Author: Christina Bowser

When it comes to helping employees understand where their strengths and weaknesses are, receiving employee feedback from their managers is crucial. DISC assessments can help facilitate the process.

Employee feedback can provide those workers with a lot of useful information about what they should continue doing going forward. It can also help employees focus on any areas where they really need to improve.

The Value of Employee Feedback

All managers should be able to access tools that are easy to use and easy to understand. The more validated the employee feedback is, the easier it may be for supervisors to provide it. Employees may also accept it easier, as well. That is where the DISC assessment comes in. DISC gives proven information that can be used to help in an effective feedback session. DISC helps the manager know how the employee prefers that feedback is given. For example, there are styles that just want you to highlight key points versus those that want it in detailed written format.

One of the reasons DISC tests work so well is because it’s a self-assessment which identifies the person’s natural behaviors. Once that knowledge has been discovered, it can be used by managers and supervisors to provide employee feedback. It can also offer suggestions in helpful ways that can get the employee and the entire company moving forward. Giving feedback to employees is not always easy. It can turn into a tense situation or one where employees feel they are being attacked. However, employee feedback is extremely valuable; just make sure it is offered the right way.

Not every company, manager, or supervisor may see the value of employee feedback. But, it can play a vital role in how employees feel about themselves and their roles in the business. When employee feedback is given the right way, it can encourage and enlighten employees. When delivered in the wrong way, though, it can make employees hurt and keep them from feeling valued. Addressing employees fairly and honestly regarding any problems can go a long way toward building a feeling of teamwork in a company. In addition, including positive employee feedback can insure that the session is rewarding and balanced for the employees.

When Employee Feedback Doesn’t Work

Unfortunately, there are times employee feedback is seen as subjective, rather than objective. But, that can be changed by using the DISC model. When employees are offered subjective feedback they may feel threatened or accused. That occurs mostly because they are unsure how to “fix” problems that come about purely based on other people’s opinions. Additionally, managers may think the employee is doing something the wrong way, but they won’t give them the steps to make changes. This is not the same thing as having objective information about a specific problem. With the more objective feedback that DISC styles can provide, employees can get direct, clear information they can use to make changes and improvements.

Employees who do not get feedback are not in a place to make changes. This is due to the fact that they are not clear on what they need to change. Vague feedback and casual suggestions often do not help the way they really should, either. More specific information is needed if lasting changes are really going to be made the right way. When a company does not use options like the DISC model, it can hurt the business and the employees. Employees aren’t told what the issues are or what change is needed in a way that actually mesh with their behavior. Because of that, they fail to make the changes that would improve their working lives and the company’s bottom line.

Employees can determine what they need to work on by using DISC training and DISC assessments.

Managers can also provide feedback to employees in a way that works with their behavior and personality. In addition, managers can get a better understanding of an employee. When using DISC, feedback is given in a way that an employee will more likely respond to. No matter how good or bad of a job an employee is doing, their style will affect how they receive feedback. This is also true with what they need to be praised for or work on improving. When feedback is given the right way, there are higher levels of success and better responses.

In other words, when a manager gives an employee feedback, it needs to be done in such a way that the employee can respond to it. The DISC profile offers useful information on employees and how they operate. Managers can use DISC data to find ways to approach employees about important feedback that needs to be addressed. Whether that is through a formal assessment, or through more casual interactions, the employee is being approached in the conducive way and with the helpful information.

How DISC Assessments Work

The way the DISC profile works is through asking questions the employee can answer about who they are. The answers are analyzed and used to provide a snapshot of the employee’s natural behavioral style. With the DISC model, managers can get more detailed information on their employees. This can help them work toward better levels of feedback. That leads to more development than would otherwise be seen. Overall, a DISC profile lets employees know who they are in relation to their work. In addition, the DISC report helps to identify a person’s motivators, pressure effects, decision-making, and more. It also lets managers know who those employees are.

Not every employee will be in their ideal job based on their DISC style. That is another thing the DISC assessment can help determine. In some cases, employees may do much better if they are able to change their job or focus on specific roles within their job. These identified roles could be ones that gives them more motivation and confidence to perform well. Depending on the company, that may or may not be something that is possible. It can be discussed as part of the employee feedback process. They may want to consider a job change within the company to another role. Without the DISC assessment, though, the knowledge that changing roles would help may be unavailable.

