Are you on the search for workplace development solutions? DISC profiling is a tried-and-tested method of getting the best results from your team and can aid both personal and professional development.

This article explores the four personality styles and introduces you to the next-generation of the DISC model. The model has been designed to be simple to understand and easy to apply. DISC Flow® takes the tried-and-tested DISC model and combines it with the power of emotional intelligence to help people tap into their strengths and build better, stronger and more productive relationships.

What is a DISC Personality Assessment?

A DISC assessment is a quick and easy process to discover which personality traits a person presents the most. Based on William Moulton Marston’s research, the output from a DISC assessment identifies an individual’s preferred behavioural style and communication preferences. It also provides a blueprint to help people understand and appreciate what motivates others.

DISC based assessments are a great way to help your current team or employees develop and thrive in their professional environment. Often, the most successful and effective workers are those with high self-awareness and who respond appropriately to the needs of others.

What Are the 4 DISC Personality Types?

The DISC personality model theory proposes that there are four main behavioural types that we all use to different extents. This theory has been widely developed and researched over the years and is the foundation of all DISC profiling methods used today.

Our DISC Flow® product is a highly accurate tool based on this theory and categorises each personality type as follows:

D – Dominance

Those with a high Dominance (D) style are likely to be direct, assertive, independent, and decisive. They are intense competitors that thrive with ambitious goals and challenges, preferring action over analysis to complete a task. When they state their opinion or ask questions, they mean business.

I – Influence

Those with a high Influence (I) style enjoy collaboration; they are confident, engaging and extremely approachable. These individuals love social settings and value connecting with others; they always look to expand their social circles and enjoy spending time with new people. They get excited to explore fresh ideas and begin new projects and are likely to bounce around between what they are working on. I’s like to multi-task and be involved with lots of things at once.

S – Steadiness

Those with a high Steadiness (S) style tend to be naturally reserved people who look for similarly supportive, consistent, and loyal individuals in their relationships. Many of the S-types’ strengths lie in their patient people-skills; they are known for being sympathetic to others’ perspectives, contributing to the calm, steady environments they help create. This consistent quality makes them excellent in situations that call for diplomatic skills and cooperation.

C – Compliance

Those with a high Compliance (C) style are the most analytical of all the groups. C’s are analytical and gravitate towards process, structure, and rules. C’s can be sceptical and use logic to make decisions, rather than being swayed by emotions. Their strengths are likely to lie in their ability to think through their choices. Their ability to think deeply about issues can make them excellent problem-solvers.

DISC Assessment – Blended Styles

In reality, people are a blend of all four styles, but most lean heavily towards one or two of these. No DISC personality profile is better than any other, and we all use elements of the four styles at different times depending upon the situation we find ourselves in. The DISC profile assessment simply predicts which of the four styles you are most drawn to and how you can use the assessment results to improve your self-awareness and relationships with others.

Why Use the DISC model in the Workplace?

DISC assessments and the principles of the model offer a wide range of benefits for your organisation. These include:

Self-awareness and understanding

So many critical skills in the workplace – as in life – are predicated on self-awareness and understanding. By helping your people better appreciate how behaviour influences the workplace, you can enhance overall motivation, communication, respect, and teamwork.

Teamwork

You may be surprised how many people find it hard or do not like to work in a team. People are often unfair to one another and use judgemental language when things don’t go as planned. Using DISC assessments will help people understand what makes others tick and lead to better communication, increased collaboration and a more engaged team.

Conflict Management and Resolution

Understanding different personalities is an essential step in preventing conflict. If you learn about a person and consider their behavioural needs, you can often diffuse problems before they arise. Conflict in the workplace usually occurs because of the differing expectations of the different personality types. By using DISC assessments, you can learn about individual preferences and understand the root cause of conflict as they occur, making them less likely to happen in the future.

Cultivate Trust and Commitment

Most people trust and prefer to work with people who are just like them. By adopting the DISC language and principles, you’re able to bend toward other people’s personality styles when you need to. This approach lets you see through their eyes and understand the situation from a different perspective.

What Makes DISC Flow® Different?

You can find a whole host of DISC assessments on the web, including some that are free. You might even have used a DISC model before and found it did not have the impact you’d expected.

What sets the DISC Flow® apart from any competition is how the model works hand-in-hand with Emotional Intelligence to provide greater insight into how people think and feel.

In the DISC Flow® model, a persons’ level of Emotional Intelligence is the factor that determines how well they are able to manage their DISC behavioural traits.

Emotional Intelligence describes a way of identifying, assessing and controlling emotions so that they work for us, not against us.

By combining behaviours and emotional Intelligence, our highly accurate tool is designed to help people:

  • Increase self-awareness as well as their awareness of others.
  • Build stronger and more productive relationships with one another.
  • Make meaningful choices when communicating.

 

The great thing is that while some people have high levels of emotional intelligence as a natural talent, for those that don’t, these skills can be learned and continually improved.

 

By developing their emotional intelligence, people build resilience, strengthen relationships and improve their overall quality of life.

Conclusion

The DISC Flow® assessments have been purposely designed to be simple to understand and easy to apply. Our reports are designed to help people tap into their strengths and build better, stronger and more productive relationships.

If you’re looking for a tool to unlock the potential of your workforce, look no further. To find out more about DISC Flow®, and how it could benefit your organisation, get in touch via email or telephone today.