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•Hippocrates taught that the ways in which a person behaved were directly
related to the balance of four ‘humours’ – like blood or phlegm – within
their bodies.
•It was the Greeks who first attempted to describe human behaviour in any
kind of scientific way.
•Each of these humours was connected with one of the four Greek
elements – air for blood, for instance, or water for phlegm.
Character
• Key research at Harvard by Marsten in the 20’s and 30’s
Hu
•DISC assessment developed in the 50’s by Walter Clark
But what’s interesting about the Greeks’ approach was how they
understood the connections between their four elements.
we can map out these relations using two axes – one between wet
and dry, and the other between cold and hot. Where each set of axes
meet, we find one of the four elements
the American thinker William Moulton
Marston, who laid out his own ideas in his
1928 book, The Emotions of Normal People.
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How to love How to love High D
•Desire – Fun
if . . .
Her voice is loud
Her clothes are loud
She TELLS you everything
She is easily distracted from work
She is excited about something
She hugs you the first time she meets you
She trusts you immediately
She forgets something
She seems a little too happy to be sincere
She wants your approval
She considers you a dear friend after one meeting
Famous Examples – Oprah, Bill Clinton,
Bette Midler, Arnold Schwarzenegger
People in my life with a High I
style are
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How to love How to love “High
I”
Praise her!
Make it fun!
Be warm and friendly
Allow her to express ideas and opinions
Get excited with her and be realistic
Allow frequent interaction with people
Make use of her verbal skills
Realize her “out of sight, out of mind” tendency
Write the details down
Give her structure and a support system
Show affection
People like this can be expected to
show a persuasive and even
charming nature. Where a Dominant
person might be bluntly demanding,
an Influential person will prefer to
use strong communication to
achieve their aims.
HIGH INFLUENCE – what
motivates
1. Popularity - social recognition
2. Monetary rewards to cover expensive living
3. Public recognition to indicate bis/her ability
4. Freedom of speech - people to talk to
5. Favourable working conditions
6. Group activities outside of job
7. Democratic relationships
8. Freedom from control and detail
9. To feel good about the job
HIGH'I‘- value to the
organization
INFLUENCING of people to act positively and
favourably.
Contacting people
Making favourable impressions
Verbalisation
Exhibiting poise
Motivating people to act
Desiring to help others
Generating enthusiasm
Entertaining people
Participating in the community
Radiating optimism
INFLUENCE - Leadership
strengths
Positive, persuasive and enthusiastic in getting
people to follow then- lead. Adopt a demonstrative
style to encourage everyone to participate.
Leadership and motivation limitations
Can be too optimistic and are sometimes carried
away with their own optimism and hyperbole,
which can lead to them being unrealistic.
Imluencers may place too much emphasis on the
individual at the expense of the group and
particularly the task.
INFLUENCE
Communication, strengths
High influencers tend to be verbally assertive and
articulate, with good use of words and effective
delivery.
They communicate with enthusiasm and/or humour and
usually therefore hook the interest of the listener(s).
Invariably they will use body language to emphasise a
particular point they are trying to make.
Because they fear rejection, they give the impression of
listening intently when another person is speaking.
They send regular listening signals to reassure the
speaker that the message is being received
INFLUENCE
Communication limitations
Wherever possible, high influencers avoid writing
because they are more comfortable with concepts and
emotions than with facts. Their writing style tends to be
informal and quirky.
In reality, their listening is selective and opportunistic,
waiting for a hook to latch on to. They may even
mentally rehearse their own next sentence whilst
someone else is speaking.
They tend to skim-read to pick up the gist of a
document and then to feign
knowledge of the subject matter.
When speaking, they have a tendency to waffle without
focus or direction. Their body language is excessive
and may be distracting.
HOW THE HIGH "I" WILL
APPEAR
Very enthusiastic and friendly.
Often inattentive to details, such as keeping appointments and double booking, so
may not give you much time.
Positive and verbal, tells stories and anecdotes.
Could appear superficial and impulsive.
Happy to share their feelings.
Very friendly handshake - may pump or hold.
Office may well be untidy and disorganised.
May have pictures of self or awards for performance.
Stylish, fashionable, casual furnishings, gimmicks, executive toys, the latest
electronic gadget or computer.
Likely to dress stylishly, fashionably or even flamboyantly. Good colour co
ordination.
Generally looks professional but often ends the day untidy or even dishevelled.
Friendly, sociable and courteous - hospitality is important to them. Friendly, steady
eye contact - usually smile with their eyes.
Much hand and body movement - will even use hand movements to describe
something over the telephone.
Generally open and relaxed style. Will touch or hold others as a sign of friendship
or sincerity.
While seeming very interested or concerned, may delay a decision. Prefers to
persuade or coach rather than confront aggressively or demand.
S is for Steady S
Steadiness
In the third
quadrant, we
stay with Open
behaviour, but
more Receptive.
