UNDERSTANDING THE HUMAN DIMENTION (D.I.S.C)

Marston’s Theory

The theory of human behaviour on which our system is based is the work of Dr William M. Marston:

• Psychologist at Columbia University 1920's and 1930's

• Invented Lie Detector

• Created "Wonder Woman"

• 1928 - Published "The Emotions of Normal People"

|Introduction

The original concept 'DISC' as indicated above was developed by Dr. Marston In the 1930's, fundamentally his work has stood the test of time and as such remains valid and current - in fact many psychological / psychometric  profile tools used today, by leading HR consultancies, have used or have developed from the original theories.

The purpose of this article is to provide the reader with an overview of the subject “Understanding the Human Dimension”, thus providing you with a better understanding of your own “Personal Concept” (behaviour). With this understanding, hopefully s/he can go on to better understand his/her leadership style, his/her impact on others, behavioural components of various jobs, and perhaps most importantly — what it is that s/he really wants from life (values). Furthermore a greater understanding of work colleagues can be gained, especially when formulating multi-disciplinary teams and workshops etc.

It should be noted that wherever possible the original content / ethos of DISC has been transcribed in such a way that you are able to use and apply the subject as required. From a psychological perspective DISC theory begins from your behavioural 'point of view' and begins by stating that in your life, you may play many roles, such as “worker”, “parent”, “customer”, “athlete”, “lover", and so on, and you will many times create a different impression in each one.

However its important to note that people do not seem to go through life consciously and deliberately faking. Psychologists who studied people as they went from role to role found that most subjects felt that they were presenting true and accurate pictures of themselves from moment to moment. Apparently, individuals are capable of wade ranges of behaviour, depending on the context. They may appear dominant and powerful in one setting and weak and submissive in another. Yet, in all settings, people usually FEEL that they are honest and authentic. The implication is that people have many potential ways of acting that are often inconsistent and unrelated to one another. At any moment, they are aware of only a small number of these ways and are thereby able to feel true to themselves. People are convinced by their momentary thoughts and actions that they truly are what they seem to be. In effect, human beings tend to believe their own performance.

|Private Concept

The idea that people are acting a good deal of the time is not hard to accept. But it is hard to accept that they are acting ALL the time. Surly, there is a person behind the act, a person who is being, more or less, truthful about him/herself.

But what is this true self? Psychologists have found this question difficult to answer. They have learned, however, that the way a person views him/herself — his/her Private Concept — is affected by the performance s/he puts on and by the reactions of other people to those performances.

It appears that many people are only able to see themselves through the eyes of others. It is therefore not hard to see why they have such a strong need for social approval. If they find themselves the frequent object of disapproval, they must inevitably think badly of themselves (PRIVATE CONCEPT). To avoid such disapproval, they may behave the way they think others expect them to behave (PROJECTED CONCEPT).

When people put on performances, they often deceive themselves as well as their audiences. If someone tries to impress others with how intelligent and reliable s/he is and they react favourably, s/he will start thinking that s/he IS smart, even though s/he may previously have felt that s/he was not very bright. This behaviour, observed by a casual acquaintance on a given day, we call the PUBLIC CONCEPT.

In addition, people usually try to fit their PRIVATE CONCEPT and their ROLES (mask) together. For example, a person who sees himself as a quiet, studious type will try to find an occupation — such as a librarian — that fits this image. He will then act even more like a quiet, studious person because he feels that such behaviour is expected of a librarian.

|Projected Concept

Why are people so interested in controlling and managing their impressions? The primary motive for this kind of behaviour is the need for approval. Acting in ways designed to gain approval fulfils an individual’s need for security and acceptance. If a person abandons their “mask”, s/he may face exclusion from certain areas of society. Many people feel that to “fit in” it becomes absolutely necessary to maintain a “front”. For instance, a person who hates every boring minute at work may smile at the boss and act compliantly in hope of being promoted. In order to gain approval of the boss, you feel that you must play the role of a happy, competent employee — a PROJECTED CONCEPT.

