DISC Profile Results - What To Look For In Your Graphs
The basic DISC profile results graph looks amazingly simple, and yet it yields a wealth of
information.
People often speak about their DISC personality style as if they only have traits from one of the
four quadrants. That perspective limits the full range of information and insight that you can gain
by learning to read the many clues afforded by your DISC profile results graphs.
This page is written assuming that you already understand the basics of the DISC model.
Contents at a Glance
1. DISC Profile Results Interpretation Tip #1
2. DISC Profile Results Interpretation Tip #2
3. DISC Profile Results Interpretation Tip #3
4. DISC Profile Results Interpretation Tip #4
DISC Profile Results Interpretation Tip #1
Look For Highs and Lows
This is pretty simple. Any trait above the dotted midline is
considered a "high" trait, and any trait below the dotted midline is considered a "low" trait.
About 80% of the general population has two traits above and two traits below the midline.
About 15% have three traits above and one trait below the midline. And, about 5% has one trait
above the midline and three traits below the midline.
The higher the trait is above the midline, the stronger it is in that person. Likewise, the lower it
is, the less intense the trait is in that person.
So, roughly 95% of the population has at least two traits above the midline. This means that the
vast majority of people have consistent behavioral traits that come from at least two of the four
trait quadrants.
In the case of the graph to the right, notice that three of the traits are above the midline and one is
below the midline. This graph happens to represent one way that the traits can exist in a person's
unique blend. It is not better than other blends. It is not worse than other blends. It just represents
one type of blend.
In this case, the graph shows strong C, D, and S traits with very low I traits. This represents a
C/DS style blend. (By the way, the graph is me.)
DISC Profile Results Interpretation Tip #2
Look At Opposite Traits
One clue to better understanding what the graph tells you about a
person's blend lies in looking at the relative position of their "opposite" traits.
When you look at the DISC model, you can see that D and S are opposite traits and that I and C
are opposite traits.
The relative position of these traits can significantly impact how a given trait reveals itself in any
particular person.
For example, the graph to the right is my wife Sandra. She has lots of D and I traits, midline C
traits, and very low S traits.
Compare her graph to Alexandra's graph. Alexandra is our youngest daughter.
Notice that Alexandra has D and I traits very similar to her mother's. However, Alexandra's S
trait is nearly as high, or as strong, as her D trait, and her C trait is very low.
Based on the graph's, you would expect Alexandra to show a less "intense" D trait the her mother
because Alexandra's S trait "balances" her D trait.
Likewise, her I trait is more "intense" than her mother's because Sandra's C trait brings a little
more "balance" to her I trait.
From an observable behavior standpoint, you would expect that even though Alexandra has a
strong desire to lead and to control her environment (D trait), she prefers to do it in a helpful,
supportive manner (S trait). Even when she demands action, she tends to be worried about other
people's feelings.
By comparison, you would expect Sandra to speak and act in a much more direct manner without
the "softness" of Alexandra.
Looking at their I and C traits, you would expect Alexandra to tend more towards "silly" humor
and outburst of laughter. Whereas, you would expect Sandra to enjoy laughter and fun with
slightly few outbursts and giggles.
And that is exactly what we see in our home.
DISC Profile Results Interpretation Tip #3
Look At Relative Intensity of Traits
To gain understanding about what might happen during an
interaction between two people, look at the relative intensities of their traits.
For example, notice that Sandra and I have similar D plotting points in our DISC profile results
graphs. Sandra's D trait is very slightly higher than mine, but not by a great deal.
Looking at the C trait, notice that my C trait is quite a bit higher than Sandra's even though her C
plotting point is right at the midline.
In many respects we are similar. We both have a very strong task-orientation (D and C traits)>
While we have similarities in our task-orientation, we are significantly different in our peopleoriented traits.
I have a reserved people trait (S), and Sandra has an outgoing people trait (I).
In interactions with others, I prefer to wait for them to speak and to help them. Sandra prefers to
initiate the conversation and have fun with people.
Neither is right or wrong. They are very different.
As a result of these differences, we have to carefully monitor some of our interactions.
I tend to ask lots of questions (C trait) that feel like an attack to Sandra (I trait).
She tends to speak loudly and quickly (D and I trait). Unfortunately, her excitement looks a great
deal like anger to me because of my S traits.
Fortunately we understand these dynamics, and we work to head off problems before they spiral
into escalating conflict driven by a mismatch of communication styles.
DISC Profile Results Interpretation Tip #4
Pay More Attention to the "Basic" Graph Than to the "Environmental" Graph
When you complete a DISC personality test, you will receive two graphs as part of your DISC
profile results.
One graph represents your "natural," or most comfortable, behavioral style.
The other represents your "environmental," or adapted, behavioral style.
The detailed explanation of the differences lies outside the scope of this web page. So, to keep
things simple, consider it this way. Your natural style represents how you would likely behave if
you had no external influences. Your environmental style shows how you have adapted to fit
your environment.
This adaptation is not necessarily bad. The two graphs and any differences between them just
give you some information for comparison.
When you interact with another person, pay more attention to their basic style than you do to the
environmental style.
Their basic style graph gives you the clues you need to understand how they prefer to be spoken
to and what type of environment in which they would likely prefer to live and work.
When you work to understand and communicate to people based on their basic style, you
improve the odds of a great connection and you minimize the odds of a conflict.