DISCover Your Temperament

Good counselors and educators do things well.

Great counselors not only do things well but also teach and inspire others to do things well.

One of the advantages of training counselors in DISC temperament assessment is that it opens up a whole new way to communicate with kids, parents and other educators. In addition, it is an easy concept to share with others (yes even kids) so that they not only understand themselves better but can also communicate better with others. DISC temperament assessment adds an  innovative and creative tool to the counselor toolbox.

Not familiar with DISC temperament training?  Here are the basics:

The Four Basic Temperaments

According to the DISC assessment, there are four basic styles.  We are all blends of these.  Here are the characteristics of each.:

D:  dominant, determined, decisive, driven, disciplined, delegates well, dynamic leader, competitive

I:  interactive, inspiring, influential, optimistic, expressive, animated, active, affectionate, spontaneous

S:  steady-even tempered, kind, considerate, supportive,, easy-going, reliable, patient, finds the easy way

C:  competent, cautious, conscientious, creative, compassionate, focused, respectful, detailed and accurate

Is temperament and personality style the same thing? Not exactly. Generally we consider your temperament to be innate. It is how you are wired and how you naturally operate. It is consistent across environments whether you are at work or at home.

Personality on the other hand is influenced by your education, your past experiences, even your birth order. It is how you display your thoughts and your feelings which may come across very differently now compared to how you acted when you were a teen-ager or even a child.

Why temperament matters

There are several reasons why the DISC is a good fit for anyone working with children.  Here are some of the reasons that as a certified DISC trainer, I love sharing this with counselors, educators and parents.

• DISC is a great tool because it is easy to understand.  This means that counselors can quickly learn the basic four temperaments and share them with parents, students and educators on their team.  Unlike some personality assessments that take the equivalent of a college degree to understand, understanding temperament basics can be taught in a quick one time session.
• DISC is a great tool because it is practical and immediately applicable.  Most participants in my sessions not only quickly understand how it works but they begin sharing insights about themselves and other participants while we are still in the session.  They also gain insight into interactions with coworkers, family members and friends.
• DISC is a great tool because it transforms relationships.  When you learn the four basic temperaments you don’t just understand yourself better, you also begin to understand and celebrate all the other styles around you.  It helps you encourage leadership traits (which show up differently for the different styles) and you learn how to motivate each different style by working in their unique strengths and interests.

If you aren’t familiar with DISC temperament assessment, I hope I’ve piqued your curiosity.  Similar to the growth mindset work that Carol Dweck has done, DISC encourages an openness to learning from failure as well as success.  It celebrates our differences and encourages us to focus on and develop our strengths.