Naturally, the person who behaves “properly” on the job may change their act the minute they leave the office. Their work audience will probably never see how they  behave with her close friends and associates. There is, in other words, an inconsistency in their performance. In order to avoid a mix-up, they are careful to keep her two audiences separated. The important thing is that in both situations, work and play, she is giving the performance she feels will gain approval from the people around them.

|Forming Impressions of Others

It takes people very little time to make judgments about one another, even on the basis of the most limited contact. The impressions two people form of one another nevertheless influence the future of their relationships. If a stranger appears deep and interesting, he or she may be a candidate for future interaction. People tend to be particularly sympathetic to someone who seems shy, to expect a lot from someone who impresses them as intelligent, and to be wary of one who strikes them as aggressive.

Forming an impression of a person is not a passive process in which certain characteristics of the individual are the input and a certain impression is the automatic outcome. If impressions varied only when input varied, then everyone meeting a particular stranger would form the same impression of him, which, of course, is not what happens. One individual may judge a newcomer to be “quiet”, another might judge the same person as “dull”, and still another person might think the newcomer “mysterious”. These various impressions lead to different expectations of the newcomer and to different patterns of interaction with him/her as well.

One reason that different people develop different impressions of the same stranger is that they form their impressions on the basis of their own biases — their own set of prejudiced assumptions about how people behave. Everyone has definite ideas about the behaviour of others. For example, some people tend to distrust those who talk a lot. Their bias is, “People who talk a lot are superficial.” Others assume that attractively dressed people are good workers. Their bias is, “People who take good care of their appearance are likely to be thorough about other things too.”

People are always making guesses, judgments and predictions about one another on the basis of limited information. As a result, they are sometimes highly accurate in their judgments and at other times inaccurate or completely in error. The methods they use to make their judgments are generalisation, stereotyping, and emphasis of certain central traits.

|Generalisation

Judgments of others are often inaccurate because they are broad Generalisations based on only a few facts. The more general the judgment, the more necessary are specific facts in order for the judgment to be accurate.

Judgments of an emotional state — a person’s condition at a particular moment — are easiest to make. If someone approaches you shaking a fist and shouting, you can be fairly confident in judging that he is angry. If this same person makes a frequent habit of carrying on this way, you may judge him to be hostile or aggressive. Aggressiveness is a trait, an enduring aspect of a person’s behaviour. Having judged a person as aggressive, you may predict that he is likely not to take things lying down, that he frequently gets into squabbles, and that he may even get violent if provoked.

If you see a great deal of aggressiveness in a person, coupled with a great interest in the welfare of his friends, you might describe him as a passionate individual. A person's behaviour is a composite of all his traits. By knowing a person’s type; i.e., DOMINANT, INFLUENTIAL, STEADY or COMPLIANT, you may feel confident in making very general judgments about his/her behaviour.

|Stereotyping

Quite often people categorize others on the basis of their clothes, style of speech, occupation, or other such small bits of information. Once a person has been “labelled”, s/he is considered to have the characteristics associated with that category. This process is called STEREOTYPING. The predictions made about the individual person on this basis can be seriously in error.

The errors that result from stereotypes have had widespread effects in American society. Most people have had to face the fact that they have prejudiced someone else on the basis of race, religion, or sex. But stereotypes exist at a personal level, too. A person may for some reason feel that all people with black hair are romantic. Another person may categorize all people who criticize him as “destructive” types.

Stereotyping is a way of simplifying the task of making judgments about people. This tendency to simplify causes what psychologists call the ‘HALO EFFECT’. Once you have decided that a person is good, for example, it is then very difficult to see anything bad about him. On the other hand, if you feel negatively toward him, you may find it extremely difficult to see his good points.

|Central Traits

Certain traits seem to weigh heavily in people’s judgments of one another. For example, judging a person as warm or cold may have a significant effect on what other traits he will appear to have. One thinks quite differently about the generosity of someone who is friendly and outgoing than one does about someone who is blunt and rude.

It is obvious that people often make mistakes in forming impressions of one another. Impressions are only educated guesses about how people are likely to behave, and, as a result, they often have to be changed as one gets to know a person better. The “biases” that one uses to make judgments about people change, too, as one learns more through observing and listening. Psychologists have found that people tend to judge others with the same assumptions and categories that they use to judge themselves.

