The DISC model
DISC goes back to the psychologist William Moulton Marston, who described four kinds of behaviour in his 1928 book Emotions of Normal People. The four letters stand for dominance, influence, steadiness and conscientiousness.
Everyone uses all four to some degree. A DISC style names the factor that stands out most in how you act, and many people have a second factor close behind. DISC is about behaviour, not ability: no style is better than another.
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Dominance
Going after results directly: taking control, deciding fast and meeting challenges head on.
- Toward the high end
- People here like to be in control of where things are going. They meet problems head on and want to see results.
- Around the middle
- People here take charge when it's needed and are just as happy to let others steer at times.
- Toward the low end
- Taking control is not the main drive for people here. They tend to look for agreement before pushing ahead.
Influence
Winning people over: sharing ideas with energy, persuading and enjoying company.
- Toward the high end
- People here enjoy others and like to win them over. They bring energy, ideas and a good mood to a group.
- Around the middle
- People here can be persuasive and sociable when they want to, and also enjoy quieter time.
- Toward the low end
- Persuading people and being the center of attention don't come first for people here. They let their work speak.
Steadiness
Keeping things calm and dependable: patience, loyalty and support for others.
- Toward the high end
- People here value calm, loyalty and a steady routine. They are patient, and others tend to find them reliable and easy to be around.
- Around the middle
- People here like some stability and also cope well when things change around them.
- Toward the low end
- A steady routine matters less to people here than variety. They may get restless when things stay the same.
Conscientiousness
Getting it right: accuracy, careful thinking, high standards and clear facts.
- Toward the high end
- Accuracy and quality matter a lot to people here. They like to understand how things work and to check before they commit.
- Around the middle
- People here care about getting things right without needing every detail to be perfect.
- Toward the low end
- Fine detail and rules don't drive people here. They are comfortable moving ahead before everything is checked.
How scoring works
Each statement has five response choices. A response contributes from 1 to 5 points to the scale it belongs to, and the points become a position from 0 to 100. Around 0–33 is the low third, 34–66 is around the middle and 67–100 is the high third.
For the DISC style result, the highest position is the closest match. A scale within 10 points of the highest can also appear as close behind, because a questionnaire cannot turn a mix of traits into one perfect box.
The benefits of knowing your DISC style
DISC is popular at work because it gives a quick, shared language for differences: who wants the bottom line first, who wants to talk it through, who wants time to adjust and who wants the facts.
Knowing your own style can help you notice when your way of working is clashing with someone else's, and adjust before it turns into friction.
DISC in everyday life
You can use DISC in small ways: lead with the result for someone high in dominance, add warmth for someone high in influence, give notice of changes to someone high in steadiness, and bring the details for someone high in conscientiousness.
Styles shift a little with the setting. Many people act differently at home and at work, and that's normal.
How to take the test
MindScale's DISC personality test has 28 statements and no time limit. Choose the response that best matches how you usually are, not how you would like to be.
You can go back and change an answer. When you finish, you can unlock your score and full report: $2.95 for 7 days of full access, then $29.95 every 4 weeks until you cancel.
Your score and full report: $2.95 for 7 days of full access, then $29.95 every 4 weeks until you cancel.
Conclusion
DISC uses four factors, dominance, influence, steadiness and conscientiousness, to describe how people act and get along. Everyone uses all four, with one or two standing out.
If you'd like to find your main style, the MindScale DISC personality test has 28 statements and scores all four factors. The price is shown before you start.
See your own result
Your score and full report: $2.95 for 7 days of full access, then $29.95 every 4 weeks until you cancel.