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Personality types a b c d explained


Understanding the 4 Personality Types: A, B, C, and D

Each person is a unique combination of four personality types. Over the centuries, these basic categories have gone by several names and designations, but for our purposes, they're known as the director, the socializer, the thinker, and the supporter. As shorthand, though, we refer to those types of personality as A, B, C, and D, respectively.

Learning how to identify people by personality type can bring a higher level of understanding to interpersonal relationships and team building, especially for employers looking for ways to avoid bad hires and reduce turnover. Indeed, a good personality test may be the most valuable tool in a hiring manager's toolbox.

Table of Contents:

  • Type A personality
  • Type A vs. Type B personality
  • Type B personality
  • Type C personality
  • Type D personality
  • Type X personality
  • Other personality types and theories

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What is a Type A personality?

A Type A personality likes to be in control of their environment and their lives. They're normally not very detail-oriented, choosing to delegate details to others. They're usually very goal-oriented and practical in their solutions. They arrive at solutions and goals with a no-nonsense, bottom-line approach.

Type A personality characteristics

While some Type A personality traits vary from person to person, certain traits are common. The best example of a Type A personality is someone who is:

  • Take-charge and highly competitive
  • Fast-paced and impatient
  • Entrepreneurial, workaholic
  • Embraces change
  • Ambitious
  • Works well independently
  • Passionate but short-fused
  • Demands maximum freedom
  • Dominant and stubborn
  • Multitasking

What are other names for the Type A personality?

Here are some other names for and best examples of Type A personalities.

Personality Tests & Approaches Type A Personality Name
The Hire Success® System Director
Hippocrates Choleric (bodily humor: yellow bile)
Plato Guardian
Jung Sensor
DISC D; Direct/Controlling
Insight Blue
Myers-Briggs ESTJ, ENTJ, ENFP
Enneagram Adventurer/Achiever
PSI Controller
Biblical character Paul
Cartoon/comic characters Lucy (from Peanuts) / Rabbit (from Winnie the Pooh)

How to test Type A personality

A Hire Success® Type A personality test assesses behavioral characteristics. You'll get an idea of how well positive aspects like drive, perfectionism and ability to work independently balance negatives like impatience, hostility and low empathy. The test is quick, easy and even fun for employees-and gives you valuable hiring and managing insights.

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Type A personality at work

When it comes to work personality types, employees with Type A personalities can typically be identified by the following traits:

  • Goal-oriented
  • Risk-taking
  • Good under stress
  • Works well independently
  • Direct management style
  • Good delegation skills
  • Good administrative skills
  • Workaholic

Type A personalities don't like a lot of restraints or restrictions placed on them. Instead, they prefer to work independently and set their own schedules. Since they tend to be workaholics, it's not unusual to see them put in whatever time and effort it takes to accomplish their goals. They may seem impatient at times, especially if they believe someone is spending too much time going over details with them or impeding their stride.

Don't be surprised to see this personality type in a supervisory position or management. Having an entrepreneurial streak, they may be a business owner or strive to own their own business someday. Type A personalities are confident and not easily discouraged.

Pros and cons of hiring Type A personality

If a Type A personality sees their day-to-day job as routine or repetitive, they'll get bored easily and won't enjoy the work. They'll want others to view them as tough in these situations, but internally they may be miserable if the job is too routine. Dominant in nature, Type A personalities will do whatever is necessary to prevent themselves from falling into patterns or routines and seek freedom instead. They'll also be very dissatisfied if they believe someone is trying to manipulate them.

A Type A personality may not be very good at recognizing coworker's feelings and needs. They're extremely focused on achieving their goals and may not notice. If you're looking for someone who works well under pressure and seems to excel in high-stress situations, the Type A personality is the best pick.

How to deal with Type A personality at work

Managing employees with type A personality traits at work is a balance. They can be valuable in terms of problem solving and productivity, but when unmanaged, can be disruptive. Managing motivations and situations is the key.

What motivates a Type A personality?
  • Money
  • Opportunity
  • Freedom
  • Favorable risk-reward ratio
  • Challenges
  • Urgency
  • Success
  • Leadership
What are some common words or phrases that motivate or grab the attention of the Type A personality?
  • "Let's get it done."
  • Fast
  • Results
  • Immediate/today/now
  • The bottom line
  • "What do you think about ___?"
  • "The best (newest, cutting-edge, etc. )"
  • Take the challenge
  • Great return on investment
What are the turnoffs, dislikes, and fears of the Type A personality?
  • Touchy-feely things
  • Long explanations or descriptions
  • Explaining things in emotional terms or more than once to the same person
  • Looking vulnerable
  • Falling into routines
  • Being manipulated
  • Losing

Which jobs attract a Type A personality?

