When talking about the DISC personality assessment and where we all land on the graph, we have a tendency to focus only on what the higher scores mean. We think only the high scores have significant effects on the way we act. Did you know that the lower side of the scale has just as much impact on our personalities? Let’s take a look at the differences between someone with a high Interactive number vs a lower scoring I.
Meet Introspective Ives. This person sitting on the lower end of the Interactive scale is best described as being reserved, independent, and task-oriented. They tend to have a no-nonsense approach to interactions with others and could prefer to work on their own rather than socialize.
Introspective Ives might never be called ‘the life of the party’. That’s the realm of the more attention-seeking, comfortable-in-a-crowd Interactive Ira. Those with lower I’s still like people. They just like to get to know them in a different way. To get Introspective Ives to open up, they prefer smaller, more intimate group settings or maybe even a one-on-one conversation.
When people like Introspective Ives need to make a decision, they’ll usually take a more analytical approach, not an emotional one. They’d prefer to gather and analyze data and base their decision on facts and evidence. There’s a time and place for emotions but preferably not when important decisions have to be made.
Make sure you’re creating an environment on your team suitable to both Interactive Ira and Introspective Ives. Ask a question and the Ira’s may be quick to answer and dominate the conversation. But it’s important to remember Ives’ more reserved communication style. Thank Ira for their response, and direct the next question to Ives. This way you’re able to gather both emotional and more logical input.
