Once, after a seminar, a man said to me, “You mentioned that ‘D’ types often make good police officers. I am a little concerned because I’m a police officer, but I am a ‘C.’ Can a ‘C’ make a good policeman?” I was thinking about Columbo and what an excellent investigator a ‘C’ can be, and I thought about how complete a ‘C’s’ reports would be, and how detailed his testimony would be in court. So I asked the man, “What do you do in the police department?” He replied, “I’m on the SWAT Team.” Honestly, I could not picture a ‘C’ battering down a door like a commando, but I asked him one more question: “What do you do on the SWAT Team?” And he replied, “I’m a sniper.” Perfect! If I were in a hostage situation, who would I want aiming at the terrorist who was holding a gun to my head? After all, a “D” tends to work like this: Ready… Fire… Aim! An “I” tends to work like this: Ready… Aim… Talk! An “S” tends to work like this: “Ready… Ready… Ready… (in this case, the “hesitation factor” could kill you!) But a “C” tends to work carefully and accurately, like this: “Ready… Aim… Aim… Aim… I know I would want a very cautious person on that kind of assignment.

It is generally true that any personality style can learn to perform a specific job. But the issues of comfort and fit and area of contribution can be heavily influenced by traits associated with specific styles.

Much more detail on how this information relates to work and environment can be found in the “DISCovering Your Work Design” chapter of Who Do You Think You Are… Anyway?, our Get Real! Teen Profile Assessment, our Adult Profile Assessment, the book Positive Personality Profiles, and in very specific application in your own Success Package ® computer scored Assessment report.

A “D” type child’s approach to learning is: I want to do things my own way! “D”s want to know what the material is about before they decide if it’s worthy of their time and trouble. They are “big picture” people and want you to be quick and to the point. They want to be in charge, and they often do well in helping to teach the class.

An “I” child’s approach to learning is: I want to do things the fun way! “I”s learn best in a relaxed atmosphere because pressure throws them into panic. They love to learn by playing games and enjoy being creative. They tend to be very tactile. If they can see it or manipulate it, they can understand it.

An “S” child’s approach to learning is: I want to do things the easy way! “S”s do not like a fast pace or change; they want their teacher to slow down so they can process what is happening. They tend toward self-doubt, so they appreciate a teacher going over the information again. They want to please others and feel education is a cooperative process.

A “C” child’s approach to learning is: I want to do things the right way! “C”s expect their questions to be answered with quality information. they love facts and figures. They tend to be perfectionists. Explain expectations beforehand, so they can measure their progress. This environment is in harmony with their basic style. Most enjoy doing extra credit work.

“All that wiggles is not ADHD!”, Katherine Koonce, M.Ed., Director of Charis Learning Resources

An ADD person is inattentive. Attention Deficit Disorder is a real medical condition, not an educational label. The American Psychological Association lists 14 traits in association with ADD, at least eight of which must be displayed frequently in a child before the age of 7. These traits must be manifested for at least six months to be identified as true ADD.

An ADHD [Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder] person is impulsive, and similar stipulations for diagnosis apply. Recently, other conditions such as Tourette Syndrome have been included in the general category of ADHD.

People with ADD or ADHD have normal to above-normal intelligence, and their attentional problems are not due to mental retardation, deafness, etc. Their challenges are physiological, which is why they respond to certain medications that allow them greater periods of concentration. Too many active, outgoing type children are casually labeled as ADD or ADHD simply because they have a short attention span and have difficulty sitting quietly. It is unwise to lump every problem into one simple solution. Just because people (whether “D,” or “I,” or any other personality style) have difficulty memorizing information or concentrating for long periods of time, they should not be excused from self-discipline and hard work. If your child has difficulty concentrating, I suggest six, 10-minute study periods, rather than one, 60-minute study time. There may be an “incentive” to label children ADD or ADHD within our existing education system. Currently, federal “special education” funds are available to schools and families with ADD and ADHD identified children. Perhaps some people tumble into these categories who do not rigidly fit the definitions.

Understanding personality styles can make all the difference in the world for parents and teachers who see these signs. There is a good chance that altering your style of teaching or communication will produce drastic results!

