WHAT IS DiSC®? 

DiSC Assessments: A Guide for Canadian Business Leaders

DiSC® is a widely utilized personal assessment tool that promotes team cooperation, communication, and efficiency in workplaces across Canada. The Everything DiSC® model offers a shared language that Canadian business leaders can use to become more cognizant of themselves and the people they communicate with, and then use such knowledge to minimize disagreements and enhance collaborative relationships.

DiSC is an acronym that stands for the four main personality profiles described in the DiSC model: (D)ominance, (i)nfluence, (S)teadiness and (C)onscientiousness.

  • People with D personalities tend to be confident and place an emphasis on accomplishing bottom-line results.
  • People with i personalities tend to be more open and place an emphasis on relationships and influencing or persuading others.
  • People with S personalities tend to be dependable and place an emphasis on cooperation and sincerity.
  • People with C personalities tend to place the emphasis on quality, accuracy, expertise, and competency.

THE DiSC® ASSESSMENT EXPLAINED

A person primarily in this DiSC quadrant places emphasis on accomplishing results and “seeing the big picture.” They are confident, sometimes blunt, outspoken, and demanding.

i stands for influence

A person in this DiSC quadrant places emphasis on influencing or persuading others. They tend to be enthusiastic, optimistic, open, trusting, and energetic.

S style

A person in this DiSC quadrant places emphasis on cooperation, sincerity, loyalty, and dependability. They tend to have calm, deliberate dispositions, and don’t like to be rushed.

C style

A person in this DiSC quadrant places emphasis on quality and accuracy, expertise and competency. They enjoy their independence, demand the details, and often fear being wrong.

No DiSC style is “better” than any other, and all CEOs, presidents, and entrepreneurs demonstrate each of the four styles in their daily lives. DiSC—and other types of assessments— simply help leaders find out which style they tend to gravitate toward most. 

WHY SHOULD CANADIAN BUSINESS LEADERS USE DiSC®?

The Everything DiSC Workplace® is more than an assessment of you. It’s about learning how to collaborate, communicate and get along with those you work with.

At its core is your unique Everything DiSC Workplace profile, a thorough analysis of the factors that influence people’s personalities and behaviour in the workplace, based on the DiSC model. This includes your individual DiSC style, priorities and nuances; your motivators and stress triggers; an overview of the various DiSC styles and how you react to them; and advice for improving your relationships with those in your organization.

After completing the assessment, your unique Everything DiSC Workplace profile is then shown in a personalized, 20-page report that supplies thorough advice and strategies for cooperating with people of different types and establishing more beneficial and rewarding relationships with your colleagues and employees.

Download Sample Report

I KNOW MY STYLE. WHAT’S NEXT? 

After evaluating your results, it is a good idea to consult with people who know you and ask for their opinions. This can assist you in recognizing any of your personal shortcomings. Consider the following questions:

Do I genuinely reveal my true self?

How am I perceived by my employees?

Am I doing all that I can to direct my employees in the best way possible?

D-style leaders, are you pausing and allowing input from others?

I-style leaders, are you allowing other people to be heard and taking the time to analyze data?

S-style leaders, are you articulating your thoughts and actions and moving at a faster pace?

C-style leaders, are you prioritizing your team members more than tasks?

At the end of the day, your natural approach should be trusted and you should play to your strengths. The objective is not to change who you are, but to build trust in yourself and become more aware of your environment. Knowing and developing your blind spots is the most advantageous way to realize your full leadership potential.

HOW LEADERS CAN SUPPORT STYLE STRENGTHS

D Style

All individuals have the ability to solve problems, but those with a more intense D-Style approach problem-solving aggressively. It is important to provide them with the chance to step up and solve the problem effectively.

i Style

If you’re collaborating with someone who has an I-Style, they may rely heavily on their emotions and intuition. I-Styles prefer to persuade others through emotions rather than presenting them with hard facts. Therefore, it’s best to avoid providing them with excessive amounts of factual information to avoid losing their interest.

S Style

The S Style is an exceptional listener and team player, however, they may not readily express their own views. It is important to acknowledge this boundary and work to establish trust with them before expecting them to share their thoughts.

C Style

The C Style is known for their careful and deliberate decision-making approach. It would be beneficial to recognize and take advantage of their cautious style to carefully evaluate all available options.

HOW LEADERS CAN HELP EACH STYLE GROW

D Style

Assist the D-Style in developing their empathy and patience skills.

i Style

Assist the i-Style in acknowledging and managing their emotions, while also improving their attention to detail and ability to follow through.

S Style

Encourage the S-Style to be more assertive and vocal in expressing their thoughts, as their listening skills and perspective are highly valuable.

C Style

Encourage the C-Style to accept that decision-making without all the information is acceptable, as it is impossible to have all the facts at all times.

TEC CANADA CEO MEMBERS GAIN ACCESS TO DiSC WORKPLACE®

The TEC CEO group is designed for CEOs, presidents, owners, and leaders of large enterprises with a vision and drive for developing sustainable businesses in our global economy. Connection in this group will help you champion innovation and collaboration within your organization while strengthening your leadership skills⁠. Among several benefits, we proudly offer all TEC CEO members complimentary access to Everything DiSC Workplace®. To learn more about the TEC CEO program and to see if it’s the right peer advisory group for you, click here.

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