If
you have not done so already you can determine your DISC behavioral style by
taking the DISC
Self-Assessment.
The DISC System
- What is the DISC System?
- What is the practical use of the DISC System?
- Brief descriptions of the 4 primary DISC
behavioral dimensions
- Brief descriptions of the 16 DISC behavioral
styles
- How the DISC System works
- The theory behind the DISC
system
- How the 16 behavioral
styles were derived from the 4 primary behavioral dimensions
- DISC workshops and classes
- DISC Consultations
- DISC References and Links
What is the DISC System?
The DISC system is a model of human behavior that can help
you understand yourself and others in a specific environment or situation. The DISC system does not reveal your core
personality type per se, as the other systems on this website do. It reveals how your personality is responding
in a given situation or environment. While
people can behave differently in
varying situations and environments, it is fairly well-known that people tend to have a preferred, natural
behavioral style. The DISC system not
only helps you identify your preferred behavioral style and traits but it can
also help you improve your self-management and interpersonal relationships (among
other things) across the four primary DISC dimensions:
Dominance (D), Influence (I), Steadiness
(S), and Conscientiousness (C).
The DISC system, along with the
Jungian-Keirsey system, is one of the oldest, most widely used, most validated,
and reliable systems of human behavior.
It is also one of the simplest to learn because there are only 4 primary
dimensions that everyone can readily relate to.
While you can’t change your personality, you can choose to change the
way your respond to your environment and any situation you find yourself
in. That difference makes the DISC
system an extremely popular and practical tool, as will be seen in the next
section.
What is the practical
use of the DISC System?
As with the other
powerful systems on this website the DISC system can be especially useful for
increasing fulfillment and satisfaction in many important areas of life. This system is a favorite of Fortune 500
companies, government agencies, sales firms, clergy, educational institutions,
human resources professionals, consultants, coaches and trainers. Here are some of the DISC’s practical applications:
- Vocational
guidance
- Relationship
compatibility
- Self-esteem
building (by becoming aware of and capitalizing on innate strengths as
well as managing innate weaknesses)
- Recognizing
how your behavior affects others and improving your communication and
rapport
- Minimizing
potential frustrations and interpersonal conflicts
- Building
and developing teams of people (team building)
- Valuing
and appreciating other people with different behavioral styles
- Being
able to better counsel or coach people
- Improving
learning skills (especially of children)
- Improving
employee morale
- Increasing
management effectiveness
- Improving
parent and child relationships
- Increasing
work productivity and the bottom line by matching people’s innate talents
with the right job
Brief descriptions
of the 4 primary DISC behavioral dimensions
Clicking on any of the active links below will give you a
more full description of that DISC dimension, which will open in a new window. Be sure to read the brief
descriptions of the 16 DISC behavioral styles below for even more insight
into yourself and others.
(+) Positively, people high in Dominance – often called Drivers, Directors or Powerful
Cholerics – know what they want out of life and go after it! They are masters at visualizing, planning and
achieving goals with intense drive. No
goal is too big or outrageous for these strong-willed, hard-working, persistent
people. They are enterprising, ambitious,
independent-minded and decisive. They
like winning, and no other style pushes themselves as
hard as Drivers do. They often make
natural leaders because they have an inner desire to be in charge and are
extremely results-oriented. These are
the movers and shakers of the world, the make-it-happen kind of people who let
nothing stand in their way of accomplishing their goals.
(–) Negatively, Powerful Cholerics
can be: pushy, bossy, impatient, domineering, autocratic, controlling, demanding,
argumentative, short-tempered, prone to make rash
decisions, abrasive, tactless, impersonal, insensitive, unsympathetic,
unaffectionate, blunt, cold, unsympathetic, intolerant, headstrong, stubborn, egotistical,
pretentious, sly/crafty, manipulative, know-it-alls, and/or workaholic.
(+) Positively, people high in Influence – often called, Expressives, Socializers or Popular
Sanguines – know how to enjoy life and have fun. They have “the gift of gab” and can talk to
anyone about anything at any time at any place with or without knowledge of
what they are talking about! Socializers
are optimistic, lively, animated, spontaneous and love
to laugh. They exude charm and charisma
and are easily able to persuade, excite, motivate and inspire others. Expressives, the most sociable and outgoing
of the 4 primary behavioral styles, often have a large circle of friends and acquaintances
because they relate so easily and effortlessly to people. They love being where the action is and
working with other people.
(–) Negatively, Popular Sanguines
can be: disorganized, undisciplined, impulsive, scatterbrained, not serious
about anything, unwilling to pay attention to details, flamboyant and showy,
overly talkative, exaggerative, unpredictable, inconsistent, late (not
punctual), loud, messy/sloppy, changeable/erratic, too gullible and naïve,
permissive, vulgar, crude and/or brassy.