THE IMPLICATION IS, THEREFORE, THAT BY LEARNING MORE ABOUT ONESELF, ONE CAN LEARN TO JUDGE OTHER PEOPLE MORE ACCURATELY.

|Conclusion

The expressed purpose of “Understanding Yourself and Then Others” is to aid in this self-understanding. The better we know our own BEHAVIOUR and VALUES, the more consistent we will be in our interpersonal and supervisory relationships.

|Marston’s Theory

The theory of human behaviour on which our system is based is the work of Dr William M. Marston.

Dr Marston was a psychologist who worked at Columbia University during the 1920’s and 1930’s. A highlight of his career was the invention of the lie detector. Although he created it under a pen name, Dr Marston also created the comic strip, “Wonder Woman”.

In 1928 he published a book, “The Emotions of Normal People”, in which he outlined the theory we use. He viewed people as behaving along two axes with their actions tending to be either ACTIVE or PASSIVE, depending upon the individual’s perception of his environment as either antagonistic or friendly.

By placing these axes at right angles, four quadrants were formed, with each circumscribing a behavioural pattern. (See the “4-Factor Theory Diagram” at the end of this section.)

1. Activity in an antagonistic setting = dominance

2. Activity in a friendly setting  = influence

3. Passivity in a friendly setting  = steadiness

4. Passivity in an antagonistic setting = compliance

Dr Marston believed that people tend to learn a PERSONAL CONCEPT which is basically in accordance with one of the four factors.

Walter Clarke was the first person to build a psychological form to put Marston’s theory to work. This form is called Activity Vector Analysis” (AVA).

Some of Clarke’s original associates subsequently left his company, further refining the form as they created their own. Most notable of these were John P. Cleaver and his Self-Description and Arnold Daniels and his Predictive Index.

The newest of such forms are the PERSONAL CONCEPT and the POSITION CONCEPT. They have been created in cooperation with many industrial firms, Brookdale Community College, Kirkland College, Hamilton College, and D. Thomas Mahan, an eminent psychologist at The Citadel, who supervised their construction.

These forms have some notable improvements over the others:

1. They are self-scoring and to some degree self-interpreting

2. They are based on 1976 norms

3. They use separate norms for men and women

|Dominance (D) - Intent is to Overcome (Conquer)

HI-D people are self-starters who get going when things get tough. They thrive on both challenge and competition.

HI-D’s are usually direct, positive, straight-forward. They say what they think, sometimes bluntly. They like to be centre stage and in charge.

HI’D’s fight hard for what they think is the way to go, but can accept momentary defeat and are not grudge holders.

They prefer variety, the unusual, the adventurous. They are apt to lose interest if they feel their job becoming routine; and so, must be kept constantly involved. HI-D's are prone to making job changes, especially early in their careers, until they find the challenge they need.

They are individualists and self-sufficient. Demanding of themselves and others, they are discontented and dissatisfied with the status quo.

Hi-D people are:

• Self-starters who get going when things get tough.

• Thrive on both challenge and competition.

• Direct, positive, straight-forward

• Say what they think, sometimes bluntly

• Like to be centre-stage and in charge

• Fight hard for what they want but can accept momentary defeat

• Are not grudge-holders

• Prefer variety, the unusual, the adventurous

• Apt to lose interest if job becomes routine; must be kept constantly involved

• Prone to make job changes until they find the challenge they need

• Individualists; self-sufficient

• Demanding of themselves and others

• Dissatisfied with the status quo

Office:

The HI-D prospect's office will usually be cluttered, with a messy desk and stacks of paper on the floor. Signs of activity usually abound and often their need for power is reflected in strong mottos and bold ornaments on the walls and desk.

Communication Style:

You typically get a sense of being with a "very busy person" when meeting the HI-D. They often allow interruptions during your sales call, either from staff members or the telephone - and think nothing of stopping you in midsentence to attend to another matter.

