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Today, soft skills have become the essential pillar of professional success. Their growing importance in the world of work and higher education is undeniable. It is therefore no coincidence that tools such as The MBTI, The Big 5, HEXACO and DISC have grown in popularity to identify and develop these crucial skills. In this article we offer you a detailed exploration of one of the most popular tests, especially leadership: the DISC.
In this article, we will critically examine the DISC test in comparison to the Rising Up’s Soft Skill Scan.
DISC evaluations are behavioral self-assessment tools based on the emotional and behavioral DISC theory of American psychologist-physiologist William Moulton Marston, first published in 1928 in his book Emotions of Normal People. Marston deliberately decided to focus only on psychological phenomena that were directly observable and measurable by objective means. Based on his research, Marston developed a theory according to which the behavioral expression of emotions could be classified into four main types, deriving from the person's perception of themselves with their environment.
It was only in the 1970s, thanks to the American psychologist John, G. Geierque, a member of the faculty of the Department of Health Sciences at the University of Minnesota, that this test was popularized. By creating his company Performax, he was the first publisher of a DISC evaluation that is now distributed all over the world.
With over a million people using it every year, it is loved and used for
According to DISC test providers:
“In about 10 minutes, you'll have a better understanding of why you're communicating the way you do. With this understanding, you will be able to communicate more effectively. With the results of your DISC personality test, you can:
In summary, the DISC test quantifies your personality by evaluating four main traits. Each person has a certain combination of these traits, and your unique combination is what makes your personality different from everyone else's.
The DISC personality test is a psychological assessment tool designed to understand different aspects of behavior/communication styles, interpersonal dynamics, and to categorize individuals' personality traits based on a model with four types.
These four types were referred to by Marston as dominance (D), incitement (I), submission (S), and conformity (C). He created a model that integrates these four types of emotional expressions in a two-dimensional space with two axes, creating 4 frames as you can see in the figure below:
The DISC includes two types of tests:
The DISC personality test asks its users to answer 12 statements on a five-point scale where they indicate how well they agree with each statement. These statements can cover a range of topics, such as preferred work styles, responses to challenges, and communication preferences.
Then, the test is scored based on the individual's answers. The scoring system varies, but it generally involves assigning points or weights to different types of responses. When evaluating the test, it is important to note that all personality types are considered equal. This means that person X cannot infer from the test results that they are more conscientious or more impulsive than person Y.
The result also does not mean that the person does not have any of the other three behavior styles, but only that one of them is the strongest and that the other three types require more effort to manifest.
Example:
Once the user has discovered their personality, DISC offers to pay $39 to get a “personal DISC assessment.”
As they say: “We created a more comprehensive assessment to help you get a much more accurate picture. Because we want you to take advantage of these benefits, this deeper and more comprehensive assessment is available for purchase.”
In summary, the DISC test focuses on very specific elements of your personality. You will learn more about the qualities that dominate your thinking style, your leadership style, how you identify and solve problems, and the strategies you use to communicate with others.
Unfortunately, no test can be perfect. In general, it's important to know when using personality assessments, including the DISC model, to consider that this model has its strengths but also has some limitations.
To help you better understand this assessment, here are some of the main pros and cons of DISC:
Benefits
Disadvantages
Other methods that allow a more complete understanding of individuals and teams have been created since the 1970s, in particular with less simplistic categorization, the correction of potential cultural biases and with updated content to the world of work and its requirements in terms of professional skills.
While the DISC is a personality assessment tool that classifies individuals according to four different characteristics, the soft skill scan is primarily used to assess a set of 25 soft skills, which are personal attributes and interpersonal skills that influence their effectiveness in the workplace and in social situations.
The DISC personality assessment focuses on an individual's interactions with others. It provides a better understanding of how you lead, communicate, and engage others.
The Soft Skill Scan covers skills, not personality traits. It assesses skills that are related to your cognitive strategies (directly linked to your cognitive abilities). For example, your logical reasoning, your risk tolerance, your ability to summarize and your empathy, which are covered in much more detail in the Soft Skill Scan.
In addition, test structures differ considerably. The DISC assesses four qualities: dominance, influence, consistency, and professional conscientiousness. Skills are not addressed. Soft Skill Scan, on the other hand, tests you on 25 key skills spread over 3 families: innovation & communication, leadership & collaboration and operational efficiency.
Human behavior is incredibly complex, and trying to categorize it into four main styles can be seen as an oversimplification. Relying solely on the DISC test can lead to an incomplete understanding of an individual's true abilities. This is why some DISC users find the results too generic. A point that is generally made is that the broad categories of the test do not take into account nuanced personality traits. They feel that the test oversimplified their complex personalities, leading to potentially misleading interpretations.
In contrast to the potential oversimplification of the DISC assessment, the Soft Skill Scan approach focuses on a more comprehensive and nuanced assessment of an individual's abilities. Rather than relying on a limited set of personality traits, it takes into account a broad range of interpersonal and communication skills.
Soft Skill Scan focuses on 25 core competencies such as:
This method allows individuals to identify within a wider range of skills that align with the needs of the current job market.
Among other criticisms, DISC users mention that the binary nature of the test often requires them to choose between two extremes, which does not accurately represent their character. They express the need for more options instead of being confined to a limited range.
