DISC Tool

DISC – What Is It?

Specials

DISC is a behavioral tool that helps people recognize their own behavioral strengths and weaknesses along with those of others. It is particularly effective at helping you better understand and communicate with people whose style you find difficult. It can be used in managing, marketing, coaching, team building, sales and recruiting. DISC is also a language of observable human behavior. DISC explains by understanding ourselves better first, it can increase your ability to communicate with all styles better.

An individual can find his or her natural and adapted behavioral styles by completing an on-line assessment.

The following are some common behaviors within these four categories.

  1. Dominance – focuses on results and the bottom line, confident
    1. Can see the big picture
    2. Usually direct and communicates with candor
    3. Relishes challenges
    4. Doesn’t beat around the bushes
  1. Influence – persuades others and prefers open communication and strong relationships
    1. Has an enthusiastic behavior
    2. Typically very optimistic
    3. Works well in teams and collaborates effectively
    4. Doesn’t want to be ignored
  1. Steadiness – sincere, dependable, and cooperates well with others
    1. Dislikes fast deadlines and being rushed
    2. Calm mannerisms
    3. Relaxed approach to problem solving
    4. Supports others and shows humility
  1. Compliance – competent and prefers to be accurate
    1. Prefers to be independent
    2. Detail oriented
    3. Objective reasoning
    4. Is afraid of being wrong

What DISC is Not:

  1. DISC is NOT a measurement of a person’s INTELLIGENCE!
  2. DISC is NOT an indicator of a person’s Values or Mission!
  3. DISC is NOT a measurement of SKILLS, EXPERIENCE and EDUCATION or TRAINING!
Frequently Asked Questions
Once I learn what my DISC style is, what else can DISC do for me?

Understanding yourself is the first step to understanding others. Once you learn what your DISC style is, it can help you to understand why you do what you do. Recognizing styles in other people can help you better understand them and work more effectively with them.

Does DISC help me be a better Sales person?

Knowing your DISC behavior can certainly help you to become a better sales person. Begin by reading the perceived styles of your customers. Then adapt your approach to each customer based on their preferred communication style

How can DISC help me close more sales?

By understanding the basics of DISC and learning which closes to use (this is one of our tools) you can dramatically increase your closing success. Call for one free tip you can use based on your profile.

I am a manager and I never received any management training. Can DISC help me?

Yes. Step one in our Personal Professional Development Process (which we suggest for new managers) is to learn how to support and empower the people you manage.

Will taking DISC help me eliminate my time wasters?

DISC helps you to better understand yourself and the behaviors that are typical of you. Your assessment will identify your time wasters, give you probable causes and possible solutions. This awareness will make you more productive and make you feel like you have more time in your day. We have a DISC trainer who specializes in this area.

I am often misunderstood by my co-workers. Will I improve my communication skills with DISC?

It is not unusual to be misunderstood by those we work with. We often think that our ideas are clear, but do others understand what we are really saying? DISC will give you insight into how we typically communicate, how communication should differ depending on the style of the person to whom you are speaking and how we like others to communicate with us.

How can DISC help me to reduce conflict and deal more effectively with “difficult people?”

Knowing and appreciating the differences in each other will help us to understand others better. In turn this can help us to eliminate conflict and meet the needs of others.

I have used DISC as a coaching tool, can it be offered as a seminar for my staff?

If you have experienced DISC in coaching you already realize the value of what you have learned about yourself. This same awareness can take place in an interactive group setting. Call us to discuss a professional development plan customized to your company or organization.

I have already taken DISC, do I have to take it again?

If you have not taken a DISC assessment for a couple of years, it is probably time to take it again. Our behavior is based on our environment and the people around us. If any of that has changed for you, there may be changes in your DISC profile. A new job, new staff and/or new life changes may change the way you think, act and feel. Additionally, the researchers who work for the publishers of the DISC assessments are continually improving the assessment to make it more valid and more reliable.

I love DISC and have taken the assessment several times. I would like to facilitate a DISC workshop. What credentials do I need to have and who can coach me with a presentation?

We are happy to arrange a train-the-trainer program for you or your entire training department so you can facilitate DISC seminars and workshops for your company or organization. The only necessary credential is that you have taken the DISC assessment and wish to facilitate. We will be happy to train you, provide the necessary materials and coach you along the way.

I did DISC at work and I would love to have my family take a DISC assessment. How can I get a DISC assessment for my spouse?

If you would like to offer a family member the opportunity to take a DISC assessment, just let us know and we will provide a link for him or her.

Where can I get a DISC assessment?

Simply contact us and we will be happy to provide you with a link to take one free DISC assessment and will go over your report with you.

Is there a way I can learn how to have better communication skills with my children if I learn more about DISC?

Just as DISC can help you with your co-workers, DISC can be a powerful tool to help you with your relationships in your family. All parents want to be able to communicate more effectively with their children. DISC can help you to more effectively communicate with your children by identifying their styles and giving you a better understanding.

What are the various DISC applications?

DISC can help in all areas of interpersonal relations and communication. These include: teambuilding, time management, conflict, supervisory skills, management strategies, sales, customer service, leadership, and call centers.

If I do a lot of selling on the phone, will DISC help me sell more effectively?

Talking with customers face-to-face gives us many clues of how to communicate with them. If our only contact is by phone, simply listening to what customers say and how they say it can also give us clues to effectively communicate with them. Learning more about DISC can give us those clues even when we are not talking to our customers in person.

Does DISC clearly show me how I impact people?

We all know what we are thinking and how we think we are coming across to other people. We are sometimes surprised to know that what we believe is not always how we are perceived. Your DISC assessment will describe for you how others may see you and how your behaviors contribute to their perceptions.