DISC Training for Employee Feedback

The information provided from DISC training can add significant value to any organization. Companies who learn about the DISC styles of their employees will find it easier to identify how those employees can succeed. Employees then could be more productive and successful. When a company is serious about acquiring and retaining good employees, it understands that just hiring people and telling them what to do is not enough. While that may work for some people in some job roles, it often does not work for others in different types of jobs. Employees and managers can both struggle.

In order to prevent employee struggles and frustrated supervisors, DISC training information is extremely valuable. It allows for much more natural feedback. In turn, this provides employees with options they can use to better themselves in thoughtful, realistic ways. Employees must consider what they need to do differently. How that information is presented to them and what they are really being asked to do can make all the difference. Employees who focus on being their best selves are often much more prepared for changes in their job roles. This is true even if they do not have the job they are best suited for in a company.

Managers can also benefit from DISC training. There are many skills and tools to better employee feedback. There is no one right way, but DISC is one tool that can help the manager and the employee.

When feedback comes naturally and is based on the true needs of employees and the company they work for, it becomes more of a team effort.

Many employees still see feedback as a criticism and can become defensive. However, good feedback should be based on information, and not criticism. It should be about what the employee can improve upon but, it often focuses on what they are doing “wrong.” It is possible that employees and managers do not understand how to interact with each other. That can be a big problem for a business.

Employees and managers both need to focus on the goals in order for any company to have a high level of success. But sometimes those goals are at cross purposes. Companies can struggle when that happens. However, there are ways to reduce the chances of problems. The DISC model can help remove the misunderstandings and improve communication. Managers are taught about their DISC styles and what they can do to be more helpful and efficient. Employees are taught about their DISC styles and what they can do to be more successful and comfortable in their job roles. Working together, valuable changes can be made from the feedback received.

A DISC assessment is a great way to give employee feedback. It is also an excellent way to learn about how you prefer to manage and lead. The more knowledge both sides have, the more likely it will be that those parties can work together and get things done more easily. That is one of the keys to DISC. Knowledge really is power. What is done with that power matters. When it is used the correct way, it can propel a company forward. Everyone can improve their level of success and value if the feedback is done in a useful way.

How DISC Management Styles Affect Employee Feedback

Management styles are not all alike. How an employee reacts to feedback can be affected by the way that it is given. If you want to insure your employees are getting useful feedback in a way that works for them, you need to know about their DISC style. However, you also need to know about your own DISC style. Some people are different in how they communicate. They may even clash. That can lead to feedback problems that can be avoided.

One of the ways to avoid the feedback problems is to focus on what commonalities the people involved have. If a manager and an employee can find common ground through their DISC styles, having that manager provide feedback to the employee may be more successful. On the other hand, there may be no common ground at all. Remember, as the manager, you have the ability to adjust your communication style in a way that works better with your employee. You can’t make him or her adjust to your style. So you may need to speed up, give the employee time to process, etc. The employee will be more receptive if the way information is delivered is comfortable.

In order to have commonalities with employees, managers must know more about those employees. The DISC test helps provide that information. Managers can work with better with employees and provide feedback in ways that everyone can respond to. That doesn’t mean employees should be coddled, but it does mean outcomes are improved if feedback is delivered in a suitable way. DISC helps you find a way to give feedback that the employee will hear and respond to. It makes things easier for any manager to talk to that employee and have changes made successfully.

How to Not Lose Your Good Employees

Management types using the DISC model can be a very valuable resource when it comes to handling employee issues. But many supervisors fail to realize that there is more to the issue than just keeping employees working at a steady pace. Feedback and communication concerns are some of the biggest issues for employees and managers. When that becomes a problem on one end or the other it can lead to trouble in the workplace. Companies have lost good employees because of inappropriate ways of providing feedback, that drove good people to companies that “treat them better.”

Managers need to care when giving feedback, but honesty is important too. DISC provides feedback language that is non-judgmental, but still honest. Hence, it can also be provided in a way that an employee will respond to as well as possible. Even difficult feedback can be offered in a compassionate way. When a manager knows about the employee’s DISC style and how it relates to his/her own then feedback is generally much more successful. Use DISC to provide feedback in ways that the employee finds more relatable and comfortable. It can help a business keep good employees who just need some extra guidance.

