Intentional relationships can be healthy when we take the time to learn a little more about each other. The DISC personality is an easy tool to use in the home, in the workplace, and in our community.
The purpose of learning each other’s personality with the DISC is to lay a foundation of mutual understanding which will help us build positive communication based on individual strengths and areas of improvement. When we effectively communicate and reach each other’s core “being,” we validate our identity and purpose as a family, co-workers, or community.
Let us look at the four personalities – DISC.
D Personalities
D Personalities are Outgoing/Task-Oriented. They are natural leaders full of energy, very decisive in their time, tasks and communication. High D personalities are known for their problem solving while Low D personalities are known for their planning.
The Problem Solver is quick to make decisions, highly focused on the big objectives and tasks that help them achieve group goals. High D’s act with a sense of urgency to get things done, perform well in challenging situations and are willing to take risks.1
The Planner is able to solve routine problems very quickly; plan carefully with attention and focus on detail. They are known for their patience when it comes to solving problems. The Planner likes to learn all the facts before making their well-informed decision and taking action. The Planner appreciates input from those around them.2
For more detailed information about the D Personality: D Personality – How to Understand Ourselves and Others Pt 1 – Strength with Dignity
When we understand the great leadership qualities a D brings to the table, we value their ability to problem-solve and plan using the “big” picture to overcome obstacles and get the task before them accomplished with excellence. ~Lisa Blair
I Personalities
I Personalities are Outgoing/People-Oriented. I Personalities are focused on having fun. The High I’s are known for the influence while the Low I’s are known for their support.
The Influencer is known for their persuasive ability to influence other people’s thoughts and opinions. They enjoy interacting with people, delight in collaborating with others and problem solving alongside them. Their adventurous spirit makes them readily available to interact with new people and tackle new and interesting projects. They attract people because of their outgoing and engaging personality.3
The Supporter is known for their warm and friendly tone which enables them to connect on a deeper level and create trust. The Supporter provides a calm presence in a stressful environment, provides support to other members of their family or project group to achieve the group goals, and provides a feeling of team unity which builds loyal relationships.4
For more detailed information about the I Personality: I Personality – How to Understand Ourselves and Others Pt 2 – Strength with Dignity
When we understand the enthusiastic energy I’s bring to the table, we value their ability to bring fun, optimism and unity to a group. Their ability to draw others out and communicate their own ideas, truly brings authentic collaboration between all group participants. ~Lisa Blair
S Personalities
S Personalities are Reserved/People-Oriented. S Personalities are focused on peace and unity. High S’s are known for their steady and stabilizing affect while the Low S’s are known for their adventurous sightseeing ways.
The Stabilizer are known for their steady life. You can count on them living their life the same way every day with predictable routines. In a group setting, the Stabilizer creates harmony as they pay attention to the needs and concerns of those around them. They are great team players! They are good organizers and can create new systems of organization and structure.5
The Sightseer are known for their desire to stay active through adventurous opportunities to try new things. They enjoy experiencing new adventures, pursuing interesting opportunities, and exploring the unknown. The Sightseer is committed to active expressions for their personal freedom.6
For more detailed information about the S Personality: S Personality – How to Understand Ourselves and Others Pt 3 – Strength with Dignity
When we understand the steady, dependable, and supportive qualities an S personality brings to our group, we value their commitment, loyalty, sincerity, and stability. Their patient, even-tempered and pleasant manners make them a desired group member. ~Lisa Blair
C Personalities
C Personalities are Reserved/Task-Oriented. C Personalities are creative people who focus on details because they want to do things right. High C’s are known for their ability to follow rules while the Low C’s are known for being innovative.
The Rule Follower is known for their ability to follow standards and regulations. They are comfortable analyzing large amounts of information; provide clear parameters and procedures for any task they are given; solve problems in a deliberate and methodical manner. The Rule Follower approaches new situations with caution but are known to maintain quality assurance and all their work is done with excellence.7
The Innovator is known for their creative approach to new tasks and situations. They adapt easily to different situations, are quick to experiment to find the best solution, and take personal responsibility for the results. The Innovator feels rules are made to bent or broken to generate new ideas or to obtain results. They are less compliant and more flexible than the Rule Follower.8
For more detailed information about the C Personality: C Personality – How to Understand Ourselves and Others Pt 4 – Strength with Dignity
When we understand the amazing creativity combined with detailed logic that C’s bring to the table, we value their ability to invent, organize, and problem-solve with our project. Their innovative mindset sets them free to soar above obstacles of convention. Give them tools and time, and they will create something outside the box. ~Lisa Blair
Quick DISC Personality Overview Chart
How to Have Intentional Relationships using the DISC Personalities
Understanding the strengths and challenges of the four basic personality types is invaluable!
Understanding the DISC personalities enabled me to be a better parent. For example, one child wasn’t taking initiative with mealtime chores. I couldn’t understand their “lazy-type” behavior as they were responsible in every other situation. When I discovered they were a pure S personality, focused on relationships, I learned I needed to “ask” for their assistance because they couldn’t “see the need” due to their primary focus on people versus tasks.