The best careers for Type A personality include:

  • President/CEO
  • General contractor
  • Salesperson or sales manager
  • Business owner
  • Politician
  • Entrepreneur
  • Police/military officer
  • Manager
  • Executive

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Type A vs. Type B personality

Having a mix of personalities on your team and ensuring that they mesh will help your department or company truly excel. Understanding a Type A vs. Type B personality will help you get the balance right between these two working styles.

Pair goal-oriented, future-thinking Type A people with agreeable and present-focused Type Bs.

Controlling Type As can be complimented by Type Bs who work on forging strong relationships.

Self-motivated Type As can keep Type Bs, who are driven by others on the team, focused in the right direction.

It helps to understand both personality types when balancing out teams. Here is a deep dive into what a Type B personality is.

What is a Type B personality?

The Type B personality is a very outgoing, energetic and fast-paced individual who likes to be around people and enjoys being the center of attention. They're good relationship-builders and most people like them right away. Their driving need is for approval, so they try to like everyone in hopes everyone will like them, too. Compliments, acknowledgement of their achievements, words of admiration, and even applause from these groups are the most important thing you can do for them.

Type B personality traits

Like Type A personalities, Type B personality characteristics can also vary by individual. The best example of Type B personality is someone who is:

  • Enthusiastic and fun-loving
  • Persuasive
  • Friendly
  • Charismatic and confident
  • Idea person, dreamer
  • Short attention span
  • Motivator
  • Spontaneous and impulsive
  • Procrastinator

What are other names for the Type B personality?

Personality Tests & Approaches Type B Personality Name
The Hire Success® System Socializer
Hippocrates Sanguine (bodily humor: blood)
Plato Artisan
Jung Intuitor
DISC I; direct/supporting
Insight Green
Myers-Briggs ENTJ, ENTP, INTJ, INTP
Enneagram Helper/romantic
PSI Promoter
Biblical character Peter
Cartoon/comic characters Snoopy (from Peanuts) / Tigger (from Winnie the Pooh)

How to test Type B personality

The Hire Success® Type B personality test helps you assess how a given person will fit within your culture and teams. While you may make you feel comfortable surrounding yourself with people like you, it's better to have a good balance of personalities on your team.

This test lets you find Type B personality traits like being easy-going, optimistic, creative and a team player with weaknesses like being impulsive, needy of validation, and procrastinating. The test is easy and gives you valuable insights for hiring and managing potential team members.

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Type B personality at work

Employees with Type B personalities can typically be identified by the following traits:

  • Relationship-oriented
  • Outgoing
  • Enthusiastic
  • Doesn't finish what was started
  • May try to do too much at once
  • Easily bored
  • Easily liked by most people

Type B personalities love to talk about themselves. Some may view that as self-centered, but a Type B's real motivation is to be liked. For an extreme example, Bette Midler in the movie Beaches invited an old friend up to see her lavish apartment and told her about her great success. She said to the friend: "Enough about me. Let's talk about you. So, what do you think of me?"

The Type B personality's biggest fear is being humiliated in public, since that might make many people disapprove of them. It could be traumatic for them. The B personality doesn't want to appear unattractive or unsuccessful either, so they'll hide any weakness.

Pros and cons of hiring Type B personality

Some of the strengths you can count on from the Type B personality are their enthusiasm, outgoing behavior, friendliness, and their ability to persuade even the most skeptical of people. They tend to be dreamers and can often turn those dreams into very practical ideas in the workplace. Type B personalities are spontaneous and use their quick wit and humor to make people like them. They aren't very good about hiding their own feelings either, so if they're hurt or disappointed, you'll probably be able to read it in their mannerisms and overall disposition.

Some of the natural weaknesses associated with the Type B personality include being impatience, a short attention span, and not being very detail-oriented. In business, Type B personalities may tend to over-socialize and not spend as much time doing their work because they strive for social interaction. During the hiring process, they may be inclined toward unstructured, rambling interviews rather than structured ones, and bad interviews can lead to bad hires. Despite their natural tendency, many Type B personalities have learned to keep their counterproductive impulses in check while benefiting from the positives.

How to deal with Type B personality at work

Put Type B people on teams and spend time working with them directly. Avoid putting them in a solitary position with little interaction because they're most effective in collaborative situations. They're also ideal for positions where they must interact with customers or suppliers and thrive in social settings.

