There is widespread misuse of the DISC communication styles assessment tool.
Often well-meaning managers use the DISC communication assessment tool by itself to form opinions about potential hires. The DISC model works best when accompanied by an instrument that measures worldview and motivation. To understand only their DISC preferences and disregard their worldview is a disaster waiting to happen.
Using DISC style with world view gets results
I discovered this truism while facilitating a “How to Improve Your Personal Influence” workshop series for a large Texas City.
Many of the department leaders that attended were the steadiness style (‘S’) which values a moderate paced and reduced conflict method, that is hardly the industry conceived attributes of an in charge manager.
Often the ‘S’ style person is not considered to be a good manager. However, these department leaders were high in the individualistic world view drive which values leading a team. So they led their teams with conviction but did it in an easy going, don’t rock the boat style and were extremely effective.
If their ‘S’ style was considered a detriment during the hiring process the city would have missed some really great managers. According to the EEOC, up to 1/3 of the hiring decision can be based on hiring assessments.
Choosing the wrong world view for a job description
An HVAC Company that I worked with wanted to promote an ‘I’ style gregarious, people oriented, staff member to the position of complaint resolution specialist. The owner wanted my endorsement because in his heart he felt his candidate would do the job well because he was so people friendly.
I cautioned that his dominant world view was helping other people who were needy, which would influence negatively how he would adjust their complaints. The owner decided to give him a try anyway and he bombed. Although he engaged customers well he adjusted billing complaints in their favor because he felt their need.
The right person for that job would engage the customer well and explain the billing challenge with no or little adjustment.
Not using assessments with worldview may take you off course
Using DISC assessments along with world view together provide a synergistic blend of the two sciences to give you valuable information for the hiring and onboarding process. Hiring without assessments is like flying without radar.
My assessment provider and partner, Target Training International (TTI), is on the leading edge of developing assessments designed to improve human performance.
They develop and distribute assessments that are used to hire, retain and develop individuals in businesses and organizations throughout the globe.
TTI has sold over 22 million assessments worldwide. They have been helping me since 1998 provide world class service to my clients. They are a phone call away when I need assistance.
Improving your hiring process saves money
What are you going to do next time you need to hire someone? Conduct the same process the same way you did in the past? According to several organizations including the Society for Human Resources Management it takes 1 to 4 times a person’s annual salary to have a miss-hire that is fired after a few months.
A person’s worldview is communicated through their DISC communication preferences.
Call Jim Rooney and he will show you how to use DISC assessments along with world view and motivation so that you can hire the right person the first time.