(+) Positively, people high in
Steadiness – often called, Amiables, Relaters or Peaceful Phlegmatics – have a calm,
laid-back disposition and know how to keep the peace and relax. They generally get along with most everyone
because they accept people as they are, they’re good listeners and they have a
friendly, modest, pleasing personality.
Amiables are the most tolerant, easygoing and patient of all the primary
behavioral styles. They make great team
players because they are cooperative, agreeable, empathetic people who don’t
seek the spotlight. They are good at
seeing value in other people’s opinions and contributions and are ever willing
to lend a helping hand. They are
dependable, consistent people who like a peaceful, predictable, stable life. Relaters have deep feelings but, due to their
reserve and even-keeled temperament, generally don’t show them.
(–) Negatively, Peaceful Phlegmatics
can be: indecisive, conflict-avoidant, dependent, acquiescing, timid, slow,
sluggish, boring, aimless (lacking in direction, focus, goals and noteworthy
accomplishments), indifferent and unenthusiastic, overly accommodating and obliging, self-doubting,
insecure, unconfident, easily taken advantage of, overly passive (or
passive-aggressive at times), stubborn as a mule, and/or fearful of change.
(+) Positively, people high in Conscientiousness – often
called, Analyticals, Thinkers or Perfect Melancholies – know how to be meticulous and accurate in
everything they do. No other style is as
well-organized, systematic, painstaking and thorough as Analyticals. These serious thinkers have very high
standards for themselves, take pride in their work and like to take their time
to get every detail of a job right. They
are the most cerebrally oriented of the four styles and are known for being
deep, contemplative, introspective thinkers.
Analyticals never take anything at face value and are always analyzing
everything, constantly looking beneath the surface of life for the hidden
truths. They are disciplined by nature and
able to set and attain their long-range goals by diligently following their
carefully planned, step-by-step process.
Analyticals are sensitive, idealistic people who enjoy peace and quiet
as well as soul-stirring music, poetry and art.
(–) Negatively,
Perfect Melancholies can be: perfectionistic, critical, negative, fastidious, pessimistic,
easily depressed, picky, too hard on themselves and others, too idealistic
(and, thus, hard to please), overly serious, bogged down by details, worrisome,
withdrawn, sulky, moody, lonely, reticent, impersonal, socially
awkward/self-conscious, painstakingly slow, easily flustered when things don’t
go the way they planned, skeptical, and prone to “analysis paralysis.”
Brief descriptions
of the 16 DISC behavioral styles
Clicking
on any of the active links below (the names, like, The Opportunist) will give
you a more full description of that behavioral style, which will open in a new
window. The 2 letters in parentheses to
the right of each name (except for the Opportunist, Socializer, Supporter and
Analyzer) tell which of the 4 behavioral dimensions are primary and
secondary. For example, the Mobilizer
primarily uses the Dominance (D) style and secondarily uses the Influence style
(I). That is why the 2 letters to the right of The Mobilizer are (DI). By contrast, the Persuader uses the Influence
(I) style primarily and the Dominance (D) style secondarily. That is why the 2 letters to the right of The
Persuader are (ID). If you have taken
the DISC
self-assessment and know your category score but not your DISC behavioral
style, click this link to find
out your DISC behavioral style.
(+) This person is called the Opportunist because no other
behavioral style is quite so capable of capitalizing on new opportunities or
taking advantage of favorable conditions.
Opportunists project a strong sense of personal power and tend to be
direct, poised and convincing. They are
independent, innovative, and don’t let anyone or anything stand in their way
once they’ve set their mind on a goal. They’re
risk-taking, entrepreneurial types who follow their own ideas and
interests. They are individualistic, outspoken,
self-reliant and willing to buck the system.
They are masters at finding ingenious solutions to problems. Many CEOs and entrepreneurs have this
behavioral style.
(–) Negatively, Opportunists can be
opportunistic, in the negative sense of the word. That means they can exploit opportunities and
situations in a devious, unscrupulous, or unprincipled way. They can be overly forceful, competitive and controlling. They are prone to using and manipulating
people and resources to accomplish their own goals. Being so focused on achieving results, they
can become dictatorial, critical, uncaring and lacking in empathy. Opportunists can also be egotistical and do
things purely for their own benefit.
(+) This person is called the Mobilizer because no other
behavioral style is as capable of organizing people or resources in order to
take action, although some Mobilizers have more of a “if you want a job done
right you’ve got to do it yourself” mentality.
All Mobilizers are tenacious, direct, confident
and outspoken in their approach but some (those higher in Steadiness, S) are
able to work with people better than others.
