The DISC Assessment

The next assessment we are going to discuss is one of the best known assessment instruments. Even though it's author stated that the tool should not be used for pre-employment assessing, many vendors use it for that purpose. Again I will not compare it to Profile International 's assessments but will leave that to the reader.

Features and Benefits
The DiSC® is a product of Inscape Publishing headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The company also has an office in Des Moines, Iowa. The DiSC instrument was formerly owned by the Carlson Learning Company, and before that by Performax Systems International. DiSC (with a lower-case i) is a registered trademark, which differentiates this product from generic DISC tests sold by many other companies.
Like other DISC products, the DiSC assessments are based on the research of psychologist Dr. William Moulton Marston (1893-1947). In addition to developing the four-quadrant DISC theory, Marston is also remembered for his work in developing the lie-detector and for creating the comic book character Wonder Woman. In 1928, Marston’s “Emotions of Normal People” was published, introducing the DISC concept to the public. The reason there are numerous variations of DISC assessments sold by a myriad of companies is that Marston never legally protected his work so it is in the public domain. Performax Systems International and its successors, the Carlson Learning Company and Inscape Publishing, have put their own stamp on Marston’s ideas which have evolved into their products, the DiSC Classic™ and its variations.
DiSC products are available in 21 languages and are sold in more than 50 countries. It is
estimated that over 40 million people have been assessed with the DiSC.
The DiSC Classic™ DiSC Classic, the company says, helps its users improve communication while reducing conflict and frustration. It also is used to develop effective managers and teams. It comes in three forms. The first is the DiSC Classic 1.0, which is said to be “the tried-and-true DiSC experience.” Next is the DiSC Classic 2.0, which has a personalized and expanded narrative report format, written in non-judgmental language. The third is the DiSC Classic 2 Plus. The plus in “2 Plus” is the addition of six supplemental reports, (1) Strategies for Creating a Positive Relationship, (2) Relating to People and the Environment, (3) Strategies for Managing, (4) Approach to Managing Others, (5) Strategies for Sales Management, and(6)Approach to Selling.

Scales and Interpretations
The DiSC Classic scales are as follows:
D – Dominance: Direct and Decisive
i – Influence: Optimistic and Outgoing
S – Steadiness: Sympathetic and Cooperative
C – Conscientiousness: Concerned and Correct
Dominance is described as being action oriented, strong-willed and strong-minded, liking to accept challenges, and wanting immediate results.
Influence means being interested in people, being a team member, sharing ideas, and enjoying the social aspects of life.
Steadiness suggests people who take pleasure in helping others, not being concerned with
receiving credit or accolades for what they do. They tend to be good listeners and their behavior is predictable. Conscientiousness describes those to whom quality and careful planning are absolutely essential. They seek to make every situation something to which a systematic approach can be applied.

They assure accuracy by checking and rechecking at every step in a process.
Everything DiSC® Inscape Publishing supports its products with a facilitation system called Everything DiSC. The system consists of course outlines, individual and group activities, plus support materials such as a PowerPoint® slide show and a DVD presentation to aid trainers and consultants in conducting successful DiSC projects with people in companies and other organizations.

Applications
DiSC products are recommended for improving self-understanding, reducing conflict, and improving communication. They are designed to work with the existing training and
development programs a company may already be using.
Technical Facts
The DiSC Classic 2.0 report consists of four sections: “Your DiSC Graph,” “The DiSC
Dimensions,” “”The Classical Profile Patterns,” and “Scoring and Data Analysis.”
The report is approximately 23 pages in length. The DiSC Classic 2 Plus report has five sections, similarly (but not identically) named, plus a section containing the six supplemental reports noted above. This report is approximately 40 pages long.
The graph(s) in the reports have the appearance of other 4-dimension assessments such as the Activity Vector Analysis (AVA). A dot is placed on each scale to indicate where the subject scored in each dimension. Lines are drawn, dot to dot to form a zigzag pattern, sometimes faintly resembling the letter Z.
The DiSC Classic 2 Plus section V has, in addition to the descriptions of behavioral tendencies in each of the six areas, worksheets for noting specific behavioral activities the subject should start, stop, or continue doing in various situations.

For information about Profiles International Employee Assessments go to: www.myglobalhr.com.


The information in this document is, to the best of our knowledge, accurate, objective and up-to-date at the time of publication. Please report updates, corrections, and/or omissions to this blogspot.