DISC measures two dimensions that show up in how you behave:

• Pace:  Do you prefer to work assertively, taking risks, and making bold decisions? Or do you prefer to make more thoughtful and risk-averse decisions?
• Trust & Focus: Do you prefer to lean on your logic-based reasoning and question what you hear so you can understand all of the facts? Or are you more open to collaboration and receptive to what others think and believe?

These two dimensions combine to create the four primary DISC personality types (Dominance (D-Personality Type), Influence (I-Personality Type), Steadiness (S-Personality Type), Conscientiousness (C-Personality Type).

When you compare DISC to a tool like Myers-Briggs, you will find that they overlap in measuring Extroversion and Introversion (E/I scales) and the Thinking and Feeling (T/F scales).

DISC measures specific behavioral characteristics that are commonly associated with personality. DISC helps us understand interpersonal relationships and communication differences because it measures our preferred actions (pace) and focus (task vs. people).

When using DISC, it’s important to set ground rules to ensure it’s used correctly across the team. Here are a few you can use during your own workshops:

1. Don’t pigeonhole someone – we are all more than our DISC style.
2. Use DISC with someone, not ‘on’ someone. 
3. Allow DISC to open conversations, not label someone without a discussion.

By setting simple ground rules, you can ensure that the tool doesn’t hurt team psychological safety.

Yes. DISC has gone through multiple 10,000-participant research studies to determine the assessment’s reliability and validity.

DISC has also conducted disparate impact studies and meets EEOC criteria for use in the hiring process. 

DISC assessment measurements are fairly stable over time. We’ve seen major changes in a person’s DISC profile when they go through a major life change, like starting a family or experiencing trauma. We don’t recommend taking DISC regularly because the results likely won’t change.

We have found that the main pushback against this tool stems from a misunderstanding of how it will be used.

DISC may be perceived as a tool that could prevent someone from getting a promotion or a financial incentive if they don’t have a particular style.

Before you launch the assessment process, be clear in your communication about why you are inviting them to take the assessment and participate in a workshop.

Share your goals for what you hope they will learn.

We have found that when communication is done well before the process begins, there is almost no pushback. 

DISC integrates well into broad professional development programs. We have found that it can become a thread that ties multiple legs of a larger learning journey together. By starting with DISC, you can carry the concepts of becoming a more effective communicator into topics like leadership development, management, or sales. 

Take a topic like providing feedback. Many training programs will instruct you to focus on observed behaviors when giving feedback – which is appropriate to teach! However, with DISC, you can add nuance to this instruction. The manager can learn to be more direct or less direct depending on the DISC style. They will know whether to give public praise or have a 1:1 conversation.