Home / What is DISC?
What is DISC? The four behavioural styles explained
DISC is a model for describing how people tend to behave at work: how they make decisions, deal with other people, set their pace and approach rules and detail.
It does not measure intelligence, skill, values or character. It describes preferences, and most people can and do behave outside them when a situation asks for it.
Where DISC comes from
The model is usually traced to William Moulton Marston's 1928 book Emotions of Normal People, which described four behavioural tendencies: dominance, inducement, submission and compliance. The names used in workplace tools today are Dominance, Influence, Steadiness and Conscientiousness.
Marston did not publish the questionnaires in use now. Those were developed later by other practitioners, which is why different DISC tools differ in wording, scoring and reports.
The four styles
Two questions sort the styles: is a person's pace fast or steady, and are they more focused on tasks or on people?
| Style | Pace and focus | Tends to | May find harder |
|---|---|---|---|
| DDominance | Fast, task-focused | Decide quickly, take on challenges, say what they think | Waiting, listening to long discussion, softening a message |
| iInfluence | Fast, people-focused | Energise others, build relationships, think out loud | Detail, follow-through on routine work, working alone |
| SSteadiness | Steady, people-focused | Support others, stay calm, keep a consistent pace | Sudden change, saying no, pushing back |
| CConscientiousness | Steady, task-focused | Check facts, set high standards, plan carefully | Deciding with incomplete information, loose deadlines, open conflict |
Nobody is only one letter. Most profiles are a blend of two or three styles, and the shape of the blend matters more than any single score. Someone high in D and i behaves quite differently from someone high in D and C.
What DISC does not tell you
- Ability or performance. A style is not a skill. Every style has people who are excellent, and people who struggle, in the same job.
- Who will succeed in a role. Independent evidence that DISC profiles predict job performance is limited. See DISC for hiring.
- Anything permanent or complete. A profile reflects how a person answered on a particular day, in a particular frame of mind.
- Anything clinical. It is not a diagnostic or mental health tool.
Using DISC well
DISC works best as a shared language: a way for a team to talk about differences without blame. “I need a bit of time to check the detail before I agree” is easier to say than “you are slow.” It is useful for self-awareness, coaching conversations, understanding why a working relationship is hard, and noticing which styles a team lacks.
In our own review of the research on behaviour change, we did not find a controlled study showing that a DISC debrief on its own changes how people behave. What the research does support is turning insight into specific plans, practising them over time, and getting feedback. That is how AXIS360 DiSC Engage is built.
Use it with care in hiring
A DISC profile should never be the reason a person is hired or turned down. Read DISC for hiring before using it in a selection process.
Next: How the assessment works →Reports →Engage →
Talk to us
Questions about running assessments for your people or your clients? We will reply by email.
Email hi@nonverbals.comSign in