The keys to the DISC personality test that you need to know about

Do you know what the DISC personality test is? The DISC assessment is a judgement-free test that provides information about an individual's personality and behavioural characteristics. It is often used by companies and organisations that want to achieve more effective teamwork, e.g. to increase sales production or improve working relationships.

The test enables people to access easy-to-understand data about themselves and the how they interact with the people around them.

After completing the DISC personality test, employees find out more about what motivates them and what makes them tick. work-related stress, The programme is designed to improve their understanding of how they respond to conflict and solve problems.

They can use this knowledge to modify their behaviour when interacting with certain people and improve working relationships.

What does the DISC personality test consist of?

The DISC personality test is represented by a circle that illustrates the range of «normal behaviour» for a human being. That is, the range of emotions and perspectives derived from a healthy psychology. This circle is divided along two axes to form four quadrants:

• The horizontal axis is often called the “Engine”. It defines the top and bottom halves of the circle, where the top half represents extroverts (outgoing people) and the bottom half represents introverts (those who are more reserved). Fast movements, faster speech and agile decision-making are associated with outgoing people. Introverts often speak more slowly and with a softer tone of voice. They may also take more time for careful consideration when making decisions.
• The vertical axis is known as the “Compass”. It represents the left and right hemispheres of the circle and describes whether a person is oriented towards performing tasks or interacting with other people. The left half of the circle represents task-oriented people, whose behaviour tends to focus on logic, data, results and projects. The right half shows those who are people-centred, who prefer to focus on experiences, feelings, relationships and social interaction.

When both axes are combined, the circle is divided into quadrants that form what is commonly known as the DISC model of human behaviour. The results of which show not only the type of profile of the individual, but also the varying intensity of the behaviour expressed.

How to use this test in the workplace?

Success, both individually and within a team, is generally measured by how well people can communicate with each other. The DISC personality test recognises that people are inherently different and have different needs when interacting with others.

If an individual becomes aware of his or her personality type and the personality types around him or her, he or she can learn to communicate more effectively.

The analysis of the communication needs of the team members or employees (here we explain how to get a effective communication) allows the flow of information to be optimised. By examining the strengths and weaknesses of certain DISC profiles, an individual can develop a more flexible approach to communications.

Understanding how different profile types send and receive information makes it easier to avoid conflict or misinterpretation. For a manager or team leader, knowing what motivates or distresses different profile types within the workplace can be a great way to get the best out of your team.

Some companies use the DISC personality test as part of their recruitment process. Have you ever considered using this personal profiling system? already uses the 70% from Fortune 500 companies?