The DiSC® Personality Test – NOT!
DiSC® is not a personality test. I repeat – DiSC® is not a personality test. Personality tests are used to measure someone’s psychological makeup or character. DiSC® is often referred to as a personality test because the term “personality test” is familiar. To help you understand the DiSC® personality test, which is really an assessment profile, let’s explore the differences between actual personality tests and DiSC®.
People’s personalities are often tested by asking them to either rate how much or how little a statement applies to them; or, asking them to tell you their interpretive response to a specific scenario or object. The former, known as self-report inventories, are thought to be more reliable and valid than the latter, which are known as projective tests. A disadvantage for either test is subjects being deceitful by fudging the answers to make themselves appear more “normal” than they really are. Also, these tests can be long or, when a person’s actual body language is observed during responses, subject to misinterpretation. The DiSC® personality test does not suffer from these disadvantages.
Why? Because DiSC® is not a personality test – it is a personality assessment. The difference in these two terms is simple: DiSC® is a tool used to assess behavioral traits. DiSC® is one way to understand a person’s temperament and behavior. It helps broaden awareness and brings enlightenment about ourselves and the people around us. It is a tool that can help build bridges of connection.
If you must refer to it as the DiSC® personality test, then keep in mind that the answers to the “test” will help you understand how your behavior influences a personality of a different behavioral trait. Yes – it helps people understand themselves and others.
It is a way to assess a person’s instinctive responses by using a quiz offering multiple choice answers. It may even reduce a test taker’s anxiety about how their answers will be viewed. Why? Because the categories of behavior resulting from the answers appear non-threatening. Your behavior type is classified as either dominant, an influencer, steady or compliant. How harmful is that? In fact, it might make it okay to refer to the DiSC® personality test if the subject understands the classification will reveal insightful information about coworkers as well. This information just might help them appreciate others, too.
Understand the benefits of telling your employees about the DiSC® personality test – which is really a personality assessment. Knowing they are not testing will relieve some people’s stress. The biggest benefit is that the results will inform employees about their behavioral responses and those of their coworkers. Clearly, that is a great benefit for building a stronger work force.
Contact Magnovo Training Group to learn more about the DiSC® personality test.