Mobilizers live life in the fast lane and are driven to achieve results,
quickly. They enjoy pushing the envelope
and work well under pressure. They thrive
on difficult tasks and competition. They
value independence, control over their environment, and tangible results, above
all else.
(–) Negatively, Mobilizers like having
status and being seen as important or in positions of authority. They can appear arrogant and cocky and look
down on “soft” and “weak” people. Some
Mobilizers are domineering, forceful, blunt and uncaring and have difficulty
getting along with people. Mobilizers
are so quick-thinking, fast-acting and result-oriented that some can be
impatient, critical and fault-finding with those who aren’t. Mobilizers would do well to listen better to
others, pay more attention to other’s feelings, and learn to relax more and
slow down.
(+) This person is called the Producer because no other
behavioral style is as capable of producing concrete results year after year as
the Producer. Producers put a lot of
emphasis on completing tasks from start to finish and on schedule. Like all the other Ds (Opportunists,
Mobilizers and Pioneers), Producers are determined, tenacious, ambitious, industrious,
independent, action-oriented, etc. but Producers are also friendly, considerate
and like to be helpful and supportive of others as well. They can either be assertive or cooperative,
depending on their mood and the situation.
They generally work well with people (most of the time) and want to
benefit others. A balance of independent
work and collaborative efforts seems to work best for them overall.
(–) Negatively, Producers have high
personal performance standards that can cause them to be self-critical and feel
guilty when things don’t run perfectly. They
can also fear letting others down. They like
to do things themselves and have a hard time delegating or asking for help,
even when it’s needed. They can get so
focused on projects they’re involved in that they lose a sense of balance and
can become workaholics. Producers can
show empathy towards others but are very reluctant to reveal their own real
feelings with other people. They can
benefit by asking for help when it’s needed and being more genuinely open with
their true feelings.
(+) This person is called the Pioneer because no other
behavioral style wants to change the way things are done more than the
future-oriented Pioneer, except for possibly the Innovator. Pioneers, and Innovators, like to challenge
the status-quo and strive to accomplish something unusual, even visionary. Their thinking is innovative and both styles
like to do things in their own unique way.
Both are energized by originality, creativity and discovery. What distinguishes Pioneers from Innovators
is that Pioneers have a greater impulse to take risks and test their ideas out in
the real world before they have ironed out all the kinks of how they will
actually work. Pioneers want to see immediate
tangible results from their original thinking and tend to take more decisive
action to get things going. Understand
that Pioneers are contemplative, deep thinkers, but even more than that they
are ambitious, action-oriented doers. Their
innate assertiveness is tempered by a degree of sensitivity. Their quick-thinking, impatient mind is
counterbalanced by their simultaneous desire to think things through to some
degree before taking action. Once they’ve
formulated an idea, however, action is taken quickly and decisively. Like Innovators, they put a lot of thought
into solving future problems and have a gift for foresight. Many entrepreneurs have this behavioral
style.
(–) Negatively, Pioneers can have
too high expectations of themselves and end up being
disappointed with themselves when their ideas don’t work out. Pioneers have a tendency to be too restless
and impulsive. They constantly have too
many irons in the fire at one time. This
can cause them to pursue one idea after another or multiple ideas at once without
first following one all the way to completion.
To compound these problems, some Pioneers can be aloof and tactless
because they lack the more people-focused, relationship-oriented influences of I (Influence) and S (Steadiness). When in an intimate relationship, Pioneers would
benefit from communicating their innermost thoughts and feelings more often,
which doesn’t come easily to them. They
would also benefit from some structured routine that would help ground their
restlessness, impatience and impulsiveness.
(+) This person is called the Socializer because no other
behavioral style is as sociable, outgoing and gregarious as the Socializer. Socializers develop friendships easily
because they are adept at communicating with all kinds of people and possess
oodles of charm, warmth and optimism. They
are also generous with their praise and appreciation of others. Socializers are just fun to be around because
they are so light-hearted, spontaneous, uninhibited, childlike and
expressive. Socializers are usually
quite popular because they’re charismatic storytellers and quick-witted
jokesters. They love to laugh and can be
the real “life-of-the-party” type.
Socializers value knowing people from all walks of life and have an
extensive network of contacts and friends.
Socializers are excellent at promoting ideas as well as motivating and
inspiring people to action with their boundless enthusiasm and excitement. They are also great at relieving tension in
stress-filled situations because of their ability to bring humor and harmony to
any circumstance. The Socializer is one
of the most common behavioral styles.
(–) Negatively, Socializers are
prone to start many activities but finish few.