Management Training Using DISC Styles

DISC assessments should not only be used on employees, but on managers too. Managers who are more self-aware of their DISC styles will have the ability to modify it to become better leaders. One of the ways to help managers give better feedback to employees is to make sure those managers are getting proper management training and DISC training.

Once a manager knows their DISC profile, they can focus on what they need to do next. They may have personality traits and behaviors they were not aware of, especially when they feel pressured. Perhaps they didn’t realize that others viewed their DISC style differently than how they did. Managers can also use the DISC report to learn how they prefer to lead, how they support employees, how they listen, etc. Learning more about themselves can help them address what they really need to do in order to be more effective as they provide employee feedback.

Employee Feedback is a Two Way Street

In short, feedback is not just for employees. Everyone can improve when hearing and using constructive feedback. In fact, managers have to be receptive to feedback as well. Their job is not just to provide it to their employees and then expect them to be receptive. They cannot just assume that they need no instruction or correction. A DISC assessment can help them see that. This helps indicate whether they may need to make changes to be more effective.

Not all managers are created equally. For those who struggle with the roles they have, it may be necessary for them to make some changes as well. That does not mean they should not be in management roles. However, they may need to be more aware at how they portray those roles. They should also consider what they do to reach out to others where providing feedback is concerned. One rule is to treat others how you would want to be treated. This is generally true in that treating people with respect and kindness is important. However, different people still need different things when it comes to how they respond to feedback. Think about how your employees want to be treated instead and make the best adjustments.

The more a manager understands about themselves, the easier they can understand things about their own employees. That allows them to be better suited for giving feedback. They can also accept feedback that they need to hear. If they are doing something in a way that is difficult for employees to handle, it can be very helpful if they can accept feedback as well. There are many businesses that want feedback to be a two-way street between employees and managers.

When DISC styles are identified and understood, that feedback flows much more easily and honestly.

Better communication through the DISC tool can help reduce misunderstandings and keep everyone in the company on the same page. It is not a perfect solution to any concerns employees or managers may have. However, it goes a long way toward ensuring the overall health and success of the company, as well as the job satisfaction and engagement of the individuals who work there.

When under pressure, your natural DISC style shines through your behaviors. You can use your DISC Assessment results to adapt your style to best suit pressure settings.

A person’s DISC style is likely to show up when you are under pressure. Some may lose track of details. Some can snap at their peers when feeling stressed. When we feel strong emotions or pressure, we often become more of who we really are. Since we need focus and energy to manage the pressure, stress, and strong emotions, we don’t have the same energy and ability to focus on the constant adaptions we make to be successful. Hence, we say that “strong emotions are the enemies of behavioral modification”. DISC assessment results help us deal with how we may behave when we are under pressure.

The image below gives you an overview of how each of the 4 DISC profile types tend to act under pressure. Your DISC assessment results go in depth as to what are the behaviors that tend to show up when we are stressed. They inform you on the specific behaviors that you encounter in pressure situations. These behaviors are natural to your DISC style. Isn’t easier to revert back to the behaviors that don’t require you to think or use more energy? However, reverting to our natural style can also get us into trouble. Understanding the natural behaviors that you could experience in pressure settings helps you deal with, and prepare for them.

Our DISC Assessments can help you understand how your DISC style acts under pressure. Understanding how you act under pressure can help you better manage your style. How do you react to pressure situations?

Your DISC assessment results show you at least two ways you tend react to pressure. The first option (below) shows the behaviors, based on your DISC style, that appear for you in pressure situations. These behaviors vary from person-to-person depending on their DISC Style. Remember, that not the items listed apply to every setting. They are not weaknesses, but you should be cautious because they tend to show up when you feel stressed. However, experience, different settings, and practice may also need to be factored in.

One of the best ways to use the Reactions to Pressure Situations section is to identify a few from the list. You identify the relevant behaviors that show up when you feel pressured. Now, what would you do differently in the future? How would you adapt your DISC style to avoid behaviors that get you into trouble?

You can also use the visual DISC Model to identify your reaction to pressure based on your DISC Style.

