DISC Personality Styles
What does DISC stand for? DISC is an acronym for the four behavioral styles as founded by William Moulton Marston in his DISC model of normal behavior.
Each of the four DISC personality styles is marked by different characteristics, communication preferences, strengths, limitations, fears, and motivations. We use this knowledge to not only bring us self-awareness for how we work and communicate best but to understand how we can adapt our styles to more effectively communicate and interact with others. Knowing your personality type and being able to recognize the observable DISC style behaviors of others in the DISC model can help you build stronger personal and professional relationships.
There are four main DISC personality types:
D - DominantÂ
| General Characteristics: | Direct. Decisive. High Ego Strength. Problem Solver. Risk Taker. Self Starter. |
| Value to Team: | Â Bottom-line organizer. Places value on time. Challenges the status quo. Innovative. |
| Possible Weaknesses: | Oversteps authority. Argumentative attitude. Dislikes routine. Attempts too much at once. |
| Greatest Fear: | Being taken advantage of. |
| Motivated By: | New challenges. Power and authority to take risks and make decisions. Freedom from routine and mundane tasks. Changing environments in which to work and play. |
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IÂ -Â Influence
| General Characteristics: | Enthusiastic. Trusting; Optimistic. Persuasive. Talkative. Impulsive. Emotional. |
| Value to Team: | Creative problem solver. Great encourager. Motivates others to achieve. Positive sense of humor. Negotiates conflicts; peace maker. |
| Possible Weaknesses: | More concerned with popularity than tangible results. Inattentive to detail. Overuses gestures and facial expressions. Tends to listen only when it's convenient. |
| Greatest Fear: | Rejection. |
| Motivated By: | Flattery, praise, popularity, and acceptance. A friendly environment. Freedom from many rules and regulations. Other people available to handle details. |
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SÂ -Â Steadiness
| General Characteristics: | Good listener. Team player. Possessive. Steady. Predictable. Understanding. Friendly. |
| Value to Team: | Reliable and dependable. Loyal team worker. Compliant towards authority. Good listener, patient and empathetic. Good at reconciling conflicts. |
| Possible Weaknesses: | Resists change. Takes a long time to adjust to change. Holds a grudge. Sensitive to criticism. Difficulty establishing priorities. |
| Greatest Fear: | Loss of security. |
| Motivated By: | Recognition for loyalty and dependability. Safety and security. No sudden changes in procedure or lifestyle. Activities that can be started and finished. |
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CÂ -Â Compliance
| General Characteristics: | Accurate; analytical. Conscientious; careful. Fact-finder; precise. High standards; systematic. |
| Value to Team: | Perspective: "the anchor of reality." Conscientious and even-tempered. Thorough to all activities. Defines situation; gathers, criticizes and tests information. |
| Possible Weaknesses: | Needs clear-cut boundaries for actions/relationships. Bound by procedures and methods. Gets bogged down in details. Prefers not to verbalize feelings. Will give in rather that argue. |
| Greatest Fear: | Criticism. |
| Motivated By: | Standards of high quality. Limited social interaction. Detailed tasks. Logical organization of information. |
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