Lots of attempts have been made to find simple logical models that would allow people to be more effective in any collaboration. Effective relationships and behavior mean:
More adequate understanding of oneself and one’s influence on others
Being able to consciously increase one’s personal strengths
Understanding and valuing other people’s differences
Adapting one’s behavior to better meet the needs of other people and situations
DiSC deals with human behavior – the visible and more easily adaptable part of a person. The DiSC profile as an assessment tool does not deal with assessing personality or abilities but focuses on how a person perceives the world and how it affects his or her behavior and preferences.
The purpose of DiSC is not to label people. In fact, it’s the opposite – to get them out of their box and increase their behavioral amplitude. Thus, it is necessary to know oneself as well as have the ability to “read others” and respond to other people’s priorities in the right way.
DiSC is the most widely used behavioral tool in the world. Over the past 40 years, more than 50 million people have benefited from the DiSC model and training tools. DiSC partners and certified trainers form the largest network of HR experts in the whole world. DiSC partners and certified consultants form the world’s largest network of personnel experts. The most widely used areas of DiSC are teamwork, leadership, coaching, personal development, sales and recruitment.
In order to understand how DiSC methodology can benefit people, it is first necessary to understand the model itself.
It all started 90 years ago with William Moulton Marston’s theory of human behavior. Marston noticed that effective people behave according to the environment, i.e. they can anticipate the expectations or demands of the environment and choose the behavior accordingly. In his opinion, any human behavior could be described through 4 dimensions – dominance, sociality, submission, acceptance. He argued that people are a mixture of all four styles, there is no ‘best’ style – all styles have their strengths and weaknesses and they can all be more or less effective. It is important to be aware of when it is wise to use natural and consciously adapted behaviors.
Today, the terminology of the Marston model has been updated according to the vocabulary and requirements of modern psychology. The abbreviation DiSC is formed from the initials of the English names of these four main natural behavioral dimensions – dominance, influence, steadiness, conscientiousness.
There are many varieties of the DISC assessments on the market, using somewhat different terminology as well as different types of questionnaires and profiles. The most significant success over the last 20 years has been achieved by Everything DiSC® by Wiley (previously Inscape Publishing).
So what is behind the remarkable popularity and practicality of the DiSC methodology?
– Simple but not simplistic. Each profile tells a story that the learner can easily connect with; the learner can act immediately to put the insights and strategies into practice with anyone. We keep this story simple while offering rich content that learners can understand and remember to keep the lessons from DiSC applicable in the long term.
– Reliability. Although the world around us is in constant change, some things always stay the same. One of those is human nature and psychology which has not changed much for millennia. This is also the reason for the DiSC method being timeless. Of course, DiSC tools are constantly being developed, improved and updated, which makes them relevant and easy to implement in today’s world.
– Transformational learning. We often hear that once people experience DiSC profiles, they see the world and others through a new lens. These tools have the power to transform learners’ understanding of themselves and others, offering new choices for how they interact with the people around them. This recognition is a truly eye-opening and powerful experience, but for many, it comes surprisingly late without the right tools.
In current times we all have an increased need for better communication. Continuing work and maintaining relationships through social distancing is challenging for all of us. How to make working from homework for us?
The DiSC concepts of “adapt” and “stretch”, which mean flexing into behaviors and mindsets not typically associated with our natural personality types, are skills that are even more important now. Some of us work happily from home and others need more support to make it work. However, every personality has the ability to be productive from home, but what works for one person might not work as well for another.
Consider how different personalities will respond to a video meeting with no agenda. Will the D-style feel like it will be a waste of time if there’s no agenda? Is the i-style excited about the chance to see everyone and their home setups? Will the S-style worry about how they should prepare? Is the C-style wondering why there’s any need for a video meeting when all of this could be done via email?
Being aware of personality differences and adapting to each other takes commitment and practice. But taking the time to set yourselves up for success is time well spent. You’ll be building team trust and relationships with each other – all positive signs of a cohesive team.
D style
As a D-Style person, you will probably be eager and ready for the challenge of working from home. You feel like you’ll get lots done; you’ll be able to focus your energy. But you probably wonder about being able to work with your team from a distance.