The second graphic (below) is the DISC 4 Quadrant Model focusing on when a person may overuse his/her DISC style. This DISC model provides a visual image on how your DISC style shows up under pressure. This is the Extended DISC Comfort Zone Diamond. The DISC map has behaviors that show up under pressure for each of the four DISC quadrants.

The pink shaded area is a person’s comfort zone. Pressure behaviors in the pink zone are most likely to show up in someone with your DISC style. The gray shaded zones also show pressure behaviors, but they tend to show up in certain settings. Lastly, the areas in the white zone displays pressure behaviors that are not likely to occur for your DISC style.

The key takeaway from your DISC assessment results should be to adjust your behaviors!

There is no denying that when you are under pressure, it is difficult to think rationally about your behaviors. Rational thinking about adjusting your behaviors takes time and effort. The first step in this process is to actually recognize your natural behaviors. When you take the time to recognize your natural behaviors, you will then successfully deal with them. However, adjusting your behavior shouldn’t stop at how you act under pressure. Your DISC assessment results give you the information to adjust your communication, decision-making, and more! Our DISC assessments can also include information to adjust your behavior in a leadership role, customer service role, and more with our report customization option!

Contact Extended DISC today if you are looking to adjust your behavior for more successful interactions!

Most of us think DISC personality tests are all about work. We are more than likely to take the DISC Assessment in our work role, but how about using it to plan a DISC style vacation?

So, knowing what DISC is and how the various DISC personality types work is vital, but it can do more. Have you ever thought about how DISC can improve your life outside of work? You can use it to improve how you relate to everyone, including friends and family. You can even use it to help create a DISC style vacation everyone will enjoy!

Why DISC Tests go Beyond the Workplace

DISC tests are designed to help people get along better in groups. However, they are also useful in other real-life situations. Let’s say you are planning a vacation. By knowing your DISC personality type, you can choose a better travel spot and setup. Unless you’re flying solo, you should consider the DISC profile types of your travel buddies as well. Can you start to see how you can plan your DISC style vacation?

What is your DISC Personality Type?

There are four DISC profile types, and most individuals show a clear preference for one style over the remaining three. Each has its own innate strengths and weaknesses. There is no one type is that is better than others. In fact, most of us are a blend of all four DISC types.

• Dominance
• Influence
• Steadiness
• Correctness

Many people think DISC measures your DISC personality type. In fact, DISC focuses on your behaviors. What is your most natural way of doing things or how do you prefer to go about the day? Behaviors may be hard to change, but you can do it to succeed.

The DISC Test

The online DISC test is quick and easy to complete. There are no right or wrong answers. The 24 questions ask you to choose your preferences. From there, we calculate your responses and identify your natural DISC profile type.

Understanding the key, primary traits of each DISC profile type can give you insight into your own behavior. In addition, you can use DISC to identify preferences of others. DISC assessments are used in identifying best-fit for job roles, for performance reviews, and for career counseling. They can also help you plan a successful getaway for your family or a group of friends. DISC types can be key to understanding what your driven D-style Dad needs to enjoy vacation alongside your social, outgoing I-style Mom.

Planning the Perfect DISC Style Vacation

A look inside each of the DISC types reveals the vacation experiences that would be most compelling and rewarding. It gives you a better idea of what to aim for as you plan a trip.

D is for Dominance

D-styles are often outspoken, direct, and focused on accomplishments. The D-style profile is happiest when they are calling the shots and planning the general activities. They may not be so interested in the details though. Checking things off the to-do list may be more important than the actual process or planning. They are competitive, individualistic, and high achieving. A D-style person tends to focus on results, outcomes, and always want so know, “What’s in it for me?” Fictional characters and real-life D styles include Han Solo, Captain Kirk, and Simon Cowell.

The D-Profile DISC Style Vacation

High-D folks actively seek adventure and exploration in every aspect of life. Vacations are no exception. This DISC style thrives on independence and picking their own activities. They’ll need plenty to do on vacation to keep them busy and happy. Lounging on the beach or by the pool may work for a while, but a D-profile person is going to enjoy activities and exploration more. They may prefer scuba diving, mountain climbing, and even exploring a new, foreign city on foot. They want to be in control or at least feel as if they are. Plan a D-style vacation that is active and provides him/her with a sense of accomplishment.

