Get to Know the C Personality Type

Among the DiSC® personality types indicated by the assessment, one in particular is good with details. Those demonstrating conscientiousness, or C personality types, are usually introverts who are action-oriented. They’re extremely competent and their dedication to details and analysis result in careful decision-making.

C Personality Types, Up Close

Conscientious types have a highly analytic work style and place a strong value on being accurate. They work very precisely and are dedicated to following established policies and procedures. Organization is what they’re good at, and as action-oriented folks, they’re likely to be more comfortable working with information than people.

C styles place a premium on being prepared and can feel frustrated by folks who don’t take minding the details as seriously as they do. C types can be a good complement to coworkers who have an easy time with big-picture thinking – they’re good at the underpinning details.

C types aren’t those who are going to lead a group or brainstorm big ideas; however, they are going to come up with the hard questions and poke holes in ideas – this way, they can feel comfortable that something is going to work because they’ve planned out all the possibilities. That said, Cs are pretty non-confrontational. They prefer calm workplaces where they can just get down to business and do what they need to do.

When Working with Conscientiousness Types

Working with folks who are so conscientious is sometimes easy because coworkers can have a high degree of confidence in what they say. A C type has most certainly been investigating, exploring, and pushing the limits of the information they have at hand; they’ve looked at every angle to come up with the best answer to a problem.

Because Cs are so invested in process and accuracy, one of their big fears is criticism; when working with a C type, being diplomatic and specific when providing feedback can allay some of those concerns. They can also be frustrated by coworkers who see their thoroughness and attention to detail as simply slowing down a project or being too much of a perfectionist. When pushed, C types can shut down and withdraw.

C personality types like rules, well-defined parameters, and clear expectations; not having those things can cause them stress. Because they’re so involved in the details of a project and they’re so comfortable working behind the scenes, Cs may sometimes need to make an extra effort with human relationships and connecting with coworkers. Their analytical mind may also lead to questions that others might see as critical, when really, Cs just want to know more. When Cs work on developing stronger interpersonal skills, it can mitigate some of the risk of looking cold or hypercritical.