Since they dislike aimless chit-chat and prefer to "get down to business", the approach portion of your sales call will almost always be brief. Don't be surprised if the HI-D glances at his or her watch while you're talking - they are busy, active, impatient people whose attention spans tend to be very short. They usually do not mean to be rude - their minds are on a hundred other things. Since "sitting" is difficult for the HI-D, he or she may wander around the room while you are conversing or pace back and forth. Sometimes they will write notes on a pad which apparently have no relevance to your conversation - but they usually ARE listening and can surprise you with a pertinent comment on something you have said.

Selling to the HI-D:

• Be straightforward

• Get to the point - FAST

• Don't do long presentations

• Be brief and direct

• They may argue - don't back down

• Close early

Dominant people are overtly aggressive

Potentials

Goal Oriented

Very Active

Can Apply the "Pressure"

Like Feedback on Performance

Want to Compete

Not Easily Discouraged

Problems

Can Dominate Discussion

May Talk Too Fast

Can Be Overly Abrupt/Blunt

May Create Fear/intimidation

May Win "At Any Price"

Difficulty Supporting Others

|Influence (I) - Intent is to Persuade (Sell)

HI-I people are outgoing, persuasive and gregarious. They strive to make their opinions and beliefs prevail. They are very comfortable in “one-on-one” situations, and their outgoing nature typifies the image we have of the so-called “natural salesperson”.

The HI-I's basic interest is in people. HI-I’s are poised and meet strangers easily. People tend to respond to them naturally.

Because of their inherent trust and willing acceptance of people, they may sometimes misjudge people’s intentions and abilities.

HI-I’s are easily-met, name dropping conversationalists who sell themselves well. They are friendly competitors and optimistic managers.

Normally very fashionable dressers, H-Ts join organisations for prestige and personal recognition. They usually have a wide range of acquaintances. Their innate optimism and people skills help them get along with most people.

HI-I people are:

• Outgoing, persuasive, gregarious

• Interested in making their opinions and beliefs prevail

• Comfortable in "one-on-one" situations

• Basically, interested in people

• Poised and meet strangers easily. People tend to respond to them naturally.

• Inherently trusting and accepting of people

• Apt to misjudge other people's intentions and abilities

• Easily-met name-droppers

• Good conversationalists

• Capable of selling themselves well

• Friendly competitors and optimistic managers

• Fashionable dressers

• Apt to join organizations for prestige and personal recognition

• Likely to have a wide range of acquaintances

• Very optimistic

Office:

Often, the HI-I's office will contain pictures of him or herself or plaques and degrees with their name on them. Since HI-I's tend to love gadgets and the latest equipment, their offices often contain the latest electronic innovation. They will delight in showing it off to you.

Communication Style:

The HI-I loves to talk - and talk - and talk. They are overtly gregarious individuals who will initiate friendly conversation. They are outgoing and love to talk about themselves. They will use the word "I" a lot! The HI-I loves to be complimented and likes the new and different.

Selling to the HI-I:

• Be complimentary

• Ask lots of questions

• Let them participate

• Stimulate conversation

• Sell something "new" to them

Influential people are verbally aggressive

Potentials

Optimistic and Confident

Can Motivate Others

Like "People’’ Challenges

At Ease with Strangers

Like "Eye Catching” Things

Want to Lead

Problems

May be Overly Optimistic

Make Unkept Promises

Can be a Poor Listener

Avoid Details by Socializing

Have a Tender Ego

Need to Control Time

|Steadiness (S) - Intent is to be Supportive (Predictable)

Hl-S people are usually amiable, easy-going and relaxed. They are warm-hearted, home-loving and neighbourly.

They tend to be undemonstrative and controlled. They conceal their feelings from others and are apt to be grudge-holders.

Most of the time HI-S people are even-tempered, low key, and unobtrusive. They are complacent, prone to leniency, and emotionally mature.

They strive to keep things the way they are and dislike change. Once under way, they work steadily and patiently. They dislike urgency and the pressure of deadlines.

HI-S people are usually very possessive and develop strong attachments for their things, their family, their departments, etc.

While they seldom argue or openly criticize, they can quietly resist and slow things down. They are passive resistors, if they care to resist at all.

