Unlock Your Career and Life Potential with a DISC Assessment: A Comprehensive Guide to Maximize Your Results

How Personality Tests Can Help You Build a Better Team

Understanding your team members is one of the keys to building a successful team. While team-building activities are great, they only scratch the surface. To truly get to know your team members, you might want to consider using personality tests like DiSC. 

DiSC assessments are a type of personality test that have been gaining popularity in recent years. According to BrainApps data, a person’s direct manager is the second most important factor when it comes to predicting a good employee experience. That’s why it’s critical to explore new ways to connect with your team members on a deeper level. 

So, what exactly is a DiSC assessment? It’s a tool that measures a person’s behavior and temperament. The test generates a report that outlines an individual’s personality traits, strengths, and potential areas for improvement. By analyzing these results, you can gain valuable insight into your team members’ working styles and preferences. 

But are these tests effective? The answer is yes. Many companies have reported positive results after using DiSC assessments. They’ve found that it helps employees improve their communication skills, build stronger relationships, and work more effectively as a team.

Now that you understand what a DiSC assessment is and how it can help you build a better team, it’s time to get started. By investing time and resources into your team members, you’ll see a positive impact on morale, productivity, and overall success.

Still have questions? Here are some need-to-know answers about DiSC assessments. And if you’re curious about what it’s like to take the test, we’ve also included a firsthand report.

Take the first step towards becoming a more effective leader by incorporating DiSC assessments into your team-building strategy. With the right skills and tools, you can help your team members thrive and achieve their full potential.

Discovering the DiSC Assessment

Have you ever wondered what makes people behave differently in the workplace? The DiSC assessment may be the key to unlocking this mystery. The DiSC model is a personality assessment tool that helps individuals and teams understand their unique behavioral traits and tendencies. The acronym stands for four primary personality styles: dominance (D), influence (i), steadiness (S), and conscientiousness (C).

Understanding the Meaning Behind the Acronym

The DiSC assessment breaks down personality traits into four distinct categories. Those who score high in the Dominance (D) category are often characterized as direct, assertive, and results-driven. People who fall into the Influence (i) category tend to be social, persuasive, and enthusiastic. The Steadiness (S) category includes individuals who are dependable, patient, and team-oriented. Finally, those in the Conscientiousness (C) category are analytical, detail-oriented, and systematic in their work.

Measuring and Understanding Behavior in the Workplace

By taking the DiSC assessment, individuals can gain insight into their personality and behavioral tendencies. The tool provides a detailed report that highlights an individual’s strengths, challenges, and potential areas for growth. This information can be used to improve communication, collaboration, and performance in the workplace. Additionally, the assessment can be administered to entire teams to help identify areas for improvement and create more effective working relationships.

Unleashing Personalized Growth for Your Career

With the advent of technology, there are now many tools available to help individuals and organizations achieve their goals. BrainApps is a personalized self-growth app that specializes in Career development and soft skills sharpening. By combining the results of the DiSC assessment with individual learning styles and unique goals, the app creates a customized development plan that can help users achieve their full potential.

Whether you’re looking to improve your communication skills, build better relationships with colleagues, or increase your productivity, the DiSC assessment is an excellent starting point. By understanding your own personality traits and tendencies, you can create a roadmap for success and unlock your full potential.

Understanding DiSC: A Tool for Personal and Professional Development

DiSC is a personality assessment tool that can help individuals gain insights into their behavior and communication styles. It is widely used by organizations to promote self-awareness and improve teamwork among employees. While there are several versions of the test available, Everything DiSC Workplace is the most commonly used one and takes only 15-20 minutes to complete online.

Wiley, the publisher of the DiSC personality test, uses computerized adaptive testing to determine where individuals fit in the four primary styles based on their responses. The questions focus on how people react to work situations and challenges, and there are no right or wrong answers. DiSC is an assessment tool that measures personality traits and tendencies, not intelligence, aptitude, mental health, or values.

