DISC Profiling: A powerful tool that unlocks the power of personality & creates high-performing teams.
Unlock the power of personality
DISC personality profiling is a recognised model of human behaviour, it’s a powerful and easy to understand assessment tool that provides insights into thought and behaviour patterns and can help us understand more about how we might respond in difficult situations.
Understanding your behaviour and communication patterns and preferences at a deeper level can help to enrich personal and professional relationships. It allows you to know when to dial up and dial down different aspects of your personality – leading to healthy, empathic relationships and strong, effective team dynamics where everyone is valued and understood.
People are predictably different….
DISC provides insights into what makes us who we are and what makes other people who they are and enables us to see things from a different perspective and change our view of people who can seem difficult to seeing that they are just different to us.
It is a popular and effective tool used to support coaching, effective leadership and personal development to understand and enhance interpersonal communication, teamwork and individual performance.
The DISC Model is based on four primary personality traits, each with an identifiable colour:
Dominance (D), Influence (I), Steadiness (S), Compliance (C)
Your DISC profile is your compass for what you are drawn towards. It is not a test and is not about labelling or putting people into boxes, here is a brief explanation of each trait:
Dominance (D): A desire to be in a position to be in control
Characteristics: Dominant individuals are often assertive, decisive, direct and results oriented. They can see the bigger picture and enjoy taking charge, solving problems and are determined when it comes to achieving goals. They may appear competitive, demanding and focussed on outcomes.
Motivators: Power and Authority
Value to the team: Bottom line focus, getting results
Greatest fears: Failure, loss of control
Influence (I): A desire to positively interact with others
Characteristics: Influential individuals are typically sociable, enthusiastic, and persuasive. They thrive on building relationships, motivating others, and contributing to a positive and dynamic environment. They are typically imaginative, playful and like to inject fun into what they do. They may appear as disruptive and easily distracted.
Motivators: Praise, recognition & fun
Value to the team: Influencing, persuading, relating, ‘can do’ attitude, inclusivity
Greatest fears: Loss of popularity, social rejection
Steadiness (S): A desire to be in a harmonious environment
Characteristics: Steady individuals value cooperation, harmony, and stability. They are often supportive, patient, and reliable team members who seek to maintain a calm and steady work environment. They are typically loyal, sincere and consistent. They may appear as overly amiable, slower paced and as if they have an aversion to change.
Motivators: Respectful communication, minimal conflict
Value to the team: Teamwork, support, achieving a ‘win-win’ outcome
Greatest fears: Loss of security, rapid change
Compliance (C): A desire to achieve perfection, quality & accuracy
Characteristics: Compliant individuals are detail-oriented, analytical, and systematic. They prefer working with data, following procedures, and ensuring accuracy in their work. They are often careful and thoughtful decision-makers. They may appear as perfectionists.
Motivators: Being correct, policies & procedures
Value to the team: Higher level of quality, order and logic
Greatest fears: Criticism without validation
Key Considerations
Individuals will almost certainly have a blend of these traits, however, one type may be more dominant than the others.
No trait or profile is better or worse than the other, they are just different.
DISC can offer you awareness of another layer of yourself, it is not for labelling or categorizing individuals and is not a measure of intelligence or competence.
The goal of understanding and using your DISC profile is to enhance self-awareness, improve teamwork, and facilitate personal and professional growth.
Your profile is variable based on your environment. EX. You may notice a difference in the intensity or order of your preferences based on whether you are at home or work.
The Top 8 benefits to DISC both in and out of the workplace:
1. Self-Awareness
DISC profiling helps individuals become more aware of their natural preferences and behaviours. Understanding one’s dominant traits can provide valuable insights into how they approach tasks, solve problems and interact with others.
2. Communication
By recognising the DISC profile of yourself and others, you can tailor your communication styles for more effective interactions. Recognizing the dominant communication styles within your team allows you to tailor your messages more effectively. For example, if you have team members with high Influence (I) traits, they may respond well to enthusiastic and people-oriented communication. On the other hand, individuals with high Conscientiousness (C) traits may prefer detailed and data-driven communication. Adjusting your communication to match the preferences of your team members enhances understanding and engagement. This can lead to improved collaboration, reduced conflicts and enhanced relationships in both personal and professional settings.
3. Team Dynamics
Understanding the diversity of DISC profiles in your team enables you to leverage the strengths of everyone. For instance, if you have team members with dominant Dominance (D) traits, they may excel in taking on leadership roles and driving results. Those with Steadiness (S) traits may contribute to a positive and supportive team culture. Acknowledging and appreciating these differences fosters a more cohesive and high-performing team.
4. Personal Development
The DISC model is not about labelling individuals but rather about understanding preferences and adapting behaviour when necessary. Clients can use this knowledge to identify areas for personal growth, strengthen weaker aspects of their personality, and improve their overall effectiveness in various situations.
5. Conflict Resolution
When conflicts arise, DISC profiling can be a valuable tool for resolving misunderstandings. By recognizing and respecting different communication styles, individuals can work towards more constructive and collaborative solutions. DISC profiles provide insights into how team members may respond to conflict and stress. Leaders can use this knowledge to anticipate potential conflicts and address them proactively. For instance, individuals with high Dominance (D) traits may prefer direct and assertive conflict resolution, while those with Steadiness (S) traits may value a more collaborative and harmonious approach.
6. Motivation & Recognition
Different DISC profiles are motivated by different factors. Leaders who understand the motivational drivers of their team members can tailor rewards and recognition to align with individual preferences. For example, recognizing the achievements of an individual with high Influence (I) traits in a public and social manner may be more meaningful to them than a private acknowledgment.
7. Leadership Style
Leaders can adjust their leadership style to better suit the needs of their team members. For instance, a leader with a team consisting of predominantly Conscientiousness (C) individuals may emphasize careful planning, attention to detail, and adherence to processes. Flexibility in leadership style based on the team's DISC makeup enhances the leader's effectiveness in guiding and inspiring the team.
8. Work Assignments
Knowing the DISC profiles of team members allows leaders to assign tasks and projects based on individual strengths and preferences. For instance, a task requiring attention to detail and precision may be well-suited for someone with high Conscientiousness (C) traits, while a project requiring collaboration and relationship-building may align better with an individual with high Influence (I) traits.
How I can help…
By better understanding your personality and communication preferences you can create healthy, empathic and understanding communication dynamics both in and out of the workplace.
If you’d like to:
Better understand your personality and communication preferences,
Improve your understanding of other people’s preferences or
Strengthen team dynamics in the workplace
a DISC personality profile could help!
All coaching packages include an individual 15-page personal DISC personality profiling report, however, it is something that can be done as a stand-alone exercise. Contact me for more information.