Strengths
You’re results-oriented and driven, so you’ll get done what you need to get done.
You will ask for what you need to be successful from home.
You’re willing to try new collaboration and communication tools.
Challenges
You might be tempted to take shortcuts to complete something that’s been recently stalled.
You might move ahead on something too quickly, or ahead of the rest of the team.
Your communication style might feel cold to others and leave colleagues feeling unappreciated or even hurt.
i style
You’re usually ready to try something new, so working from home might seem exciting at first. You understand that you’ll need to find new ways of staying connected with your colleagues and friends from work. You’re probably more likely than others to keep your extended work networks alive and active.
Strengths
You are naturally positive and enthusiastic and can use that energy to rally your team and maintain a feeling of camaraderie.
You won’t forget that human interaction is a human need and can make sure that time is created for socializing.
You like to experiment and will probably have ideas to share with the rest of the team about how to make working from homework for all of you.
Challenges
Working alone can be stressful for you and you’ll be easily distracted.
Routines can feel stifling, but they can also be very helpful in supporting the self-discipline you’ll need to stay focused and on task.
You might want to charge ahead when you should be asking for more specific instructions or for clarification around communications.
S style
You enjoy friendly, cooperative workplaces and will miss the ease of collaboration that physical nearness enables.
Strengths
You like clear, complete, yet concise and friendly communication. You can model that for your team.
It might be easier for you to contribute your ideas and share your knowledge when given the extra time communicating online can provide.
Working alone isn’t stressful for you. You’re unlikely to get distracted from your focus on the team and its goals.
Challenges
Lack of frequent check-ins at a personal and professional level might leave you feeling disengaged or anxious.
New communication technologies might unsettle you. You’ll need to practice with them with someone you trust.
Others in your home, including children and pets, might want to demand your time during work hours and you’ll have to say “no” or shut them out of your room.
C style
You enjoy your independence and the space to think things through thoroughly. You might not understand the frustrations others feel about not seeing each other at your workplace.
Strengths
You probably have the discipline and focus to make working at home easy.
Your attention to detail will help you evaluate the resource needs of the team and to select the most reliable technologies.
You don’t require a lot of face time or feedback to know you’re doing a good job.
Challenges
Your quick-and-dirty or to-the-point communication may make others feel alienated from you.
You might be tempted to just do a task yourself, rather than delegate it or collaborate on it.
Maintaining warm personal relationships with colleagues could be challenging and you’ll need to find new strategies for doing so.
Do you recognize the strengths and challenges of your style? What other challenges have you faced in adapting to remote work?
Thank you for some of the ideas https://www.discprofiles.com/blog/2020/03/disc-working-from-home
As we all experienced first-hand now, we live in rapidly-changing and challenging times and workplaces. Some even call today the “era of always-on transformation.” I’m not sure about you, but to us “always on transformation” sounds exhausting! And it IS exhausting for most people. According to Bersin by Deloitte’s 2018 “Meet the Modern Learner” report, people working in today’s modern workplace are overwhelmed, exhausted, and distracted.
Here are a few facts that stood out to us:
More than 80% of all companies rate their businesses as “highly complex” or “complex” for employees.
Yet, fewer than 16% of those companies have a program to “simplify work” or help employees deal with stress.
Today there is a growing population (40% of the population!) who believe it is impossible to succeed at work and have a balanced family life.
Beyond Deloitte’s report, Gallup’s recent State of the Global Workplace report highlights a very serious global engagement problem…fewer than 15% of the global workforce is actively engaged.
You see, the very same, rapidly-changing workplace that is draining people of their precious energy, requires more now than ever beforefrom those same people. As the global workforce becomes more VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous), it’s the people of an organization that fuels success and drives competitive advantage. As such, there has been a shift in perception around organizational culture, from nice-to-have to need-to-have. As quoted by Gary Vaynerchuk, “The most important thing for your speed, your company, and your service is your internal culture.”
But if we know anything about culture, we know it means very different things to different organizations. Culture, like almost anything else, is not one-size-fits-all. For some organizations, it’s “how we do things around here.” Others place a robust framework around a culture that articulates corporate values and behavioral policies. Still more, an unwritten behavioral code is learned over time. While the way we define and shape culture has infinite approaches, we know that there are three unifying characteristics of culture today:
Culture is unique to each organization
It is a critical driver of success
It’s one of the hardest things to change. Period.
