TTI Success Insights Blog

Beyond DISC: How to Expand Assessment Use

Written by Jaime Faulkner | Mar 7, 2024 4:00:00 PM

 

There’s a reason the DISC assessment is so popular: it’s easy to pick up, it reveals insights into observable behavior, and it can help to improve understanding of the self and others. However, it can’t entirely encompass everything you need to know about yourself and the people around you.

That’s where other assessments come in. By getting specific with the tools you use, you can tailor insights and dig into the areas you need to improve while increasing awareness overall. A multi-science approach is the way to go!

 

How Does Expanding Assessment Use Help You?

Gain a Holistic Understanding

DISC gives you a clear picture of behavior, or how someone does what they do. It’s very helpful, especially as an introductory assessment, but it might raise questions that one assessment can’t answer on its own.

For example, an individual with a high Outgoing score might not enjoy conversations with extended small talk in a business setting. That might seem contradictory to their DISC score, but it can be revealed by examining their motivations. If they have a high Resourceful driver, their desire for practical results and maximized efficiency might be stronger than their behavioral tendency to connect with others. Everything is situational, and the more tools you possess for understanding, the better your opportunities for growth.

“I can't tell you the number of times I’ve had people say that they have an issue with someone else on their team, but they share a DISC style, so they just can't understand what's happening,” said Brittney Helt, Vice President of Partner Experience at TTI Success Insights. “Nine times out of 10, I would say it's what drives them. It's so important to go beyond what you can see, so that you can understand why a person does what they're doing or makes choices the way that they do.”

By using multiple assessment types, people gain a more holistic understanding of themselves and others, enabling them to identify patterns, strengths, and areas for improvement from various perspectives.

 

Diversify Your Skill Set

Gaining a greater understanding of different aspects of yourself can open up new opportunities.

For example, if you take the EQ assessment, you will likely see areas of possible improvement in one or more of the five dimensions. The assessment will give you tangible points of improvement, encouraging the development of soft skills, which are in high demand. LinkedIn shared that 90% of global executives think soft skills are more important than ever.

Assessments guide those realizations and can help you develop new skills you might not have considered on your own. Taking a multi-science approach helps individuals uncover blind spots, providing opportunities for growth and development, which will inform and diversify your skill set.

 

Enhance Communication and Collaboration

The value of taking multiple assessments isn’t limited to one individual; organizations can spread the benefits by having entire teams take the same assessments. Each member of the team can learn about themself and the people they work with every day and might experience a breakthrough in the ways they communicate with each other.

Understanding the behavioral preferences and communication styles of yourself and others is essential for building effective relationships and successful collaboration. 

Taking assessments also creates a shared language, a new vocabulary that your team can use to improve communication skills. Instead of wasting time trying to find the right words to explain behavior, motivation, and more, you can reference your assessment and find quicker clarity in interactions.

 

Continuous Growth And Improvement

Personal and professional development is an ongoing process that requires regular self-reflection, feedback, and learning.

By incorporating multiple assessment types into development programs, you can create a cycle of continuous growth and improvement. The results from assessments are hard points of data you can return to as a reference during and after periods of growth. Assessments can reveal underdeveloped areas, help individuals and teams better understand their challenges, and promote a growth mindset within the organization. 

Use assessments to encourage individuals to regularly check in on their progress, set new goals, and seek opportunities for learning and development.

 

What Kind of Assessments Can You Pair with DISC?

TTI has the options you need to get the most out of assessment use.

Talent Insights

DISC + The 12 Driving Forces
Reveal both the ‘how’ (DISC) and ‘why’ (12 Driving Forces) of an individual in one report. Talent Insights sheds particular insight into actions and reactions.

TriMetrix® EQ

DISC + The 12 Driving Forces + EQ 
This combination of sciences unveils crucial insights into an individual’s ability to sense, understand, and effectively apply the power of emotions to facilitate high levels of collaboration and productivity.

TriMetrix® DNA

DISC + The 12 Driving Forces + Competencies 
TriMetrix® DNA shows you an individual’s job-related skills in combination with their behavior and motivation. This tool develops talent more effectively, helps new hires from entry to executive level, and can assist in identifying and developing future leaders.

TriMetrix® HD

DISC + The 12 Driving Forces + Competencies + ACI 
TriMetrix HD uncovers critical data points that will give an individual the opportunity to leverage and maximize their potential. It helps identify areas that are or may become obstacles in attaining their goals. It looks at ‘how’ and ‘why’ in the workplace as well as how an individual processes information.

 

Move Beyond DISC for Greater Success

DISC is a great place to start your assessment journey, but don’t let it stop you there! Use a multi-science approach to gain a fuller understanding and a more diverse skill set, as well as enhanced communication tactics and a growth mindset for continuous improvement.

Use assessments that reveal insights about motivation, skills, emotional intelligence, and information processing, and watch the transformation spark in your life and the lives of the people around you.

Want more information about how you can harness the power of expanding assessment use? TTI can help!