's foundational model of DISC theory. That's why you'll notice some variance between the names and colors associated with each of the four types. Additionally, some offer online DISC assessments while others are completed on paper.
It typically takes between 10-20 minutes to complete a DISC Assessment regardless of which organization is offering the assessment. It's a relatively short time investment considering the amount of useful information that you can gain from it.
The assessment consists of a series of questions designed to measure different aspects of your behavioral tendencies accurately. After the assessment is finished, the results are tabulated and often represented in a summary report that varies in length.
After your results are tabulated, you will typically be given a summary report of your behavioral tendencies.
It typically takes between 10-20 minutes to complete a DISC Assessment regardless of which organization is offering the assessment. It's a relatively short time investment considering the amount of useful information that you can gain from it.
The assessment consists of a series of questions designed to measure different aspects of your behavioral tendencies accurately. After the assessment is finished, the results are tabulated and often represented in a summary report that varies in length.
After your results are tabulated, you will typically be given a summary report of your behavioral tendencies.
How are DISC Assessment
Results Interpreted?
Interpretation of a DISC assessment will vary based on which organization provided the assessment. Some organizations may give you a single-page DISC report while others may provide you a 10, 20, 30, or 40+ page in-depth DISC report.
But what you need to know is that your report should, at a minimum, help you understand how you scored across each of the four dimensions: Dominant, Inspiring, Supportive, and Cautious.
Additionally, you may also see that you have a blend of more than one of these four primary types.
Depending on your DISC assessment provider, you may get a personalized report with a detailed analysis of your unique qualities and strengths and potential blind spots. You may also get additional actionable recommendations depending on the depth of the assessment by your provider.
Once you have a solid understanding of your assessment, it's an ideal time to receive training to have a strong understanding of the DISC Model of Human Behavior and how to apply it to your improve your relationships.
But what you need to know is that your report should, at a minimum, help you understand how you scored across each of the four dimensions: Dominant, Inspiring, Supportive, and Cautious.
Additionally, you may also see that you have a blend of more than one of these four primary types.
Depending on your DISC assessment provider, you may get a personalized report with a detailed analysis of your unique qualities and strengths and potential blind spots. You may also get additional actionable recommendations depending on the depth of the assessment by your provider.
Once you have a solid understanding of your assessment, it's an ideal time to receive training to have a strong understanding of the DISC Model of Human Behavior and how to apply it to your improve your relationships.
What are the Benefits of DISC Training?
If an assessment is the engine, training is like the rest of the car. In other words, having a powerful engine but no steering wheel or seats isn't going to do you much good. That's why you need both the assessment and the training to help you get where you want to go.
DISC training is what helps you take the valuable insights you learn from the DISC assessment and actually put them into practice so you can get the results you want.
When you are looking for training, you'll want to be sure that your training provider provides adequate opportunities to apply what you're learning about your style and others. The key to getting the most out of a DISC assessment is to apply what you're learning in a safe environment that way, you can be confident you can apply it in the real world.
DISC training is what helps you take the valuable insights you learn from the DISC assessment and actually put them into practice so you can get the results you want.
When you are looking for training, you'll want to be sure that your training provider provides adequate opportunities to apply what you're learning about your style and others. The key to getting the most out of a DISC assessment is to apply what you're learning in a safe environment that way, you can be confident you can apply it in the real world.
What Kind of Training Is Needed To Use DISC Effectively?
DISC training comes in a variety of flavors and formats. It's important to look at your time and budget to determine the best type of training that will meet your needs.
Online training can be a cost-effective approach because it allows people to take the training at their own pace. But the downside can be some online training is nothing more than a talking head video. This means that while you might save some costs, the training experience can be less effective because it doesn't have the same type of application you would find in a live classroom environment.
However, there is a hybrid approach now available. Some DISC providers, such as DISC Learning Academy, simulate the classroom experience by creating real-world scenarios within the online training format so that learners can apply the concepts with immediate feedback, similar to a live classroom.
With effective DISC training, individuals can understand each other better and build relationships that foster mutual respect. They can learn to recognize the strengths of each personality type and use those differences to work together more productively. With this knowledge, they can also make better decisions based on individual strengths rather than relying solely on one type of thinking.
Overall, a well-executed DISC training program can create an environment where everyone feels comfortable expressing their authentic selves.
For example, live classroom training can be a powerful experience because of the shared experience and customization. However, live classroom training can be an expensive endeavor not only because of the cost of the training but because of the hard costs and opportunity costs of having your entire team "offline" at the same time.
Online training can be a cost-effective approach because it allows people to take the training at their own pace. But the downside can be some online training is nothing more than a talking head video. This means that while you might save some costs, the training experience can be less effective because it doesn't have the same type of application you would find in a live classroom environment.
However, there is a hybrid approach now available. Some DISC providers, such as DISC Learning Academy, simulate the classroom experience by creating real-world scenarios within the online training format so that learners can apply the concepts with immediate feedback, similar to a live classroom.
With effective DISC training, individuals can understand each other better and build relationships that foster mutual respect. They can learn to recognize the strengths of each personality type and use those differences to work together more productively. With this knowledge, they can also make better decisions based on individual strengths rather than relying solely on one type of thinking.
Overall, a well-executed DISC training program can create an environment where everyone feels comfortable expressing their authentic selves.
How Does DISC Improve Communication?
Is DISC Suitable for Use in a Virtual Setting?
Yes, DISC can absolutely be used to build an effective virtual team. In fact, it can be even more important to use because so many of the typical interpersonal dynamics are missing in a virtual setting. When the virtual team has a formal understanding of their teammates, it can speed up relationship building that could take months or years to forge.
Can DISC Help to Reduce Conflict?
Armed with the knowledge of DISC, we can quickly identify the root causes of disagreements and create strategies for improving communication.
By analyzing the different personality traits that make up an individual, we can better understand how they react in certain situations and develop solutions to reduce tension.
With DISC, we gain insight into how different people approach to conflict, enabling us to tailor our responses accordingly and resolve issues more effectively. DISC helps us understand both sides of the argument, allowing us to find common ground and foster collaboration - leading to more successful interpersonal relationships.
By analyzing the different personality traits that make up an individual, we can better understand how they react in certain situations and develop solutions to reduce tension.
With DISC, we gain insight into how different people approach to conflict, enabling us to tailor our responses accordingly and resolve issues more effectively. DISC helps us understand both sides of the argument, allowing us to find common ground and foster collaboration - leading to more successful interpersonal relationships.
How Does DISC Help Team Dynamics?
When people are self-aware and equipped to recognize others' tendencies, it's almost like team dynamics can go on autopilot.
That's because as people adapt to each other, it will naturally encourage collaboration and understanding, foster healthy relationships and create productive working dynamics.
By understanding how behavior types affect workplace dynamics, leaders can better foster an environment where everyone feels comfortable contributing their skill-sets towards achieving organizational goals--making it more interesting for all involved.
By understanding how behavior types affect workplace dynamics, leaders can better foster an environment where everyone feels comfortable contributing their skill-sets towards achieving organizational goals--making it more interesting for all involved.
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