What is DiSC?

DiSC is a nonjudgmental system for understanding and managing.  Individuals can learn to adapt their behavior, and move from judging those who are different from themselves to honoring, valuing and respecting others.  Instead of being "at each other", they learn to be "with each other". 

People who understand their strengths and limitations are able to adapt to the needs of others and the needs of their environment in was that lead to maximum effectiveness.  People who self-manage are capable of becoming "peak performers."

DiSC helps people explore behavior across four primary dimensions:

Dominance      

• "D" people tend to be independent and results driven. They are strong-willed, self assured people who enjoy challenges, taking action, and immediate results.  Their focus tends to be on the bottom line and results.  They can become ineffective due to a demanding, sarcastic or dictatorial demeanor.

Influence

• "I" people tend to be optimistic & outgoing. These individuals are usually very social, people oriented,  and persuasive. They prefer participating on teams, sharing thoughts, and entertaining and energizing others.  They can become ineffective due to a lack of focus or talking too much which may interfere with getting things done.

                                    
Steadiness    

• "S" people tend to be sympathetic & cooperative. They tend to be your team players and are loyal, consistent, supportive and helpful to others.  They prefer being behind the scene, working in consistent and predictable ways. They are often good listeners and avoid change and conflict. They can become ineffective due to their tendency to be critical, a perfectionist and delay for the sake of accuracy.

Conscientiousness

• "C" people tend to be concerned, cautious & correct. These people are often focused on details and quality. They plan ahead, constantly check for accuracy, and what to know "how" and "why".    They can become ineffective due to their tendency to be indecisive and resist change.

The DISC is often used for training and employee development, coaching and mentoring for employees and sometimes as a part of a hiring process (though it is not designed as a hiring tool). The DISC assessments are available to individuals, business, organizations and corporations. DISC personality behavioral profiles are research based and designed to help you understanding behavioral styles and personality types through our online disc questionnaire format. 

Understanding your DISC profile gives you insight for rapid rapport and connection with people as well as fundamental skills in selling, managing, and leadership. Understanding behavioral styles benefits personal and professional relationships by improving communication skills, attitude, thus reducing conflict and stress.  You are able to better understand what motivates people and equipped to recognize how to effectively deal with others. 

Applied in corporate, business and personal situations "DISC" can lead to understanding, better communication and heightened positive attitude. Insights into the DISC patterns have empowered millions internationally to better understand themselves and others. The online disc profile report is designed to provide targeted strategies and insights for interpersonal success through effective communication, understanding and tolerance. These insights have been utilized for personal growth and development, training, coaching and managing of individuals, groups, teams, and organizations.

DiSC insight provides those taking the assessment:

    1. an understanding of themselves and how their behavior
        affects others
    2. an understanding of their reactions to other people
    3. How to maximize on what they do well
    4. Encourages a positive attitude about themselves,
       which causes others to have confidence in them
    5. Knowledge in how to adapt their behavior to meet the
       needs of other people and particular situations

The DISC profiles are based on the research of William Moulton Marston Ph.D. (1893 - 1947). Marston, who was influenced by such contemporaries as Carl Jung.  Marston sought to discover a theory to explain the behavior of "normal" "healthy" people within specific situations or environments. Marston, the father of the DISC, was a graduate of Harvard University. Among his numerous contributions Marston was a consulting psychologist, researcher and authored or co-authored five books. He was also published in such juried professional journals as in the American Journal of Psychology, and reference books including The Encyclopedia of Psychology, and The Encyclopedia Britannica.

It was Marston’s 1928 “Emotions of Normal People”, which introduced the theory of DISC. He classified four categories of human behavioral type, style or temperament-- Dominance, Influence (Marston chose the term inducement), Steadiness or Stability (originally submission) and Compliant, Conscientious, or Cautious, (originally compliance). It should be noted that Marston never developed his D.I.S.C. model into a four quadrant model though now a days DISC has become one of the modest popular four quadrant models, with various companies using quadrants, circles, wheels, and diamonds to graphically represent the positioning of behavioral and personality styles and types. The D.I.S.C. model looks at behavioral styles and behavioral preferences.

Marston, in addition to his work on "DISC" and understanding personality, emotional intelligence (before it was called emotional intelligence), and behavioral styles he is created with developing the lie detector. Another interesting aside is that Marston also was the creator of “Wonder Woman,” where he introduced the strong female super hero into comic strips.

For about 40 years DISC has continued to evolve. From Marston's original development of the D.I.S.C. model; to the research conducted by the University of Minnesota's Dr. John Geier and other researcher and assessment developer.  Marston’s original work continues to be enhanced by ongoing behavioral research and profiles can be found in more than 50 languages by various publishers of the disc assessment.  With this evolution of various versions of the DISC of varying quantity and validity. 

Click here to view the validation report from Inscape Publishing.