What is DISC?

DISC is often described as a "Personality Test". In reality, DISC is really more like a "personality profiling system" which is why we call our profiles the DISC Personality Profile.

A DISC Profile utilizes a method for understanding behavior, temperament, and personality. A DISC Profile provides a comprehensive overview of the way that people think, act, and interact. It is the most widely used profiling tool of its kind, and is supported by decades of validation and reliability studies.

The DISC Personality Profile is based on the work of renowned psychologist Dr. William Moulton Marston, and was introduced in his 1928 book "Emotions of Normal People" . William Marston, a contemporary of Carl Jung, developed the DISC Personality Profile after studying the personality traits, behavioral patterns, and instinctual reactions of thousands of individuals. As a result of his work, Marston developed the DISC assessment as a tool to measure four primary behavioral traits:

Dominant (D)
Direct, outspoken, results-oriented, a leader, problem-solver
Best characterized by: Donald Trump

Influencing (I)
Friendly, outgoing, talkative, optimistic, the life of the party, people-oriented
Best characterized by: Bill Clinton

Steady (S)
Team player, stable, consistent, maintains the status quo, peacemaker, family-oriented, patient
Best characterized by: Fred Rogers

Compliant (C)
Logical, organized, data-driven, methodical, perfectionist, detail-oriented
Best characterized by: Bill Gates

But he never actually developed a DISC Test or DISC Assessment to measure these 4 DISC Styles. In 1940, Walter Clark took the theory of William Moulton Marston and developed the first DISC Assessment. And, infact, it is still the same DISC Assessment that is still in use today!

DISC Personality Traits Breakdown The acronym "DISC" is taken from the first letter of each of these behavioral traits. Categorization as a D, I, S, or C is achieved through answering a short multiple-choice quiz designed to measure an individual’s natural responses in a variety of circumstances. The results of the quiz are used to create a personalized DISC Personality Profile, providing insight into a wide range of DISC Personality Traits and motivating factors.

Although most people will dominant in one of the four DISC Styles, the DISC Test scores participants in all four behavioral traits. This results in an in-depth personalized DISC Personality Profile that takes into consideration the unique ways that the four DISC Traits work together to influence personality and behavior.

Yes, the DISC Test can be used to determine a person’s primary personality type. But a DISC Personality Profile is much more than just a way to label and categorize personality. The DISC Personality Profile identifies patterns of behavior, and can be used to implement solutions for maximizing an individual’s strengths and minimizing weaknesses. The DISC Personality Profile is used in a wide variety of settings, including business, education, sales, coaching, and counselling. Primary applications of the DISC Personality Profile include: 

Strengthening communication skills
Building leadership abilities
Diffusing interpersonal conflict
Choosing attainable goals
Boosting performance and productivity
Increasing motivation
Strengthening workplace skills
Constructing strong teams
Cultivating productive work or study habits
Making smart hiring decisions

The DISC Test and DISC Assessment is used around the world, and is blind to gender, race, and age. Most importantly, a DISC Test and DISC Profile provides an impartial, constructive language to discuss the ways that people think, act, and interact.

Source:https://www.discinsights.com/

More Information:
DISC Overview
What is DISC Personality Test?
DISC Test & DISC Assessment: Explained

5 Aspects of Emotional Intelligence Required for Effective Leadership

Emotional intelligence is widely known to be a key component of effective leadership. The ability to be perceptively in tune with yourself and your emotions, as well as having sound situational awareness can be a powerful tool for leading a team. The act of knowing, understanding, and responding to emotions, overcoming stress in the moment, and being aware of how your words and actions affect others, is described as emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence for leadership can consist of these five attributes: self-awareness, self-management, empathy, relationship management, and effective communication.

As a Navy SEAL veteran, entrepreneur, and leader of one of the fastest growing digital marketing agencies in the country, I have experienced many emotions and become very aware of how those emotions can have a positive or negative effect on my ability to inspire and lead a team. Many individuals try to shut off their feelings, but as much as we distort, deny, and bury our emotions and memories, we can't ever eliminate them.

You can learn to be emotionally independent and gain the attributes that allow you to have emotional intelligence by connecting to core emotions, accepting them, and being aware of how they affect your decisions and actions.

Being able to relate behaviors and challenges of emotional intelligence on workplace performance is an immense advantage in building an exceptional team. One of the most common factors that leads to retention issues is communication deficiencies that create disengagement and doubt.

A leader lacking in emotional intelligence is not able to effectively gauge the needs, wants and expectations of those they lead. Leaders who react from their emotions without filtering them can create mistrust amongst their staff and can seriously jeopardize their working relationships. Reacting with erratic emotions can be detrimental to overall culture, attitudes and positive feelings toward the company and the mission. Good leaders must be self-aware and understand how their verbal and non-verbal communication can affect the team.

