Assessment #1: The DISC Indicator
It's no secret that here at PG&A we value assessments. They are a highly effective way of gathering data about what is going on within an organization, cost effective, and can help you locate problem areas or individuals before they become overwhelming, as well as aiding in hiring, team building, discipline, executive coaching, and generally 'getting people in the right seat on the bus' in a company. Assessments also help leaders understand the organization's issues and we consistently find that leaders “don't know what they don't know.”
My guess is your company already uses various internal assessments for setting and reaching goals, ensuring compliance, or identifying challenges that need to be addressed (among others). There are a plethora of different assessments out there, and we have vast experience in conducting, analyzing, and teaching about a variety of different assessments. We have seen them do wonders for various organizations in a variety of different markets.
So, this is the beginning of a new series of blogs that are intended to introduce you to some of the various assessments we think are effective and useful for your company. The information will not be exhaustive but will serve to give you an idea of the background, theory, and process that goes into each assessment, as well as explore how they can help your organization. This week, we are going to begin looking at one of our core assessments, the DISC Indicator.
Like many popular assessments, the DISC grew out of the philosophical movement known as 'modernism', a movement that was dominant throughout the early and middle parts of the 20th century. Modernism was a broad and multifaceted movement, but the most important take away for us here is that the theorists of this time sought to apply the principles of scientific investigation to human behavior. It is in this period that we see the rise of the Myers-Briggs (our topic next week!), the organizational concepts of Human Relations and Human Resources, and the emergence of disciplines such as organizational psychology.
A major contributor to the DISC indicator was Dr. William Marston, a Harvard educated psychologist, inventor, and author (fun fact: he was the creator of the Wonder Woman character). Marston's foundational ideas were built upon by Walter Clarke, an early industrial psychologist, who constructed a workable assessment based on Marston's categories. Much like the MBTI, the DISC originally served as a psychological tool for understanding one's self better and the behavioral tendencies that one has. But throughout the intervening decades there has been a tremendous amount of research and study that has gone into applying the DISC to other environments, including organizations. Today, the DISC is used throughout the United States as an effective tool for helping executives and HR professionals understand their employees' habits and behaviors, as well as their own.
The DISC is broken down into four major categories. The 'D' stands for 'dominance', and relates to how someone responds to problems and challenges. The 'I' indicates 'influence', which is how you sway others to your point of view. The 'S' relates to 'steadiness' (sometimes labeled 'consistency'), which measures how you respond to the pace of your environment. The last category, 'C', is about compliance and looks at how you respond to rules and constraints set by others.
As noted above, the DISC is a highly effective tool for understanding the potential behavioral characteristics of your employees. It is incredibly useful for hiring and team-building, as it can help match the right natural temperament and styles to the appropriate jobs. As an example, 'high S's' have natural tendencies (calmness, unemotional, steadiness) that are conducive to a customer service representative position and 'high C's' have natural behavioral preferences that are typically required of a quality control specialist (analysis, detail orientation, and preciseness). Each type has it's strengths, areas of opportunity, and unique role to play in an organization.
For us, there is nothing better than seeing organizations thrive. In our experience, the DISC has been a very useful tool for many organizations to increase productivity, efficiency, and employee morale. If you want more information or are interested in using the DISC assessment, give us a call or send us an email to schedule an appointment!
Next week, we'll take a look at the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and see how it can help your organization succeed. Until then, be well! – Tyler