Users, who have been dissatisfied with the limited choices offered by DISC, appreciate the nuanced and varied evaluation criteria offered by the Soft Skill Scan.
Instead of sticking to rigid choices, our assessment method allows individuals to express a wider range of nuances about their soft skills. Moreover, the Soft Skill Scan is based on a spectrum of skills rather than on fixed categories allows for a more personalized and adapted assessment. This approach takes into account the various ways in which individuals can mobilize their soft skills by recognizing that skills can be dynamic and context dependent.
The DISC model generally presents personality as stable and consistent over time. However, some aspects of people's abilities are dynamic and can change based on experiences. The DISC model does not account for these dynamic changes in an individual's behavior.
This is why a competency-based assessment approach is more flexible and dynamic in order to capture these learning-related changes. This is even more true in environments where individuals are expected to develop and acquire new skills very quickly.
Contrary to the static phenomenon of personality traits on which the DISC model is based, a more adaptive assessment, such as the Soft Skill Scan, is much more relevant in dealing with the challenges of the 21st century. Indeed, it makes it possible to understand an individual's ability to evolve and succeed in various sectors of activity, making it an essential element of professional development. Finally, this approach allows individuals to value all the experiences they have acquired during their career.
The DISC model, while very useful for understanding communication styles and interpersonal dynamics, is often criticized for its limited predictive power in certain areas, such as job performance. For example, people with the same DISC profile may have different levels of professional performance, and individuals may adapt their behavior to different situations.
Soft Skill Scan was created to be adaptive and take into account the evolving nature of soft skills over time. This adaptability allows for a more accurate assessment of an individual's potential for growth and development, making it a valuable tool for predicting adaptability and performance in professional contexts.
Then finally, the Soft Skill Scan seeks to remedy these limitations by providing a targeted assessment of 25 specific soft skills. These skills are carefully aligned to real world scenarios, ensuring they are relevant to the recruiter's immediate requirements. For example, while terms like “dominant” may not be used in job interviews, the more adaptable term “assertiveness” is better suited to the professional environment and therefore to professional success.
While historically, it has long been a question of “personality” and personality tests to complement the evaluations of strictly technical skills, scientific knowledge has greatly advanced this debate. Since the work of William Moulton Marston in the 1930s. It appeared that genetics plays a role in the concept of personality (see for example the recent article by Lu et al. 2023).
Personality therefore results from the sum of innate and acquired components through the interaction of the individual with the environment. While the genetic component cannot be modified, the acquired component can be modified as a result of learning: It is on this “soft skills” component that the Soft Skill Scan focuses, with the objective of clarifying their definition, to provide tools to analyze them in individuals.
Let's talk about the reliability and validity of the DISC test. These are two essential aspects to take into account when evaluating any psychological test. Reliability refers to the consistency of test results over time. In other words, would you get similar results if you took the test today and then again in a month?
Numerous studies have shown that the DISC test is generally reliable, with consistent results.
Validity, on the other hand, consists in determining whether the test measures what it is supposed to measure. The DISC test purports to measure behavioral style, and numerous studies have supported this claim.
However, it is important to note that while the test has been validated for its intended use, it does not measure soft-skills, intelligence, or abilities.
In addition, DISC test results are self-reported, which means that the data collected depends on the accuracy and honesty of individuals. This can skew the results, as people may unconsciously (or consciously) change their responses to match their self-image. This limitation highlights the need to interpret and apply effects carefully.
Compared to the DISC test, the Soft Skill Scan focuses on the validity and reliability of the soft skills assessment.
The Soft SkILL Scan is based on scientific research by the co-founder, Dr. Nawal Abboub, and her work on learning. The assessment offers a mix between: a classic assessment in psychology that is adapted in order to simplify and clarify sentences and adaptation tests that exist in the laboratory to measure certain cognitive abilities such as flexibility or concentration of attention for example.
The Soft Skill Scan is a tool or assessment designed to assess a person's soft skills, i.e. the personal attributes and qualities that influence their interactions and effectiveness in the workplace and other social contexts.
This is generally a self-assessment or an assessment that can focus on a range of 25 competencies.
To conclude, personality tests such as DISC are valuable tools in a recruiter's arsenal, allowing an understanding of a candidate's personality traits. They offer insight into a candidate's potential fit within a team, their suitability for specific roles, and their overall work style.
High scores for certain traits may indicate that the candidate is ready to deal with particular job requirements, such as increased stress, interpersonal interactions, or a need for creativity and openness to new experiences.
But if you want to measure the soft-skills of students or your employees, then the soft skills scan is for you.
With our tool, you will improve your career development strategies and prepare your students for success in the dynamic world of work.
If you are a manager, career or educational manager or school director in higher education, you should definitely try our tools.
Send us a message 📩 to hello@risinguparis.com and we'll organize a 15-minute demo for you within a week.
Warning: The Soft Skill Scan does not intend to replicate or replace the DISC test because the two tests follow different methodologies, while providing different value. Both tests help individuals become aware of their talents, strengths, and what makes them unique. Rising Up does not challenge or diminish the value of these tests and encourages individuals to take both assessments. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at hello@risinguparis.com
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