To help understand the emotional intelligence competencies required for effective leadership, I would recommend determining where you stand on the below elements.

Self-Assessment: This can be defined as having the ability to recognize one's own emotions, strengths, weaknesses, values and drivers and understanding their impact on others.
Without reflection we cannot truly understand who we are, why we make certain decisions, what we are good at, and where we fall short. In order to reach your maximum potential, you must be confident in who you are, understanding the good with the bad. Those that have a strong understanding of who they are and what they want to work on, can improve themselves on a regular basis.

Self-regulation: Also known as discipline. This involves controlling or redirecting our disruptive emotions and adapting to change circumstances in order to keep the team moving in a positive direction.

Leaders can't afford to lose their cool. Being calm is contagious, as is panic. When you take on a leadership role you can no longer afford to panic when things get stressful. When you stay calm and positive you can think and communicate more clearly with your team.

Empathy and Compassion: Empathy is the ability to put yourself in someone else's shoes and understand how they may feel or react to a certain situation. When one has empathy, the capacity to feel compassion is open. The emotion that we feel in response to suffering that motivates a desire to help.

The more we can relate to others, the better we will become at understanding what motivates or upsets them.

Relationship Management: You can't make deep connections with others if you're distracted. Many of us have families, other obligations, and a crazy to-do list, but building and maintaining healthy and productive relationships is essential to one's ability to gain higher emotional intelligence.
You must have the ability to communicate effectively and properly manage relationships in order to move a team of people in a desired direction.

Effective Communication: In the SEAL teams you have to do three things flawlessly to be an effective operator and team member: Move, shoot, and communicate. Communication being of the utmost importance. Studies show that effective communication is 7% the words we say and 93% tone and body language.
Misunderstandings and lack of communication are usually the basis of problems between most people. Failing to communicate effectively in a workplace leads to frustration, bitterness, and confusion among employees. Effective communication can eliminate obstacles and encourage stronger workplace relationships. When employees know their role within a company and understand how they benefit the overall direction and vision, there is a sense of value and accomplishment. Good communication results in alignment and a shared sense of purpose.

Emotional intelligence is a powerful tool critical for exceeding goals, improving critical work relationships, and create a healthy, productive workplace and organizational culture.

Source: Gleeson,Brent. June 2, 2015 "5 Aspects of Emotional Intelligence Required for Effective Leadership". linkis.com

A Brief History of EQ

In 1980s, the American-born Israeli psychologist Dr. Reuven asked himself, why do some people possess greater emotional well-being? Why are some better able to achieve success in life? And - most important - why do some people who are blessed with superior intellectual abilities seem to fail in life, while others with more modest gifts succeed?

By 1985, he thought he’d found a partial answer in what he called a person’s Emotional Quotient (EQ), an obvious parallel to the long-standing measures of cognitive or rational abilities that we know as IQ, or Intelligence Quotient.

But what exactly makes up one’s emotional quotient (also called emotional intelligence)? BarOn’s original definition (1997) has been revised to the current definition we use: “A set of emotional and social skills that influence the way we perceive and express ourselves, develop and maintain social relationships, cope with challenges, and use emotional information in an effective and meaningful way” (Multi-Health Systems, 2011, p. 1). EQ covers everything from how confident we feel, to our ability to express emotions constructively instead of destructively, to our skills in forming successful relationships, to our ability to stand up for ourselves, to setting and achieving goals, to handling the stress we all face.

This was an interesting hypothesis, but it remained untested—until Bar-On developed an instrument which became known as the EQ-i, which stands for Emotional Quotient Inventory. He believed emotional intelligence was made up of a series of overlapping but distinctly different skills and attitudes which could be grouped under five general theme areas or “realms,” then further subdivided into 15 components or “scales.” This was essentially what came to be referred to as the Bar-On model of emotional intelligence, upon which the EQ-i was developed. Even when the EQ-i was in its infancy, Bar-On had a hunch that the skills it was designed to measure would eventually prove to be even more important than traditional cognitive skills when it came to successfully coping with life’s demands.

Source: Stein, Steven J., PH.D. and E. Book, M.D., "The EQ Edge, the third edition",2011

Flight Canceled

The scene is a typical big-city airport. More than 100 passengers are awaiting their call to board Flight 107, which is already running half an hour behind schedule. Finally, the ticket agent - let's call her Sally - announces the flight has been cancelled due to mechanical difficulties. She thanks the passengers for their patience and asks them to step forward to discuss alternative arrangements. Collective anger sweeps the line of frustrated travellers, whose best-laid plans have suddenly been thrown into disarray.