What motivates a Type B personality?
  • Public recognition
  • Awards, plaques, certificates
  • Having picture taken with celebrities
  • Succeeding, especially beyond peers
  • Being the center of attention, public speaker, director, etc.
  • Acceptance
  • The latest styles and/or trends
What are some common words or phrases that motivate or grab the attention of the Type B personality?
  • "You look great."
  • "You're the best ____."
  • "People love you."
  • "This will be fun."
  • Entertaining
What are the turnoffs, dislikes, and fears of the Type B personality?
  • Public humiliation
  • Being unappreciated
  • Appearing uninvolved
  • Nonsocial types
  • Appearing unattractive
  • People and things that distract attention
  • Appearing unsuccessful
  • Appearing unacceptable

The best careers for Type B personality include:

  • Public relations
  • Salesperson
  • Entertainment
  • Personnel interviewer
  • Professional host(ess)
  • Politician
  • Recreation director
  • Party planner
  • Customer service/relations

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What is a Type C personality?

The Type C personality is a very detail-oriented individual who likes to be involved in things that are controlled and stable. They're interested in accuracy, rationality, and logic. People who can't seem to control their emotions will bother them because Type C personalities believe being emotional makes objectivity difficult. They also dislike being around people who are full of hype, since they desire facts, accuracy and logic. Other people's emotions may not be a priority for them, as they tend to strive for the facts and let the chips fall where they may.

Type C personality characteristics

Type C personalities come with considerable variations, however, the best example of a Type C personality is someone who is:

  • Accuracy and detail-oriented
  • Creative
  • Dependable
  • Skeptical
  • Independent and can appear anti-social
  • Lawful
  • Organized
  • Analytical and critical
  • Worried about progress
  • Detached and disengaged

What are other names for the Type C personality?

Personality Tests & Approaches Type C Personality Name
The Hire Success® System Thinker
Hippocrates Melancholic (bodily humor: black bile)
Plato Scientist
Jung Thinker
DISC C; indirect/controlling
Insight Gold
Myers-Briggs ESTJ, ESFJ, ISTJ, ISFJ
Enneagram Asserter/perfectionist
PSI Analyst
Biblical character Moses
Cartoon/comic characters Linus (from Peanuts) / Eeyore (from Winnie the Pooh)

How to test Type C personality

The Hire Success® Type C personality test helps you find people with traits in this cluster. You will be able to quickly assess the positives, like detail-oriented focus, ability to work alone, troubleshooting and planning skills. You will be able to manage the negatives like social inhibition, conflict avoidance and anxiety.

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Type C personality at work

People with Type C personalities can typically be identified by the following traits:

  • Detail-oriented
  • Logical
  • Prepared
  • Likes to do things their own way
  • Worry about progress
  • May never have personal expectations met
  • Quality control

Type C personalities tend to be quite controlling, both of themselves and others. They don't like things to get out of hand and may appear stoic because they don't really want themselves to display a lot of emotion. They're very outcome-driven and will be sticklers for following protocol.

They're careful, resourceful, and, above all, excellent thinkers who will look at all aspects of an issue before taking a stand. Once they take a stand on an issue, though, they'll have the facts to back it up, so anyone who challenges them better be prepared. If you have a Type C personality on your job candidate shortlist, you'll want to prepare some thoughtful interview questions if you don't want a carefully rehearsed response.

Pros and cons of hiring Type C personality

Type C personalities like their jobs to be clearly defined and want to know their expectations. Knowing those facts, they will be able to prioritize their tasks and see them through to completion.

In managerial roles, they're cautious and logical and require many details and facts before they make a decision. People who try to sell them something with emotion usually fail. The Type C personality would consider such an effort to be hype and would wonder what facts the other person is trying to hide.

In more public roles, Type C personalities will strive for originality, cleverness and uniqueness in all things. Because of their detailed orientation, they're meticulously prepared to defend their decisions against any possible objections. Many accountants and lawyers are Type C personalities. They're excellent for any job that requires creative thinking based on patience, facts and accuracy.

How to deal with Type C personality at work

Those with Type C personality traits can play valuable roles on your team. They're motivated to handle important tasks that require determination and an eye for detail. They're less comfortable in leadership positions and prefer to work alone.

What motivates a Type C personality?
  • Control
  • Opportunities to be independent and analytical
  • Challenges
  • Problem-solving
What are some common words or phrases that motivate or grab the attention of the Type C personality?
  • Perfection
  • "How does that work?"
  • Quiet, solitude
  • "Tell me more about ____."
What are the turnoffs, dislikes, and fears of the Type C personality?
  • Uncontrolled emotions
  • Irrational acts
  • Indecision
  • People who are self-centered, or self-aggrandizement
  • Loss of control
  • Being subject to control or supervision by people they don't trust or respect
  • Distractions or distracting people

Which jobs attract a Type C personality?