Since D-styles like to call the shots, trips with pre-planned group activities may not be the best match. Envision a trip with a tour guide who talks while you only listen, and leads you around where they want you to go. D-styles are likely to enjoy solo activities and trips or lead groups. D-styles may even gather groups of new friends and companions as they travel.

I is for Influence

I-styles are gregarious, social and like to be popular, I-profiles are happy in just about any group setting. Every situation is an opportunity to socialize. Want to rent a beach house and lounge around? An I-profile will be happy to hang out with the crowd and relax and chat the week away. These friendly, optimistic and inspiring I-styles love spending time with others. Followers naturally flock to the charismatic I-profile leader. Not surprisingly, many celebrities are I-styles, including Jay Leno and Melissa McCarthy.

The I-Profile DISC Style Vacation

These naturally friendly personalities prefer to travel in groups or at least, to places where they can meet others. If they are on solo trips they will rapidly form bonds with others they meet along the way. An I-profile individual is a natural match for any group trip. The journey and interactions are more important than the destination or goal of the trip.

An I-style person may not even want to do much advance planning; booking a room or flight might be enough to get the vacation started off right. Spontaneous and fun, I-profile vacationers will thrive in group activity settings. In addition, they will likely come home having made new friends on the road, from the Lyft driver to the yoga instructor at the spa.

S is for Steadiness

Calm and easy-going, S-style individuals can be relied on by friends and family. While they may not be shy, S-styles prefer to interact with people they are familiar with. Placing a heavy value on close friends and family, S-profiles value loyalty and fairness and are both reliable and stable.

In the workplace, S-profile workers excel at collaborating and cooperating with others. However, they may need others to delegate or outline tasks. Once they understand the task at hand and feel they can provide results, S-individuals are diligent hard workers and can be relied on to deliver results as promised. “Nice guy” real life S-profile personalities include England’s Princess Kate and comedy host Jimmy Fallon.

The S-Profile DISC Style Vacation

Since they prefer stability and security, returning to favorite places may be all an S-profile traveler needs to have a good time. An S-style may prefer to have the vacation all planned out, complete with reservations at familiar restaurants and a clear idea of what to expect. However, they prefer that everyone is in on making the decision and can avoid making decisions on their own.

Returning to the same destination year after year will appeal to an S-style; whether that destination is a theme park resort, a beloved timeshare or a cabin in the mountains. They just want to enjoy a familiar and secure setting with people who are close to them. Family travel is a natural match for the S-profile, as well as traveling with close friends. They’ll want to bring everyone along for the trip and they make pleasant and thoughtful travel companions.

C is for Correctness

Detail-oriented, reserved and analytical, C-profile individuals prefer working with facts and hold themselves and others to high standards. C-style people can spot errors and may expect others to do so as well; they can come across as picky or even overly critical of others. The innate desire to follow rules and meet their own high standards may make it difficult for C-style people to make instant decisions or be comfortable working under pressure.

While they may seem shy, C-style individuals are often just naturally reserved and introverted. Deliberation and control are important to these personality types and they make decisions based on logic and facts, not gut-feelings. A few fictional characters with classic High-C personalities include Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter series, Monica Geller from friends and Star Wars’ C-3P0 protocol droid.

The C-Profile DISC Style Vacation

Want to have a truly planned out vacation? Hand the reigns to a C-style. They’ll thoroughly research your destination and discover everything from the ideal time to spot birds in the city park to the best way to navigate a crowded theme park (to take in as many rides as possible). These detailed planners delight in the pre-journey work, from booking the best hotels to planning out every aspect of the vacation itinerary.

Trips with an educational component, exploration of historic or significant sites and any place that requires extensive planning and scheduling will appeal to a C-style. “We’ll figure it out when we get there” is not something you’ll hear from this conscientious and careful planner.

DISC Types and Vacation Planning

Whether you’re planning an outing for a group of friends, colleagues at work or even your own family, understanding the different personality types can help you plan a trip everyone will love. Assigning jobs or perks to individuals based on their DISC type can help everyone enjoy the trip even more; have the friend who loves to plan work out the nitty-gritty details and even make sure everyone remembers their passports. Your I-style friends can bring along an extra companion or two and will happily double up if space is at a premium. S personality types will be happiest making return trips to known locations and can help choose the actual destination, while your D-profiles can lead you on an endless list of activities and things to accomplish once you arrive.