John's heart sinks. He'd been planning an evening's worth of hard work upon reaching his destination. He has to prepare for an important presentation the following morning, and Flight 107 is the last direct connection of the day. This is disaster in capital letters.

The man immediately in front of him in line - let's call him Sam - is in a rage. When he reaches the ticket counter, he appears to be out of control, cursing loudly and threatening legal action against the airline. "DO you know who I am?" he cries. "I'm the director of sales for Diversified Widgets International!"(Because this is a true story, we've disguised the true name of the well-known Fortune 500 company.) "I've got to close a deal that's been in the works for six months. You have no idea how much it'll cost me to miss this flight. And you're going to pay for it! You and your damn fool airline! I'll never fly with you again! You're incompetent and I'm going to report you, and I'll see that you're demoted if it's the last thing I do!" With that, he turns on his heel and stalks away, muttering further imprecations over his shoulder.

John's position is no less difficult than Sam's. He's traveling for the not entirely welcome purpose of meeting at nine o'clock the next morning with the top managers from his largest account. They want him to justify the cost of his services, because they've received a lower competing bid. If he's not on time - which by the looks of things he won't be - they may interpret his absence as a sign that he no longer values their business. If he loses their business, his annual bonus and perhaps his job will soon be under scrutiny. John had planned on making the final changes to his presentation software in the privacy of his hotel room that evening. Now he has no hotel at all, and tomorrow's early flight won't get him there in time.

This scenario could easily be a recipe for panic. But John knows he must somehow keep his cool. John spends a minute or so analyzing his predicament, always aware of how he's feeling. He tells himself to remain calm. There has to be a solution, if only he keeps his head. He can't quite stem his anxiety, but he pays attention to and understands the depressing and uncomfortable thoughts that creep in from the edges of his consciousness. 

When he reaches the ticket counter, he's prepared. "It must be hard for you to have to deal with people like that." he says to Sally.

"You have no idea," she replies - but her half-smile shows that she thinks he just might.

John smiles back. "The airline's got problems and people think it's your fault? It doesn't make sense to blame you. Really, I feel bad for what you have to put up with."

By this time, Sally is regaining both a wider smile and her confidence. "It comes with the job," she says. "now, how can I help you?"

John briefly explains his plight, and manages to convey how appreciative he’d be if there were anything she could do. He says he’d be willing to take a camel if it could get him to his presentation on time.

Sally manages a laugh, and turns to her keyboard. After what seems like an eternity, she comes up with a route which will take john 1,000 miles out of his way – but that, with a change of plane, will get him to his hotel room by midnight. He thanks her profusely and adds that he’ll be writing a letter of commendation to the airline.

The result? John gets to his destination, a little bit jet-lagged but more or less prepared, because he puts his time aboard the alternative flights to good use. Sam, however, is hung out to dry, forced to scramble in order to find a hotel near the airport, where he broods on the fact that he won’t make his appointment and shouts at the person who delivers his room service order.

Why do we like to tell this story? Because the two men’s experiences cover almost every component of emotional intelligence, from self-awareness and empathy to impulse control and optimism. Note that their respective success and failure had virtually nothing to do with IQ or rank or position. John’s adventures had a happy ending in large part because he made good use of his people skills, whereas Sam failed because he had no people skills to speak of.

Source: Stein, Steven J., PH.D. and E. Book, M.D., "The EQ Edge, the third edition",2011
picture Source: http://www.resortpropertyrealty.com/mammoth-lakes-a-stress-free-lifestyle/

15 Dimensions of EQ

Source: Stein, Steven J., PH.D. and E. Book, M.D., "The EQ Edge, the third edition",2011


David is an accomplished individual and is generally considered by his peers as a “model student”. However, upon entering University, David quickly realized that he is surrounded by students who are even more capable and smarter than he. In a recent exam, David receives an A, but his two best friends receive A+’s. He feels unconfident and depressed. How should he resolve his attitude?

Jenny is an attractive and intelligent young lady. Many people would think she has lots of friends. However, she likes to express her opinions about other people, often in a critical and insensitive fashion. Jenny believes that she is being honest, and that people who do not like her are simply jealous of her. How should Jenny improve her interpersonal relations?

John picked a major based on his parents’ thoughts; but he knows that what he is studying is not what he wants. Concerned that his parents would be disappointed in him, he cannot muster up the courage to let them know what he thinks. His grades start to slip, and he becomes unmotivated and unhappy. How should he resolve this problem?

