Self-assessment and application of the DISC personality model

Self-Assessment

DISC Self-assessment

This paper provides an overview of the DISC personality profile, the author's personal analysis of her own DISC scores, and a more general examination of how DISC can enhance leadership and teamwork in the workplace. Concludes with reflections on the use of personality assessment in the workplace.

Overview of DISC

My profile

Leading and following

My 'Uniquely You' personality profile states that I am an S/C type, according to my results on the DISC Model of Human Behavior personality test. Personality tests have become more and more common in the modern workforce, given the intensely competitive job environment and the great commitment employers must make to train prospective employees. Beyond hiring and firing decisions, personality tests can also be used to create balanced work teams, to provide managers with insight about how to communicate with different employees in a diverse work environment, and act as tools of self-examination and assessment for employees themselves. There are many different types of personality tests, with varying uses and reliability. Some common models are the MMPI, the Jungian / Myers Briggs type analysis, and the Enneagram, as well as the DISC.

My profile

Steadiness, stability, and shyness, along with security-oriented, submissive, and servile behavior are characteristic of S-types, while C-types are cautious, competent, contemplative, calculating and careful (Uniquely you report, 2009, p. 2). S-types respond to leadership styles that are relaxed and friendly and provide constructive praise and criticism, while C-types respond to leaders who provide a great deal of personal reassurance about their efficacy (Uniquely you report, 2009, p. 3). There is a great deal of similarity between S. And C types, although S-types are people-driven, while C-types are task and competency-driven. Very few people are only one type exclusively, and the fact that I am an S/C type with an S. social self suggests the test is, at very least, internally reliable and produces consistent results regarding introversion vs. extroversion and organizational loyalty. It also suggests that I am more task-driven internally than I appear externally, which is something I may need to keep in mind when presenting myself in a workplace situation.

S-types are described as loyal and good listeners in the workforce, because they are sympathetic, friendly, and supportive. They are people-pleasers, team players who dislike change and value stability. They are strongest when cooperating with others, and have a great deal of patience and loyalty. They do not like acting alone or having to take an initiative to change things. They play by the rules and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) s. They are good peacemakers and do not initiate change, preferring to follow rather than to lead. A pure C-type tends to be more introverted than an S-type, often preferring to work alone, and is more concerned with things than people, although he or she is also likely to be very loyal to an organization and routine.

Compared with S-types, C-types tend to be more task-oriented, and want to be right more than they want to be liked. But much like S-types are good peacemakers, C-types are good diplomats because of their justified reputation for fairness and the respect they command from their colleagues (Witt 2009). Neither type is seen as overly ego-driven, and put others or following the rules over their own needs. This reputation for objectivity is helpful in maintaining good relations with colleagues.

Unfortunately, S-types tend to be misjudged as steady, stable, and boring. S-types are often called 'perfect followers.' Having a C-orientation along with an S-orientation gives an added incentive to focus on accuracy and perfection when completing a task to please a boss, although sometimes task-orientation can come into conflict with people's feelings. For example, something may need to be done ASAP, but an office full of procrastinators may find a C-type's commitment to be humorous or irritating. Someone with a need to please like an S/C-type can feel conflicted because of this orientation and find it hard to assert him or herself as a leader in the face of such opposition (Witt 2009).

Leading and following

From a leader's point-of-view, being 'personality savvy' is important, because it enables him or her to tailor his or her communication styles and task objectives to the individual employee's personality. For example, when dealing with a C-type, a leader is advised to be wary of the individual's hypersensitivity to criticism, and instead strive to motivate him or her by appealing to a desire to please and fulfill certain standards. "Prepare your case in advance. Delineate pros and cons of proposed ideas. Support ideas and statements with accurate data. Reassure them that no surprises will occur. Submit an exact job description with a precise explanation of how that task fits into the big picture. Review recommendations with them in a systematic and comprehensive manner. Be specific when agreeing. Disagree with the facts rather than the person when disagreeing. Be patient, persistent, and diplomatic while providing explanations" (DISC, 2009). The leader may need to be conscious of his or her own personality type and needs and 'work against' some of his or her natural tendencies when communicating with someone with a different type of personality. AC-type personality is unlikely to be motivated by talk of risk-taking or innovation, for example.

With an S-type, a leader should avoid being pushy and confrontational, and "create a favorable environment: personal and agreeable. Express a genuine interest in them as a person. Provide them with clarification for tasks and answers to 'how' questions. Be patient in drawing out their goals. Present ideas or departures from current practices in a non-threatening manner; give them time to adjust. Clearly define goals, procedures and their role in the overall plan. Assure them of personal follow-up support. Explain how their actions will minimize the risks involved and enhance current procedures" (DISC, 2009). In other words, simply presenting the facts in a different way can enhance a leader's ability to motivate employees, especially with the human interest that is part of the S-type makeup.

One of the advantages to using the DISC personality profile is that it stresses that no personality type is inherently 'wrong' or bad, merely that different types of people provide an organization with different types of assets. There are no good or bad personalities, and diversity creates strength. This is particularly true in terms of teams, where having D, I, S, and C-types working harmoniously together enables all tasks to get done by the individuals with the greatest core strengths in specific interpersonal areas. Different team members can compensate for one another's weaknesses.

One problem with team-building between different types, however, is the fact that the different types often have radically different communication styles. The C-type's focus on facts and data may conflict with an S-type's focus on people. But many people, including myself, are made up of a conglomeration of different types and merely exhibit tendencies towards one type or the other. This means that there may be more points of commonality than one might initially suspect. Still, in a diverse work team based upon DISC principles, it might be a good idea for people to engage in extensive team-building activities beforehand. Having everyone take personality profiles similar to the one offered by Uniquely You or other organizations might be a way to raise self-awareness. Even if the portrait created is only partial, simply raising the issue of different ways of communicating, leading, and following, is an important contribution to facilitate the success of a work team.