What is Everything DiSC? D, i, S and C Explained

What if people had their needs written all over them? If you knew that this person wanted more independence and that person wanted a bit more reassurance, would it change the way you work together? Would it make your job easier? Yes, it probably would. But that’s not the real world. Or is it? Maybe if you had the right decoder, everyone’s needs would be a lot more obvious. It would be clear how to work more effectively together, to be more productive, more satisfied.

All you would need is a tool to help you understand where people are coming from. This is DiSC, your decoder. It gives you a way to quickly understand the needs and priorities of the people around you. It describes four basic styles: D, i, S and C. Here’s how it works. First, everyone has a dot. The dot tells you your DiSC style.

If you have a D or Dominance style, you probably drive towards results, insist on immediate action and challenge the status quo. Most likely, other people with the D style share your priorities. Even though you might butt heads from time to time, different styles may find this same D approach to be blunt, intimidating or insensitive.

If you have an i or Influence style, you probably approach work with enthusiasm, enjoy collaboration and take quick action. Others with the i style probably find your energy exciting, even if the two of you are a little too optimistic at times. Different styles may find this sort of liveliness and fast pace to be sloppy or reckless.

Or you may have an S or Steadiness style, which means you like to support people, maintain stability and enjoy collaboration. People with the S style will probably appreciate your patient and easygoing nature, even if that means there’s little sense of urgency. Different styles might see you as overly accommodating or indecisive.

Finally, if you have a C or Conscientiousness style, you probably focus on accuracy, use your logic to challenge ideas and seek stability to ensure consistent outcomes. Others with the C style will like that you prioritise getting things right, even if the two of you can get bogged down in analysis. But for people of different styles, this conscientious pace may feel dry, sapping their natural energy.

Now in the real world, it’s not always that simple. Your dot can be between two styles, such as in the area between i and S, and you can have four or even five priorities. For example, in addition to collaboration, enthusiasm and support, you might also share the priority of accuracy with your C co-workers.

The point is, even though you need to recognise your own DiSC style, you also need to know where the people you work with are coming from. Whether you’re simply connecting with others, solving problems, or working through conflict, you’ll have to stretch from time to time. And using DiSC as a guide, you have a better sense of what, when and why that sort of adapting is so crucial — not only to your success but the success of everyone in your workplace.