High S
• People Oriented
• Slow Paced
• Methodical
• Systematic
• Reliable Low S
• Steady • Task Oriented
• Relaxed • Fast Paced
• Modest • Impetuous
• Impulsive
• Flexible
• Eager
• Impatient
High S High S
•Dominant Emotion – No Emotion
•Desire – Peace
•Fear – Change
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How to love “High S”
• Begin with a personal comment
• Ask HOW questions
• Give her time to prepare for change
• Create a peaceful environment
• Allow her to work with a few close associates
• Look for hidden emotion
• Get her involved
• Make use of her relational savvy
• Let her know how valuable she is to you
• Allow adequate time for family and friends
• Enjoy her sense of humor
Steadiness
Receptive people don’t show the same levels of energy and
drive as those on the Assertive side of the model.
Instead, we expect to see more Patient, Even and Calm
characters in this area.
People with this type of behaviour tend to dislike change or
uncertainty, so they plan their actions Thoughtfully, and
tend to work Persistently once they’ve set out on a task.
Though they’re generally less confident or outgoing than
Influential types, people of this kind are still Open,
but that Openness to others tends to be shown in an
Amiable and Generous nature.
Steadiness
strengths
They listen carefully, coach and counsel and generally
adopt a caring approach. They are often perceived as
genuine and approachable.
Leadership and motivation limitations
May move at the pace of the slowest in order to keep
the team together, which can frustrate those who are
more dynamic. This may lead to them over-
emphasising the group and the individual at the
expense of the task. May appear to lack a sense of
urgency (but remember the tortoise and the hare).
STEADINESS
Communication strengths
Individuals with steadiness characteristics are good
listeners. They have the patience to wait until the
speaker has finished articulating a point before they
formulate their reply. They also have the
thoroughness to check out then-understanding.
They are equally comfortable communicating in the
areas of facts and feelings.
Their writing style is comprehensive as they aim to
cover all angles.
Because they fear insecurity they read every page
thoroughly from cover to cover, missing nothing.
STEADINESS
Communication limitations
Those with high steadiness tend to lack
confidence as verbal communicators
outside defined and secure areas.
Their single paced, measured delivery
can be boring to other styles, who tend
to lose interest.
The quantity of peripheral written
communication that they generate tends
to detract from the central message.
Their body language is restrained.
HOW THE HIGH -S- WILL
APPEAR
Methodical, organized and thorough, but relaxed and often apparently contented.
Security conscious and often reluctant to change the status quo rapidly -
Tends to question in order to clarify and verify and, although apparently convinced,
will also make tentative statements.
. May have a slow pace or response, particularly when presented with a problem or
question they have not experienced before.
Often a good listener, but may appear lacking in imagination because of a
thorough but cautious approach/response to a problem.
Friendly, firm, sincere but not a flamboyant or aggressive handshake.
A secure, comfortable environment. Often there is a name plate on the door. plus
one on the desk.
Pictures of possessions and/or family, certificates of competence.
Desk well organized, often with neat piles of papers, books and magazines.
Furnishings are usually comfortable and may also be old fashioned or worn.
Tends to dress appropriately but for comfort rather than fashion. May lack color co-
ordination. Men in particular will tend to dress for utility and comfort, m clothes
they have become familiar with over a long period of time.
Generally very courteous and welcoming. Warm, friendly, sincere eye contact,
often used as an aid to their willingness to listen carefully and considerately.
Relaxed but not demonstrative. Often displays defensive posture and gestures
with people they do not trust, or in a competitive/aggressive situation.
Prefers to manage or smooth the situation, rather than rush in with an aggressive
decision
C is for Compliance
Compliance
The Receptive element meets
Control.
people in this area are also
generally undemonstrative
and undemanding
but their Controlled element
means that they have a more
individualistic approach
They tend to see life in terms of
structure and rules, and they’re
concerned with being as
Accurate and Precise as
possible.
High C
• Task Oriented
• Slow Paced
• Analytical
Low C
• Contemplative
• People Oriented
• Conservative
• Fast Paced
• Exacting
• Careless with
• Careful
details
• Deliberate
• Unbending
• Arbitrary
• Uninhibited
• Self-righteous
High C
• Emotion – Fear
• Desire – Perfection
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How to love “High C”
• Respect her quiet nature
• Don’t touch her, respect her space
• Be accurate, realistic, neat, and organized
• Be punctual
• Give her all the data she needs
• Give her time to make decisions
• Ask questions to draw out concerns
• Make use of her critical thinking skills
• Enjoy her commitment to quality
• Give her tough problems to solve
• Be sensitive and supportive
• Help her lighten up
Compliance
They’re often Cautious in nature, and Sensitive to
changes and developments.
With other people, their Receptive side makes them
rather Restrained, while their cautious and Controlled
communication style means thatthey’re also quite
Diplomatic.
While people of this kind are not as naturally sociable as
those showing Steadiness, they can see the value in Co-
operating with others to achieve a goal.
Compliant people combine the undemanding nature
associated with Receptiveness with a Controlled
approach to others, and this combination makes them
generally focused on rules.