Research suggests that our current education system works well for 22% of our school age population. What is this environment like? Sit quietly in your seat. Take notes. Store facts. Manipulate data. Raise your hand. Follow a regimen. Stick to the schedule. Ask permission first. Comply with the rules and expectations. Which of the four styles does this sound like to you? Task-Oriented and Reserved/Slower-Paced students do well in this environment, and behavioral research tells us that 20-25% of the general population has a “C” type profile (Task-Oriented and Reserved/Slower-Paced). The remaining 75% of our student population, the ones the system does not accommodate well, are those who have People-Oriented and/or Outgoing/Fast-Paced styles. “D” types are task-oriented, but they don’t stay in their seats and take orders. “I” types are the antithesis of “C” types who succeed in this environment. “S” types are slower-paced, so they can appreciate the tempo, but they are much more influenced by people than data, by feelings than facts.

Pace and Priority are the major issues for many couples throughout life. When one is fast-paced and the other is slow-paced, or when one is task-oriented and the other is people-oriented, expect to experience some conflicts and adjustments. One person likes to go and do, while the other likes to stay and talk… or listen… or read… or think…

The way they couples argue has a lot to do with personality styles. Perhaps one is very vocal and “blows off some steam.” It may be very difficult for a sensitive spouse to “forget” it, because to that spouse, it seems more like smog! If one person goes from mountain top experience to mountain top experience while the other person tends to live in the “valleys” of life, expect to experience some difficulties.

If two “D” types marry, there may be an ongoing battle for control. If two “S” types marry, they may not quarrel much at all, but they may have a hard time deciding even what restaurant to go to, because neither wants to be in control.

As we say in discussing ADD and ADHD, sometimes issues are labeled as behavioral problems, when they may be only a matter of personality “fit.” Many teachers have “S” and “C” personality styles, so they tend to be much more quiet and thoughtful than a “D” or “I” child. If they do not understand a child’s “wiring,” it is easy to dismiss the student as a troublemaker. Classroom harmony and the success of the educational process can be influenced by many issues beyond personality styles, but this may be a good place to start.

Is your child treated like a unique individual who is capable of learning, or is he or she being treated like a database with a capacity to receive input? Sometimes a “D” or “I” teacher, perhaps a coach, values “D” and “I” students because of their shared emphasis on competing and winning. In this environment, less outgoing students may have difficulty that is based on personality “fit.”

Our first recommendation is All About BOTS: All About You!, our self-scoring profile for elementary -age children. You will be surprised by the insights and communication created in sharing this experience with your child. For your teen who is not adjusting, you will find clues in our self-scoring Get Real! teen profile. You and your children can “talk through” the results of the inventories, and you will probably see their self-image and performance improve as a result of understanding themselves in a positive way.

An obstetric and neonatal nurse told us she could spot some behavior indicators shortly after a baby was born. (A “labored” labor is difficult for both mother and child, so it is not always possible to tell if a child is slower-paced or just exhausted…!) There has been some research in this area. Certainly, an infant’s Environment style is learning to adapt quickly to things like gravity, air, light… Questions you can ask yourself are:

• Does this child seem to be compliant or strong-willed?
• Does this child seem to be more restless or more easygoing?
• Does this child seem to respond happily to activity or find it distressing?
• Does this child seem easy to please or difficult to satisfy?

The book written by Dr. Charles F. Boyd, co-authored by Dr. Rohm, Different Children, Different Needs, offers many observations for identifying the styles of small children through teens.

Of course, the DISC Model is not discussed in the Bible, but neither is chemistry or hydroelectric engineering, even though all of these are based on elements and principles that have existed since time began. In Dr. Robert Rohm’s book, Positive Personality Profiles, we provide examples of personality styles seen in Jesus’ disciples.

Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” A good translation from Hebrew into English is: “Train a child according to his way…” It refers to a unique inner design or direction. It does not refer to some prescribed path that everyone should follow. Therefore, as Dr. Charles Boyd notes, a more accurate rendering of this verse would be: “Adapt the training of your child so that it is in keeping with his natural design; when he comes to maturity, he will not depart from that pattern of life.” Practical stuff, isn’t it? The verse actually instructs us to nurture our children according to their nature!