The best careers for Type C personality include:

  • Forecaster
  • Troubleshooter
  • Critic
  • Investigator (police, crime scene, private, etc. )
  • Engineer
  • Technical support
  • Research scientist
  • Game designer
  • Data analyst
  • Pilot
  • Programmer/analyst
  • Artist
  • Actuary
  • Musician
  • Accountant/auditor
  • Inventor

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What is a Type D personality?

A Type D personality takes a slower, easier pace toward their work and life in general. They seek security and longevity on the job and are very happy doing a repetitive task day in and day out. The repetition allows them to become very skilled. Likewise, they won't like it if the rules change a lot. That's contrary to their desire to minimize change and stick with what they know works. For the Type D personality, even though the current way may be unpleasant, they worry that the unknown may be even worse.

Type D personality traits

As with the previous personalities, you'll find plenty of variation with Type D people. The best example of a Type D personality is someone who is:

  • Shy, low-key and observant
  • Caring
  • Sincere
  • Consistent, dependable
  • Calm and stable
  • Fair and equitable
  • Looks approachable
  • Avoiding confrontation
  • Resistant to change
  • Self-confident

What are other names for the Type D personality?

Personality Tests & Approaches Type D Personality Name
The Hire Success® System Supporter
Hippocrates Phlegmatic (bodily humor: phlegm)
Plato Philosopher
Jung Feeler
DISC S; indirect/supporting
Insight Orange
Myers-Briggs ESTP, ESFP, ISTP, ISFP
Enneagram Peacemaker/observer
PSI Supporter
Biblical character Abraham
Cartoon/comic characters Charlie Brown (from Peanuts) / Winnie the Pooh

How to test Type D personality

Because Type D personalities are anything but easy going, finding out what makes them tick can help you get the most from hiring this type. While they're highly trustworthy, compassionate, and deep thinkers, they can suffer from low self-confidence and pessimism. The Hire Success® Type D personality test will help you find the right place for them on your team.

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Type D personality at work

People with Type D personalities can typically be identified by the following traits:

  • Task-oriented
  • Stabilizing
  • Cautious
  • Going along when they don't agree
  • Easily used by others
  • Uncomfortable with constant change
  • Good at routines or repetitive tasks

They seek the respect, sincere admiration, and acceptance of others. The Type D personality will gladly work hard to please the people they work for as long as they feel appreciated and receive plenty of reassurance that they're needed. They need that sense of security. Type D personalities often think the Type A personality is crazy for taking so many risks and not showing much concern for security and longevity.

Pros and cons of hiring Type D personality

People with Type D personality traits are usually very organized; being around a messy environment or disorganization will bother them. They're also good at playing a very supportive role with others and are normally very caring, thoughtful, and compassionate. They're patient, tend to be good listeners and will persevere when all others have given up. A stabilizing force, they especially like working in a group or on a team.

Although they may not be as fast as others, they're accurate and thorough. They'll usually keep their feelings to themselves and are reluctant to express themselves, even if a more assertive type seems to be taking advantage of them. They tend to go along with anything.

To attract the Type D personality in a job ad, be sure to talk about the company benefits package and the long-term growth potential within the company. Having a secure, stable environment will be very important to Type D personalities.

How to deal with Type D personality at work

Managing a Type D personality takes some finesse. You cannot let their natural pessimism and social comfort issues bring down the team. Their hard-working nature, compassion and honesty are valuable strengths. They're keen at observation and think things through, so they can be valuable at solving problems and reducing risk.

What motivates a Type D personality?
  • Stability
  • Benefits
  • Security
  • Low risk
  • Routine
  • Team/group opportunities
  • Calm work atmosphere
What are some common words or phrases that motivate or grab the attention of the Type D personality?
  • "Help others in need"
  • Relaxed atmosphere
  • Logical
  • Rational
What are the turnoffs, dislikes, and fears of the Type D personality?
  • Risks
  • Pushy people
  • Change (especially frequent change)
  • Instability
  • Disorganization
  • Aggressive behavior
  • Disruption in routine
  • Surprises
  • The unknown
  • Conflict

Which jobs attract a Type D personality?

Considering the benefits they bring to your organization, the best careers for Type D personality include:

  • Secure team position
  • Administrator
  • Financial services
  • HR manager
  • Social worker
  • Bureaucrat
  • Family doctor/nurse
  • Assembly line worker
  • Residential/community services
  • Mechanic
  • Teacher
  • Counselor
  • Personal assistant/secretary
  • Minister
  • Insurance agent
  • Supervisor
  • Librarian
  • Security guard
  • Customer service representative

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What is a Type X personality?