They can easily lose track of time when they get absorbed in a
conversation with someone. Planning,
time-management, discipline, organization and task follow-through are not the
Socializer’s strong points. Socializers
are easily bored by dull routines. They
like excitement and variety so doing mundane jobs and detail work is
challenging for them. Socializers crave
social recognition and can be too approval seeking and vain. They fear loss of social acceptance. Socializers can easily overcommit themselves by
promising to do things that they don’t realistically have time to do, especially
given their poor time-management skills. Socializers are emotionally excitable people
and can be overly reactive at times. They
have a tendency to get involved too quickly with people in relationships but
then regret getting entangled and have to backpedal their way out.
(+) This person is called the Persuader because no other
behavioral style is as motivating, inspiring, well-spoken and persuasive as the
Persuader. Many charismatic Persuaders
are spokespeople, salespeople, negotiators, leaders or politicians. Like Socializers, Persuaders have excellent people
skills and an extensive network of contacts and friends, but Persuaders also have
tremendous drive, focus and ambition to make things happen with and through
people. They are masters at rallying
people together for a cause or movement and have the ability to speak to the
needs of different people. Prestige,
status and influence are important to most Persuaders. Persuaders know how to arouse people’s
emotions and appeal to their ideals, hopes and dreams. They have the ability to sell themselves and
their ideas and bring people to their point of view. This is why they make such great salespeople,
leaders and politicians. Persuaders
don’t like routine or regimentation anymore than the other “I” styles (Socializers,
Coaches and Strategists) so working with people in a variety of settings that
require mobility is ideal for them. The
Persuader is one of the most common behavioral styles.
(–) Negatively, Persuaders have a
tremendous need to been seen as successful, to look good, and be liked. They are very susceptible to negativity
directed towards them as they crave positive social recognition. Some Persuaders may acquire status symbols to
try to prove their self-worth.
Persuaders like to look at the big picture and are prone to overlook in-depth
analyses and details in their great eagerness to make progress and keep moving
from one new opportunity to another. As
a result, they may not fully realize what is involved in executing a detailed,
complex undertaking. Persuaders, like
other “I” styles, can be too impulsive, poor time managers, lack
follow-through, and be overly optimistic about the potential of a project or
cause they are involved in. Under
pressure, Persuaders can become soft or evasive.
(+) This person is called the Coach because no other
behavioral style is quite as concerned about helping others grow and reach
their full potential as the Coach. Because
of the strong influence from Steadiness (S) in this combination style, the
Coach is accepting, understanding, stable, and approachable. The Coach makes others feel comfortable with
their warmth, empathy and great listening skills. They have the innate ability to listen to
people’s feelings and hear what’s not being said as well as what’s being said. Coaches notice and
point out the good in others. They also
show confidence and trust in people.
Coaches highly value long-term, meaningful relationships and prefer
people-oriented, positive work environments.
Coaches make great counselors, teachers and esteem builders. They are particularly good at solving
people’s problems and offering suggestions when asked, but ultimately they
prefer to let others make their own decisions.
(–) Negatively, Coaches are so
people-oriented that they can easily get distracted and off-task with what they
were doing when someone asks for their help.
Coaches can take criticism too personally. They often lack assertiveness and a thick
skin. Coaches tend to avoid conflict and
tension with people because when people express any kind of displeasure toward
Coaches they take it as a personal rejection.
They could benefit from some assertiveness and conflict training. Coaches have such a strong desire to help
people that they can become exhausted by trying to please everyone. They must learn how to say no. Under pressure, Coaches have a tendency to
become submissive, overly flexible and intimate, unrealistic about setting and
meeting deadlines, and too trusting without differentiating between people.
(+) This person is called the Strategist because no other
behavioral style is as adept at devising a thorough plan of action or finding a
workable solution to a problem for people as the Strategist. Strategists are usually confident and
outgoing while at the same time reliable, hard-working and conscientious. Strategists are skilled at helping people to
visualize all the necessary steps required to achieve any goal. Strategists like to accomplish goals through
people, just as the other “I” styles do (Socializer, Persuader, and Coach), but
when Strategists are focusing on a task, they can really focus on the task. Strategists are critical thinkers who have
high expectations of themselves. They
can be competitive but they also think about the needs of others. They especially like winning, making a good
impression, and looking good in public.
Strategists generally have a good balance between thinking (from C,
Conscientiousness) and feeling (from I, Influence), between focusing on tasks
(C) and focusing on people (I). This
allows them to be analytical and logical (from C) problem-solvers as well as
intuitive and insightful (from I) people-relaters.
(–) Negatively, Strategists can be
restless when under pressure. They like
to initiate activities and get things going so can be impatient to see
results. Strategists fear losing or looking
bad. They can be overly competitive and
critical of others at times because they have such high expectations of
themselves and others. Strategists with
more “D” in their behavioral style can be short-tempered and even lash out when
under pressure. With their eagerness and
hard-driving approach, Strategists can sometimes underestimate the amount of
time and effort required to accomplish tasks.