I overcame this “challenge” by creating a detailed chore chart that outlined what everyone was responsible for, when they were responsible to do it, and the desired result. It helped our family tremendously! When doing extracurricular events outside of the detailed chore chart, all I had to do was ask, and my pure S joyfully answered yes.
Let us look at another family to see how understanding the four basic DISC personalities helped them. A friend of mine had three High I personalities, and one High S personality. The three High I’s didn’t give up their spontaneity, but they learned to prepare their High S for change.
This is how they applied their understanding of the DISC personalities to their family: My friend would announce, “Susie, we have decided to go to the zoo this morning. I know you are enjoying playing quietly in your room, but we will be leaving in 20 minutes.” Then my friend would repeat it at 15 minutes, 10 minutes, 5 minutes, and 2 minutes. At the one-minute mark, it was time to assist the High S in putting on their shoes so they could leave for the zoo.
This took intentional effort by my friend in order to have a life-giving relationship with their pure High S personality child. However, this intentional effort is healthier than their prior interactions: an announcement of “time to go to the zoo” followed by a complete emotional meltdown because the child thought they were going to play quietly in their room all morning and it was interrupted with a “surprise” trip to the zoo.
Intentional relationships start with understanding the four basic DISC personalities.
The book that assisted me the most as a parent and helped me understand my children, Different Children, Different Needs: Understanding the Unique Personality of Your Child. Written by Charles F. Boyd and Robert A. Rohm who did an incredible job outlining the four personalities in children. I appreciated all this book had to offer, but I found their chart which lists how different parent personalities relate with their different children’s personalities was outstanding! Their tips gave me the tools I needed to walk with my children in a life-giving manner.
Understanding the four basic DISC personalities enabled me to be a better teacher. Frustration changed to patience once I understood the strengths and weaknesses of the four personalities. Instead of trying to “change” a student to make them all into perfect C students, I learned to work with their personalities and strengthen their strengths. I do not think I would have made it twenty-six years in education without understanding the basic four DISC personalities. Here’s an overview chart I found helpful:
I trust this overview of the four basic DISC personalities will inspire you to dive deeper into understanding yourself, your family, your friends, your co-workers, and others in your community. As you become familiar with the four personality types, you can pick up the “clues” from the waiter at the restaurant, the clerk at the grocery store, etc., and interact with them in a positive manner.
We can have intentional relationships, and they can be life-giving. Understanding the four basic DISC personalities brings about awareness of each personality’s strengths and challenges. This awareness of personalities helps us to live with one another in an understanding way. We can have life-giving intentional relationships.
Recommendations:
For more detailed information about the four DISC personalities: Home & Family – Strength with Dignity
References:
1 Problem Solver High D. Published by wizehire. Retrieved August 8, 2022, from DISC Profile: High D Personality Type (Problem Solver) – WizeHire
2 Planner Low D. Published by wizehire. Retrieved August 8, 2022, from DISC Profile: Low D Personality Type (Planner) – WizeHire
3 Influencer High I. Published by wizehire. Retrieved August 8, 2022, from DISC Profile: High I Personality Type (Influencer) – WizeHire
4 Supporter Low I. Published by wizehire. Retrieved August 8, 2022, from DISC Profile: Low I Personality Type (Supporter) – WizeHire
5 Stabilizer High I. Published by wizehire. Retrieved August 8, 2022, from DISC Profile: High S Personality Type (Stabilizer) – WizeHire
6 Voyager Low S. Published by wizehire. Retrieved August 8, 2022, from DISC Profile: Low S Personality Type (Voyager) – WizeHire
7 Rule Follower High C. Published by wizehire. Retrieved August 8, 2022, from DISC Profile: High C Personality Type (Rule Follower) – WizeHire
8 Innovator Low C. Published by wizehire. Retrieved August 8, 2022, from DISC Profile: Low C Personality Type (Innovator) – WizeHire
32 thoughts on “DISC Personalities – How to Have Intentional Relationships”
Lisa … a friend was just telling me how much she appreciated this way of looking at personalities. It helped her understand her husband more and they’ve been married for many decades! Thanks for this thorough explanation of how the DISC system works.
The DISC really helped us as a married couple and as parents, Lois.
Love these four quadrants realized how long it’s been since I thought about DISC!
It has been quite some time for me too, Michele, but I’m so glad I refreshed my memory!
I really can see how this can be applied in our day to day life to understand ourselves and our partner better.
It really helped our family, Corinne!
Lisa, fabulous information here. I have spent much time on learning about personality types, and it definitely helps me nurture my relationships. Understanding others and even ourselves better opens more doors for ministry.
So true, Donna! I think understanding personalities is a significant key to having better relationships.
You grabbed me with that first line, Lisa. I love the whole idea of relationships being intentional. For sure, they don’t just happen or grow without being purposeful in the process.
