DISC – Know “self” and your behavior to be more effective as a leader
DISC (Dominance, Inducement, Submission, and Compliance) is a personal assessment tool used to improve work productivity, teamwork and communication. DISC is non-judgmental and helps people discuss their behavioral differences. The DISC Model of Behavior was first proposed by William Mouton Marston, a physiological psychologist with a Ph.D. from Harvard. His 1928 book, Emotions of Normal People, explains his theory on how normal human emotions lead to behavioral differences among groups of people and how a person’s behavior might change over time. His work focused on directly observable and measurable psychological phenomena. He was interested in using practical explanations to help people understand and manage their experiences and relationships. DISC was first introduced in 1972 and is a tool which has been used by more than 40 million people worldwide.
Marston theorized that the behavioral expression of emotions could be categorized into four primary types, stemming from the person’s perceptions of self in relationship to his or her environment. These four types were labeled by Marston as Dominance (D), Inducement (I), Submission (S), and Compliance (C). Outcome of a DISC assessment is a higher understanding & knowledge of “self” and others in relation to the 4 dimensions:
Dominance
Perceives oneself as more powerful than the environment, and perceives the environment as unfavorable.
Inducement (also labelled as Influence)
Perceives oneself as more powerful than the environment, and perceives the environment as favorable.
Submission (also labelled as Steadiness)
Perceives oneself as less powerful than the environment, and perceives the environment as favorable.
Compliance
Perceives oneself as less powerful than the environment, and perceives the environment as unfavorable.
Using the knowledge of “self” and others is valuable for improving work teams, sales or key account relationships, your leadership position, or any other relationships.
DISC profiles help you and your team to:
- Increase your self-knowledge: how you respond to conflict, what motivates you, what causes you stress and how you solve problems
- Facilitate better teamwork and minimize team conflict
- Develop stronger sales skills by identifying and responding to customer styles
- Manage more effectively by understanding the dispositions and priorities of employees and team members
- Become more self-knowledgeable, well-rounded and effective leaders
The result of the questionnaire gives you insights about your personality and behavior and your dominant letter (D,I,S or C). The test itself takes 15 – 20 minutes and we discuss the results with you for deeper reflection.
DISC is a good tool in coaching, but we also use the concept in team and leadership workshops, coupled with additional group exercises.