HI-S people are:

• Amiable, easy-going and relaxed

• Warm-hearted, home-loving and neighbourly

• Undemonstrative and controlled, typically

• Grudge-holders who conceal their feelings

• Even-tempered, low key, unobtrusive

• Complacent

• Prone to leniency

• Emotionally mature

• Apt to strive to keep things the way they are

• Apt to dislike change

• Capable of working steadily and patiently

• Not fond of urgency and deadlines

• Very possessive

• Capable of quiet resistance

• Capable of slowing things down

Office:

If the office you see is fairly orderly and the pictures on the walls or desk are of children, pets, houses - but NOT your prospect, you have undoubtedly stepped into the office of a HI-S. They typically try to transform their offices into "comfortable" places by decorating with plants, special rugs and the aforementioned pictures. Notice if the person's name is predominant on items in the office - the tape dispenser, books and other items. The HI-S tendency toward possessiveness is often reflected in their putting their name on everything!

Communication Style:

The HI-S is a relaxed person who is typically not in a hurry. They are friendly conversationalists who can talk for hours, but not usually about themselves. HI-S likes things as they are, as they are slow to make changes. This person could be resistant to the new and different - they prefer the "tried and true".

Selling to the HI-S:

• Make friends

• Reassure

• Present in a slow, orderly fashion

• Concentrate on service, dependability, reputation, customer satisfaction

• Be low key and unobtrusive

• Use third party references

• Don’t push!

•

Steady people are passively aggressive

Potentials

Predictable and Dependable

Friendly

Good Listener

Can Tolerate Routine

Systematic

Patient Teacher

Problems

Prefers not to "Pioneer”

Lacks Flexibility

Let Things "Stew”

Overly Possessive

May Not Take a Stand

Procrastinates

|Compliance (C) - Intent is to Avoid Trouble (Cautious)

HI-C people proceed in an orderly way. Their methods are usually predetermined, and they are precise and attentive to detail.

They strive for a neat, orderly existence, and tend to follow traditional procedures and established systems.

They prefer to adapt to situations to avoid conflict and antagonism. Their need for self- preservation causes them to document everything they do. If the “book” calls for it, then it is fine with them.

Hl-C's are naturally cautious, conservative, and tentative in decision making. They prefer to wait to see which way the wind is blowing. Once their minds are made up, however, they can be very rigid.

They try to be what you want them to be. They try very hard to avoid conflict and stepping on toes.

They are usually reserved, adaptable, open-minded (to a point), and diplomatic.

Hi-C people are:

• Orderly

• Precise

• Detail-oriented

• Neat

• Apt to follow traditional procedures and established systems

• Adaptable

• Apt to document everything they do

• Cautious, conservative

• Tentative in decision making

• Rigid

• Apt to try very hard to avoid conflict and stepping on toes

• Reserved

• Open-minded

• Diplomatic

Compliant people are defensively aggressive

Potentials

Thorough the First Time

Well Prepared

Accurate

Technically Competent

Follows Up on Details

Can "Sense” Trouble

Problems

May be a Worrier

Too Deeply into Minutia

 Goes Only "By the Book”

 Avoids Risk or Challenge

Tends to "Nit-Pick”

May not see the “Big Picture”

The Personal Concept

The personal concept is a three-faceted behavioural profile:

PRIVATE CONCEPT (L) - is the real you.

PROJECTED CONCEPT (M) - is the mask you wear or the behaviour you want people to see.

PUBLIC CONCEPT (A) - is the average of the other two. On a given day it is the presumption made by others as to the "real you" based on a very brief exposure.

The following 12 classis PERSONAL CONCEPTS are based on a behavioural profile only and without information as to intelligence, personal values and other factors which could affect them.

|Personal Concept (1) The “Organiser”

|Personal Concept (2) The “Dictator”

Predominant Traits

People see this person as aggressive, persuasive, active, and independent. He is a person of action, a self-starter who drives hard for his goals regardless of what stands in the way. To him, the worst thing is to give up, the last thing to give in. He is a prime mover who loves competition. He prods or persuades, compliments or needles, exhorts or drives depending upon the situation. He tends to demand first and ask second. His love of power primes him for a top role; his pride provides the determination to take risks and implement bold plans. In a favourable environment, he is friendly; in an antagonistic environment, he is tough.

