This entry is the last of a blog series on the DiSC profile, which is one of the top tools that I’ve found to be helpful in building teams. (You can do a search on this blog for StrengthsFinder to find another.) DiSC looks at our behavioral style and tendencies in the context of our work environments. The four basic types are D, I, S, & C, although really there are 16 classic profiles because of all the different possible combinations.
- D is for Dominance: A D’s emphasis is on shaping the environment by overcoming opposition to accomplish results.
- I is for Influence: An I’s emphasis is on shaping the environment by influencing or persuading others.
- S is for Steadiness: An S’s emphasis is on cooperating with others to carry out the task at hand.
- C is for Conscientiousness: A C’s emphasis is on working conscientiously within existing circumstance to ensure quality and accuracy.
Consider the following announcement about a church picnic and see if you can pick out the parts intended for each of the four behavioral types: “Next Sunday after church there will be a picnic on the lawn starting around noon. It’s going to be a great time and I hope everyone can make it! The reason we do this is to take time to build deeper relationships within our congregation. To sign up to bring a particular item, and to register any dietary restrictions, please go to the website listed in the bulletin.” In this way, you have addressed everyone’s primary concerns.
Often people will use DiSC and other instruments like it to understand themselves better and then to pigeonhole other people. However, the best way to look at it is to see how your behavioral tendencies affect others and how you can best adapt to work more effectively with others, as I have unpacked over the course of this blog series. The chart below summarizes some of these approaches. If you’re just coming in now, you may want to do a search for DiSC on my blog to read through the whole series. I believe you’ll find the information extremely helpful as you work with staff, leaders, and others in your ministry environment.
