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DISC
Behavioral Styles
With People being the Central
Element for creating
High Performance in your organization (see the Seven Elements
of High Performance™, you need the ability to understand how and why
they behave the way that they do, what motivates them, and how to
engage their behavior to drive performance. If your
organization fails to understand this critical element, then it will
not be a High Performing Organization. The DISC
Behavioral Styles Model can help you to better understand your
employees and customers so you can master this Core Element.
First published in his book "The Emotions of
Normal People" Dr. William Moulton Marston introduced his theory of
behavioral styles that has now become know as DISC. Many people
have probably experienced one of the many profiles that are often
based upon his theory, or a combination of his theory and Jung.
But DISC is much more than just a profile. It is a
comprehensive system that allows people to interact and talk about
behaviors in a non-judgmental fashion.
Behavioral and personality style inventories and
profiles are just simply tools. While we use DISC based
profiles to help people understand the workings of the DISC
Behavioral Styles Model, our goal is to actually have members of the
organization learn how to utilize the Model and the tools to enhance
performance, communication, customer satisfaction, sales, efficiency
on projects and processes, and just about any other activity that
the organization is engaged in that involves people interacting with
other people, processes, or tasks. If it involves behavior,
then it probably involves DISC.
What
are the
DISC
Behavioral Styles?
DISC is a very simple, yet effective way of
understanding behavior.
It is based upon four dimensions of behavior: Dominance, Influence,
Steadiness, and Conscientiousness (see
an overview of the model here).
Each of these four dimensions has particular behaviors
associated with them, and each of the dimensions exists in all of
us. But over time and
based upon what has typically worked for us in a particular
environment, most of us have typically found that a particular style
works better for us and we tend to rely on those behaviors.
The problem is, that style may or may not be effective for us
to be able to get our work done, or to help others to get their work
done. Also, we are
working with other people or serving other people, and their style
of behaving may be different than our style, which can cause
conflicts or misunderstandings.
What works for us just may not work for someone else.
That doesn’t mean that anyone is wrong, just that we are
different.
DISC
as a Common Language
By utilizing the DISC Behavioral Styles Model,
the organization now has a common language to begin discussing
process and performance issues as they relate to people, all in a
non-judgmental approach.
For many people, DISC represents the first time they have
ever been exposed to a systematic approach for managing human
behavior, either their own or others.
It is a system that they can use to build their own process
of structured inquiry for solving problems and enhancing
performance. The DISC
Behavioral Styles Model provides the operating instructions for
humans that most people have been looking for all of their lives.
Now people can understand why they don’t like
performing certain tasks required of their job, yet can excel at
others. They can
understand why co-workers can behave in certain ways that would be
uncomfortable for them to behave in the same manner.
The DISC Behavioral Styles Model now allows people to be able
to not just communicate better, but begin to understand each other a
little better, as they are now all using the same language; the
language of DISC.
Read Gary's article about Models, Not Profiles, which describes the difference between taking a wholistic, models approach to increasing organizational performance rather than an assessment approach.
Videos
The following are some narrated slideshows/videos by Pamela Cole, researcher and the developer of several of the Inscape DiSC® based assessments and tools.
Using DISC Strengths to Achieve Job Fit
DISC and Situational Leadership
Overview of Supplimental Reports
Role Behavior Analysis Overview
An Example of Using DISC to Enhance Job Performance for Two Project Managers
InterPersonal Profile System (IPPS) 360 Degree Report
Research Reports for the DiSC® Profiles Can Be Viewed Here
View Sample Profiles and Other Tools Here
DiSC® is the registered trademark of Inscape Publishing. Resource Development Systems is an Authorized distributor of Inscape Publishing.
Other Resources
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Visit our Blog to read about and discuss tips on impimenting the Seven Elements in your organization
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Learn about the DISC Behavioral Styles Model