Basic Desires and Internal Drive

Basically, this person is forceful, confident, impatient, and firm. In his daily activities, he sees the need to move positively for measurable results, pushing aside anything that stands in his way. He sets a fast pace and expects his associates to keep up. He makes decisions easily and quickly, but is willing to recognize that there are some restraints which are reasonable and necessary.

Need for Possible Improvement

This person's drive for quick results may make him a poor delegator and a direct but too-brief communicator. He tends to be a half-hearted listener who is better at sending than receiving. He may spend too much time putting out brush fires and not enough time on long-range planning. He can be impulsive in his decisions and shoot from the hip.

How to Encourage and Manage

This person’s superiors need a tolerance for criticism and must be willing and able to delegate. To him respect for authority does not mean blind obedience. He does not particularly like projects which neither challenge nor extend him. His successes should be acknowledged openly and often. Keep him involved and moving up, or he may move on.

|Personal Concept (3) The “Entrepreneur”

|Personal Concept (4) The “Motivator”

Predominant Traits

People see this person as enthusiastic, modest, active, persuasive (but low key), and diplomatic. More tactful than pushy, he is an incurable optimist and is cheerful, talkative, and at home with strangers, he uses words to dispel gloom and doubt. His “sales” talk, no matter what his profession, is smooth and low pressure. He serves up small talk well and easily makes his own openings in conversation. He has the ability to create and maintain a pleasant atmosphere of good will, both for himself and his company. He is smooth and tactful, easy-going and smiling, and is very comfortable with a large and diverse circle of acquaintances and associates.

Basic Desires and Internal Drive

Basically, this person is outgoing, unassuming, alert and poised. In his daily activities, he sees the need to be persuasive; but at the same time careful of people and their feelings. He wants to be popular and liked, coupled with open recognition from those around him as to his ability and acceptance, he wants to be able to work with people in an open, familiar, friendly environment. It is important to him to work for a “prestige” company that people will be impressed with.

Need for Possible Improvement

To some people, this person may appear superficial and a little phony. He may also appear more casual than purposeful; more indirect than specific. Good relations for the long pull may be more important than immediate results. He is also capable of overestimating people’s ability and may, therefore, expect more than he is going to get. He will cushion interpersonal conflicts, and finds it difficult in handling people problems to be firm, insistent, and direct. He is a diplomat, not a task-maker.

How to Encourage and Manage

This person reacts best to a superior who is friendly and pleasant in favourable situations and supportive when the chips are down. He wants to be able to talk things over and get advice. He prefers to be on a first-name basis with his boss, and wants to be involved with company peers and superiors socially. He does particularly well with assignments which require working with and motivating groups of people in a non- immediate, results-required situation.

|Personal Concept (5) The “Persuader”

|Personal Concept (6) The “Promoter”

|Personal Concept (7) The “Specialist”

Predominant Traits

People see this person as quiet, amiable, predictable, and self-controlled. He seeks to maintain the familiar and retain a close relationship with a few relatively close friends. He is cool-headed, reflective, considerate, and “wears well” with others. Soft-spoken, unexcitable, easy-going, and relaxed, he proceeds at his own deliberate pace. He performs consistently and steadily. He is practical, matter of fact, and down to earth.

Basic Desires and Internal Drive

Basically, this person is unassuming, factual, patient, and accurate. In his daily activities, he sees a need to concentrate on the job at hand, which is usually repetitive and specialized. He likes to do one thing at a time and do it thoroughly. He strives to maintain the status quo and wants time to adjust to change. He usually prefers to work at one place as opposed to travel. He makes very few unnecessary decisions, knowing that time resolves more problems than men do. His mildness, possessive nature, and somewhat modest aspirations all converge to form a placid personality and a diligent style.

Need for Possible Improvement

This person seems more oriented to the past than to the future. A “traditionalist”, he seems more pleased with where he is than where he might go. He speaks of better times and the “good old days”. He is not apt to show hurts openly, but he can bear grudges and, in time, get even. Since he is possessive, he may be slow to delegate. Keeping personally involved is also security, because they “need me”. Generally, he will not be an initiator, but rather an imitator. If more than one project is going on at once, he may have to be pushed a little to meet deadlines.

