DiSC Model in Practice

How To Deal With People You Can’t

Stand
DOMINANT INFLUENCING
ASSERTIVE

PEOPLE-ORIENTED
TASK-ORIENTED

CONSCIENTIOUS RESERVED STEADY

 Background

• William Marston: theory, 1920s

• Walter Clarke, John Geier: assessment tool,

1950s

• More behavior-oriented than MBTI and

similar models.

• Used for industrial assessments.

 High D: Dominant
• Also: Drive
• Achieves success by taking decisive actions towards
their goal.
• Strengths: comfortable in a leadership role, problem
solver, can make tough decisions, not afraid to
confront issues, sees change as a challenge, stays
focused on the mission.
• Limitations (Others may see): intimidating,
insensitive, brusque, impatient, intolerant,
unapproachable
• Margaret Thatcher
 High I: Influencing

• Also: Inducement
• Achieves success by persuading others to work
with them towards the goal.
• Strengths: always available for others, inspiring
to be around, spreads positive attitude, praises
others.
• Limitations (Others may see): tasks fall through
the cracks, projects don’t get finished, lacks
organization
• Bill Clinton
 High S: Steady

• Also: Submission
• Works with others as part of a team to achieve
success
• Strengths: good team player, empathetic to
others’ needs, methodical, good listener, easy to
get along with, appreciative of others, praises.
• Limitations (Others may see): indecisive, indirect,
resistant to change, sometimes worn down by
others’ problems.
• John Paul II
 High C: Conscientious

• Also: Compliance, Caution

• Works within rules and procedures to ensure
success.
• Strengths: thorough, follows standards
accurately, conscientious, diplomatic, accurate,
fair (because following the rules does that).
• Limitations (Others may see): overly concerned
with perfection, aloof, delay decisions, wants
more data, “fussy about minor issues”.
• Bill Gates
Sample DiSC Graph
 Mixed Types
USUALLY TWO DI
ADJACENT

CD IS

DRIFT IN BUSINESS /
CS IMPERSONAL CONTEXT
 Transitions
EASY TO CHANGE HARD
ENERGY

EASY
EASY

HARD TO CHANGE
HARD FOCUS
 How to Detect Them

• Assertive vs. Reserved; People vs. Task

• Assertive: Move Fast, Talk Louder, Talk Fast,
Interrupt (D & I)
• Reserved: Speak Slower, Less Loudly, Never
Interrupt (S & C)
• People Focused: Talk About Themselves Or
Others, Friendly, Warm, Smiling (I & S)
• Task Focused: Focus On Tasks, Work,
Processes, Systems, Seldom Smile (D & C)
 How to Deal with Them

• Focus On Behavior
• Be Less Of Yourself
• Do Like They Do
• Do Not Judge Or “Read Their Minds”
• Avoid Emotional Reactions
• Adjust Your Energy
• Learn To Imitate Outward Behaviors
 Assertiveness: Interrupt or Pause

• When You’re Talking, Pay Attention To

How Quickly They Speak
• Do They Start Talking Before You’re Done
Or Wait For You To Finish?
• If Someone Interrupts And You Do Not,
Interrupt More To Reduce Differences
• If You Interrupt And You’re Talking To
Someone Who Pauses, Slow Down
 People/Task: Smile or Not

• People Focused People Tend To Smile

More
• Count Their Smiles
• Compliment Them And See If They Smile
In Reaction
• Smile More With People Who Smile At
You
• Smile Less With Those Who Do Not
 How to Detect by Email

• Assertive: too quick for attachments.

• Reserved: take time to read and write.
• People-oriented: names, salutations,
signatures.
• Task-oriented: rarely use names.
• NB: Very hard to diagnose if sent from
smartphone.
 Email from Other People

• High D: doesn’t use names, very brief.

• High I: emotional typography, smileys,
uses names a lot, informal.
• High S: long, personal, uses names.
• High C: precise, structured, thorough,
uses bullets.
 Email to Other People

• High D: brief, BLUF, begin with questions,

no attachments or explicit reference.
• High I: greet them by name, ask how
they’re doing, compliment them, no
attachments or explicit reference.
• High S: same as High I, attachments OK.
• High C: include all details, state deadlines,
tell them you’re OK with imperfect
answer / guess, names unnecessary.
Correlations with Adizes Management
Styles

En
er

tre
uc

pr
od

en
Pr

eu
r
Integrator
Administrator
Correlations with (Typical IT) Roles
AcctMgr
Sales
Dev Sales

PM AcctMgr
Dev Sales
ResMgr
PM
ResMgr
Dev BA
QA PM
BA
ResMgr QA
Correlations with Gerchikov Motivation
Models

None!
Further Resources / Special Thanks To

Mark Horstman

http://manager-tools.com/