The personalized DiSC profile report comprises 20 pages and provides several details, including a description of an individual’s workplace style, priorities, and preferences, factors that motivate them, and those that may cause them stress. Additionally, the report includes strategies for working effectively with others, detailed profiles of the four styles, and tips for communicating and connecting with colleagues from each style.

As a manager, you can leverage DiSC to encourage your team members to share their reports with you and with each other. By analyzing these reports, you can help individuals build their strengths and develop more collaborative relationships with their colleagues. Furthermore, DiSC can help team members understand their colleagues’ communication styles and work together to improve teamwork and productivity over time.

Understanding the 4 DiSC Personality Types for Improved Career and Life

If you’re eager to improve your career and life, an excellent place to start is by understanding the DiSC model, which is based on four primary personality types. Although everyone is a blend of all four styles, it’s beneficial to identify the prevalent traits across a continuum. Typically, one or two, or even three styles will stand out, and DiSC assessments place people into 12 different “regions” based on which characteristics are more pronounced.

For instance, John, who is a manager, displays a lot of the Dominant (D) and Influence (i) traits, placing him primarily within the “Di” category. But it’s important to realize that these four styles serve as the framework for understanding how individuals are likely to behave in a given situation.

Try BrainApps
for free

Get started

To assess where you and your team members fall on the DiSC scale, let’s take a closer look at each of the four DiSC styles briefly:

Developing Dominance as a Soft Skill for a Thriving Career

Individuals with a dominant (D) style personality are known to be high-achievers who love to be in control and take charge of things. They have a natural tendency to make quick decisions without any hesitation and are not afraid of confronting challenges. If you possess such a strong personality, you might be someone who thrives on competition and enjoys being at the top of the hierarchy.

As a dominant style individual, your priorities usually revolve around achieving bottom-line results, seeking new challenges and opportunities, and taking immediate action. Your communication style is direct, forceful, and straightforward, without any sugar-coating. However, under stressful situations, you may tend to become impatient, demanding, and fearful of failure or being taken advantage of.

To develop your dominance as a soft skill, you need to focus on building patience and empathy towards others. Learning to see situations as more win/win than win/lose can be a great development opportunity for you. By balancing your competitive spirit with a more collaborative approach, you can enhance your Leadership and managerial skills, become a better listener, and learn to handle conflicts effectively. These skills will not only improve your career prospects but also help you lead a successful and fulfilling life.

Discover Your Influential Style for Career Growth

If you are an outgoing person who excels at building relationships and enjoys working in teams, you may have an influential style personality. Individuals with this style are known for their ability to persuade and network, making them effective at selling their ideas and themselves.

Priorities: Enthusiasm, action, and collaboration are key priorities for those with an influential style personality. They thrive on energetic environments that allow them to collaborate with others.

Communication Style: Upbeat, open, and energetic communication is characteristic of individuals with an influential style personality. They have a natural ability to express themselves, making it easy for others to understand their perspective.

Under Stress: When facing stress, individuals with an influential style personality may become disorganized, too expressive, and fearful of rejection. Learning to manage stress and respect boundaries can help them stay productive.

Development Opportunities: Building organizational skills and following through on tasks are great ways to improve for those with an influential style personality. By focusing on these development areas, they can become better equipped to handle challenges in the workplace.

Developing Steadiness in Career and Life

Steadiness is a personality trait that can greatly contribute to success both in career and life. Individuals with a steady (S) style personality are known for their loyalty, patience, and reliability, making them valuable team members who thrive in predictable work environments. If you identify as having a high level of steadiness, you likely prioritize cooperation, support, and consistency in your work and personal life, and are an attentive listener.

When it comes to communication, individuals with a steady personality tend to exhibit a calm, deliberate, and sincere style. However, under stress, they may become overly accommodating and hesitant to express their own needs and concerns, leading to passive resistance rather than direct communication. To prevent this, it’s essential to work on developing self-confidence and adaptability, as well as honing the ability to express your true feelings clearly and effectively.

Remember, developing your steadiness can be a significant asset in many different career paths and personal relationships. Whether you’re looking to excel in a team environment or seeking to create a more stable, predictable routine in your personal life, focusing on these core priorities can help you find greater success and fulfillment in all areas of your life.