If I am a manager, can DISC help me develop better teams to accomplish more in less time?

As a manager, you will be able to balance your teams and help them to work together more effectively. This can be done by plotting their profiles on the Team Wheel or obtaining the Team Report that will plot up to 100 employees for you. This will help you to build on the strengths of the team and avoid conflict. Thus your team will become more productive.

As a manager, will DISC help me understand the personal goals of the people in my department better?

Understanding the four dimensions of DISC will help you to understand the goals of each dimension. This will help you better guide the people in your department to attain their personal and professional goals.

Will DISC help me understand the value that each employee is to our organization?

Every employee brings value to a company or organization. These attributes are clearly listed in each DISC report so they can build on those strengths and the organization will benefit from each employee.

DISC Success Stories

“Early on when we rolled out DiSC® to the Sales Department, your ‘Sales Closing Tips’ were extremely helpful in our DiSC sales program. First, we educated them on what the DISC concepts are. Then, we taught them how to read and recognize the profile of the customer on the phone. The important piece was for the AE’s to adapt their style and sales approach to the potential customer on the phone. This last piece is critical, because at the end of the day adapting the sales and closing, based on the profile, is what greatly impacts sales and results.”

Lara F., training director for an insurance company

“I have found the DISC tool to be invaluable in providing managers with insight into their leadership styles. I use it with all my leadership teams and in executive coaching engagements.”

Catherine P., owner of a diversity training company

“By using the DISC Profile, we have discovered an objective way to understand how different candidates are ‘wired,’ for lack of a better word. This helps us match the specific individual’s strengths with the tasks of the job as well as helps us maintain their compatibility with our corporate culture. That has significantly helped reduce turnover.”

Barry W., owner of a national motorcycle accessory manufacturer

“In 2005, after a thorough process including DISC and other assessments, I hired a controller, Bob, for my $12-million-annual-revenue manufacturing business. Despite early evidence that the staffing decision was not a fit, I suffered with it for two years, determined to make it work. In 2007, I made the long-overdue decision to go back to the drawing board. After another thorough process, this time with John’s help, a hire was made. A new controller, Mark, was put in place to run our now $20-million-annual-revenue business. After a month, I was convinced I had made another mistake, and this time was determined not to suffer with it for two years but rather take immediate action. I called John and said, ‘…talk me off the ledge. I’m afraid I’ve made another mistake, but I don’t want to overreact based on my traumatic experience with Bob, stubbornly sticking with a bad fit for two years.’ John did talk me off the ledge, he reinforced and provided insights to Mark’s personal style and what I needed to do to help him through the on-boarding process. John predicted, ‘…if you hang in there, Mark will do great things for you….’ John was correct. Today in 2010, Mark remains a perfect fit, as controller and key contributor to our now $38-million-annual-revenue business. Without John’s insight, I would likely have compounded my first staffing error with a second one. “

Ray P., CEO of a manufacturing company

“DISC has been very helpful to me in understanding myself and others better as well as how to better communicate with people. I know to be more patient, read people and then communicate in a way with which they will be comfortable. It has helped me both in business as well as in my personal relationships. John is a great interpreter of an individual’s communication style, and he knows how to coach to make everyone more effective.”

Jim Waszak, Dynamic Sales Innovations, Inc.

“I use the DISC in two ways.

1) When selling to future clients, I ask some upfront questions to the decision maker, or a sales influencer regarding the decision maker, to get ideas on what type of personality they have regarding the DISC. Then, I speak to that person the way they would like to be spoken to.

2) Since 1998, I have been ‘The Wrap Up Speaker’ at DeVry in a required class for seniors called ‘Career Development.’ In this 1-1/2 hour speech, the objective is to:

1) Understand What You Want from Your Career.

2) Understand What a Company Wants When Hiring an Employee.

I discuss finding a career that fits your personality, and then I discuss the DISC in detail.”

Lou C., vice president business development, ARS Technology, Inc.

“Understanding DiSC behavioral profiles has helped me tremendously in both my personal and professional relationships. It’s taught me how to be less judgmental and more tolerant of different behavioral styles. It’s also a great team-building tool!”

Debbie R., owner of a business consulting firm

“Using DISC makes recruiting easier and more effective from beginning to end. In writing a recruitment description, you can gear it for finding a ‘D’ who responds to a challenge or for finding an ‘S’ who will respond to a secure position featuring long-term employment. In doing an interview, once you understand a candidate’s profile, you can use the words that will make them feel safe and comfortable enough to tell you all you need to know. And, once you hire someone, their profile will make it easier for their manager to work with them and give them the support they need to be an ‘8, 9, or 10′ employee. DISC isn’t exactly magic, but it’s close.”

Scott U., owner of a recruiting/employee alignment firm

“Using the DiSC has helped in many ways in my business as a recruiter. It helps me understand differences in such a ‘user-friendly’ way that my ability to assess clients’ needs is so accurate that I work much more effectively and efficiently when hiring for them. It also is wonderful information to apply when interviewing candidates. The DISC is consistent in helping me to determine their wants and needs and to clarify their skill set. It has certainly helped me to be more successful in putting the ‘right people in the right position with the right company.'”

Pam Anderson, Anderson Enterprises

10 DISC Applications

We came up with 10 DISC Applications on how to use the Internationally trusted DISC Behavioral tool (published in 30 languages).

Introductory offer: One free DISC profile on yourself and someone you find “difficult” to work with and recommendations on how to improve communication challenges with them.

Experience DISC Now

Experience DISC NOW!

Fill out this simple form or call us at 773-775-6636 for your FREE DISC Profile.  One free DISC profile per company.

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    For one complimentary DISC assessment please contact John Ruh today.