It is hard to believe that a 20-minute personality questionnaire can identify a person’s leadership preferences and behaviors, yet this is exactly what the DiSC assessment claims to do. DiSC, an acronym for dominance, influence, steadiness, and conscientiousness, the four personality categories the assessment identifies (see Figure 1),(1,2) originated from William Marston’s 1928 book Emotions of Normal People.(3) More than 40 million people have taken the test in the United States, including many physician leaders.
Figure 1. DiSC Assessment Primary Personality Types
Although the validity and reliability of personality tests like DiSC have been questioned, such assessments can benefit physicians who want to build their self-knowledge and relationship skills.(4,5)
DiSC Preferences
Let’s look at each of the preferences and their characteristics.
Dominant persons are fast-paced, action-oriented, and decisive. They get things done. They are task-oriented and motivated by competition, achievement, and results. Their desire to get things done can come at the expense of being insensitive to others’ feelings and ideas and inattentive to details. Dominant persons often talk more and listen less.
Influencers are people-oriented, enthusiastic, and collaborative. They have warm, social, optimistic personalities. They are also fast-paced and get things done through their warmth, enthusiasm, and collaborative skills. They are motivated by a desire to be liked and accepted; however, their desire to socialize and collaborate can interfere with their ability to stay on task.
Steady leaders are warm, supportive, and accommodating. Like influencers, they value relationships. They are motivated by their desire to maintain stability and the status quo. Similar to conscientious leaders, they reflect before making changes.
Conscientious leaders are logical, analytical, fact-driven, and precise. Like dominant leaders, they are task-oriented and motivated to achieve results by doing things right. Their desire to get it right can cause them to be risk-averse and to move slowly on initiatives.
Here are caveats and limitations to keep in mind when interpreting DiSC:(6)
It is easy to pigeonhole a person into one of the DiSC categories. It is much harder to spend time and energy getting to know a person’s unique qualities, gifts, and experiences. One of the primary functions of a physician leader is to recognize, develop, and elevate team members,(7) which requires investing in relationships over time.
Although we may wish we fit into a different category, one style is not better than another. The styles simply represent preferences, and as stated previously, a style can be a blend of more than one preference.
Although we can have more than one style, we tend to operate in one particular quarter of the circle, especially when stressed.
The circle of preferences does not account for context and environment. How we behave at work may differ from how we act at home.
The model does not account for a vital leadership characteristic: the ability to flex from our preferred style to another style when the situation calls for it, such as an S who is called to lead a Code Blue.
Theory Into Action
Imagine you are a physician leader in conversation with another physician leader who happens to be your new boss. She has assigned you to lead the development of a new sepsis protocol for the hospital. She sets an unrealistic timeline for you, and as she walks out the door, she asks whether you have any questions.
You think to yourself, “Yes, I have many questions. Are the critical care doctors on board with the plan? Do we have IT support? Nursing support? Will I have a project manager? This is a huge endeavor; how can I manage to get it done with everything else on my plate?”
Her quick delegation and pushy approach to the new protocol irritate you, but you say nothing. The boss wants quick action, and you want more time to reflect, organize, and do things right. This is a case of a dominant person (D) clashing with a conscientious person (C). How can both people get what they want?
If you are C, here are questions to ask yourself: What am I feeling right now during this conversation? Anxious and irritated? Why? Is it because she is different from me? Too much like me? Do I share my frustration with D now, or pause and return later for a less emotional conversation? Why is D pushing so hard? Is she under pressure from her boss? Can I find a way to empathize with her situation? Do I simply accommodate and follow her directive, or do I find the courage to challenge her and get what I desire?
You refrain from voicing your concerns in the meeting but suggest that you meet again. One week later, you share your concerns and your desire to make sure the correct protocols are put in place and reviewed with the right people to ensure project success.
If you are D, you are not happy about extending the timeline. You ask yourself: What am I feeling right now? Why am I feeling angry and frustrated? Do I pause and listen more carefully and deeply to what C is proposing? Do I push harder or find a way to get what we both want?
For C and D to get what they both want, they need to be aware of their own preferences as well as those of the other person. Otherwise, they risk getting less than optimal results and possibly damaging to the relationship.
Benefits of DiSC
The benefits of using DiSC in such situations include:
Keeping the four characteristics of DiSC in mind when communicating with others reminds us that we often have different leadership styles and preferences, especially when conflicts arise. Acknowledging these differences may increase our sensitivity to the needs of others, stimulate us to adjust our approach, and help us get what we want for our colleagues, teams, and ourselves.
Conflicts arise when we fail to recognize and accept a leadership preference that clashes with our own style. Even though they have the same preferences, two influencers can be so focused on collaborating that they fail to attend to the tasks that will achieve the outcomes they desire.
Understanding DiSC may prevent us from overreacting when another person says something that provokes us. Why am I feeling irritated now? Is C being obstinate and resistant to change, or is he simply making sure his team has a logical, organized plan to implement the sepsis protocol? Do I need to step back and listen more closely to his ideas and plans?
Know Thyself
We have complex personal and professional experiences that influence who we are as individuals. Developing self-knowledge and social awareness is a life-long journey. Committing to journaling, coaching, relationships, feedback, and education are important ways for physician leaders to build emotional and social intelligence.(8) DiSC is not a substitute for the hard work required to build lasting emotional and social intelligence.
That said, it is an easy, albeit imperfect, tool to identify the leadership preferences of oneself and others. Knowing these preferences may allow leaders to stay in conversation to get what they want before they inadvertently offend the other person.
Great communication among leaders and teams starts with knowing themselves and their teammates. DiSC is one practical way to facilitate the conversation.
References
DiSC Profile. What Is DiSC? https://www.discprofile.com/what-is-disc
Fallon N. What Kind of Leader Are You? Business News Daily. February 21, 2023. https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/8692-disc-assessment.html
Marston WM. Emotions of Normal People. New York: Harcourt, Brace and Company; 1928. https://doi.org/10.1037/13390-000
Goldberg E. Personality Tests Are the Astrology of the Office. The New York Times. September 17, 2019. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/17/style/personality-tests-office.html
Beard A. How Work Styles Inform Leadership. Harvard Business Review. Mar-Apr 2017; 58–59.
Pierre DE, Okstad J. Utilizing Leadership Assessment Tools in Graduate Education. New Dir Stud Lead. 2021:87–95. https://doi.org/10.1002/yd.20445
Shanafelt T, Trackel M. Wellness-Centered Leadership: Equipping Health Care Leaders to Cultivate Physician Well-Being and Professional Fulfillment. Acad Med. 2021;96:641–651. https://doi.org/10.1097/ACM.0000000000003907
Childs SF. The Emotionally Intelligent Physician Leader. Washington, DC: American Association for Physician Leadership; 2022.