Thanks for this reminder to pour into the lives of those God brings onto our paths.
Happy weekend to you, friend.
So true, Linda, we must be purposeful in our relationships. The Lord bless you!
I love looking at personality profiles to better understand each other! This is a good one. I probably am a C type myself, and my husband is probably an S. The more tools we all have to connect with each other, the better. This is a great way to be “intentional” about our relationships. Glad you linked this at our One Word post!
You’re so right, Lisa, the more tools we have to connect with each other, the better!
Hi Lisa!
This article was incredibly thorough and such a great read!
It was helpful for me to read the examples that you provided when you talked about your kids. I have 5 kids ranging from ages 5 to 20. They all show different characteristics of each side of the DISC model depending on the situation. It can be challenging parenting 5 children who are ALL completely different from one another. One parenting strategy works well for one but not so well for another. It’s not easy being consistent across the board, when they all have different needs. Kids observe everything, so it’s hard to use different strategies without them comparing…ugh. This article was encouraging and very useful. I’m looking forward to buying the book, “Different Children, Different Needs!” Thanks so much Lisa!
-Valerie
I’m so glad you were encouraged, Valerie! I have a larger family and understanding the DISC was very helpful for all of us. I think you’ll find the book very helpful, especially the chart in the back of the book that lists the parenting styles with each child’s personality type. They have free DISC tests online, just google it. And it’s great to study it as a whole family as it helps the children understand each other too.
Wow! I’ve never heard of this classification system before–it’s very intriguing. It certainly helps us get along better when we take the time to get to know each other more!
I think you would enjoy studying the DISC, Anita. It is a simple, yet thorough understanding of the four basic personality types. I enjoyed this refresher study as it has been quite some time since I was first exposed to the DISC.
DISC – is probably the first personality profile that I knowingly completed.
I agree that this type of excercise can be helpful in gaining self awareness and relationship cues..
Sadly, I have also seen them used to pidgeon-hole people which led to much pain & bitterness. We have to remember that there is much more to a person than the answers they provide on a test at a single point in time.
I’ve seen very little of the negative side of personality tests (pigeon-hole), Barb, but I have seen a lot of good from understanding ourselves and others. I think the DISC is one of the easiest personality tests to understand though I did appreciate the Myers-Brigg assessment when I had it done. Day-to-day though, it is the DISC that has helped me understand the “core” of where someone is “coming from” and helped me to appreciate their “strengths” and understand their “opportunities for growth” from a more life-giving perspective than I would have had if left to my own understanding. I think the DISC has led me to appreciate people to a greater extent. And I believe I have expanded my ability to encourage others in how they are “wired” because of the DISC. Thanks for popping by for a visit, Barb!
This is so cool Lisa! I think I’m an S personality. This is very helpful in understanding our friends, family members and coworker’s personalities better. Thank you for this valuable resource 🙏💕
I’m so glad you found it helpful, Donna, as it has really helped me in understanding myself, my family, and others.
This is so interesting and helpful! I’ve done a lot of personality research, but have never studied this! It can really help us understand why people act the way they do (and then, Lord willing, extend grace!)!
I find the DISC to be the easiest personality assessment to understand and to apply to everyday living, Stacey. I hope you’ll buy the book I recommended, as I found it helped me when I was a parent of little ones. Especially the chart in the back of the book with parenting personality styles interacting with their children’s personality styles. It is extremely helpful!
Lisa, this is interesting, and I can see how it can help. Thank you for your explanation of DISC. I have had to take them in job applications before. I will look more into it to help my relationships and communications.
I think the DISC is the easiest personality assessment to understand and apply to daily living, Deborah! It is very helpful in understanding others, then communicating in a way they “feel” valued.
I had not heard of this particular system, but hearing about different personality types greatly helped me with one of mine that I couldn’t figure out for a long time.
It is amazing how understanding our children helps us as parents, Barbara! Even doing this study helped me understand my youngest daughter when I discovered she is a Low S, Sightseer.
Interesting read…I find myself to be a combination of a couple of these. Perhaps there are others who didn’t seem to fit predominantly in one category.
Anne, you can take a free DISC test online; just google it. Some people are just one and others are a combination. I’m a DC which is a rare combination – less than .5% in women and less than 3% of the total population. When I found out the characteristics of my personality type, it helped me so much! I hope it helps you too, if you choose to pursue to explore the DISC deeper.
This is such a wealth of information Lisa. And I appreciate you teaching us about it. Looks to me like I’m an S. Studying this will be a great resource towards understanding the dynamics of interactions with friends and family.
Thanks bunches for linking up with Sweet Tea & Friends.
The DISC is helpful in understanding in ourselves and others, Paula. Thanks for hosting!
This seems to be a revamp of Hippocrates original theory of the four temperaments; Choleric, Sanguine, Phlegmatic & Melancholy, Lisa. Always helpful in a greater understanding ourself & those around us.
Blessings, Jennifer
It does help us understand ourselves and others better, Jennifer.