Understanding and incorporating DISC personality types into your trip and travel planning can ensure that everyone gets along and has a good time, even if the people making the trip have vastly different ideas of what that good time looks like. Learn more about the DISC personality test and discover the DISC profiles of your own team by visiting our site or getting in touch. We can help you uncover the hidden motivations and meanings behind your team’s behavior and help you put the power of DISC to work for you.

If you were to create a license plate that reflected your DISC style, what would it say?

When I was young I remember vividly telling my family, during a long car ride, what I wanted to drive when I grew up. I told them I wanted a black Jaguar. I also told them I wanted my license plates to say two different things. My front license plate would read ‘SPDYGRL’ and the second would read ‘FAST1’. I started thinking about this dream of mine the other day, and couldn’t help but laugh. Today, no I don’t drive a Jaguar and like most license plates mine reads a jumble of letters and numbers. After thinking about my hilarious license plates, I came to a realization. If my license plates really did say ‘SPDYGRL’ and ‘FAST1’ then it would totally reflect my DISC style!

If license plates were based off of an individual’s DISC style, the decisions a driver makes would be a lot easier to understand, right?

As a high I-Style, I tend to make decisions quickly. I also tend to expect others to do the same if I am making a decision with them. Based on this small fact about myself, I guess you could say I am a ‘SPDYGRL’ and a ‘FAST1’. While I would never decide to put those two phrases on my license plates now, I got to thinking: What would my license plate really say if it was based on my DISC style? What would other DISC styles put on their license plates?

 

What if we drove around with DISC styles reflected on our license plates? It may make understanding road mishaps a little easier! For a D-Style driver, you may see them with their windows rolled up, taking control of the road, without even thinking about anyone else. For an I-Style driver, you may see them with their windows down, music blaring, and paying little attention to the details of driving. S-Style drivers will come off as calm and considerate. They are the ones who will let you turn in front of them during a traffic jam. Lastly, C-Style drivers will be sure to make a full stop at every stop sign!

Looking at the infographic above, find which license plate fits your DISC style. Do you have any other ideas as to what your DISC license plate would say? Share them! While I hope my fellow I-Styles never choose ‘SPDYGRL’ or ‘Fast1’ to display on their cars, I sure do hope theirs always reads ‘LIFEISGR8T’! Oh, and next time you see someone driving in a manner you disagree with, try guessing their DISC style! This may help give you some clarity as to why they drive the way they do!

The DISC Assessment Tool looks at your natural behavioral style in a variety of formats. How you use your DISC profile results is up to you.

Understanding who you are, what you can do, and what you have to offer is important, but there is more to the equation than that. You also need to know how to use all of that information in the way you work with others. That gives you the opportunity to find a field you can thrive in. You can use it to find work that would make the best use of all your talents. The DISC Assessment Tool can provide you with that knowledge. In addition, you can learn some of the best ways to succeed in the workplace and in other significant areas of your life.

How the DISC Assessment Tool Works

The DISC test is just 24 questions, and your answers help generate your DISC profile. You’ll receive your validated behavioral DISC profile results in as little as 10 minutes.

Your DISC results will help you find a deeper depth of knowledge about yourself. It’s not about changing you, but you may decide to make some daily adjustments to your DISC style. You may even find that you’d be better suited for a different job or role. How your DISC profile relate to what you are currently doing with your life? The final goal is to determine if there’s something more you can do to succeed.

What the DISC Assessment Tool Really Measures

The DISC types are all based on our behaviors, and looks to tell a person who they really are. People may say they are a certain way. However, what they say and what they do may not match up well. People are what they do, not what they say. By honestly answering the DISC test questions, a person can discover who they actually are. In many cases, this can be a very freeing experience. Once people start to recognize some of their behaviors then they can better understand why they prefer do things a certain way.