So what do we do? If culture is critically important to an organization’s future success, yet one of the hardest things to change, how do we rally people and organizations to make the leap toward better? How do we enable organizations to make true cultural transformation possible?
True cultural transformation does not just happen on its own. It’s the collection of thousands of moments, interactions, and choices made by each individual that builds the dynamic nature of culture. True transformation is an ongoing effort that takes not just Human Resources, not just the leaders of an organization, but each and every individual of an organization making a conscious effort toward positively contributing to their culture. True cultural transformation, while ultimately the responsibility of an organization, needs a catalyst.
We believe DiSC can be that catalyst.
Today, we are thrilled to formally share the Everything DiSC promise with all of you our manifesto video titled, DiSCOVER THE POWER OF WE™. While we are proud of this video, we are even more proud of the millions of lives DiSC has impacted and the thousands of organizational cultures our solutions have helped start down the path from personalized insight to culture change. If you love this video as much as we do, share it with your friends! Because now more than ever, it’s time we empower all PEOPLE to engage, connect and thrive in today’s modern workplace.
This blog content belongs to Everything DiSC, a Wiley brand.
It’s not exactly a revolutionary idea that positive, healthy relationships are essential to a happy life. We are all, on some level, aware of this. However, as human beings we often unintentionally prioritize life’s everyday demands over these relationships. But what impact does this have on our health and happiness? In his TED Talk, Dr. Robert Waldinger offers a glimpse into this answer as he shares key insights from the longest-running study on adult development created by researchers at Harvard University.
The study first began 75 years ago (!) and continues to this day. Waldinger, the fourth director of this study, outlines the origin of the study and how its initial participants were selected. Of the original 724 participants, about 60 are still alive, most of them in their 90s. You can learn more about the Harvard Study of Adult Development here.
Through interviews, medical records, bloodwork, and other research, the key insight from the longest and most intensive study on human wellbeing is this:
“Good relationships keep us happier and healthier … period.”
Something interesting to note is that these relationships can seemingly come in any form, so long as they are positive and impactful. Familial, romantic, platonic, or community-based relationships all help keep our minds and bodies healthy. Whether it’s being with friends, coworkers, or neighbors, you will benefit from meaningful interpersonal connections.
Waldinger’s TED Talk caught our attention because in Everything DiSC®, we truly believe in the power of good relationships. We know that workplace relationships (whether they bring us joy or distress) form the environment we work in, which can have a profound impact on our overall satisfaction and performance.
Having the tools and knowledge to uncover insights like, “What motivates me?” and “What causes me stress?” gives people the ability to reflect and adapt to the communication needs of those around them. When we approach our interactions with the other person’s needs in mind, we start to build a stronger foundation for our relationships. It’s from this foundation that we can create deeper, more meaningful bonds.
“Over these 75 years, our study has shown that the people who fared the best were the people who leaned into relationships with family, with friends, with community,” says Waldinger. “What might leaning into relationships even look like? Well, the possibilities are practically endless.”
We’re proud that DiSC transforms the lives of people— both in the workplace and in their personal development. We understand that people who know how to sustain good relationships are happier and healthier, which ultimately adds to the value they give back to their organization. This creates a wonderful cycle that promotes positive cultural shifts and overall wellbeing in the workplace.
We echo Waldinger’s closing remark, “The good life is built with good relationships.” And with the right tools, those who once faced challenges building good relationships are now able to take an entirely new approach toward creating meaningful bonds with others.
This blog content belongs to Everything DiSC, a Wiley brand.
We want to bring your attention to the fact that there are three different DiSC card decks that you can use for several games, activities and exercises.
We highly recommend using these for creating a more interactive learning experience and for strengthening participants’ DiSC knowledge.
Here are the 3 different card decks which you can purchase from us:
1) DiSC® Dialogue card game
The DiSC® Dialogue is an entertaining card game that introduces learners to DiSC® and increases training effectiveness. You can play this game in five different ways (the rulebook comes with the package).