They would do well to pace themselves better and learn to relax to
recharge their batteries.
(+) This person is called the Supporter because no other
behavioral style is as sensitive to other people’s needs and feelings as the
Supporter. Supporters are extremely
respectful and considerate of other people.
They have a gift for being able to see everyone else’s point of view
which allows them to identify solutions to problems that are in the best
interest of all involved. Supporters are
calm, patient, easy-going, modest people who like to be of service to others. They are skilled at relating to almost anyone
and really enjoy working with people. They
are traditional, practical people who like to maintain the status quo. They are excellent planners and dependably follow
tasks through to completion. They like
to follow proven methods and procedures and work in a steady, moderate,
methodical way. Supporters are the most
amiable, good-natured and agreeable of all the behavioral styles.
(–) Negatively, Supporters don’t
deal well with change, stress and conflict.
They like the stability of the familiar and predictable. They like a congenial, stress-free
environment without any confusing changes, last-minute deadlines or strife. They can also be too dependent on harmony in
relationships. For this reason they can
be too obliging and placating, wanting to please others and avoid conflict at
all costs. Supporters can be slow-moving
and indecisive. They can also be too
unassertive and lacking in self-confidence.
They may hold on to their ideas and views for fear that their opinions
won’t be valued. These shy Supporters
could benefit from being more forthright in expressing their ideas and views.
(+) This person is called the Go-Getter because no other
behavioral style is as diligent, persistent and industrious in achieving their
goals as the Go-Getter. Go-Getters are
constantly on the go with a busy schedule.
They are disciplined, goal-oriented and self-reliant. The motivation that drives Go-Getters is
mostly from internal sources and they have a deeply felt conviction about their
personal goals. In fact, they can get
totally absorbed in a task they are working on and stay
focused until they’ve achieve their desired results. Go-Getters are constantly pushing themselves
and strive for continual self-improvement.
They generally follow a step-by-step approach to getting things done and
like to break down tasks into smaller, manageable parts. Go-Getters have a keen interest in their work
and have very high standards for the quality of it. They generally like to do work themselves, if at all possible, so that they can make sure
it is done right.
(–) Negatively, Go-Getters can be too
self-reliant and absorbed in whatever they are doing. They tend to focus on short-term benefits
rather than on long-term benefits. They
could profit from stepping back to understand the big picture, thereby gaining
more clarity in the prioritization of their tasks rather than just jumping in headfirst
to any task. They can be rigid, guarded and
impatient at times, especially when under pressure. Because they have such high standards for the
quality of their work, Go-Getters can fear that others with sub par standards might
affect their work. They have a tendency
to entertain “either-or” thinking and would benefit by communicating more with
others and brainstorming alternative approaches for achieving the results they so
desire.
(+) This person is called the Harmonizer because no other
behavioral style is as accepting of others and interested in promoting peace
and harmony in relationships as the Harmonizer.
Harmonizers have a pleasant, warm disposition. They value collaboration and getting along
with others. They have a gift for
calming down angry or impatient people simply by their relaxed, soothing,
kind-natured presence. Harmonizers are empathetic,
understanding, and supportive. They are
always willing to listen to someone with a sympathetic ear and know how to make
people feel wanted and needed. They are adept
at building good relationships, bringing people together, and encouraging
positive teamwork. They enjoy serving
others and knowing they have helped someone in need is reward enough for
them. Harmonizers don’t like being the
center of attention. They also don’t
like being caught in the middle of dissension, conflict or tense, stressful
conversations. Harmonizers are tolerant
and inclusive of others above all else.
(–) Negatively, some Harmonizers can
have trouble speaking up for themselves and saying no,
even when it’s in their best interest to do so.
They have an aversion to aggressive people and conflict. These overly accommodating Harmonizers could
benefit from assertiveness or conflict resolution training and learn to speak
up when they feel as if others are taking advantage of them. Harmonizers tend to focus more on others than
on themselves. They should be careful to
make sure they take care of their own needs as well as they take care of
others. They can consider what is
personally satisfying for them that doesn’t involve
helping others. Harmonizers, like
Supporters, can be indecisive. They could
benefit from taking a decision-making workshop or lecture.
(+) This person is called the Researcher because no other
behavioral style has such a passion for researching data, facts and objective
information. Researchers are quiet,
steady, low-key people. They rely on
analysis, logic, objectivity and reason to solve problems. They like predictable, familiar, stable,
stress-free environments and relationships.
They pay close attention to details and dislike ambiguity, sudden
surprises or changes, rushed decision-making, and
last-minute deadlines. Researchers like
clarity, order and certainty. They approach
tasks and change cautiously and carefully.
