Unlocking Team Potential: A Beginner's Guide to DISC for Better Communication
- Bradley Taylor
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Ever watched your team members talk past each other in meetings? Or noticed how some people dive straight into action while others want to analyse every detail first? These aren't just personality quirks—they're different behavioural styles that influence how we communicate, make decisions, and interact with others.
Understanding these differences isn't just interesting—it's transformative for team performance. That's where the DISC model comes in.
What is DISC and Why Should You Care?
DISC is a behavioural assessment framework that millions of people use to improve teamwork, communication, and productivity. It's not about putting people in boxes or labelling them. Instead, it provides a common language to discuss different working styles non-judgmentally.
The beauty of DISC lies in its simplicity and practicality. It doesn't measure intelligence, values, or skills—it focuses on observable behaviours and preferences. This makes it immediately applicable to everyday workplace interactions.
When teams understand DISC, they gain:
More transparent communication with fewer misunderstandings
Greater empathy and appreciation for different approaches
The ability to leverage diverse strengths more effectively
A framework for resolving conflicts constructively
Improved collaboration on projects and initiatives
Understanding DISC can help recognise and understand when team members approach problems differently and how those differences can strengthen the team.
The Four DISC Styles: A Quick Overview
D - Dominance: Direct, decisive, and results-focused. These team members are confident, action-oriented, and prioritise bottom-line outcomes. They communicate directly and prefer getting straight to the point.
I - Influence: Enthusiastic, optimistic, and people-oriented. These individuals are outgoing, expressive, and value relationships and collaboration. They communicate in an engaging, animated way and enjoy social interaction.
S - Steadiness: Supportive, patient, and reliable. These team members are calm, thoughtful, and value stability and harmony. They listen attentively, speak carefully, and prefer a steady, predictable pace.
C - Conscientiousness: Analytical, precise, and quality-focused. These individuals are detail-oriented, systematic, and value accuracy and expertise. They communicate logically, ask thoughtful questions, and prefer having all the information before making decisions.
Everyone has elements of all four styles, but most of us have one or two dominant preferences that feel most natural. No style is better than another—each brings valuable strengths to a team.
When Styles Clash: Common Communication Breakdowns
Understanding DISC helps explain why some workplace interactions feel effortless while others seem unnecessarily difficult. Here are some common clashes you might recognise:
The Pace Problem: D and I styles (faster-paced) can become impatient with S and C styles (more methodical), perceiving them as too slow or indecisive. Meanwhile, S and C styles may see D and I styles as rushing or not thinking things through.
The Detail Dilemma: C styles focus on accuracy and may provide extensive background information, which can frustrate D styles who just want the bottom line. D styles might appear dismissive to C styles, who value thoroughness.
The Emotion-Logic Gap: I styles express enthusiasm and focus on relationships, which may seem unfocused to task-oriented C styles. Conversely, C styles' logical approach might appear cold or critical to people-oriented I styles.
The Directness Difference: D styles' straightforward communication can feel harsh to S styles, who prefer a more supportive approach. S styles' diplomatic communication might seem vague or indecisive to D styles.
The key insight? These clashes aren't about right or wrong approaches but different priorities and preferences. When team members recognise these differences, they can adapt their communication style to bridge the gap.
Putting DISC into Practice: Try These Today
Understanding DISC is valuable, but applying it is where the magic happens. Here are three simple activities you can use with your team right away:
1. Style Spotting
At your next team meeting, notice behaviours that might indicate different DISC styles:
Who jumps straight to action items and decisions? (Potential D style)
Who brings energy and gets others engaged? (Potential I style)
Who ensures everyone's voice is heard and maintains harmony? (Potential S style)
Who asks detailed questions and considers potential issues? (Potential C style)
Appreciate how each approach contributes to the team's effectiveness.
2. Communication Preferences Check-In
Ask team members to share briefly:
How they prefer to receive feedback
Their ideal amount of detail in instructions
Whether they prefer to discuss ideas in groups or process independently first
How they like to be recognised for contributions
This simple conversation often reveals DISC preferences and helps everyone adapt their communication accordingly.
3. Strengths Appreciation
Have the team identify specific situations where different approaches are valuable:
When do we need decisive action? (D strength)
When do we need enthusiasm and collaboration? (I strength)
When do we need patience and supportive listening? (S strength)
When do we need careful analysis and attention to detail? (C strength)
This helps team members see value in styles different from their own and understand when to leverage each approach.
Moving Beyond the Basics
While these simple activities can start shifting your team's dynamics, the real transformation happens when DISC becomes part of your everyday language and interactions. Teams that fully embrace DISC develop a deeper understanding of each other, communicate more effectively, and collaborate with greater ease.
The most successful teams don't just understand DISC intellectually - they actively adapt their approach based on others' preferences. They recognise when a situation calls for directness, enthusiasm, patience, or precision, and they flex their style accordingly.
Want to go deeper with your team? A facilitated DISC workshop can provide personalised insights, guided discussions about team dynamics, and tailored strategies for applying DISC to your specific challenges. When teams experience DISC together, they develop a shared language that continues to enhance their communication long after the workshop ends.
Remember, understanding behavioural styles isn't about changing who you are - it's about expanding your ability to connect effectively with others. And that's a skill that transforms not just teams, but entire organisations.
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