DISC Personality Test

Benefits of Test

It is imperative for employers to check one’s personality to be able to make wise decisions. A most commonly used test is the DISC Personality test, which was developed as early as the 1930s. Let us walk you through how it is assessed so you have a general idea of what employers are looking for in relevance to your career role.

As early as the 1930s, the DISC Personality test has already been in use. Its goal is to examine a person’s behavior in relation to their environment. If you are applying for a job, it is very likely that your employer would use this test to determine if you are likely to have problems dealing in you work environment. Developed by Dr. William Marston, this test is based on the theory that the best dimensions to measure are observable behavior and these behaviors are characterized into four major buckets. These categories are what comprise the acronym DISC.

The Theory

According to Dr. Marston, author and designer of the DISC Personality Test, each person possesses all of these four key behaviors but one of these is significantly exhibited more than the others. This dominance of behavior is what determines the individual’s personality. It is believed that these four behaviors also blend with each another and these blends are what make up a person’s individuality. With these combinations, it is possible to group individuals in the same environment because they are likely to get along well.

The Methodology

As mentioned earlier, the DISC Personality Test tries to measure four behavioral types. These four aspects of behavior are:

“D” for Dominance or Drive

“I”for Influence or Inspire

“S”for Steadiness, stability, submission

“C” for Conscientiousness, compliance, correctness or caution

Dominance relates to a person’s ability to control. It is also a measurement of power and your ability to assert yourself in various situations. Influence is your ability to adjust to social functions and situations. It is also your ability to communicate your thoughts. Steadiness, on the other hand, measures your patience and persistence. The steadiness factor is also a measurement of your being thoughtful. The last behavior, conscientiousness, relates to your ability to keep things organized.

The Analysis

As mentioned earlier, the DISC Personality Test tries to measure four behavioral types. These are the four dimensions of behavior that comprise the acronym DISC in the DISC Personality Test. If you scored high on dominance, it is an indication that you can fix problems easily and that your decision making skills are advanced. If you scored low, then it means you need more time to reflect before you can make a decision. A high score means you are assertive, strong willed, demanding, aggressive, and forceful. A low score in dominance applies to people who are considered as conservative, cautious, and mild. These are peaceful individuals.

Scoring high on Influence means you can talk your way through convincing people. You tend to be emotional but you have a magnetic character that draws people to you. This is the same characteristics of orators and politicians. Some good traits of people scoring high on Influence are warmth, persuasiveness, and optimism. People who score low with this are those who are sceptical, suspicious, cautious, and critical.

The third factor in the DISC Personality Test is Steadiness. If you scored high on this, it is said that you want security and you do not like abrupt changes in your life or surroundings. You are calm and relaxed. A high score in steadiness also means you are patient, possessive, stable, and predictable. A low score in Steadiness is an indication of preference to abrupt changes, variation and restlessness.

The last thing measured in the Disc Personality Test is Conscientiousness. If you score high on this, it means that you abide to policy. You are a follower of rules and order; the quality of your work is high and you want to obey regulations and meet basic expectations. People who score high on this are neat and systematic. They are accurate, diplomatic, and tactful. A low score on this means you are stubborn, self-willed, and unsystematic.

Keep in mind that when you take the test, you are not labelled as either someone with a high or low. As mentioned earlier, there are many shades or personality combinations. Some of your behaviors may be inconsistent and during the assessment, you will be told how you performed on the test. It is very important that you adjust your behavior once you have the assessment so you can practice consistency on your decisions. Many employers use this test to determine the best place to put you in. This makes the company able to put or group people with the same characteristics to ensure productivity and to ensure that your career role matches your personality.