They like to have clearly defined expectations and standards for their
work as well as clear instructions and directions. That way they can develop a plan, prioritize
their actions, and focus on a specific purpose, objective or goal without any
doubt about what they should be doing. Researchers
are calm, dispassionate people who possess an unusual degree of dogged determination
and tenacity for completing tasks thoroughly and accurately, as long as they
have plenty of time to work at their own pace.
Researchers are self-disciplined, self-reliant and comfortable working
alone to accomplish their goals. They
often enjoy technical work where they can analyze the data, interpret the
information and draw conclusions.
(–) Negatively, Researchers can be
slow to decide, slow to act, overly cautious, risk-averse, and slow to accept
change. They can be stubborn and
inflexible when change is necessary because they prefer predictability,
certainty and the familiar. Researchers tend
to be most comfortable with what and who they know. They sometimes have a difficult time
accepting people who are very different from themselves. They would benefit from developing a greater
understanding of other styles and being more genuinely open and accepting of
different people. Researchers aren’t very
good at dealing with emotions, their own or other people’s. They can seem rather cold and dry to more
emotional styles. They could benefit
from developing more empathy for and emotional understanding of other people. Researchers can easily get bogged down in the
details and specifics of a project (beyond what is necessary) and then fail to
see the forest for the trees. It is good
for them to keep their goal in mind and only work on the details that are
necessary to achieve that goal.
(+) This person is called the Analyzer because no other
behavioral style has such highly developed critical thinking abilities. Analyzers are gifted at closely examining research,
data or information in minute detail in order to understand it better or draw
conclusions from it. They value reason
and logic above all else and emphasize correctness, quality, precision and
accuracy in everything they do. Of
course, they like to be systematic and meticulous in their preparation, and
have plenty of time to work at their own pace.
Analyzers tend to be loners because they are extremely sensitive,
private, quiet people who like to be in control of their lives. They don’t deal well with aggressive,
emotionally volatile or irrational people and are deeply affected by criticism
directed towards them. This is another
reason why they are loners. They prefer
the peace and quiet of their own company to the potential unpredictability and
volatility of relationships. Analyzers
are cautious but intense by nature. They
are usually impeccable in their personal habits and concerned about their
appearance.
(–) Negatively, Analyzers can be reticent
to share their thoughts, and especially feelings, with others since they are
private by nature. They would benefit by
opening up and sharing more of themselves, especially their insights and
knowledge. Analyzers can be extremely self-critical
since they often have unrealistically high standards for themselves. Sometimes their perfectionism can cause them
to procrastinate, fear making mistakes, be indecisive (for fear of making a
wrong decision), or get bogged down in “analysis paralysis.” Analyzers have a strong need to be in control
of their life at all times so they can minimize the chance of anything going
wrong. For example, if Analyzers are
ever asked to give a presentation at work they will way over-prepare. If they have to make a major decision they
will collect way more information than they really need. Analyzers can worry excessively over little
things, making mountains out of molehills. Some Analyzers try to avoid all risks or
emotional entanglements that might affect their peaceful, predictable
lifestyle.
(+) This person is called the Innovator because no other
behavioral style is as adept at thinking of news ways to look at and interpret
reality, except for possibly the Pioneer.
Innovators are constantly thinking about what need is missing in the
world and then try to think of a unique solution to meet that need. Innovators, and Pioneers, like to challenge
the status-quo and strive to accomplish something unusual, even visionary. Their thinking is innovative and both styles
like to do things in their own unique way.
Both are energized by originality, creativity and discovery. What distinguishes Innovators from Pioneers
is that Innovators like to research any innovative idea they have thoroughly
and completely BEFORE taking it out into the world. They want to analyze it from every possible
angle to make sure it is sound and will work in the real world before taking it
out into the real world. Ideally, they
would like to test, measure, monitor and perfect their
idea in private to avoid any embarrassment or humiliation that might be
encountered if their idea didn’t work in public. Innovators are imaginative and introspective
but also ambitious, hard-working and goal-oriented. They are independent and like to be in
control of their life. They usually
prefer to work alone, or with people of their choosing. Their quick-thinking, impatient mind is
counterbalanced by their simultaneous desire to think things through carefully
before taking action. Once things have
been thought through thoroughly though, Innovators are willing to take
calculated risks. Innovators have very
high expectations of themselves and drive themselves hard to do work they can
be proud of. Like Pioneers, they put a
lot of thought into solving future problems and have a gift for foresight.
(–) Negatively, Innovators can have
all sorts of mental and relationship problems.