COMPLIANCE – what
motivates
1. Standard operating procedures
2. Exposure limited to area of expertise
3. Security (protection through rules)
4. References
5. Reassurance
6. Authorised and agreed changes
7. To be pan of a group
8. Personal attention
9. Logical associate
10. Opportunity to perform
competently
HiGH “C” – value to the
organization
compliance with exacting standards to avoid
error, trouble or danger.
Following directions or standards
Controlling quality
Concentrating on detail
Operating under controlled circumstances
Being diplomatic with people
Checking for accuracy
Complying with the rules
Adhering to procedure
Avoiding trouble
Criticising performance
COMPLIANCE - Leadership
strengths
They brief others with extreme care, they answer
questions and queries. Very good at leading others in a
technical or specialist environment, where they can lead
through, and be respected for, their expertise.
Leadership and motivation limitations
Often appear rather cool and distant. Their
perfectionism can be off-putting. They tend to spend too
much time writing memos, which for some are too
clinical and tend to dampen their enthusiasm. They are
more concerned with "things" rather than people.
COMPLIANCE
Communication strengths
Individuals with high compliance write clearly
and crisply without any ambiguity or padding.
They listen primarily for facts and absorb those
facts effectively for later recording and recall.
Because they fear direct confrontation they
speak factually, with evidence to
support their statements.
Being perfectionists, they read documents very
carefully indeed to ensure that they understand
COMPLIANCE
Communication limitations
Compliant people tend to avoid dealing with
emotions and feelings as part of communication.
In general they lack the confidence to
communicate outside their own area of
expertise.
Their communication, whether oral or written,
tends to be packed so tightly with facts that the
listener can be overwhelmed-
When communicating verbally, their delivery
tends to be dry and pedantic and their body
language is minimal.
HOW THE HIGH "C" WILL
APPEAR
Prepared for your visit, unhurried, organized and punctual.
Time disciplined and systematic.
Tends not to share personal feelings.
Detailed, logical, precise and cautious phrasing of questions. Very fact, detail and
evidence-orientated and if not totally satisfied will be very reluctant to make a decision.
Looks for precedents or policy to support a decision or action. Loose, brief possibly even
nervous handshake.
Very neat, orderly, almost impersonal office. The desk is often clear apart from your
file/letter etc.
Everything is neatly and precisely filed in a system that works.
Conservative, neat, smart business clothes. Might be mistaken for a high "I" except that
the high "C" avoids the flamboyant or very fashionable and stays neat all day.
Very polite, correct and diplomatic.
Tends to avoid a lot of eye contact, particularly in an aggressive or hostile situation. May
therefore appear to have fleeting-or evasive eye contact.
Tends to be cautious about expressing feelings through gesture or facial expression so
may be seen as "expressionless" or cold.
May give a nervous laugh, cough or pause to gain thinking time, or to try and soften a
potentially contentious statement. Can get defensive when threatened- May yield
position to avoid conflict but if/when certain they are right will quote facts/policy/rules
and be authoritative.
Autocrat, Communicator, Planner,
Analyst
High D and High I
Dominance relates to
Assertiveness and Control,
high Influence relates to
Assertiveness and
Openness.
For a person whose
behaviour combines the
two, the emphasis is
strongly on Assertiveness,
which is common to both
of these factors.
So, we’d expect them to
be direct, proactive, and
impatient.
High D and High I
In terms of Openness and Control,
though, there’s a balance at work here.
A person with this type of profile is not
strongly oriented towards either
extreme, and is capable of acting
independently, or working with others,
as a situation demands.
These combinations of qualities are
often needed, for example, in sales
roles
High D and Low S
Another level of DISC analysis comes from the ‘sub-
traits’, which look at relations between pairs of factors.
For example, in this graph we see a high Dominance
score, and a low Steadiness score.
We call this combination ‘D over S’ for short, and it
relates to the sub trait of Self-motivation: people with
this characteristic tend to show a driving and impatient
behavioral style, and as the name suggests, they’re
motivated by their own success.
High D and High C
Dominance and
Compliance come
together is not
Assertiveness, but
Control, and Control is
indeed the watchword
for this graph shape, and
for the type of person it
describes.
High D and High C
A person like this will want power over their own
conditions, and they can often seek to achieve
this, through the direct and determined ‘Dominant’
feature of their style.
Notice, though, that this style is balanced between
Assertiveness and Receptiveness.
For example, in practice, we often find that people
with DISC graphs like this one prefer to work within
a set of rules, and will do their best to ensure that
those around them do so too
Entrepreneur
Accountant
Your primary style is DOMINANCE.
• Hesitant
• Mild
• Low decision need
• Non-demanding
• accomodating
Low “I”
• Reserved
• Reflective
• Suspicious
• Self-conscious
• Probing
• serious
Low “S”
• Mobile
• Alert
• Active
• Restless
• demonstrative
Low “C”
• Firm
• Persistent
• Stubborn
• Strong-willed
• indpendent
Flick up C
• Follows rules
when it matters
Sweep Down C
• Rule breaker
• Unconventional
Sweep Down C
• Extremely
stubborn
Stress