Behaviors that some people carry out through the day may not be what are the most suitable. They can lead to a lot of problems. Introverts with outgoing sales jobs may struggle, for example. So can people who are naturally friendly and fun-loving, but are forced by job circumstances to keep their head down and be quiet. No matter which way a person naturally is, asking them to be someone else for the sake of a job or some type of relationship never really works in the long term. People are drained of energy and not happy, and their performance in that role will suffer because of it.

What To Do With the Information

There are two things that can be done with the DISC profiles results. People can either change their circumstances to better fit who they are, or they can temporarily adjust who they are to better fit their situation. It’s no secret that the same person may act differently in one situation as opposed to another. How you act when you are at work is likely quite different than how you act when out with friends on a weekend night. This does not mean you are two different people, but only that your behavior is affected by the situational awareness you have.

When you know the DISC types and you understand what the DISC Assessment Tool can offer you, whole new worlds can open up. You need to know who you are and what you offer. In addition, you need to know why you feel uncomfortable in certain situations or what you need to change in order to see the success you are looking for. With that in mind, you can get the results of the assessment and use them to better your life and the lives of the people you interact with on a daily basis. Whether it is at work or in a personal relationship, what you know about yourself and your behavior goes a long way toward how you act.

Our Patterns of Behavior: How We Handle Stress

Stress affects how a person acts. Our natural style most often shows up under pressure. Hence, we become more of who we are, which may not be a good thing. Additionally, there may be behaviors that not everyone realizes they are engaging in. In other words, force of habit. Because this happens to people quite frequently and easily, these behaviors are often no longer questioned by the person. The DISC assessment helps identify those behaviors so the person realizes them, and that can make a difference when it comes to acknowledging potential issues that have to be worked on and behavioral quirks that need to be changed.

One thing really stands out in a person’s behavior pattern: what happens to them when they are under a lot of stress or pressure. Getting angry and yelling at people when under pressure, for example may not be a good thing when there are coworkers around. What can we proactively do to prevent certain behaviors from showing up when we are under pressure?

Our Patterns of Behavior: Spontaneity

Another thing that stands out in a person’s behavior pattern: how they spontaneously react to something, good or bad. What if you loose it and start yelling at your boss, client or customer? That could end badly. It is not always easy to temper these reactions, but it is very important to working in a good environment. Spontaneity can be very problematic when it comes to things like work environments.

Additionally, some people may spontaneously react to something in a way that is not appropriate for the circumstances. When they do that, they risk saying or doing something that could cause problems for themselves or others. While it can be difficult to simply avoid or retrain a spontaneous reaction, there are ways to do so. When you see what that reaction really is, and that it is a concern based on how other people respond to your reaction, there is a realization that comes along with that. This realization can be the beginning of making a change that will benefit you and the people around you.

How to Better Manage Stress and Spontaneity

Working under pressure is not necessarily a bad thing. People who are more spontaneous can find positive benefits. The goal of the DISC Assessment Tool is not to ask you to become someone else. It’s not about changing your entire life, personality, behavior, and way of doing things. Instead, it helps you be more self-aware and identify behaviors you actually have. Then you can use that information to make important changes in your life. These changes may be moving to a different job or out of a particular relationship, or the changes may only be adjusting how you respond to something in your current circumstances.

Either way, you will have the knowledge and tools you need to move forward and make adjustments to your life that will make things better and more secure for you going forward. Overall, there are many different ways to look at your success levels and measure how you are doing in life, but there are limited numbers of tools that are focused on the why behind that performance. When people are asked or forced to change without understanding the value of it based on their current behavioral style, that change can be more difficult and complicated. There may also be confusion and frustration.

Eliminate the Confusion With Better Understanding

Confusion lies at the heart of many problems with behavior. People may not understand why others act in particular ways. They also do not understand why they choose to act in certain ways. They may keep doing something they really do not care about, or stop doing something they like, because of societal pressure or other factors, without really having an understanding of what makes them choose these options. The more you know about your natural style, the easier it will be to address them more effectively and really determine any true changes that need to be made.

Anytime a person needs to make changes in their life, doing so can be difficult. The DISC assessment tool provides you with the level of knowledge you need about your natural behaviors to determine what, if anything, you should be working on or doing differently. No one is perfect, and different situations call for different choices. With that in mind, you will want to focus your efforts on adjusting the areas that are problematic and emphasizing the areas where performance and happiness are already at higher levels. Some small course corrections may be all that is necessary, or more self-development may needed.