Having such perfectionistic expectations of themselves can mean they are
prone to be too self-critical, to procrastinate (when they can’t figure out how
to do something perfectly), to overanalyze themselves, and to be disappointed
with themselves frequently. Because of
the highly pensive aspect of this combination, some Innovators can spend too
much time thinking negatively about themselves and their ideas, which can lower
their self-esteem and vitality.
Innovators love freedom but can be too restless, impulsive and bore
easily. This can cause them to flit from
one idea to another and not accomplish much.
To compound these problems, some Innovators can be aloof and
uncommunicative because they lack the more relationship-oriented influences of I (Influence) and S (Steadiness). They also fear losing their autonomy and
independence. When in an intimate
relationship, Innovators would benefit from communicating their innermost
thoughts and feelings more often.
(+) This person is called the Expert because no other
behavioral style is as proficient in a specialized area as the Expert. Although their desire is to be expert in one
area, Experts are usually very knowledgeable in many different areas because
they love to learn and are so interested in personal growth. Experts are highly analytical, curious and
quick-thinking. They can relate well to
most people and enjoy discussing and debating topics of interest. Experts’ self-esteem is tied up in their work
(because of their Conscientiousness, C) but because of the secondary influence
from the letter “I” (Influence), they are very sensitive to how others perceive
them and their work. Socially, Experts
can be relaxed, casual, congenial and easygoing but when it comes to their work
they are usually self-disciplined, intensely focused on meeting their own high
standards, and quite perfectionistic. Producing
quality work on time is very important to Experts. Experts are intuitive and observant about
people as well as proficient at solving complex problems.
(–) Negatively, Experts can
underestimate the amount of time it takes to complete tasks. Their natural curiosity about ideas and
people sometimes causes them to get distracted (either by a conversation with
someone or a piece of interesting information) and digress from the work at
hand. So, they would benefit from either
staying more focused or being more realistic and overestimate how long tasks
may take, to account for some distractions. Experts tend to have high expectations of
themselves and can sometimes have unrealistically high expectations of others
too, especially those that feel there is a “right way” to do things. Because of their intense nature, they can
sometimes verbalize their frustration and impatience with other people,
especially when they’re under pressure. These
Experts would do well to show more genuine appreciation for others, despite the
fact that they may not do things as perfectly as the Expert. Experts, like the other Conscientiousness
styles (Analyzers, Innovators and Perfectionists), are very sensitive to
criticism and would benefit from not taking constructive feedback so
personally. Given their
desire for positive social recognition, some Experts can be overly self-conscious
about what others think and how others feel about them. Experts, like Perfectionists, may define
their self-worth more by what they do than who they are as people.
(+) This person is called the Perfectionist because no other
behavioral style is as interested in being perfect and doing things right as
the Perfectionist. Perfectionists are
purpose driven, analytical, hard-working and self-directed. They have superior organization skills, pay great
attention to details, and do thorough, careful, accurate work. They are highly independent but enjoy working
in a stable, structured environment where they have clearly defined
expectations and precise standards for their work. They don’t mind following established rules at
work but like to follow their own systematic procedures in both their personal
and work lives. Perfectionists are restrained,
cautious, tactful and diplomatic. They
are extremely conscientious and work well in most administrative and supporting
roles or in quality control, although they can do any kind of work that makes
use of their natural gifts and talents. Perfectionists
are self-disciplined and great at delaying their own short-term gratification
in order to achieve a long-term goal.
(–) Negatively, Perfectionists can
be overly cautious, risk-averse, and slow to accept change. They can be stubborn and inflexible when
change is necessary because they prefer predictability, certainty and the
familiar. Perfectionists tend to be most
comfortable with what and who they know.
They sometimes have a difficult time accepting people who are very
different from themselves. They would
benefit from developing a greater understanding of other styles and being more
genuinely open and accepting of different people. Perfectionists can be secretive and
judgmental, especially when under pressure.
They can be slow to act and slow to make decisions because of the amount
of time they like to spend gathering and analyzing the pertinent data before acting
or making a decision. Like the other
Conscientious styles (Analyzers, Innovators, and Experts), they can be overly
sensitive to criticism and would benefit from not taking constructive feedback
so personally. Perfectionists have an
especially hard time with people who are hostile and antagonistic. Some have trouble seeing the big picture and
“can’t see the forest for the trees.” Perfectionists,
like Experts, may define their self-worth more by what they do than who they
are as people. They can sometimes have a
hard time relishing compliments directed toward them that don’t involve their
work.
How the DISC
System works?
The theory behind the
DISC system
The theoretical model on which the
DISC system is based comes from the book Emotions of Normal People written by
the psycho-physiologist (among other titles) William Moulton Marston, Ph.D.