2) DiSC® Matrix card game
The DiSC® Matrix cards were developed as an exercise to challenge people to think about the differences between the four dimensions of DiSC. Through game and discussion, these cards enable us to go in-depth with DiSC. They are also meant to be used as a reinforcement of DiSC knowledge.
3) DiSC Group Culture card game
This game is meant to be played by groups, mostly real teams, who already have a basic knowledge of DiSC. The game goes together with the DiSC Group Culture Report.
You can purchase the digital version of all these DiSC card games in English for 95 EUR. The files come fully designed, ready to print and with instructions where you can read more about the rules of the game. Please contact us if you want to order the DIY card files of these games in English or ask for availability in other languages.
Although DiSC® profiles are specifically designed to be easily interpreted and understood, a good, certified DiSC facilitator can help maximize the learning and get more value out from the profiles.
The skill and expertise of the person interpreting and applying the results of DiSC are as critical as the tool itself. Repairing a car often requires sophisticated diagnostic equipment. But having tools for that is not enough. An expert mechanic is needed to translate the information, create meaning, and take action that results in a positive outcome. The same is true with DiSC.
Here are 5 tips that will help you get the best out of your DiSC session:
1. Always introduce the DiSC Cornerstone Principles and reinforce them at every opportunity
All DiSC styles and priorities are equally valuable, and everyone is a blend of all styles
The goal of DiSC isn’t to put people to boxes. Actually, it’s the opposite – to get them out of their box and increase their behavioral amplitude
Your DiSC style is mostly inborn but is also influenced by other factors such as life experiences, education and maturity
Understanding yourself better is the first step to becoming more effective when working with others
Learning about other people’s DiSC styles can help you understand their priorities and how they may differ from your own
You can improve the quality of your life by using DiSC to build more effective relationships in your workplace, with your clients, and in your personal life
2. Review the profiles of the participants in advance
This will help you to understand how the participants may prefer to receive information and allow you to adjust your delivery style accordingly. Reviewing the results helps also to be prepared for questions that may arise during the session.
If you work with teams, create free Team View Reports and generate a Group Culture Report to get an overview of the collective styles and how they work together.
3. Make use of additional tools
If a respondent struggles to identify with the profile results (it generally happens rarely), refer to the Supplement for Facilitators in Everything DiSC profiles or Graph I and II page in DiSC Classic profiles.
Supplement for Facilitators report will give you more information about the respondent. The umbrella graph is particularly helpful to identify DiSC styles that may not be fully explored within the report.
In this example, a respondent has returned a D (Dominance) preference based on the algorithm’s interpretation of their answers to the self-assessment. However, the main report does not reflect the fact that they also have high scores on the CS/SC areas. Exploring this with the respondent will help them understand their results and feel more comfortable with the analysis.
The Supplement will also help you discuss those priorities that may have been scored highly but are not the natural priorities associated with the style. In this example, the need for Stability is not a usual fit with the D style, but is clearly important to this person and may drive aspects of their behavior.
With DiSC Classic, you can similarly get more background information from the last page in the profile and analyze Graph I and Graph II and the meaning behind them.
These resources provide you with everything you need to run a workshop or coaching session.
Includes three 90-minute modules, fully-scripted facilitation with engaging activities, and workplace-focused video that features DiSC® styles in real work situations
You don’t need to follow this ready-made training program word by word, but it will certainly save you time in preparing a tailored workshop for your own audience.
5. Ways to encourage participation and improve your own facilitation skills
Frame it up. Plan opening comments carefully to communicate session goals and explain what you want to accomplish. People are more willing to open up and learn when they know the goals.
Get people talking. Start with an easy, safe question. Even beginning with casual introductions makes participants more likely to participate later.
Summarize frequently. Think of this as jumping to the “big picture”: remind people what the goals and scope of the discussion are, make connections and point out common themes, summarize information and how it will be used.
Ask questions that can be answered with yes or no, single words, or short phrases when you want to slow discussion and regain control.
Know when to stop. Bring the discussion to a close at an appropriate time – when you’ve reached your goal or when the discussion is no longer fruitful. Thank the group for their valuable input.
