Episode D.025 Solving People Puzzles

Show Objectives
DISC is a behavioral style tool that allows us to better connect and communicate with our employees and members of our team. The first person we need to know is ourselves. If our self perception is distorted then our attempts to influence others will be misguided and manipulative.

DISC History and Presuppositions
DISC has been used in some form or another as far back as 444 B.C with Empedocles. The current DISC method is attributed to William Marston. Behavior is shaped by role models, heredity and environment. DISC follows the following principles of motivation:

1. One person cannot motivate another person
2. Everyone is motivated
3. People are motivated to do things for their own personal reasons, not for someone else’s
4. If person “A” understands the behavioral style of person “B,” person “A” can communicate more effectively
5. If person “A” knows more about person “B” than “B” knows about themselves, person “A” can motivate person “B” to be more productive.

​Understand Yourself First
Everyone has a unique personality, yet we are all “wired” in a similar way. There are two questions that need to be answered in order to understand yourself better.

1. First ask yourself, “Am I more Outgoing or am I more Reserved?” This is what we call the “motor” or what drives you.
2. Then ask yourself, “Am I more Task-Oriented or am I more People-Oriented? This is your compass that steers you.

When you combine these two answers they determine your temperament. Your basic temperament is a predictable pattern of behavior as related to your specific personality style. The 4 temperaments (D, I, S, & C) blend to determine your unique personality style and help you understand why you often feel, think and act in a certain way.

The 4 temperaments are called the Model of Human Behavior. They are:

1. D (Outgoing-Task Oriented)
2.  I  (Outgoing - People Oriented)
3. S  (Reserved - People Oriented)
4. C  (Reserved - Task Oriented)

Ways DISC to benefit from using DISC

1. Increase and improve Motivation
2. Create Ideal working environments
3. Recognize when a person is experiencing stress
4. Improve Compatibility of the four behavioral styles

Written by: Donna Kunde​