My DISC Results

After reading one of Rebecca’s e-mails recently about her DISC personality profile, I decided to take an online test for myself too. I had taken this DISC test before, but it was 1 – 2 years ago… and I had forgotten my results already.

D = Dominance, I = Influence, S = Steadiness and C = Compliance. This free online test can be found at http://www.mtselect.co.uk/testing/results.htm.

After clicking through a long list of questions, my results showed that I was a high ‘S’ and ‘C’ person. Similar to Rebecca! And my scoring was D = 12, I = 16, S = 40 and I = 32.

The following summary gives a general personality profile of me:

Dominance = 12
People who score in the low range:
~ tend to want peace and harmony.
~ prefer to let others initiate action and resolve problems.
~ are quiet and indirect in their approach to most situations.
~ are usually cautious and calculate risks carefully before acting.

They are generally well liked because of their mild and gentle nature. People will tend to see them as being patient, calm, thoughtful and a good listener.

Influence = 16
People who score in the low range:
~ are usually socially passive.
~ quite frequently have an affinity for things, machinery and equipment.
~ are generally comfortable working alone.
~ frequently have a tendency to be analytical and once they have sorted the facts out they communicate them in a straightforward direct way.
~ tend to take little at face value.

They may well have learned and developed good social skills but they only bring these into play when logic dictates such tactics.

Steadiness = 40 and Compliance = 32
People who score in the average range are likely to possess and display a mixture of the traits and behaviours associated with both high range and low range scores. A well balanced mix of the best of both ranges. People who score in this range are unlikely to be 'extreme' types.

The two extremes are:

Steadiness

Low Range (0 > 30)
People who score in the low range:
~ tend to enjoy change and variety in their work and non-work life.
~ are expansive by nature and tend not to like routine and repetitive work/activities.

They enjoy stretching themselves intellectually and physically.

High Range (69 > 100)
People who score in the high range:
~ are usually patient, calm and controlled.
~ have a high willingness to help others particularly those they consider as friends.

Generally they have the ability to deal with the task in hand and to do routine work with patience and care.

Compliance

Low Range (0 > 30)
People who score in the low range:
~ are independent and uninhibited.
~ resent rules and restrictions.
~ prefer to be measured by results and are always willing to try the untried.

Free in thought, word and deed, they long for freedom and go to great lengths to achieve it. They feel that repetitive detail and routine work is best 'delegated'.

High Range (69 > 100)
People who score in the high range:
~ are usually peaceful and adaptable.
~ tend not to be aggressive.
~ tend to be cautious rather than impulsive.
~ avoid risk-taking.
~ act in a tactful, diplomatic way and strive for a stable, ordered life.
~ are comfortable following procedures in both their personal and business life.

Finally, a summary of a person with high steadiness and compliance; also found at http://www.discusonline.com/UDISC/highsc.html.

High Steadiness and Compliance

'Technical' Profile

Profiles of this kind, showing both high Steadiness and high Compliance, are often referred to as 'Technical'. This term is used in its broadest sense; people showing this type of behavior are suited to jobs such as accountancy, computer programming or engineering, because their approaches combine accuracy and precision with the patience to work at a problem until it has been solved. They are interested in producing quality work, and will often go to great lengths to ensure that the results of their efforts are the best they can possibly achieve.

Calm and rational in approach, this type of person often has a better understanding of personal or emotional issues than might be suggested by their relatively detached demeanor. They are not assertive in style, and will rarely offer input in a group situation, or act in an independent manner.

Relating to Others

This rather passive style often finds it difficult to relate to other people, especially in unfamiliar settings, because they need to know exactly where they stand before they feel able to act. While they value friendships and strong relations with others, this factor is often disguised by an apparently aloof and reserved style. In order to interact effectively with others, this type will look to more direct and outgoing styles to initiate and take control of interpersonal issues.

Common Abilities

As the name 'Technical' suggests, the particular talents and skills of this type lie in the areas of complex systems and procedures. Their high Steadiness lends them patience and a degree of persistence, while their correspondingly high levels of Compliance bring an interest in order and precision. In combination, these factors reflect an individual with strong potential in broadly technical work. Because of their interest in quality and productivity, it is not unusual to find people of this kind who possess special skills or knowledge, especially in the 'technical' areas described.

Motivating Factors

A consequence of the patient, precise style of this type is a need for time to plan and execute their work to a standard with which they can feel satisfied. They will wish to work steadily at a project, and dislike interruptions or distractions from the task in hand. They will also seek certainty, and need to be sure that the work that they are doing conforms to the expectations of their colleagues and managers.

A more subtle aspect to this type's motivation is their enjoyment of positive relations with others. As we mentioned above, this fact is unlikely to be clear from their somewhat reserved and reticent demeanor, but they like to feel accepted by other people, and can be surprisingly open in style in a favorable environment of this kind.