How the DiSC Personality Assessment Helps Teams
Employers seem to believe that the single most influential force in today’s society is a person’s behavior and personality.
A person’s behavior can be described as what we do and how we act. It can also refer to the way we respond to specific circumstances or situations in the workplace.
Everything we do in life does make a difference. Our values need to be authentic.
Generation gaps
When we think about behaviors and personalities in the workforce, we cannot discount generational differences.
Just who are the Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Generation Y/Millennials?
- Boomers were born between 1944-1964
- Generation X’ers were born between 1965-1979
- Generation Y/ Millennials were born between 1981-1994
- Generation Z’ers were born from 1995 to current
Oddly enough, 1980 falls into a gap, with people born that year referring to themselves as “Xennials” or the Oregon Trail generation.
We all know that these generations behave, respond, and need to be treated differently. They’re not going to respond to a request or direction in the same manner as another generation.
As employers, how are we to deal with these generations and their diverse behaviors, personalities, and work ethics?
DiSC assessment personality tool
In comes the DiSC assessment!
The DiSC survey is an excellent tool for employers to develop a clear understanding of their team and potential employees’ personality styles.
The DiSC acronym reflects various personality styles:
- D – dominance
- I – influence
- S – steadiness
- C – conscientiousness
Once you’re able to understand your team’s personality differences, you can then interact with them in a manner that helps improve work performance, productivity, teamwork, leadership, communication, and even sales skills.
You can utilize this assessment during the hiring process as well. Doing so allows you to determine a candidate’s style through the interview and gain a pretty clear sense of how they will adapt to our practice environment and culture.
Differences are fine; understanding them is what matters
Understanding different types of behavior and personality styles make a huge difference in how we manage our practices.
I’ve seen first-hand the positive impact in our practice simply by understanding our team’s styles and behaviors. It makes it easier to interact with my team both positively and ethically.
We depend on our staff to deliver the best patient care, and when we take the time to understand them and engage based on their behavioral styles, the patients, the practice, and our team each feels the benefits.
A well-rounded team
Having different types of personalities in the practice is good. Actually, it’s necessary.
The team learns how to mesh together within their different styles, and the practice becomes well balanced.
For instance, your dominant personalities need more of a laid-back style to offset them. Or, as I like to say, you have your fire starters and then the cool, calm, and relaxed.
Appling it to patients
I’ve learned how to relate the DiSC types to patients as well.
It’s much easier to determine those patients who need nurturing, so you listen to all of their stories and problems thoughtfully.
Or you recognize those who cut straight to the facts and are only concerned with how quickly the treatment is needed, how soon they can get it, and how much it’s going to cost.
The DiSC assessment tool has been a great asset and has helped me develop even stronger management skills.
If you have questions or would like more information on getting started with this tool in your office, feel free to reach out!
Meet the Author
Leslie holds multiple degrees and certifications in business management, marketing, and dental assisting.
Over the past 20 years, she has grown her dental knowledge and skills to encompass the ultimate “top-notch” patient experience for each of her practice’s clients. One of her favorite parts of dentistry is caring for multiple generations of the same family who grew up as patients and now have children of their own.
Leslie is past president of the AADOM Wilmington, NC… This text opens a new tab to the Wilmington, NC chapter website… and was nominated for Practice Administrator of the Year.
