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Interested in people's thoughts on DISC changing over time time. I've done the "test" three times now with my results below. Have others seen a change and did they feel it was a conscious change or just seemed to happen.

Aug 09: 7,4,1,1
Jan 10: 7,5,1,1
May 11: 7,3,1,1

I sort of understand the High I, being less, as I'm trying to address the "too chatty" feedback when dealing with senior staff etc.Overall thought it still says I'm High D,I and I feel that's an accurate representation of me.

Welcome observations from other's who have done it several times.

Glenn

asteriskrntt1's picture

Your DISC is a composite score and is a snap shot in time.  Your mood changes, your experience changes, your health changes, stress levels, relationships etc.  All have an impact.  Now, if you had gone from 7,4,1,1 to 2,2,6,6, well, then you have something weird going on.  Your change is minimal and "normal"

gpsmith's picture

Thanks for your comments.

Glenn
High D,I

svibanez's picture

your profile over time?  My very high "D" didn't surprise me, but I had no idea my "i" and "S" would be in the cellar.  After taking the survey a few months ago, I'm making a real effort to improve my relationship skills to become more effective.  Reading through the description provided, I couldn't disagree with any part of it - my profile is very accurate!

I believe my relationships are improving (slowly) - probably due to increased awareness of my natural style.  I'd like to take it to the point where I don't have to think about how I act.

Has anyone had sustained success with a change effort like this?  Do you have any tips?

Steve Ibanez

DiSC 7114

430jan's picture

Before I was a manager I was much higher in the "s" category and much lower in the "d". I don't really know why the change except probably I just am immersed in decision-making all day every day. I'm different now than I was 20 years ago, but that's really ok with me.

And Steve, life's a journey. I've spent the last 2 years learning, reading and experiencing managing people. I only now feel minimally equipped to coach my staff in some of these areas. I'm still growing and it's ok for me to have to think about my responses for a long while yet. Thoughtfulness = value in my eyes.

If you are a podcast devotee you're going to be getting all the tips that you need. But I'll say that when you get into it  - it still looks a lot like work!

RaisingCain's picture

 

I love this thread. I think it is great that a D wants to try and figure out how to better high D... “Maximize the D…this effective communication thing would be a lot better if I could get rid of that pesky I…S stands for soft, right?...” So, deee.
I wouldn’t worry about slight changes in the I, I would worry about your level of effectiveness communicating with conscientious and steady personalities around you. Right now there is a peer in your organization that is working on how to get through to the nerds (high C’s) and showing the team thinkers (high S’s) that she can “work with that…because she’s a team player.” And when it comes to promotion time they’ll win.
If you took it 3 times you remember this part, this is more for the D’s that haven’t taken the test.
To be more effective, the D needs: to receive difficult assignments and to understand that they need people, to identify with a group, to verbalize reasons for conclusions, and to work well with others who deliberate before deciding.

I’m 5147 and I know statistically speaking that I’m much less likely to get things done when dealing with high I types. So, I’ve developed a plan to be more chatty, and measure the response against the last time I interfaced with that person. That should make me more effective.

RC

gpsmith's picture

RC

Don't get me wrong, while I understand and believe the accuracy of the results that High D,I is me, I know only too well I need to work more on the S,C elements; which as you can see from my score are a real challenge for me.

I guess I was trying to work out if the results would ever greatly change irrespective of the efforts you make. By this I mean, is this the inner you and therefore is pretty much stationary, or should it reflect how over time you've adapted your score. Does that make sense?

Glenn
High D,I

RaisingCain's picture

I see what you mean I know where you are coming from. I'm approaching mine like I'm stuck. Instead of trying to raise my I score I'm trying to raise my effectiveness dealing with i's. Using casts like the high I downfall to watch out for the problems and deal with them. I also try not to overkill my c, there is a fine line between being respected for in-depth knowledge on a complex topic and making others feel stupid.

So, I'm acting like I'm stuck with a 7 C...and trying to behave effectively around i's and s's.

I plan on taking the test again when ive finished with my mentor...in about 9 months. So we'll see.

