As a leader, it’s essential to understand your own behavior and how it affects your team. One way to gain insight into your leadership style is through a DiSC assessment.
DiSC is a behavioral assessment tool that measures an individual’s tendencies and preferences in four areas: dominance, influence, steadiness, and conscientiousness. By understanding your DiSC style, you can gain self-awareness and learn how to communicate and work effectively with others.
The DiSC assessment is based on the work of psychologist William Moulton Marston, who developed the DISC theory in the 1920s. This theory suggests that people have a dominant behavioral style that falls into one of four categories: Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, and Conscientiousness. Each style is represented by a letter in the acronym DiSC.
Here’s a brief overview of the four DiSC styles:
- Dominance: This style is characterized by a desire for control, power, and achievement. People with a Dominance style tend to be direct, assertive, and results-oriented.
- Influence: This style is characterized by a desire for social interaction and recognition. People with an Influence style tend to be outgoing, enthusiastic, and persuasive.
- Steadiness: This style is characterized by a desire for stability and predictability. People with a Steadiness style tend to be patient, supportive, and diplomatic.
- Conscientiousness: This style is characterized by a desire for accuracy and quality. People with a Conscientiousness style tend to be analytical, detail-oriented, and systematic.
Knowing your DiSC style can help you understand your strengths and weaknesses as a leader. For example, if you have a Dominance style, you may excel at setting goals and driving your team to achieve them, but you may also come across as overly aggressive or demanding.
What is a DiSC Assessment?
A DiSC assessment is a personality test that helps individuals understand their behavioral style and how they interact with others in various situations. The assessment is based on the DiSC model, which identifies four primary behavioral styles: Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, and Conscientiousness.
I have personally taken a DiSC assessment and found it to be incredibly insightful. Prior to taking the assessment, I had a general understanding of my personality traits, but the DiSC assessment provided me with a more detailed and nuanced understanding of my behavioral style.
The assessment consisted of a series of questions designed to measure my preferences and tendencies in various situations. Based on my responses, I was given a report that provided a detailed analysis of my behavioral style, including my strengths, areas for improvement, and how I tend to interact with others.
One of the things I appreciated about the assessment was how it emphasized that there is no “right” or “wrong” behavioral style. Each style has its own unique set of strengths and weaknesses, and the key is understanding your style and how to leverage your strengths while mitigating your weaknesses.
How a DiSC assessment works
Here’s an article on how a DiSC assessment works.
A DiSC assessment measures an individual’s behavioral preferences based on the DiSC theory, a psychological model that categorizes people into four main personality types: Dominant (D), Influencing (i), Steady (S), and Conscientious (C). The assessment helps individuals understand their natural tendencies, communication style, decision-making process, and work style. It can also help improve team communication, productivity, and overall workplace satisfaction. The DiSC assessment typically involves a series of questions that require individuals to choose between two statements that they most identify with in a given scenario. The assessment can be taken online or on paper and takes approximately 15-20 minutes to complete. There are various types of DiSC assessments available, including DiSC Classic, Everything DiSC, and Work of Leaders. Once an individual has completed the assessment, they will receive a report that outlines their primary DiSC style and secondary characteristics. The report includes information on their communication style, work preferences, decision-making style, and more.
Why a DiSC assessment works
A DiSC assessment is a popular tool used for personal and professional development. It assesses a person’s behavior, communication style, and personality traits based on four primary factors: dominance, influence, steadiness, and conscientiousness. Here are some reasons why a DiSC assessment works:
- Self-awareness: The DiSC assessment helps individuals become more self-aware of their strengths, weaknesses, and behavioral tendencies. It provides insights into how people communicate, solve problems, and approach work, which is essential for personal growth.
- Team building: DiSC assessments can be used for team building activities. By understanding each other’s communication styles and personality traits, team members can work together more effectively and efficiently. This leads to improved collaboration, productivity, and job satisfaction.
- Conflict resolution: In workplaces, conflicts are inevitable. A DiSC assessment can help resolve conflicts by allowing individuals to understand each other’s communication styles and perspectives. They can use this knowledge to communicate better and find common ground, leading to a more harmonious work environment.
- Hiring and retention: Employers can use DiSC assessments as part of the hiring process to determine if a candidate’s personality and communication style aligns with the company culture. This can lead to better hiring decisions and improved retention rates.
