Using DISC to Make Better Work Decisions

The following is adapted from Solving the People Problem.

Quick, make a decision: Dogs or cats? Pepsi or Coke? Country or city?

In answering these questions, you likely didn’t need to spend time analyzing; you could choose in an instant, relying on your gut.

Far more than you may realize, when you make decisions—particularly in time-constrained, high-pressure moments—you rely almost exclusively on your “gut.” 

Sometimes your gut instinct leads to excellent decision-making. In fact, that gut instinct can be one of your best tools in leadership, but when you allow your gut to make your choices without being aware of your biases, your DISC-oriented limitations can negatively influence the outcome of your decisions. 

By understanding where you fall on the DISC model (Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, and Conscientiousness), you can learn to counter your impulses when they overrun their usefulness, so that you are always making your best decisions.

What’s Your DISC Style?

If you already know your DISC style, skip this section. If not, here’s a quick way to estimate your style.

First, do you consider yourself more questioning and skeptical or more accepting and warm? If you consider yourself more questioning and skeptical, you will be either a D or C style.  If you consider yourself more accepting and warm, you will be either an I or S style.

Now, do you consider yourself more fast-paced and outspoken or more cautious and reflective? If you consider yourself more fast-paced and outspoken, you will be either a D or I style. If you consider yourself more cautious and reflective, you will be either a C or S style.

Combine the two answers, and you have your DISC style. 

Decision-Making for D-Personalities

As a D-personality, you likely have a natural assertiveness that can make decision-making feel easy. You probably have a tendency to make decisions in the interest of driving results and pushing things forward. You will find that your gut often leads to excellent decisions in moments when quick results are most crucial. 

However, your D-personality may also lead you to rush decisions without taking the time to involve others or consider relevant data. You also might not fully consider the needs of the people impacted by your decisions. This can make your decisions seem impatient and insensitive. 

As such, before your next big decision, pause for just a moment and make sure you not only think about the results you are trying to deliver but also whom the decision will impact and what they might need related to it. Ask yourself, “What might my S-style colleagues think about if they were making this decision?”

Decision-Making for I-Personalities

As an I-personality, you are focused on keeping the team energized and happy, and you likely have a tendency to get enthusiastic about ideas. So you make excellent gut instinct choices when you need to inspire and build momentum. 

As an S, you probably like movement, so you’re often interested in making decisions as quickly as possible. You may also focus more on the big picture than on the details. Of course, as they say, the devil can be in the details. With these tendencies, your decisions can appear to be too impulsive. 

As such, before your next big decision, pause for just a moment to consider the specifics of what’s required to make your decision come to life. Ask yourself, “What might my C-style colleagues think about if they were making this decision?”

Decision-Making for S-Personalities

As an S-personality, you likely have a tendency to think about the people around you when you make decisions. As such, your gut choices will tend to be great for improving collaboration. 

However, you can end up worrying too much about how your choices might make people uncomfortable. This can lead to you delaying a choice over concerns for how it will affect others. You might also shy away from more risky decisions in the interest of maintaining stability. 

As such, before your next big decision, pause for just a moment and consider whether you are being bold enough in pushing for results. Ask yourself, “What might my D-style colleagues think about if they were making this decision?”

Decision-Making for C-Personalities

As a C, you likely have a tendency to make decisions based on logic and facts. Before making a decision, you probably collect and analyze as much data as you can. This means you can trust your gut instinct to always push for greater accuracy.

The unintended consequence of this tendency to research can sometimes be “analysis paralysis,” which can lead to decisions taking a long time. You may even struggle to make a decision at all if there isn’t enough data available.

As such, before your next big decision, pause for just a moment and see if you can comfortably make a decision based on what you already know (without the need to consider further information). Ask yourself, “What might my I-style colleagues think about if they were making this decision?”

DISC: A Tool for Better Decision-Making

Examine your recent decisions. Have you made any missteps related to your DISC style? Did you move too quickly? Too slowly? Were you too concerned with the feelings of others? Not concerned enough?

If any of these issues have surfaced for you, you can use DISC to develop strategies to check those impulses the next time a big decision comes your way. 

If you are a D, take steps to slow down the process so you can curb that need for closure. Consider whether you are being resolute or insensitive in your choices.

If you are a C, push yourself toward a decision even when you feel there could be more data to review. Search for the balance between weighing all the available information and the need to make a decision so the team can move forward.

Likewise, with S’s and I’s, try to balance your emotions with objective criteria to support your natural strengths. An S should try to speed up this process, whereas an I should work to slow it down a bit.

No matter your DISC style, next time you face a tough decision, take a step back, take a breath, and take ten seconds to ask yourself the same basic question: “Are any of my potential limitations coming out in this decision?”

If the answer is yes, or even maybe, it’s time to apply these insights to your decision-making process.

For more advice on how understanding your DISC style can lead to better work performance, you can find Solving the People Problem on Amazon.

Brett M. Cooper and Evans Kerrigan help professionals like you build work relationships that really work. Over the last twenty years, they’ve influenced thousands of people in government, non-profits, and corporate America to work together in more productive, more effective, and more human ways. Through Integris Performance Advisors—the firm they co-founded—Brett and Evans have helped clients increase employee engagement, improve efficiency, and generate hundreds of millions in financial benefit. Brett and Evans are frequent speakers on team dynamics, leadership, and operational excellence. To access more great content and resources, and to connect directly with Brett and Evans, visit SolvingThePeopleProblem.com.