Developing Conscientiousness for a Successful Career

Are you someone who values order and predictability in your work? Do you thrive on deadlines and structure? If so, you might have a conscientious (C) style personality. Individuals with this characteristic tend to be detail-oriented and analytical, preferring to plan and organize their tasks. Here are some tips to develop conscientiousness for building a successful career and life.

Priorities: Accuracy, productivity, and stability are essential priorities for conscientious individuals. Focusing on these core values can help you achieve your goals while maintaining your personal brand and identity.

Communication Style: As a conscientious individual, you may be logical, analytical, and reserved in your communication style. Being clear and concise in expressing your thoughts and ideas can help you succeed in various professional situations.

Under Stress: When under stress, conscientious individuals may become rigid, too process-driven, and risk-averse. Learning to manage stress effectively and finding ways to adapt to unexpected situations can help you succeed in your career.

Development Opportunities: Building the ability to look beyond data, delegating or letting go of tasks, and recognizing when you’re being overly critical or over-analyzing are some development opportunities conscientious individuals can focus on to enhance their careers and personal lives.

Importance of DiSC Assessment for Career and Soft Skills Development

DiSC is widely used by organizations to enhance collaboration and team-building efforts in the workplace. It is an effective self-assessment tool that can help individuals identify their strengths and weaknesses, providing them with a better picture of their capabilities and aiding in their career planning.

Virtual teams are becoming increasingly common in today’s workplace, making it challenging to get to know team members on a personal level. However, by using DiSC and other assessment tools, team members can bridge physical distances and differences in communication styles to avoid miscommunication and foster a more productive work environment.

Inevitably, conflicts arise in the workplace, but they can also present opportunities for growth. DiSC can be used to resolve these conflicts by providing a better understanding of colleagues’ behaviors and reactions, allowing teams to work through issues more collaboratively.

Leaders who take the time to assess the DiSC profiles of their team members can better understand what motivates and drives each individual, leading to a more productive and cohesive work environment.

By utilizing DiSC in these areas, individuals and organizations can improve upon their soft skills, including communication, teamwork, conflict resolution, and Leadership, which are essential for career growth and development.

Strategies for Improving Career and Soft Skills Development

Improving your soft skills is key to succeeding in your career, and it’s not a one-time effort. Whether you are working on your communication skills or trying to manage your stress better, consistent effort is required for long-lasting results. If you’ve taken a DiSC assessment, there are tactics and resources available to help you make the most of it and deepen your engagement. Here are some strategies to consider:

1. Invest in Professional Development Courses: Improving yourself can be tough, but it’s easier when you have support. Research suggests that professional development courses are effective in empowering individuals to reach their full potential. By taking an online course, you’ll get the positive support you need to focus on learning from your DiSC results. You can work on your communication and stress-management skills and set goals to reach your full potential.

2. Ask for Feedback: Feedback is crucial for growth. As a manager, you should schedule regular check-ins with your team and individual employees. During these meetings, ask questions about their DiSC experience and how it has helped them so far. Share your own DiSC experience and ask for feedback on your goals for improvement.

3. Integrate with Career development: As a manager, you can use DiSC results as a tool to help employees build an organizational career path. Encourage them to set personal development goals and achieve steps along the way. This will help them achieve their career objectives, while also improving their soft skills.

By consistently working on your soft skills and using the tips above, you’ll be on your way to improving your career prospects, as well as your work and personal life.

MY EXPERIENCE WITH DISC ASSESSMENT AND THINGS TO CONSIDER BEFORE TAKING IT

As someone who is always curious about human behavior and seeking opportunities for self-improvement, I recently took the Everything DiSC Workplace assessment to gain insights about my personality. While the test provided an impressive amount of information, I cannot deny that its 20 pages result was overwhelming. Despite having taken similar tests before, I still found the insights eye-opening and useful for identifying both strengths and areas I need to work on.

