By Daniel Bobinski, Th.D.
The starting point of learning emotional intelligence (EQ) can be summed up in two words: know thyself. EQ is the skill of being able to perceive and assess one’s own and other’s emotions, desires, and tendencies, and then act in a way that’s best for everyone. To do this well, one should learn about different behavioral, motivational, and cognitive styles, as well as the strengths and blind spots for each.
Since no single tool measures all of “personality,” I always advocate using tools that focus on specifics. For example, DISC assessments help us learn about behavioral styles.
Despite the growing use of DISC assessments worldwide, people still have questions and concerns about them. Well, since two-thirds of the difference between average and top performers is EQ, it’s worthwhile addressing those concerns.
One of the most common misconceptions about a DISC assessment is that it’s a personality test. It’s not. The word “test” implies right and wrong answers, and your style isn’t right or wrong. Yes, it may be more effective or less effective in given situations, but “right and wrong” does not apply. Your DISC profile simply tells us your preferred behavioral style in given situations.
You should also know that DISC assessments measure four specific dimensions of behavior: how you tend to act when handling problems, people, pace, and procedures.
You should also know DISC assessments measure only a slice of your personality. Other tools assess other aspects, such as motivational and cognitive preferences. As a concept, “personality” is a complex, multidimensional picture of who you are. Think of it this way: your personality is like your entire house and your DISC profile is like the foyer. It’s the first thing we see and it tells us something about the house, but it’s not the whole house.
Let me address several misconceptions about DISC.
Misconception 1: “DISC puts people in boxes.” Not true. DISC assessments describe tendencies. And not just your natural preferences, but also how you tend to adapt to succeed. And even that’s just a tendency. People adapt their behaviors in many different ways when the situation requires it. One main purpose of DISC is understanding your starting point so you can predict your tendencies and know how to adapt.
Misconception 2: “Some DISC styles are better than others.” Not true! Every style has strengths and challenges. The most effective teams include a diversity of styles that complement each other. Success comes from knowing your natural strengths and blind spots so you can leverage your strengths and adapt when your natural style doesn’t fit the situation.
Misconception 3: “DISC assessments are all a team needs to get better.” Not true. DISC assessments play a key role, but motivators and cognitive preferences are also important for determining how we approach our work.
Bottom line, the basic purpose of any assessment tool is to give you greater self-awareness so you can make conscious choices about how to approach different situations. Your greatest competitive advantage isn’t what you know, it’s how well you know yourself and how you can adapt to bring out the best in others.
Daniel Bobinski, is the author of the best-selling book “Creating Passion-Driven Teams” and the owner of Workplace Excellence. Also a certified behavioral analyst, Daniel consults and conducts training on workplace effectiveness and leadership development. He can be reached at danielbobinski@protonmail.com or eqfactor.net.
