DISC THEORY
The DISC framework was first created by Dr. William Moulten Marsten in 1928. Its first use as a personality measurement occurred in the 1940's.
In nearly every decade since, DISC theory has been tested and honed to create an assessment with high reliability and that is easy to apply in relationships.
DISC helps us understand our communication preferences - it's not a representation of who we are as fully realized human beings. Age, experience, education, and maturity all connect to create our unique DISC profile.
Broadly speaking, DISC is based on two pairs of two orientations:
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active or receptive: how quickly you make decision and act on them
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task or people: your preference of completing tasks versus building relationships
Your answers reveal your primary DISC style! Of course, it's a bit more complicated than that - you also have a stronger or weaker affinity to your style. The stronger the affinity, the more apparent the typical personality attributes may present themselves. For instance, if you have a high affinity toward the Influence style, you may be known as a bubbly non-stop talker. With a lower affinity, you may still be known as someone who talks, but you may also find yourself more reserved in certain situations.
Let's take a quick look at each style so you can see how easy it is to apply DISC every day.
DRIVE Style
(Active + Task Oriented)
The Drive style gets things done yesterday. Quick to make decisions and task oriented, people with the Drive style are often seen as doers. They often show less regard for building relationships, but they'll make sure your project is moving forward.
INFLUENCE Style
(Active + People Oriented)
Influence style people are the talkers and relationship builders. They prize the people aspect of business and friendships. In fact, building relationships IS business. They aren't always great at the details, but they know how to make life a party.
SUPPORT Style
(Receptive + People Oriented)
Support style people are your go-to friends when you need harmony and stability. They work to ensure the group is working well together and they'll listen to your problems. They may have a hard time speaking up, so make sure to ask them about their thoughts.
CLARITY Style
(Receptive + Task Oriented)
Clarity style is all about ticking off checklists and making sure it's done by the book. If you need work done well, these are the people to seek out. They aren't into small talks, so bring your facts and your figures and get to the point. They'll take it from there!
