One of the most common questions about using the DISC model is this: “How do I know another person’s personality style?”
Well, the short answer is: you can’t know another person’s style without assessment results.
You can, however, make an educated guess about their primary style (or at least how they are interacting in the current situation) by observing their words and behaviors and answering two simple questions (phrased in the language of the DISC model):
- Are they more outgoing or more reserved? and
- Are they more task-oriented or more people oriented?
Or, stated another way:
- Do they speak more quickly, loudly and emphatically or more slowly, softly and monotone?, and
- Do they speak in more factual, “thinking” language or in a more relational, “feeling” language?
Answer those two questions and you’ve got your starting point for connecting better with them.
If they are:
- Outgoing and Task oriented, use Dominant language.
- Outgoing and People-oriented, use Inspiring language.
- Reserved and People-oriented, use Supportive language.
- Reserved and Task-oriented, use Cautious language.
This article is from the DISC FAQ's series. Use the links below to read more from this series.
- DISC Model FAQ's: Can Four Styles Really Describe Everyone?
- DISC Model FAQ's: Could I Have More Than One DISC Behavior Style?
- DISC Model FAQ's: Can I Have One DISC Style at Work and Another DISC Style at Home?
- DISC Model FAQ's: Is One Style Better Than the Others?
- DISC Model FAQ's: Can Your Personality Style Change Over Time
- DISC Model Frequently Asked Questions
- DISC Model FAQ's: Is Changing Your Behavior Phoney?
- DISC FAQ's: Can I Change My Personality Style On Purpose?
- A DISC Model Question You Should Ask of Yourself
- Effective Communication Skills: How to Quickly Guess a Person’s DISC Style
- Why I Use The DISC Model
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Great stuff, but you have to be careful as people are not what they seem to be some times.
Good point. The approach I’m suggesting in this post is only intended to give you a good guess about how to connect with another person. It is definitely not a locked-in, 100% guaranteed technique for all situations. I recommend that people use this approach as they begin a conversation and then listen carefully to the other person’s concerns and interests to really get to know them.