The Ultimate Guide to DISC: What you need to know about the DISC Model of Human Behavior

Ever wondered what makes people tick? What drives their behavior, their decisions, and their relationships? With DISC, you can easily recognize and predict how people will respond based on their behavioral tendencies.

With DISC, you'll discover your unique personality type, as well as identify they types of your most important relationships - colleagues, employees, team members, customers, friends and family. And when you gain insight into the motivations, values, and needs of the people around you, you can use this knowledge to build stronger, more meaningful connections and bring out the best in yourself and those around you.

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. 

It's no surprise that people are wired differently, and the DISC Model of Human Behavior aims to identify and explain those differences.

The DISC Model is grounded on two fundamental observations about typical human behavior.

1) PACE - Internal Motor
people tend to have different speeds at which they operate and how they approach situations. Some people are always ready to go and dive right into a situation (outgoing), while others tend to operate at a slower pace and take their time (reserved).

2) PRIORITY - External Focus
Just as we have a motor that drives us, we also have a compass that moves us toward different priorities. Some people tend to focus on getting things done (task-oriented), while others tend to be way more tuned in to the people around them and their feelings (people-oriented).

In review, we have 4 behavioral tendencies to help us characterize people:

•     Outgoing
•     Reserved
•     Task-oriented
•     People-oriented

We need to keep in mind that these tendencies are neither good nor bad, they are simply ways to help us understand the wiring of a person. 

When we put together both the Pace and the Priority, a four quadrant circle emerges and reveal the four major DISC personality types emerge, each corresponding to one of the four quadrants of the circle, in clockwise order:

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.

Let's take a deeper dive into each of these four behavioral styles. 

People who have a Dominant DISC profile, or 'D' type, are typically characterized as driven, they are "doers". They are goal-oriented and ambitious individuals that have the ability to influence others to achieve the desired results. These people thrive in leadership, especially in high-pressure situations and can be seen as quite competitive – they enjoy the challenge of taking initiative and leading the way.

When it comes to their approach to work, D types are direct, decisive and focused; they will often take charge and make decisions quickly. This can sometimes lead to a lack of openness when gathering information from others or considering different perspectives. However, they can also be quite persuasive which is beneficial in getting tasks accomplished efficiently.

To sum up, 'D's tend to be go-getters who are capable of positively impacting their environment through assertiveness and ambition. They may not always take the time to consider other perspectives or views but they have the potential for great leadership qualities due to their driving nature.

People with an Inspiring DISC profile, or 'I' type, are like a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day. People with this personality profile are warm and inviting, and they naturally draw others in with their enthusiasm. They tend to be creative thinkers, often coming up with unique solutions to problems and finding innovative ways to move projects forward. 'I's are motivated by recognition and approval for their accomplishments.

'I's have an innate ability to look at the bigger picture. They don’t get stuck on details or get bogged down in minutia – instead, they focus on the long-term impact of their actions. They also have a knack for recognizing the potential in others, which makes them natural leaders.

Inspiring individuals understand that collaboration is key when it comes to achieving success. They excel at motivating others and building consensus through dialogue and compromise. With these skills, they can create an environment where everyone feels heard and respected while still staying focused on the goal at hand.

People who have a Cautious DISC profile, or 'C' type, are cautious in nature and have a tendency to analyze their decisions before acting. They often view situations from all angles, which makes them cautious risk-takers. The Cautious type is often described as analytical, thoughtful, and systematic in its approach to problem-solving.

People with a Cautious style tend to be skeptical about new ideas or changes, preferring instead to take their time in making decisions. They’re also more likely to stay focused on details rather than taking a big-picture view of things. This type of person is reliable and hardworking.

DISC is a valuable tool for improving workplace interactions. By breaking down personalities into four distinct categories - Dominant, Inspiring, Supportive, and Cautious-, this method allows individuals to understand better how their style of communication affects others and vice versa.

This understanding can then create productive conversations that can lead to improved relationships and open communication channels. DISC training helps us identify our strengths and blind spots to become more adept communicators.

DISC is a valuable tool for any business or team. While there are a large variety of personality tests in the market, DISC remains one of the most popular tools because of its blend of accuracy and simplicity.