DiSC type basics

If you don't have access to the Google Sheet, let me know and I'll send you that link. It's where all the data is sitting in one handy dandy location, and I'll reference it often on here. Since I completely glossed over the DiSC assessment before, I'm going to start very basic and work our way into details.

Feel free to skim until you get to parts you don't know.

The DiSC assessment was developed in the early 1990s, and bears lose parallels to the four major temperament types previously known as Choleric, Sanguine, Phlegmatic, and Melancholic. However, where those divisions were somewhat mood-based (aggressive, peaceful, happy, sad), the DiSC types make up the four blocks of an axis as shown:

 

Starting with the top right, personalities that score high in D characteristics ("high D") tend to display a lot of dominance traits. This is NOT the same as leadership. For example, in Unite, Brendan and I flux between Di and iD, Monique is an S, and Sean is a C. Not sure about Brandon? Probably an S. But we all defer to each other and Sean is the final authority in leadership.

What this does mean is that Ds tend to TAKE responsibility and authority, whether it's theirs or not. Ds naturally initiate new actions... all the time. Even when the old actions work fine. Sometimes without a lot of thought for the consequences of said new actions. Definitely without a lot of natural thought or care for how it will impact people - people can adjust. This "needs" to happen. And Ds' idea of being helpful is telling you what to do and or making you do it. (laughing yet?)

is are similar to Ds (and no, i don't know why they lower cased that except so I can say that I am an i) in that they also want to change... but they are very people focused. Systems be darned if they feel that the person in front of them needs something else! Ideas are also a high i priority - as you've probably noticed when talking with me, I have a TON of ideas and very little attachment to any of them. Because of this combination of moving forward and emotions and people focus with a dreamer bent, high is tend to be influential. We can also be total flakes.

Also more focused on people than systems are the S-type personalities. Basically insert a picture of Monique here. Seriously. It's a great combination of people and patience that tends to swing into i (more imaginative and adventurous) or C (more bold and authoritative... simply because of the task over people focus) and back again. Weakness: steadiness can become stuck in routine and things being the way they are because "Tradition!"

To that end, Cs are similar but I prefer the term constipated to stuck. Cs are incredibly gifted facts and figures and data and basically everything "how to do it right." Not just information, but making informed decisions. They are the people you want advising you before you make any big move because they weigh out everything. And I do mean everything. Which can't actually be done. Hence the constipation.

End: Disc Basics