Question 1

What does DISC measure and how does it measure it?

Accepted Answer

DISC measures our underlying emotions, needs, fears, and the primary concerns that drive behaviour. Through self-selection, you choose words that are most like you and words that are least like you, and through those responses, the report reveals your behavioural style and communication preferences. Not only does it describe the real (natural) you, it also identifies your style and preferences as you display them according to your perception of the demands of your environment. (adapted style)

Question 2

What makes DISC so popular?

Accepted Answer

DISC is a description of YOU, determined by your responses to an assessment that takes only 10 – 15 minutes. Your report is processed and generated immediately upon completion. It helps you to recognize your own style, understand how you react and respond in various environments, and methods for controlling your own style. It tells others how you prefer to receive information, identifies normal tensions in relationships, shows you how to understand others, plus how and when to adapt your communication style for more effectiveness. It is well-liked because of it being a quick and easy assessment, and the model is easy to learn, remember and apply. It’s non-threatening and makes authentic sharing easy.

Question 3

How do I decide what DISC Assessments I want?

Accepted Answer

All versions, of the DISC reports we provide are generated from the same assessment. Therefore, it’s not the assessment that requires your decision, instead, it’s the results of the assessment, which is the version of the report that requires the decision. Select the report that matches your needs best.
 • The Mini-DISC is an abbreviated version of the report and is applicable to anyone
 • The DISC Self is applicable to anyone 
 • The DISC Leadership is typically selected for use for those in leadership positions
 • The DISC Sales is most appropriate for the sales professional 
 • The DISC Career Management Report serves those in career transition and in need of help selecting an appropriate career path and/or for educational planning 
 • The Resume and Cover Letter DISC Report has a section of questions to help people pinpoint natural strengths from the report for showcasing in their resumes, cover letters, and other marketing materials, plus for sharing during the “Tell me about yourself” question at job interviews

Question 4

How accurate are the DISC assessment results?

Accepted Answer

DISC has high statistical accuracy, validity, and reliability through studies over many years. The best measure of validity is YOU – does it represent how others see you behaving at least 90+% of the time? If there is inaccuracy, it is typically caused by human errors – time, focus, objectivity. If you over analyse your responses, focus on more than one environment or try to trick the instrument, the results could be inaccurate. It’s best to do it quickly, without over analysing, and go with your first instinct.

Question 5

What do I do if my DISC report is inaccurate?

Accepted Answer

Ask others, who know you well, to read your report for their opinions. You may uncover some “blind spots”, which are behaviours you don’t know you exhibit, but others notice.

Question 6

What happens if someone tries to outsmart or trick the DISCassessment?

Accepted Answer

It’s not easy to trick or manipulate DISC assessment. Responses aren’t obvious for false consistency, but truthfulness is obvious in the scoring process, (most and least is the basis, and the algorithm is based on both). There are also responses that are specifically validity answers to ensure integrity.

Question 7

Which DISC style is best?

Accepted Answer

There is no best style. All DISC styles have unique strengths and positive traits to leverage for harmony and effectiveness, while all styles also have specific challenges, which can be a focus for professional development.

Question 8

Why don’t all Ds (or Is, Ss, or Cs) act and communicate the same?"

Accepted Answer

We all have different biases, preferences, motivations/values, critical thinking skills, experience, education, and intelligence levels that influence our behaviour. DISC is a combination of nature and nurture, so we all have had different things shape us.

Question 9

Would the report be different if I took the DISC in a different role?

Accepted Answer

Yes, it provides a snapshot of who you are in your adapted styles at the time you took the assessment and depending upon the role you had in mind. Stay focused on one environment when responding.

Question 10

If I take the DISC Assessment at different times in my life, will the results be the same?"

Accepted Answer

DISC is a snapshot of how you see yourself in the activity, focus, and environment you are thinking about as you respond to the assessment. This is reflected by your “Adapted Style” results, while your natural tendencies are more consistent over time.

Question 11

What is the difference between DISC-Self, DISC-Sales, DISC-Leadership, DISC-Mini, DISC Coaching and DISC Career Management?"

Accepted Answer

These reports are all based on the data/findings from the DISC Assessment, with different focused environments to apply your learning in a simple and practical way. The main portion of the reports are similar, but each report offers specific suggestions and focused adaptability strategies for either sales, leadership, coaching, abbreviated/short reports, or career management.

Question 12

What is the energy line on the DISC graphs?