Although the test provides helpful advice, it is essential to remember that it is only a tool and should not be considered as an absolute truth. It is vital to work with a professional or online course to understand the results better and learn how to apply the insights to our daily lives. Additionally, it is crucial to remain positive and accountable to ensure we do not file away the results and forget about the lessons we learn.

Before taking the DiSC or any other assessment, there are several things to keep in mind. Firstly, it is not a measure of intelligence or ability, but rather a self-assessment tool that helps us better understand our preferences and tendencies. Secondly, it is essential to approach the test with an open mind and avoid labeling ourselves based on the results. Instead, we should seek to use the insights to identify areas for growth and development. Finally, it is crucial to remember that self-improvement is a process that requires ongoing effort and commitment.

Embrace Self-Discovery and Overcome Discomfort

While some individuals are comfortable with self-exploration, others may find it uncomfortable. Regardless, it’s important to remember that there is no right or wrong way to approach self-discovery, and no one approach is better than another.

Employers can help their workers overcome discomfort by providing a professional facilitator who can explain the process and give them an idea of what to expect before taking an assessment. Workers need to be fully informed of the assessment’s goals and how they will benefit from it as both a manager and team member. Additionally, they should understand if they will be asked to share their reports with others and if there will be additional steps in the process, such as online courseing.

Why Assessments Have Limitations

While assessments such as DiSC (Dominance, influence, Steadiness, and Consciousness) are useful in providing insights into one’s behavior style, it is essential to note that they are not foolproof. While some observations made via such tools may resonate with individuals’ characters, several others may not ring true. Life experiences, education, and maturity significantly impact an individual’s behavior style, and these assessments may not always capture that.

It is crucial to understand that everyone is a blend of all four DiSC styles. Although most individuals lean considerably toward one or two styles, it may not be helpful to pigeon-hole them based on assessment results. Contradictions, after all, are neither uncommon nor a negative trait in contemporary society.

Considering the DiSC History

It may ease some of the confusion to understand the history behind DiSC assessments. The four styles were based on William Moulton Marston’s work. The eminent psychologist authored the book “Emotions of Normal People” in 1928 and was keen on understanding the personality traits that differentiated humans from one another.

Interestingly, Marston also created one of the most iconic characters in comic book history – Wonder Woman! Beyond inspiring the story of the Amazonian warrior princess, Marston contributed significantly to forensic investigations. He developed an early prototype for the lie detector test, a tool that secured conviction in many criminal trials globally.

Embracing Change and Growth for Career Success

In today’s dynamic world, people are constantly evolving and developing. With a more holistic approach to understanding human behavior, psychologists advocate a Whole Person Model, which recognizes the importance of an individual’s environment, emotions, and values in shaping their behavior. We can embrace this model to become more self-aware and enhance our soft skills, which are key components for a successful career.

Contrary to popular belief, our behaviors are not fixed and can be improved by adopting new communication styles. Coaching is one tool that can help facilitate this change. It enables individuals to identify their weaknesses, set goals, and develop a plan to overcome these challenges.

While personality assessments such as DiSC may imply that certain traits make individuals more suited for leadership positions, we at BrainApps believe that every person has the potential to be a great leader. By investing in appropriate online courses and seeking support, individuals can build their abilities and become effective leaders, regardless of their personality traits. It is a matter of investing in oneself and working towards self-improvement that helps individuals achieve success in their careers and lives.

Knowing Your Team on a Deeper Level

Developing a better understanding of your team members can significantly benefit your career and enhance your leadership skills. One of the best strategies to become a successful leader is to establish a strong rapport with individuals on your team. It is essential to prioritize getting to know your team members on a personal level to foster a stronger connection that can lead to more effective communication, collaboration, and mutual respect.

If you’re unsure of where to begin, leveraging the resources of a platform like BrainApps can be helpful. By providing personalized guidance through virtual coaching, you can gain insights to help you uncover potential in your team members that might have been previously overlooked. This approach to developing relationships with your team can allow you to optimize the team’s strengths and mitigate its weaknesses.

Try BrainApps
for free

59 courses
100+ brain training games
No ads

Get started