- Personal development: The DiSC assessment can help individuals identify areas for personal and professional development. They can use this information to create a personal development plan or work with a coach or mentor to improve communication skills, leadership abilities, and other areas.
Finding your DiSC style
Dominance:
A person with a Dominance (D) style is often described as assertive, confident, and determined. They tend to be results-oriented and goal-driven, preferring to focus on the big picture rather than getting bogged down in details. D style individuals are task-focused and like to take charge, often assuming leadership roles in both personal and professional settings.
As a person who has a dominant personality, I can say that being a D style individual comes with its challenges. People often perceive you as too aggressive, too demanding and too overpowering, which can lead to conflicts and misunderstandings. It can be hard to balance the need to accomplish goals with maintaining positive relationships with others.
One of the main challenges faced by D style individuals is learning how to work well with others who may have different personality styles. It is important to develop self-awareness and understand how one’s behavior impacts others. D styles need to be mindful of how they communicate and interact with others, taking into account their strengths, weaknesses, and preferences.
Influence:
As someone with a leading Influence (i) style, I’ve often found myself in situations where I aim to shape my environment by persuading others. This style of communication has its strengths and weaknesses, but it has been an essential part of my personal and professional growth.
Influence is an essential aspect of our daily lives, and we all use it to varying degrees. Some people are naturally more influential than others, and they can use this to their advantage. Influence can come from a variety of sources, such as expertise, authority, or charisma. However, for someone with a leading Influence (i) style, it is mostly about using their persuasive skills to convince others to see things their way.
One thing I have learned is that influence is not an easy skill to master. It takes practice, patience, and a deep understanding of human nature. Not everyone will be receptive to your ideas, and that’s okay. Some people may be unwilling to listen or may even be hostile to your suggestions. In such cases, it’s essential to remain calm, respectful, and persistent.
Steadiness:
Working with others can be both challenging and rewarding, especially when it comes to completing tasks. Everyone has a different style of working, and it is crucial to recognize and understand these styles to build effective teamwork. One such style of working is the Steadiness (S) style.
A person with a Steadiness (S) style is known for their ability to work with others within existing circumstances to carry out tasks. They are patient, dependable, and have a calming influence on their team members. They prefer working in a stable environment and dislike sudden changes or disruptions. Steady individuals are excellent listeners and are empathetic towards others, which makes them great team players.
Having a Steadiness style of working is an excellent asset when it comes to working collaboratively. However, it is essential to recognize that everyone is different, and not everyone has the same style of working. It can sometimes be difficult to work with individuals who have different styles of working, especially when there are conflicting opinions or working methods.
Conscientiousness:
The trait of conscientiousness is one that is often valued in the workplace. Employees who exhibit a conscientiousness style are typically detail-oriented, dependable, and focused on quality and accuracy. As someone who has worked with individuals who exhibit this trait, I can attest to the value that they bring to the workplace.
A conscientious employee is someone who takes their work seriously and is committed to doing a good job. They pay close attention to detail and are careful to ensure that everything they do is accurate and of high quality. This trait is particularly valuable in roles where accuracy and attention to detail are critical, such as in finance, accounting, or data analysis.
One of the key strengths of conscientious employees is their focus on expertise and competency. These individuals are often highly skilled and knowledgeable in their field, and they take pride in their ability to apply this expertise to their work.
Benefits of providing a DiSC assessment to your employees
Absolutely, conducting DiSC assessments is a great tool to understand the personality traits and behavioral styles of employees, which can help in creating a better work environment and improving overall productivity. As someone who has been through the process of taking a DiSC assessment, I can testify to the benefits it can provide.
Firstly, DiSC assessments help individuals understand their strengths and weaknesses in the workplace. The assessment provides a detailed report on their personality type, communication style, and work preferences. This knowledge helps employees identify areas where they can improve and work on developing skills that can enhance their performance. For instance, I found out that I am more of a “D” personality type, meaning I am more dominant and assertive, which helped me understand why I tend to take charge in group projects and how I can better collaborate with others who have different personality types.
Secondly, DiSC assessments help employees understand their colleagues’ personalities and communication styles. When everyone understands how their colleagues operate, it leads to better communication and collaboration within teams.