Accepted Answer

DISC measures the energy you are putting into approaching problems, influencing people, pacing the environment, and complying with rules and details. The energy line is the mid-line representing 50%: styles above it are high, and styles below it are low (in varying degrees). Below the line, you are holding back energy and above the line, you are pushing energy forward.

Question 13

What’s the difference between DISC Graphs I & II?

Accepted Answer

What are you most and what are you least? Based on the words you selected, your graphs are determined with your “most” scores showing as adapted, and your “least” scores showing as your natural. It’s easier to describe our “leasts” so the least answers are used to reveal your natural style.

Question 14

What are invalid or inaccurate, unusual DISC graphs?"

Accepted Answer

When all points are near the mid-line, you may get an unusual graph. Often this depends on the environmental focus while taking the assessment, inconsistent answers indicating stress and over-adapting, or someone uncertain of their role. This will typically show up with a missing star or circle on the Behaviour Pattern View (Wheel).

Question 15

How old is DISC?

Accepted Answer

DISC has been around for a long time. The four-quadrant distinctions have roots in the ancient four humors theory, and Hippocrates, around 400 BC, brought it to the medical theory with the four temperaments: sanguine, choleric, melancholic, and phlegmatic. These temperaments were associated with certain moods, emotions and behaviours. 
 
Many others shaped our modern view of temperaments. In the 1920s, Freud & Jung began studying human behaviour. Dr. William Moulton Marston was the first to conduct research on the emotions of normal people, and he developed the four behaviour types in 1928 that precede what we use today: D – Dominance,  I – Inducement, S – Submission, and C – Compliance. He taught DISC-Literacy, and how to understand observable clues to tell their story as well as what motivates the primary style. Although William Moulton Marston contributed to the creation of the DISC Assessment, he did not create it. 
 
Walter Clarke, in 1956, created the DISC assessment based on Marston’s theory. About 10 years later, the first self-description assessment was used asking respondents to choose between terms to identify their style. There have been many versions of the DISC model and the assessment tool used, with varying degrees of validity and reliability.

Question 16

How accurate would it be to use DISC compared to a benchmarked ideal DISC style for job selection?

Accepted Answer

While DISC is used by many hiring authorities for their hiring process, it should not be used as the only tool for selection. It should be used for no more than 20% of the job criteria. In combination with other evaluations, DISC can be helpful in providing supporting information or suggestions of where someone may fit on a team. DISC is used by many hiring authorities for help in selection, strategic positioning, and effective communication in the workplace.

Question 17

How does MBTI compare to DISC?

Accepted Answer

DISC is notably easier to understand than the more complicated MBTI. DISC is more intuitive to read and apply. DISC is based on four basic styles and is simple and practical, even with the many possible blending of the four basic styles having varying intensity levels. The MBTI is 16 combinations of 4 different letters. The scoring process for the DISC assessment allows for nearly 20,000 different combinations of plotting points for determining the uniqueness of people. DISC is needs-based, observable behaviour and emotion, rather than personality, as is the MBTI.

Question 18

What DISC group reports are available?

Accepted Answer

DISC Group Graphs: Shows all DISC Graphs for selected team members
 • DISC Integrated Behaviours: Plots select members’ intensity in 12 behaviours
 • DISC Team Report: Provides select team snapshots, Combination overview, and Wheel with same members plotted
 • DISC Team Wheel: Plots select members on Behaviour Pattern View (Wheel)
 • DISC Collaboration Report: Compares relationships of two select individuals, with side-by-side highlights of perspectives tendencies.

Question 19

Other popular uses of assessments:

Accepted Answer

Many of the world's top coaches and Fortune 500’s rely on assessments to ensure positive outcomes in the areas of employee selection, leadership development, sales & customer service training, team-building, communication & collaboration training, conflict resolution, enhancing relationships, and succession planning. 
 
 • DISC measures behavioural styles – how we react and respond
 • Motivators: measures motivation and values – why we react and respond as we do 
 • Specialty Sales IQ Plus: a sales skills test developed by three of the world’s top sales minds  
 • DISC Collaboration: a DISC-based report that compares, side-by-side, the behavioural characteristics and tendencies of two individuals
 • DISC 360: Allows the participant to see how others describe his/her behaviour styles.

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Answers to Your Questions

What is DISC?

DISCover Answers to Your Questions

What is DISC?

DISCover
Answers to Your Questions