In this episode of The Operating Room, Abdullah dives into the art of adapting your leadership style to fit different personality types in the workplace. He breaks down practical strategies for leading diverse teams and offers insights on how to connect with Dominant, Influencer, Steady, and Conscientious personalities. Drawing from real-life examples, Abdullah explores the DISC model and other psychometrics tools and shares tips for flexing your approach to motivate, communicate, and hold team members accountable effectively.
Whether you’re managing a small team or a large department, this episode will help you build a more cohesive, adaptable, and high-performing workplace culture. Tune in for actionable advice on leading with empathy, understanding unique team needs, and mastering the art of flexible leadership!
The best psychometric tool to use in the workplace depends on your specific objectives, such as improving team dynamics, leadership development, hiring, or conflict resolution. However, if we had to pick a versatile, widely applicable tool, the DISC Personality Assessment stands out as one of the best for workplace use. Here’s why:
Why DISC Is the Best for Workplace Applications:
1. Simplicity and Ease of Use:
• DISC breaks down personality types into four easily understandable categories: Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, and Conscientiousness. The model is straightforward, meaning employees and managers can quickly grasp the concepts and apply them in real-time.
• It doesn’t require a lot of technical expertise to interpret, making it accessible for most workplace settings.
2. Actionable and Practical:
• DISC is designed with the workplace in mind. Each of the four types provides clear guidance on how to communicate, motivate, and collaborate with different individuals.
• You can immediately apply DISC results to improve communication, delegate tasks more effectively, and create a more harmonious team dynamic.
3. Versatile Across Roles and Hierarchies:
• Whether you’re managing a large team, working in HR, or just trying to improve your own communication with peers, DISC works well across different levels of an organization. It’s especially useful for managers who need to understand how to lead people with different personality types.
• DISC can also be valuable in hiring, as you can identify the best fit for a role based on how well the candidate’s DISC profile aligns with job requirements.
4. Focuses on Communication and Behavior:
• DISC doesn’t dive too deeply into psychological theory; instead, it emphasizes observable behaviors and communication styles, which makes it highly relevant for workplace interactions.
• It provides immediate insights into how to adjust your communication style to get the best results from different team members without being overly complex or philosophical.
5. Flexibility and Adaptability:
• Unlike some personality assessments that “label” people, DISC recognizes that individuals may show different styles in different situations. For example, someone may be more “Dominant” at work but “Steady” in personal situations. This makes DISC adaptable for various scenarios.
• The framework is flexible enough to be used for conflict resolution, team-building workshops, performance reviews, and even project management.
Other Top Contenders:
1. Big Five (OCEAN Model):
• Best For: Hiring, leadership development, understanding long-term personality traits.
• Why It’s Great: It’s scientifically validated, offers deep insights into personality, and doesn’t “typecast” people.
• Why DISC is Better: While the Big Five is more comprehensive, DISC’s simplicity and actionable insights are more practical for day-to-day workplace interactions.
2. Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI):
• Best For: Team-building, understanding how people perceive the world and make decisions.
• Why It’s Great: MBTI is widely used, and it helps teams understand differences in how people think and process information.
• Why DISC is Better: DISC is easier to apply directly to workplace communication and behavior, while MBTI can sometimes be seen as too theoretical and lacks direct actionability.
3. Emotional Intelligence (EQ-i 2.0):
• Best For: Leadership roles, roles requiring strong interpersonal skills.
• Why It’s Great: Emotional intelligence is critical for workplace success, especially in leadership and team interactions.
• Why DISC is Better: EQ-i is valuable but focuses narrowly on emotional intelligence, whereas DISC offers a more well-rounded view of behavior and communication styles across all workplace roles.
4. StrengthsFinder (CliftonStrengths):
• Best For: Employee development, maximizing strengths, and improving job satisfaction.
• Why It’s Great: Helps people focus on their natural strengths and creates a positive environment.
• Why DISC is Better: StrengthsFinder focuses only on strengths, while DISC helps identify not just strengths but also how to adapt to others’ styles and improve team interactions.
Notes on psychometric tools and pricing models:
Other assessments comparable in price to DiSC and CliftonStrengths include popular tools like Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), Enneagram, and 16Personalities. Here’s a breakdown:
1. Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI):
• Basic Report: Around $49.99 for the official MBTI.
• Enhanced or Workplace Reports: Range from $75 to $150, depending on the depth and type of feedback.
2. Enneagram:
• Basic Test: Some are available for free, though these may lack detailed reporting.
• Paid Versions: Ranges from $12 to $60 for reports with deeper insights.
3. 16Personalities (based on the MBTI framework):
• Basic Report: Free to take with limited results.
• Premium Profile: About $29 for a comprehensive, detailed report.
4. Big Five Personality Test:
• Basic Assessments: Often free or low-cost.
• Paid Reports: Available in the range of $20 to $50 for expanded insights.
5. Hogan Assessments:
• Cost: More expensive than DiSC or StrengthsFinder, often ranging from $50 to $100 for individual assessments, depending on the depth and provider.
6. PI Behavioral Assessment (Predictive Index):
• Pricing: Generally subscription-based, with costs depending on organization size. Typically priced per person or through enterprise subscriptions.
Each of these assessments offers unique insights, with pricing that varies based on the complexity of the report and customization for organizational use. For individual or small-scale needs, the free or lower-cost options, such as the Enneagram and 16Personalities, may provide valuable yet affordable insights.
