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Hello, How often should I take the DISC profile and what criteria should I use, time or change in functional responsibilities? I took the DISC profile in 06/08 when I was terminated from an executive level position. Now that I have been working contract positions and pursuing building my own business I am wondering if it is worth my while to retake this profile? Would it help me as I am working to secure future assignments or a permanent position. Cheers, Ron Ledford

Darrell's picture
Training Badge

For what it is worth.  I don't think it changes much.  I took it about 10 years ago, and disbelieved the result.  I took it again last year.  Two of my scores moved by one point, the other two remained the same.  I was a high D, high I both times.  This despite the fact I was in Finance, which is traditionally a High C domain. 

Take it for what it is worth - it is after all a sample of one. (See - I can fake High C).

flexiblefine's picture

I intend to take the assessment again about six months after a role change, to see if the change has an effect on my behavior profile.

This isn't necessarily because I expect my profile to change, but as an experiment to see if it happens in my case -- another "sample of one," I suppose. I am worried that my very low D will cause problems in a management role.

flexiblefine
Houston, Texas, USA
DiSC: 1476

smorison's picture

Flexible,

remember that the DISC profile is only your behaviour when you're not thinking about how to behave.

 

flexiblefine's picture

That's exactly why I want to check -- to see if the new role "trains" me to behave differently.

flexiblefine
Houston, Texas, USA
DiSC: 1476

ronledford's picture

Thanks for the comments. I worked at a company in the housing industry. We were experiencing consolidation, change in roles, displacement, acquisition of technologies, etc. To deal with the change and the fear, to include my own, within the organization, I took on a more authoritarian leadership style than I prefer just to get the day-to-day done. So, like muscle memory or bad habit transfer, it takes time and maybe coaching to unlearn a role or unnatural preferences. In this case, I believe I will still be a high D. With three years perspective, it is the other measures that made me go "mmmmmm, where did that come from?." In the end it wouldn't hurt and maybe I can see ahead of time when the wheels start coming off the wagon. It is often said armies fight their next war like their last one. Honestly, I'd rather not repeat. I am a lot happier today.

mercuryblue's picture
Licensee Badge

Reading between the lines, I wondered from your post if you have fallen into the trap of thinking that High D is necessarily "authoritarian" and therefore "bad" - ? Or if you have put together your High D result, and your termination which - I may be reading too much into it! - sounds like it resulted from your management style - and have decided that High D is not a good place to be?

If that's the case, I don't think doing DISC again will help you either see or demonstrate that your management style is different or less "authoritarian", unless you also have DISC completed on you by others who work for you (and it doesn't sound like they exist) and therefore can take it to the level of showing the degree to which you are displaying "good" or "bad" D behaviors. Chances are pretty fair that you will still show up as High D.... but that doesn't have to be a bad thing!

It is certainly the case that a High D is more likely to act in an authoritarian way than a high S, particularly in a situation of high stress, or if they are not aware that that is their tendency - BUT! - High D doesn't have to be authoritarian, let alone bad.

Don't look to be someone else. What DISC should give you is an awareness of the tendencies of your type, and therefore of things to look out for and be "careful" of in your behavior. Knowing that you have this tendency is a big part of the battle; wanting to not act that way is the next big part. Knowing what to do about it is the final part - and of course that is an ongoing journey! I would go back and review your DISC profile in its entirety - there should be a lot in there that is good and bad that will provide food for thought (you are not just D!). Listening to Manager Tools regularly and implementing the advice there (or planning how you would, while you are not a people manager) will help keep you on the straight and narrow path of self-awareness - the MT Trinity will help *any* type overcome their not-so-good tendencies. Should you find yourself back in a corporate role, seeking feedback and perhaps coaching will also help you see yourself through other's eyes in an ongoing way.

ronledford's picture

I am a high D and I have no issues with being one. At times taking on an authoritarian role is the correct role. It just is not my preferred role for the long term. In looking at where I am today, I believe I am the one making too much out of this by looking for the "secret sauce" or "magic move." I think I'll still retake just to see if there has been any movement. Fortunately, I am spending my time using MT to prep for two callback interviews and one initial interview. One thing I picked up last week I did not realize I was doing - taking notes during an interview. I have since stopped.

xteenb's picture

I'd say that since DISC has been deemed a reliable and valid assessment tool, your results shouldn't change at all. However, if you took DISC Classic, you might want to take one of the newer Everything DISC profiles. There's one just for management, for example, that might give you more insight into that aspect of your behavior.

I can also "fake" other styles. I think that's what the tool teaches--how to adapt your style when  necessary. And I'm a C. Ten or so years ago I leaned more towards the D, but that was with the Classic profile.

Disclosure: I did some consulting work for the DISC publisher, Inscape Publishing.

eagerApprentice's picture

It did change for me, after I graduated from college (I had been there for 4 years and living a very nice life). 

 

When I was in college, I took the test and got HUGE I with nothing else.

About 2 years later I took it again and got HUGE I with a very close D. 

 

But in that case, I was experiencing the "real world" for the first time, and I think a lot of internal qualities truly did surface.

Ever since then, I take it about once a year with staff as I teach them DISC, it never changes.

 

Adam

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Trigger Networks:We are Global ERP/CRM Cloud Co

ronledford's picture

I opted to listen to the podcasts and read the material provided when I took the DISC, again. 

Thanks everyone for your insights.

BTW and for what it is worth..

 

On my last interview session (five people in four hours) I found my self taking mental notes, cause I don't write notes during interviews anymore, on what I observed as their DISC profiles. 

The admin asst was definitely an I.

The supervisor I met with was an S because she focused on the team, talked about how she felt about the team and slow to answer what she wanted outside of the team. 

One S manager asked me what I did outside of accounting and she wanted to share with me her son's athletic prowess and how she enjoyed going to his games.

A D manager wanted me to know how smart he was but I was a little miffed by him because he avoided eye contact - a red flag to me.

A Co-President (?, I go by the adage "anything with two heads is an abomination") who I feel is a C wanted to talk about techy stuff, his spreadsheet and the data it tracks and how it helps paying "forwards" for future services. Also, he asked me if I would miss my freedom; contract work = freedom; who knew?

Now the final Co-President, D, was interesting because he started talking over me when I was trying to answer his questions. I say he is a D because when I was trying to gather my thoughts before answering he'd start talking again. Now he has some other trait I am trying to figure out because he seems really broken up the current guy is moving on to another company, I mean really broken up.

Anyway, as I left I didn't have a good feel for the company and it was probably mutual, so, onto the next opportunity.