(1893 – 1947). It was published in
1928. Based on his pioneering research,
Marston developed a model of normal behavior designed to examine the behavior
of individuals in a specific environment or situation. Unlike the other systems on this website, the
DISC model looks at behavioral styles and preferences in a given situation, not
personality traits and characteristics.
The DISC model came from Marston’s
desire to measure the energy of consciousness (psychonic energy) and
behavior. Marston did not develop a DISC
test or assessment. In fact, he never
used his DISC model as an assessment at all.
He was most interested in how normal people felt and behaved as they
interacted with the world around them. In
Emotions
of Normal People, Marston describes people as behaving along two
axes. The first axis describes how
individuals respond to their environment, whether they are more active or
passive (another way of saying this is whether an individual perceives him/herself as more or less powerful than the environment,
respectively). The second axis describes
how individuals perceive their environment, whether as more favorable or
unfavorable (Marston called unfavorable “antagonistic” but DISC practitioners
don’t call it that anymore). By placing
the axes at right angles to each other, a four-quadrant model results that
reliably describes four styles of human behavior: Dominance, Influence (Marston named it
“Inducement”), Steadiness (Marston named it “Submission”), and
Conscientiousness (Marston named it “Compliance”).
- Dominance
produces activity in an unfavorable environment
- Influence produces activity in a
favorable environment
- Steadiness produces passivity in a
favorable environment
- Conscientiousness
produces passivity in an unfavorable environment
The four DISC behavioral dimensions
(Dominance, Influence, Steadiness and Conscientiousness) reflect the different
ways that people subconsciously answer two questions about a given situation:
- Is this situation favorable or
unfavorable to me?
- Do I have power, control or
influence in this situation?
Your feelings about the environment
and your perceived power in it are the underpinnings of the behavioral style
you show in any situation.
For example, in regard to the first
question, if you are in a situation where you are feeling trusted, respected
and liked you are most likely to perceive the environment as favorable because
you are feeling comfortable and at ease.
If you are being called into the boss’s office because you made a
mistake that is going to cost the company a lot of money, then you’ll probably
feel as though the environment is unfavorable because you are stressed out
about what might happen to you.
Sometimes new situations or environments can make us feel a little
uncomfortable and thus subconsciously perceive it as unfavorable. Prolonged stress,
such as occurs in a bad intimate relationship or with high credit card debt,
can make us more susceptible to perceiving environments as unfavorable because
the background of our lives and thinking is ill at ease and uncomfortable. Likewise, if the background of our life and
thinking is at ease and comfortable then we are more likely to perceive an
environment as favorable.
In regard to the second question, if
you feel as though you have the ability to exert some influence over your
situation or the environment then you perceive yourself to have power or
control in the situation or the environment.
If you feel as though you don’t have the ability to influence your
situation then you will perceive yourself as less powerful and in less control
of the situation.
Each combination of yes and no
answers to the two above questions is unique to a DISC
behavioral style.
- People who perceive the environment as
unfavorable, but believe they can influence or change it, are likely to
use the Dominance style of
behavior, which describes those who are active, task-oriented, assertive, ambitious and prefer to be in power or control.
- People who perceive the environment as
favorable, and believe they can influence or change it, are likely to use
the Influence style of
behavior, which describes those who are active, people-oriented, sociable,
optimistic and communicative.
- People who perceive the environment as
favorable, but believe they cannot influence or change it, are likely to
use the Steadiness style of
behavior, which describes those who are passive, people-oriented, helpful,
thoughtful, patient and persistent.
- People who perceive the environment as
unfavorable, and believe they cannot influence or change it, are likely to
use the Conscientiousness style
of behavior, which describes those who are passive, task-oriented, cautious,
careful, orderly, organized and structured.
In 1972, researchers at the
How the 16 behavioral styles
were derived from the 4 primary behavioral dimensions
If you have learned a little about the 4 primary behavioral dimensions (if not
click here) you may have noticed that your unique
behavioral style is probably a mix of 2 or more of these primary
dimensions. Only about 20% of people use
a single behavioral style. The other 80%
of people use a combination of behavioral styles in most situations. While
everyone is unique, there seem to be 16 distinct, discernable behavioral styles
that emerge from the DISC self-assessment results.
4 of these behavioral styles are
consistent with the 4 pure behavioral dimensions:
- The
Opportunist (mostly Dominance)
- The
Socializer (mostly Influence)
- The
Supporter (mostly Steadiness)
- The
Analyzer (mostly Conscientiousness)
The other 12 of these behavioral styles
are combination styles. For each of
these styles, one behavioral dimension is primary or strongest and a second
behavioral dimension is next in strength or secondary. The other 2 behavioral dimensions are somewhat
lagging in influence. Here are the 12
combination styles:
