PREFACE:
When using the DISC Assessment tool, each of the four main behavioral traits gets divided into 3 separate sub-traits. In my writing of a 500 word article there isn’t enough space to discuss each of these let alone provide much detail about each trait. Fortunately, as we expand on the information provided in the article we can do a much better job of digging into each trait. To provide a back drop for this article I will provide direct quotes from a DISC report regarding each of these 12 behavioral traits.
Directness:
The Directness score measures the intensity for using a direct, straight line approach to accelerate the achievement of results. It reflects a capacity to prioritize tasks while subordinating a relationship focus. High scores suggest a willingness to make difficult decisions and remain firm in supporting those choices. Low scores reflect an emphasis on “humanizing” directness and energizing social interaction.
Self-Determination:
The Self Determination score measures the intensity of the results oriented drive supported by an emphasis on urgency and action. This style combines the drive of a self-starter with a clear need to take actions that address problems, challenges and opportunities. High scores maintain consistent progress toward their goal(s) with impatience toward those who do not keep pace with their personal timetable. Low scores would not exhibit high urgency and will take time to carefully consider their plans and actions before they act.
Individualistic Behavior:
The Individualistic score reflects the intensity of the assertive and independent approach toward tackling problems, challenges and opportunities while maintaining freedom from controls. High scores will not likely be deterred by potential restraints or established procedures as they pursue their goals and objectives. Low scores favor a strong adherence to policy and conventional practices.
Sociable Behavior:
The Sociable score measures the intensity of the relationship between the person’s outgoing verbal and non-verbal behaviors and their lack of directness. It reflects the degree of willingness to accommodate, support and oblige others. It also identifies the interest in assisting others to succeed and achieve their goals. High scores reflect an emphasis on social interaction rather than routine tasks. Low scores reflect a willingness to make difficult decisions, remain firm in supporting those choices energized by a focus on achieving results.
Vitality Behavior:
The Vitality score measures the intensity of the relationship between using an outwardly expressive style when interacting with people and the amount of energy expended to urgently move matters forward. High scores reflect a freewheeling, confident and engaging style that will likely be interested in new ideas and topics and the outgoing demonstration of that interest may be a source of influence on others. Low scores reflect thoughtfulness and great care in crafting words and actions to support steady progress towards a goal.
Self-Assured Behavior:
The Self-Assured score measures the intensity of the relationship between projecting social confidence in a variety of social situations in light of the attention paid to established social boundaries, rules and guidelines. High scores in this factor can sometimes lead to over confidence, willingness to improvise and take spontaneous actions rather than preparing in advance. Low scores reflect a cautious and conscientious approach to taking action based on the evidence contained in the relevant data.
Pace and Accommodation Behaviors:
The Pace and Accommodation score measures the intensity of the capacity to work at a steady and slower pace in light of the willingness to tolerate difficult and unfamiliar circumstances. High scores will reflect the capacity to consider and support alternative solutions when working with others. Low Scores reflect far less accommodation amplified by a higher sense of urgency and “results now” focus.
Reflective Behavior:
The Reflective score measures the intensity of the person’s degree of care in crafting their words and actions in light of the need to expressively engage and interact with others. This behavior measures the approach to logic, data and factual analysis and it measures the desire to take some
time to carefully consider plans and actions prior to implementation. High scores reflect great care and thoughtfulness in creating words and taking actions. Low Scores reflect a freewheeling and confident belief that most if not all social interactions can be handled on the fly.
Persistence Behavior:
The Persistence score measures the intensity for displaying predictable patterns that stay on task and support current procedures and processes in light of the need for correctness of action, accuracy of information and thoroughness of preparation. High scores will place a greater emphasis on group and team support and reflect a style that favors careful planning. Low scores reflect a need to develop and support established guidelines and standards.
Collaborative Behavior:
The Collaborative score reflects the intensity for using structure, established procedures, systems and rules to guide their work in light of the need to get things done, achieve results and move forward. This style seeks to avoid confrontation and will work toward finding solutions that are supported by others and work within the established guidelines. High Scores favor a strong need to comply with standards and adherence to policies and conventional practices. Low Scores suggest a need to control events in order to more freely make progress without being constrained by established guidelines and policies.
Correctness Behavior:
The Correctness behavior measures the need to operate within established structure, procedure, systems and rules in light of the need for contact with people expressed by establishing, retaining and supporting personal relationships. High Scores suggest reliance upon logical factual and established data and protocols. Low Scores suggest following less established protocols and considering more emotional and persuasive influence from others.
Perceptive Behavior:
The Perceptive score measures the desire to operate within established structure, procedures, systems and rules in light of the degree of urgency required to address immediate problems, challenges and opportunities. It is a measure of a person’s awareness of their current circumstances. High scores reflect a desire to strive for fail-safe environments reflecting the accuracy of your facts and thoroughness of your preparation. Low Scores suggest a greater focus on steadiness and supporting current procedures and processes. (All 12 of the above descriptions are covered by this copyright: © 2002-2011 Use by A & A, Inc. permitted under licenseagreement. All rights reserved. Win The Bigger Game 269-808-4491 www.winthebiggergame.com)
It is important to note that each person will possess varying degrees of strength in each of these 12 behaviors. Each behavior is recorded on a scale of from 1 to 99 for the behavior with 1 being the weakest display of the behavior and 99 being the strongest. As an example a person can be a 99 in Directness and Sociability and a 2 in Collaboration and Perceptivity while a business partner may be 99 in Self-Determination, and 88 in Vitality, a 33 in Reflectiveness, and 55 in Correctness. Others in their organization can be other types. With that in mind, there are millions upon millions of combinations of behavioral types. So we can truly say that the chance that any 2 people will have exactly the same behavioral combinations is very small. Indeed, there will be similarities but exact duplications will be rare.
THE ARTICLE
Behavioral Traits in Real Life:
Based on the 12 sub-factors mentioned last week, we can develop a fairly accurate description of a person’s behavioral tendencies. Let’s examine some clients again and see how these factors help to understand how they are likely to behave.
Client 1 shows a very strong preference for working at a steady pace and being very accommodating of others on the team. In addition, she prefers structure, established procedures, systems and rules to guide her work. A third preference is for an emphasis on social interaction rather than routine tasks.
Client 2 is an individual that is self-assured and projects great confidence in a variety of social situations. In addition, he tends to be more freewheeling, confident and uses an engaging style. He’s interested in new ideas and topics and in his sharing of that interest he may exert an influence on others. Finally, this individual is unlikely to be deterred by potential restraints or established procedures as he pursues his goals and objectives.
The third client combines the drive of a self-starter with a clear need to take actions that address problems, challenges and opportunities. He maintains consistent movement toward goals with impatience toward those who do not keep pace. He is also very energetic and operates
with high level of urgency. He too is interested in new ideas and topics and exerts a great deal of influence on others.
The fourth client tends to be very considerate and supportive of alternative solutions and is very willing to tolerate unfamiliar and difficult circumstances. She has a fairly high willingness to accommodate, support, and oblige others even to the point of helping them achieve their goals more so than her own. She also has a relatively high need for correctness of action, accuracy of information, and thoroughness of preparation.
The fifth client has an outwardly expressive style when interacting with people and tends to expend the energy necessary to urgently move matters forward. He is also very results oriented and driven by an emphasis on urgency and action. He possesses a desire to operate within established structure, procedures, systems and rules. He senses the general degree of urgency required to address immediate problems, challenges and opportunities. He also has a keen awareness of the current circumstances and what is needed to meet the needs of the moment.
For these individuals to all try to comply with a common approach to leading people would require them to behave in a way that is foreign to them. Yet, at the same time, they must each realize that the people they lead will also be diverse in how they approach the tasks that must be accomplished. The great news is that in every situation there are many aspects of the projects that must be worked on and each of these aspects will probably require differing talents, skills, and approaches. The overall success of any endeavor is enhanced through diversity rather than hindered by it.
SUMMATION:
With all of the possible variations of behavior types within an organization, it is critical to get to know the people that make the organization function. It is also critical to know what you want. It is our belief that organizations ought to operate based on a design rather than a default. Most businesses create elaborate business plans. They slave over the purpose of the business and all the tactics and strategies that will be employed in order to achieve that purpose. But it is unfortunately rare that businesses put the same energy and effort into developing a people plan for the business.
When you know what the functions and tasks are that you believe are necessary to achieve the level of success you desire for your business, you’ve achieved quite a bit. But now it is time to take a look at what types of people will be needed to achieve those desired results. If you want to attract a certain type of customer and all of your people are more focused on Correctness, Vitality (everything is urgent) and Individualism, who is going to spend the time developing the relationships with potential customers. You are going to need the self-assured, sociable, collaborators that will take the time to woo new customers.
Once again, it is about balance. If everyone in the organization is the sales professional, who will focus on the production, planning, strategizing, new product development, etc? Every team needs a variety of players. A baseball team with the greatest pitchers of all time but no hitters or fielders will not win many games. Yet a team with decent pitchers, hitters, and fielders and not standouts in any area can win a pennant. It is about balance both in baseball and in business.
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