Everyone Has Strengths and Weaknesses

A person may excel at certain things, but it’s also likely there are areas the person needs to develop. Because everyone has areas where they are strong and areas where they are weak, a good understanding of what those areas are matters. Additionally, people have things that motivate them to do better, and things that turn them away from a particular activity, person, or idea, as they lose interest very quickly. Finding what is motivating can be important, but so can finding what is demotivating. Both should be considered carefully, and that cannot be done if that information is not actually known.

DISC Assessment tools help identify what motivates and demotivates a person. In addition, the DISC report can show development areas where a person needs to do better and the strengths that they already have. One or two of these factors is only part of the story, and the whole picture is really needed in order to have a good measure of success. By only focusing on one or two areas, other issues get pushed aside. In many cases, it is these secondary issues that continue to appear and cause problems in a person’s life. Finding out about them and addressing them can be the way to make sure corrections are being made the right way.

What Does the DISC Assessment Tool Offer?

All DISCs are not created equal. With Extended DISC, there are more options. The more customized an assessment is, the better a person can tell where any issues or concerns actually lie. The look and the content of the assessment can both be customized. The array of choices can benefit the respondent and the company. The DISC knowledge can aid the individual, but it can also have a big impact on a company. The company can then place people in the right roles for their DISC style.

A company has a better chance of success if it incorporates DISC into the organization. Leaders and managers can use DISC data to find people who fit the roles they will be asked to play. Employees then have a much better chance of thriving in their job roles. There are many individual DISC assessments, but there are also team, department, organization, and work-pair assessments. In short, the DISC Assessment Tool does not have to be just about one person. It can be about an aspect of a company. Are there more that needs to be done to help a particular team or department work better as a unit? Changes may need to be made to improve the company as a whole.

The More Comprehensive, the Better?

In most cases, a more comprehensive report can be helpful. But there are times when you only need the basics to get started. Just the facts. You can tailor the DISC Assessment Tool. Do you need a short report or one that provides a lot more detail? You can focus on specific information and only what you need to know. It is a great way to get the information you want to help an employee or an entire organization. Overall, more detail is generally a good thing and should be explored, because it gives a higher level of understanding. When you only need to know the overview, though, the DISC Assessment Tool can also give you that.

Being able to tailor an assessment tool to what you really need to know is important. Many ways of assessing people and groups do not offer that. Other DISC tools may either provide information that feels intrusive and is not necessary. In addition, they may not provide enough detail to really understand how they arrived at a certain conclusion. It is much easier to discount information if it feels like it does not come from a trusted source, or from a true base of knowledge. This is also true with a high level of detail that feels like space filler instead of value. DISC offers options so individuals and companies can use it in the most effective way.

What you Think and What You Actually Need

The most important thing to understand about the DISC Assessment Tool is that it offers a way to really know yourself or your employees. With Extended DISC, you can get a wealth of information which can also be customized. That can be extremely valuable when it comes to placing a person in a certain role. Furthermore, it can help identify and understand why a specific team seems to have trouble working together. Maybe something as simple as changing a couple of people around and putting them on different teams would be enough to make the organization much more effective. That is what DISC can tell you.

Learning who you are and what your DISC style really says about you can make a difference in your work and your personal life. Why would you not want to know these things, in order to make your life better? There are many ways to make changes, but all too often people don’t make effective changes. They may change what they think they need, instead of determining what they actually need. Once they understand the truth behind their behavior, they are much better able to choose something that will work for them, instead of just picking something to work on because they are struggling and unsure how to correct it.

So, What Does It All Boil Down To?

Behavioral issues may be a symptom of something greater. A person can work on the behavior, but it may not fix the actual problem. Issues could manifest in other areas, instead. But when you understand more about your actual DISC style, and how that relates to the behaviors you engage in, you are well on your way toward making permanent, lasting changes. These adjustments can make your work life and personal dealings more fulfilling. This takes work, but you have to truly understand the problem before you can begin to solve it.

Change isn’t easy if you don’t know you’re doing something or why it’s even an issue. It may not even make sense. Instead of simply muddling along and failing at change, take the DISC test. Let it tell you who you are, and who you can be.