The document discusses the DISC personality model, which categorizes individuals into four primary types: Dominant, Influencing, Steady, and Conscientious, each with distinct strengths and limitations. It offers guidance on how to identify these types through behaviors and communication styles, particularly in email interactions, and suggests strategies for effectively dealing with different personality types. The document also highlights correlations with management styles and roles in a typical IT setting.

1. DiSC Model in Practice
How To Deal With People You Can’t
Stand

3. Background
• William Marston: theory, 1920s
• Walter Clarke, John Geier: assessment tool,
1950s
• More behavior-oriented than MBTI and
similar models.
• Used for industrial assessments.

4. High D: Dominant
• Also: Drive
• Achieves success by taking decisive actions
towards their goal.
• Strengths: comfortable in a leadership role,
problem solver, can make tough decisions, not
afraid to confront issues, sees change as a
challenge, stays focused on the mission.
• Limitations (Others may see): intimidating,
insensitive, brusque, impatient, intolerant,
unapproachable
• Margaret Thatcher

5. High I: Influencing
• Also: Inducement
• Achieves success by persuading others to
work with them towards the goal.
• Strengths: always available for others,
inspiring to be around, spreads positive
attitude, praises others.
• Limitations (Others may see): tasks fall
through the cracks, projects don’t get
finished, lacks organization
• Bill Clinton

6. High S: Steady
• Also: Submission
• Works with others as part of a team to
achieve success
• Strengths: good team player, empathetic to
others’ needs, methodical, good listener,
easy to get along with, appreciative of
others, praises.
• Limitations (Others may see): indecisive,
indirect, resistant to change, sometimes
worn down by others’ problems.
• John Paul II

7. High C: Conscientious
• Also: Compliance, Caution
• Works within rules and procedures to ensure
success.
• Strengths: thorough, follows standards
accurately, conscientious, diplomatic, accurate,
fair (because following the rules does that).
• Limitations (Others may see): overly concerned
with perfection, aloof, delay decisions, wants
more data, “fussy about minor issues”.
• Bill Gates

8. Sample DiSC Graph

9. Mixed Types

10. Transitions
HARD
EASY
HARD
EASY

11. How to Detect Them
• Assertive vs. Reserved; People vs. Task
• Assertive: Move Fast, Talk Louder, Talk Fast,
Interrupt (D & I)
• Reserved: Speak Slower, Less Loudly, Never
Interrupt (S & C)
• People Focused: Talk About Themselves Or
Others, Friendly, Warm, Smiling (I & S)
• Task Focused: Focus On Tasks, Work,
Processes, Systems, Seldom Smile (D & C)

12. How to Deal with Them
• Focus On Behavior
• Be Less Of Yourself
• Do Like They Do
• Do Not Judge Or “Read Their Minds”
• Avoid Emotional Reactions
• Adjust Your Energy
• Learn To Imitate Outward Behaviors

13. Assertiveness: Interrupt or Pause
• When You’re Talking, Pay Attention To
How Quickly They Speak
• Do They Start Talking Before You’re Done
Or Wait For You To Finish?
• If Someone Interrupts And You Do Not,
Interrupt More To Reduce Differences
• If You Interrupt And You’re Talking To
Someone Who Pauses, Slow Down

14. People/Task: Smile or Not
• People Focused People Tend To Smile
More
• Count Their Smiles
• Compliment Them And See If They Smile
In Reaction
• Smile More With People Who Smile At
You
• Smile Less With Those Who Do Not

15. How to Detect by Email
• Assertive: too quick for attachments.
• Reserved: take time to read and write.
• People-oriented: names, salutations,
signatures.
• Task-oriented: rarely use names.
• NB: Very hard to diagnose if sent from
smartphone.

16. Email from Other People
• High D: doesn’t use names, very brief.
• High I: emotional typography, smileys,
uses names a lot, informal.
• High S: long, personal, uses names.
• High C: precise, structured, thorough,
uses bullets.

17. Email to Other People
• High D: brief, BLUF, begin with questions,
no attachments or explicit reference.
• High I: greet them by name, ask how
they’re doing, compliment them, no
attachments or explicit reference.
• High S: same as High I, attachments OK.
• High C: include all details, state deadlines,
tell them you’re OK with imperfect answer /
guess, names unnecessary.

18. Correlations with Adizes
Management Styles

19. Correlations with (Typical IT) Roles

20. Correlations with Gerchikov
Motivation Models

21. Further Resources / Special Thanks
To
Mark Horstman
http://manager-tools.com/