Jack just broke up. He cannot understand why his ex-girlfriend Jasmine is so heartless to him; she even started dating someone who, in Jack’s opinion, does not measure up to him. Jack wants to know why, but Jenny refuses to explain. Jack feels confused and hurt… 

Sounds like some pretty common scenarios, don’t they? They may very well have happened to you or someone close to you. Yet they are unavoidable experiences in a person’s journey to maturity, as he or she enters the world of real life and adulthood. The path to a healthy resolution of these problems has to do with our Emotional Intelligence.

Nowadays we utilizes EQ-i 2.0 (Emotional Quotient Inventory, EQ-360 and EQ-i: YV), the world’s most widely used and reliable EQ assessment tool to assess the Bar-On model of emotional-social intelligence. The EQ-i is a report measure designed to measure a number of constructs related to EI. The EQ-i consists of 133 items and takes approximately 30 minutes to complete. It gives an overall EQ score as well as scores for the following five composite scales and 15 subscales (Bar-On, 2006). 

The 15 Dimensions of EQ:

Composite one: Self-Perception
∙ Self-Regard: Accept yourself even if you are not perfect
∙ Self-Actualization: A meaningful life with your own goals
∙Emotional self-awareness: Did anybody tell you how ugly it was when you got mad?

Composite Two: Self-Expression
∙ Emotional expression: Do you need a opposite gender 'friend'?
∙ Assertiveness: How do you say ‘No’ without being offensive?
∙ Independence: Yes, you left your parents already

Composite Three: Relationship
∙ Interpersonal Relationship: Why can’t you make friends?
∙ Empathy: Sympathy is just an emotion; empathy is an ability
∙ Social Responsibility: Improve someone else’s life and you will be happier

Composite Four: Decision Making----a result with an emotional component
∙ Problem Solving: Feeling, Thinking and Doing
∙ Reality Testing: How far is your vision from reality?
∙ Impulse Control: Can you wait for a moment?

Composite Five: Stress Management
∙ Flexibility: Change for Change
∙ Stress Tolerance: Don’t leave away, don’t give up
∙ Optimism: Your psychological capital

Our company provides diagnostic coaching class which will be delivered in an interactive and discussion-based fashion based on EQ-i report, helping you better understand yourself and other people. It will teach you how to manage your intrapersonal and interpersonal relations, and guide you to develop a measurable action plan for personal improvement. Successful completion of this course will greatly benefit your academic, professional, and personal growth and empower you to face some of life’s most difficult challenges with confidence!

More Information

The EQ Edge: Emotional Intelligence and Your Success(Sample)
The Student EQ Edge (Sample)
MHS EQ Assessment

Please feel free to leave comments if you want to know more.

What is EQ (Emotional Intelligence)?

Does personality determine your destiny? In truth, there are strengths and limitations for each personality type, and there are many successful and unsuccessful stories for each. The real important factor is not personality per se, but how you manage your unique personality---- we call that Emotional Intelligence.

Furthermore, EQ (emotional quotient, a measurement of emotional intelligence) is found to be a better predictor of success than IQ, personality, experience or any other factor one commonly thinks of.

However, emotional intelligence as a concept is frequently incorrectly understood or simplified. In fact, emotional intelligence is defined as ‘a set of emotional and social skills that influence the way we perceive and express ourselves, develop and maintain social relationships, cope with challenges, and use emotional information in an effective and meaningful way.'

An EQ assessment report usually consists of 15 dimensions. It’s like a blood test, which contains a number of indicators. It would be wrong to look at any one indicator to conclude that a patient has blood problems! A correct diagnosis would be that the specific indicator needs attention.

Many people mistakenly believe emotional intelligence to work like a number on a scale. For example, if you meet a charismatic person, you will likely conclude that he is emotionally intelligent. But he can only be described as “empathetic” or “people smart”. After working with him for a while, you realize that he is indecisive, slow to act, and easily stressed out. In other words, he lacks important aspects of emotional intelligence such as “decisiveness”, “impulse control” and “stress management”. It is like how the public views thin people in our Hollywood swooned era; no one ever realizes that beneath a beautiful body lies a host of illnesses.

On the other hand, what would you say about a person who is easily angered, with a booming loud voice and a temper to match? Steve Jobs, for example? Would someone like that be considered emotionally intelligent? If your definition of emotional intelligence is being “empathetic” or “people smart”, then there is no way someone like that would pass the test. But if you consider emotional intelligence to include “influence”, “decision making”, ‘problem solving’ and “flexibility”, then you might consider our quick tempered friend a genius! Of course, this is simplifying emotional intelligence for ease of communication, like how you would describe a scrumptious dose of BBQ sauce as simply “sweet”.

Picture Source: http://blog.meraevents.com/2014/07/30/workshop-on-emotional-intelligence-at-workplace/