DISC personality types

Personality Types and DISC

Human personalities are highly varied and complex, and the full DISC assessment system is designed to reflect that variation and complexity, but sometimes it can be useful to break down personalities into a few fundamental types.

We can do that with a DISC test because at it is based, at its deepest level, on a pair of simple personality axes. The first of these is a continuum between Assertiveness (pro-active, direct behaviour) and Receptiveness (responsive, reticent behaviour). The second describes a scale from Openness (sociability, expressiveness) and Control (reticence and caution). Taken together, these two axes form a grid, and by placing a personality somewhere on this grid, we can draw all sorts of useful conclusions.

This brief article discusses some of the key features of the eight most basic DISC personality types. If you want to look further into the theory behind the two axes, you'll find lots of background information in our Understanding DISC reference guide.

Four Personality Types, and Four More

Sometimes one of the four fundamental styles will predominate in a person's approach to life, and so we get our first four basic personality types: Assertive, Receptive, Open and Controlled.

Just as often, though, a personality will combine elements from two of the axes, so (for example) we'll find a person who's both Assertive and Open, or both Receptive and Controlled. There are four possible combinations like this, and together they give us another four personality types: Dominant, Influential, Steady and Compliant. (These latter four in fact give rise to the four DISC factors, and their initials give 'DISC' its name).

A Grid of Personality Types

We've laid out these eight below according to where they fall on the two major DISC axes. For each of the eight types you'll see a checklist describing the type of personality associated with that type; if you want to find out more about any of the types, just click the link for a more detailed DISC analysis.

You'll find more about these types, and about more specialised terms like 'Pressure' or 'Strategy', in Understanding DISC.

Dominant Efficient, self-motivated, independent Overview Direct, ambitious, competitive, demanding Values Results Seeks Control Avoids Weakness Pressure Dictating Approach Efficient, responsive Strategy POWER More...	Assertive Self-motivated, independent, enthusiastic, self-confident Overview Direct, outgoing, ambitious, sociable Values Results and attention Seeks Control and approval Avoids Weakness or isolation Pressure Dictating or attacking Approach Friendly, responsive Strategy POWER/PEOPLE More...	Influential Friendly, enthusiastic, self-confident Overview Outgoing, sociable, gregarious, expressive Values Attention Seeks Approval Avoids Isolation Pressure Attacking Approach Friendly, receptive Strategy PEOPLE More...
Controlled Efficient, self-motivated, accurate, sensitive Overview Cautious, direct, self-reliant, objective Values Results and procedure Seeks Control and facts Avoids Weakness or uncertainty Pressure Dictating or evasive Approach Exact, efficient Strategy POWER/PROOF More...		Open Friendly, self-confident, patient, persistent Overview Sociable, trusting, gregarious, sympathetic Values Attention and support Seeks Approval and time Avoids Isolation or change Pressure Attacking or compromising Approach Friendly, supportive Strategy PEOPLE/PROMISE More...
Compliant Co-operative, accurate, sensitive Overview Cautious, precise, restrained, diplomatic Values Procedure Seeks Facts Avoids Uncertainty Pressure Evasive Approach Exact, detailed Strategy PROOF More...	Receptive Patient, thoughtful, co-operative, accurate Overview Cautious, amiable, calm, precise Values Support and procedure Seeks Time and facts Avoids Uncertainty or change Pressure Evasive or compromising Approach Patient, detailed Strategy PROOF/PROMISE More...	Steady Patient, thoughtful, persistent Overview Amiable, calm, generous, even Values Support Seeks Time Avoids Change Pressure Compromising Approach Patient, supportive Strategy PROMISE More...

Try the Approach App

Looking at personality types like this can give you some useful insights into your own personality, and it can be invaluable when dealing with other people. The Approach iPhone app uses just this model to help you hone your negotiation and sales skills.