How to Encourage and Manage

This person works best with (not for) a relaxed, amiable manager who goes out of his way to be interested in him and to express sincere appreciation for his contributions. He wants to work for a friend. He needs to be given ample time to prepare for change. He needs to feel that what he is doing is worthwhile. Once started, he can work steadily, but he may need detailed instruction and help in getting started.

Predominant Traits

People see this person as determined, logical, tenacious, and rigidly independent. Amiable but usually aloof, decisive and quite deliberate, he is reflective but not hesitant to voice his opinions. He likes to follow leads, chase clues, dig for facts, and uncover hidden meanings, he analyses problems and evaluates circumstances objectively and dispassionately, he dominates with patience. He is results-oriented without a sense of urgency. He takes little for granted. His effective performance is more the result of long, hard work than flashed of insight or inspiration.

Basic Desires and Internal Drive

Basically, this person is dogged, suspicious, unhurried, and stubborn. In his daily activities, he sees a need to be independent and questioning in his approach. He is also very thorough and can be counted on to follow through. He wants to operate by himself and move in his own way at his own pace. He prefers to jump to suspicions rather than to conclusions. He wants tough assignments that can be worked on independently. He does not want people looking over his shoulder. He prefers to work on “things” rather than to get too involved with people.

Need for Possible Improvement

Disbelieving what he sees on the surface, sceptical of intentions and challenged by unsolved problems, this person tends to see people as perplexing and sometimes as annoying obstructions, he is not interested in pleasing others and can be cruel, blunt, tactless, stubborn, and obstinate. It is difficult — almost impossible — to get him to change his approach once his mind is made up. He is not good at persuading others or generating enthusiasm.

How to Encourage and Manage

This person spurns emotional appeals. Suppression of feelings is a virtue and he is proud to be unreasonable, analytical and objective. His mind runs on one track; he is practical, extremely candid and a challenge for any manager. He reacts favourably only to a direct but sincere management style: “Lets both be frank, decide what I'm going to do and then leave me alone to do it.” He is tough and does not back away from confrontation and argument.

|Personal Concept (8) The “Investigator”

|Personal Concept (9) The “Advisor”

|Personal Concept (10) The “Adaptor”

Predominant Traits

People see this person as conservative, reserved, stable, and conscientious. He is cooperative and compliant, precise and systematic, courteous and diplomatic. Orderly and neat, he tends to follow procedures and live up to high standards. He is sensitive and alert to possible danger. In his mind, there is always possible danger. He tries to look ahead, thereby avoiding unnecessary trouble and risk. He has a passion for impeccability and order. He follows directions carefully in order to turn in an error-free performance.

Basic Desires and Internal Drive

Basically, this person is accommodating, contemplative, methodical, and open-minded. In his daily activities, he sees a need to follow orders, precedent, rules, and regulations. He is often drawn to jobs requiring meticulous work with things and painstaking attention to detail. He prefers to share responsibility by working as a member of a team. He dislikes sudden or abrupt change. He is a good planner since he is well-informed, accurate on details, conservative on estimates, and certain of precedents.

Need for Possible Improvement

Since he does things himself to be sure they are right, this person is apt not to delegate well. And the odds are that when he does delegate, he really does not let go but tends to over-manage. Also, checking and rechecking details may throw him off schedule. His decisions are usually low-risk, because he has done his “homework”. He may hesitate to act on his own initiative, be tentative, guarded, and wait for instruction from above. He dislikes antagonism and may give in to others to avoid it.

How to Encourage and Manage

This person works best for a manager who maintains an “open door” policy and who is always available to discuss key moves. He is apt to need support and back-up in difficult situations. He prefers to be in on a decision rather than to make it. He needs detailed instructions and an exact job description so he knows what is expected of him. He does particularly well with assignments requiring planning, attention to detail, precision and organization.

|Personal Concept (11) The “Creator”

|Personal Concept (12) The “Perfectionist”