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.

Predictive Index

This first post will begin a series of an explanations of the many employee assessments available. Many of them are very similar and the search can be confusing. I will not compare them to Profiles International Assessments which I represent. Instead I will simply present their information. I will let you make the comparisons.

Predictive Index (PI)
“People Smart, Results Driven”
Features and Benefits
PI Worldwide is a privately held international management consulting company with
headquarters in Massachusetts. The company’s management team includes recognized experts in organizational development, psychology, research, management consulting and employee
relations. They have licensed consultants in offices in the United States, Canada, Europe, South
America, Africa, Dubai, Asia, Australia, and India.
The Predictive Index is published by Praendex Incorporated, the parent company of PI
Worldwide. Praendex has a support organization for clients and consultants around the world.
PI Worldwide has enjoyed steady growth dating back to 1955, when the late Arnold S. Daniels, a young entrepreneur from Boston with a background in statistics, founded the company. His goal was to use the then-emerging science of behavioral assessment to help companies make
important decisions concerning people at work.
Arnold S. Daniels, author of the Predictive Index®, and founder of the company, was born and
raised in the Boston area, He began his career working for the Boston newspaper, The Record-
American. In 1942, Daniels enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps.
Following combat duty, Daniels began working with a psychologist and was introduced to the
subject of tests and measurements. He learned about their design and application and later took a course in "Management & Statistics" at the Harvard Graduate Business School.
Returning to civilian life, Daniels realized he was more interested in psychological tests and
measurements than he was in journalism. He consecutively went to work for two consulting
firms, both involved in the general areas of organization development and personnel
management. He was particularly interested in behavioral tests and measurements and their
workplace applications.
Between 1952 and 1955, Daniels developed a prototype assessment instrument which he called
the Predictive Index. He also formulated a training process for making the survey's results
understandable and useable by business managers. In 1955, he founded Arnold S. Daniels
Associates, and began to sell his new system, complete with a five-day training course.
Following a statistical study of collected data, Daniels refined the PI norms in 1971 and changed
the company’s name to Praendex Incorporated.
PI Worldwide is certified as an Approved Provider by the International Association of
Continuing Education and Training (IACET) and the Human Resource Certification Institute
(HRCI). PI’s training programs are recognized as being of the highest quality, and qualify for
IACET Continuing Education Units (CEUs) as well as HRCI recertification credit hours.

PI methodology
Subjects are asked to indicate which words in a list of adjectives are those that other people
might use to describe their behavior. Then they are to pick the words that describe what they
really are like. This method is used by a number of DiSC-based tests.
These are the words used by the Predictive Index: Helpful, Relaxed, Exciting, Assertive, Patient, Conscientious, Sophisticated, Persistent, Earnest, Outstanding, Sympathetic, Loyal, Self-starter, Conventional, Eloquent, Cynical, Passive, Gentle, Brave, Appealing, Thoughtful, Self-assured, Steady, Competitive, Fashionable, Neat, Audacious, Polished, Fearful, Esteemed, Worrying, Sentimental, Adventurous, Easy Going, Unassuming, Good mixer, Agreeable, Well-liked, Docile, Demanding, Charitable, Persuasive, Careful, Satisfied, Understanding, Spirited,
Congenial, Obedient, Cheerful, Obstinate, Convincing, Responsive, Neighborly, Selfish,
Reserved, Serious, Persevering, Calm, Popular, Polite, Dynamic, Good-humored, Escapist,
Generous, Unobtrusive, Daring, Tolerant, Nice, Compelling, Resolute, Tranquil, Cultured,
Dominant, Respectful, Nonchalant, Flexible, Attractive, Trusting, Eager, Shy, Fussy, Versatile,
Amiable, Diplomatic, Self-centered, Consistent

Primary Scales
The Predictive Index has four scales:
• Dominance
• Extroversion
• Patience
• Precision.
Scores are charted as points on a scale that are connected by lines in what often looks like a
checkmark, a “V” or a zigzag pattern. Sometimes the line is almost straight, linking the highest
score and the lowest. The relative positions of the four points on the scale and the pattern formed by the connecting lines are used to predict a subject’s job behaviors.

Occupational Scales
• Production Supervisors
• Administrative Support
• Production
• Line Management
• Staff Management
• Field Sales

The Predictive Index Process
The Predictive Index process is a combination of assessment, education and consulting, applied
across all levels of an organization as an indicator of workplace behavior. It’s a managerial
assessment tool that provides insight into the natural workplace behaviors of prospective and
existing employees. It’s aim is improved hiring decisions, team performance, overall
communication, and workforce productivity.

A key element of the PI process is the education of key managers in the interpretation and use of Predictive Index data. In the PI Management Workshop, managers become skilled at working with all the elements of PI and gain insights into the many ways it is used to improve
performance throughout a business.
PI Worldwide has a global team of experienced professionals who offer advice and assistance –
from in-depth interpretation of PI results to consulting on a wide range of business issues.
The Predictive Index instrument appears to be a simple adjective checklist. For all its apparent
simplicity, however, the Predictive Index (PI) is a sophisticated instrument that's been
scientifically validated to be a reliable predictor of work-related behavior.

Applications
Predictive Index is intended to give employers confidence in their hiring decisions, reduce
employee turnover, and avoid potential conflicts by knowing how well a prospective employee
works with others. The PI is used to:
• Find people who complement a company’s strengths
• Build strong teams
• Define job requirements
• Attract the best candidates
• Select and hire the right people
• Plan for future growth
• Develop employees’ talents
• Deal effectively with conflict
• Motivate employees
• Retain valuable employees

PRO (Performance Requirement Options)
The purpose of the PRO instrument is to analyze job requirements. The PRO worksheet provides a road map for the various positions in an organization, providing insight into the behaviors and drives necessary for superior performance.
The PRO and the Predictive Index work together. The PRO defines specific behaviors that lead
to effective performance in a particular job, given the realities of an organization’s methods,
markets, processes and management. It describes the drives and behaviors that are necessary for success, and also provides insight into similarities and differences that might exist in various
individuals’ approaches to the same job.
An individual's PI results are compared to the needs of the job, highlighting both fits and gaps.
Better-informed selection, coaching, performance management and leadership decisions are the goals of this process.

Technical Facts
The Predictive Index was developed and validated in compliance with Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Guidelines, as well as the professional standards established
by the American Psychological Association (APA) and the Society of Industrial &
Organizational Psychology (SIOP)

PI Worldwide has a library of over 400 criterion-related job validity studies covering multiple
jobs, industries and countries which document the instrument's validity and usefulness in the
business world.

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.