But, really...if you can fix a slice I think you can raise your C behavior.
Good luck,
RC

robin_s's picture
Training Badge

I agree with RaisingCain on this one.  I think the DISC profile reflects who we are on a deep level.  While we can change our behavior, I don't think we can, or should, change who we are.   For me, the DISC helped me understand myself, but more importantly, it helped me understand my prejudices and frustrations with people who are wired differently.  I'm a high D (6333), and I've been in denial of that for a long time!  It's not how I would have characterized myself - but my spouse and others close to me could see it easily.  Now I am more accepting of who I am, and also of the fact that not everyone sees the world through the same filter.  As so many others have said, I think the key is to learn to interact effectively with people who are different, and it's hard to do that until you understand and accept yourself.

mercuryblue's picture
Licensee Badge

I have done DISC twice, ten years apart. Both times the score was a composite one made up of what other people said about me (five people the first time, ten people the second) and what I said about myself. Reading between the lines here though, it sounds like most people are talking about DISC conducted just on yourself by yourself - is that correct?

DISC conducted solely on yourself about yourself is your perception of yourself and your behaviors. The DISC that other people complete on me is about the behavior they see. Neither one is necessarily the real me - which is perhaps just as well, because the variability in the results from other people is absolutely enormous (which is why I ended up with ten people completing it the second time around), and if THAT'S the real me then I should probably be locked up.

Likewise, I don't think being a high D (or high anything) is a good or a bad thing, and trying to change your score should not be a goal. Your goal should be trying to be more effective! The value of DISC is that it can open your eyes to the strengths and weaknesses of your personal style and how they prevent or facilitate you being effective.

Sometimes it is just. great. that someone is a high-whatever - for example, I have an anesthesiologist friend who is high C - I WANT the person who is mixing chemicals to keep me alive and pain free to be FANTASTIC with detail! 

Your score is not nearly as important as whether you are doing "good D" or "bad D", to put it somewhat facetiously, whether you are using it for good or evil. If your high D is seen by those around you as getting stuff done, great. If it's seen as railroading people and treating them like dirt to reach your own nefarious ends - you have a problem.

When I did DISC the second time (I have forgotten details of the first time), it also included scoring on whether I was doing the "good" or the "bad". This was helpful.

Tellingly, I did Insights (similar to DISC) a couple of years ago. I only completed it on myself. I ended up with an identical score to a colleague who many people found to be difficult, dishonest, aggressive, self-serving and a whole lot of other unpleasant things that I do not want to be! The person who administered the test pulled me to one side, and, saying nothing about my colleague, just said "You use it for good".

 

carguin's picture

I just took a self-assessed DISC test for the second time, two years after the first:

1st time: 2465 - Perfectionist Pattern

2nd time: 1177 - Perfectionist Pattern

 

That shocked me; being aware of my tendencies, I thought I might be slightly more balanced, not more polarized!

I think this is a risk of self assessments; I tried to avoid bias or thinking ahead in the second test, yet I gave the answers I expected of myself. This reinforced and exaggerated my original test results. I probably, unintentionally, dissed myself on the "i" scale in favor of things on the "S" and "C" scales. Certainly a "4" on the "i" scale feels better than a "1"... I'm no extrovert, but the phrases "suspicious, pessimistic, aloof, withdrawn, self-conscious, and reticent" don't describe me either.

 

--

Chris Arguin

Breanna_Ileen's picture

Looking at your DISC, Glen, I clearly noticed that your Ds are constant and stable with little changes in Is and again steady on S and C. 

Aug 09: 7,4,1,1
Jan 10: 7,5,1,1
May 11: 7,3,1,1

Dominance proves to be the greatest factor you have. Your characteristics include a strong mind, ready for challenges, fast in doing things and create an immediate result. I have just read another article showing Disc Test result too and just like you Ds and Is tend to have the highest percentage in a individual's profile. I'm wondering if me and my team will have same result as well. I'm looking at this free disc personality test which I tend to use for my team. Maybe some of you guys can spare your time on checking it and advise me on what you think of it.