If you are concerned about your performance as a communicator, take a DISC (or DiSC) Personality Testing profile. The DISC (Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, Conscientiousness) profile is not a personality assessment; it is a sociological assessment of your preferred communication style. The only way that you can fail DISC testing is not to take one; you’ll never know or experience what so many others have learned about communication unless you learn about DISC profiles.
We are social creatures and as such, there are times when we need to analyze our social graces and communication skills. Effective communicators make the best leaders, the best teachers, the best parents, the best spouses, the best doctors and the best friends. Whatever you do for a living, or whatever you do in life, you communicate.
When you take a DISC profile test, be prepared to:
- Identify your preferred methods of communication.
- Recognize and categorize the communication styles of others.
- Maximize your effectiveness when communicating with others.
Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done
The DISC profile provides a focus on behavior, not personality
Although you will find DISC referred to as DISC personality testing, or the DISC personality test, it's not actually a personality test. Tests such as Myers-Briggs assess personality; the focus of the DiSC profile is on your communication behavior -- how you communicate and why.
I recommend: Consult sites like
Leadership Benefits & Consulting and
Professional Change to understand the benefits and rationales for DISC profile testing. Some sites, like
PersonalityStyle also provide limited a free DISC personality test; obviously the free DISC personality test isn't as extensive as pay courses, but it's a good way to get a feel for DISC personality testing.
Use the DISC profile to improve your communications skills and reduce conflict
If you've ever been misunderstood and you could not bridge the communication gap, understanding your personal DiSC profile may help you improve communication and avoid conflicts. It feels so nice when someone understands you and you understand them.
I recommend: People who want to improve their communication style -- especially managers, supervisors, presidents of corporations, moms and dads -- should consider taking the DISC profile test through sites like
Online DISC Profile or
DISC Profile.com.
Take the DISC profile test and attend training
You can take an online DISC test and receive your assessment, but having the results in a vacuum will not help you improve your communications skills. Continue your DISC journey by practicing and talking with others who have taken the profile test and take the time to attend a training class.
I recommend: Look for post-DISC classes at sites like
OnlineDISC.com or
Inscape Publishing.
Hire people who have completed the DISC training
If you're a human resources representative or manager, look for candidates who have invested time and resources to get a DISC assessment to improve their communications skills. Make sure that you have taken the DISC profile as well.
I recommend: Use consulting firms like
P.J. Reda & Associates or
Effective Resources that specialize in finding DISC-certified candidates for your business.
Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide
- After you try a free online DISC test with other managers, determine if you think a larger program is appropriate for your company. If DISC assessment leaves you cold, you're not out anything but a little time.
The official source of DiSC Personality Testing is
the DISC Personality Testing page at Business.com
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