Whenever two or more personality types are equal in strength within a person, that person is considered a Type X personality. For example, if an individual's two highest-strength personality types were A and B, they might be identified as AX and BX. In the rare event that all four personality types were identical, that person would be considered simply as a Type X personality.

Type X personality traits

The X indicates a cross or an intersection of two or more types. It's not unusual to see the X between two of the four personality types, and it doesn't necessarily have to include the primary personality. However, when it does include the primary personality, the individual in question may have a tendency to be like one type in one situation and the other type in another. When all four temperaments are very close in strength, the individual may seem like a mixture of personalities.

This can be beneficial for many jobs, especially when it's important that the person gets along with almost everybody, such as consultative sales people. The Type X personality tends to change personality "colors" as needed based on their surroundings. Although unpredictable at times, this rare combination could be an important asset if fully utilized.

How many personality types are there?

Depending on the model, you can have just four or five personality types or sixteen or more. Here are the most common ways of categorizing personalities.

The Big Five personality traits

This model looks at how a person thinks, feels and behaves. What is called “openness to experience” refers to curiosity and creativity. "Conscientiousness" measures affinity for organization and responsibility. Measuring "extraversion" provides insight as to sociability and being assertive. "Agreeableness" refers to getting along with people, being compassionate and showing respect. Finally, things like anxiety and depression are measured by "neuroticism".

Myer-Briggs Type Indicator

This test measures how people perceive their worlds, make decisions, and interact with others. It's not ideal as a pre-employment test because it can be easily manipulated. People can guess what answers might seem most desirable for a given role. It also outputs rather complex results, making it impractical for hiring and managing people.

16 Personality Types

The Myers-Briggs® model identifies four personality trait clusters that can combine in multiple ways, leading to sixteen distinct combinations. While valid results can be fascinating, they're just not practical or reliable for managing teams. The Type A B C D personality test model that Hire Success® uses evaluates 20 different trait scales independently, providing three-dimensional insight in a simple format. It reveals the individual without forcing them into one of four boxes.

How to use the 4 basic personality types: A, B, C, and D

Expect similar descriptions printed on the Hire Success® Overview Report. Each applicant is instructed to respond to the Hire Success®Personality Profile form based on how they work. The results will indicate which of the four personality types they draw from most. The system automatically provides a description of the primary personality at the beginning of the Overview Report. Variations of the above will be printed if the test taker is a combination of more than one personality type, or a Type X. You can compare the results against the baseline you developed to help speed up your hiring process.

In the Summary Report, a bar chart is provided along with a percentage, or strength, of each of the four personality types. The higher the percentage, the more dominant that personality type. When two or more types of personality are close, or the same, in strength, the applicant may be characteristic of both types.

These Type A, B, C, and D personality descriptions are classic descriptions designed to provide you with some background information about a personality. The Hire Success® system uses these descriptions for contrast to the specific descriptions and values found in the traits section of the report. In many cases, the applicant's individual traits may differ from what you may see described in the overall personality description.

The Hire Success® system determines traits independently and doesn't base trait information on what might be expected from a particular personality type. The inclusion of these expanded traits is one of the ways the Hire Success® system differs from other systems, like Myers-Briggs®, and opens the door to highlight those differences that make the applicant a unique individual — not one squeezed into one of four boxes. If and when you see a trait differ from what might be described in the personality overview, it's not a mistake. It's most likely the trait you can expect to see from the applicant on a day-to-day basis and not just an expectation based on a traditional Type A, B, C, or D personality description.

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Personality Type Descriptions – A, B, C, D and X

The approach taken by the Hire Success System is that each person is a unique combination of all Four Personality Types. Rather than put descriptive "labels" on people, we chose to keep it simple and refer to the various personalities as "A", "B", "C" and "D". Because the Applicant is instructed to respond to the Personality Profile Form based on how they are "At Work", the result will indicate which of the 4 types they draw from most, and in varying degrees to the least.

On the Summary Report, a bar chart is provided similar to the example at the right, along with a Percentage "Strength" of each of the 4 Personality types. The higher the percentage, the "stronger", or more dominant that personality type. When two or more personality types are close, or the same, in strength, the Applicant may be characteristic of each of the types that are close. We refer to this as the "X" personality.  (See below)

The "A" Personality

The "A" personality likes to be in charge and be in control of their environment and their lives. They are normally not very detail oriented, choosing to delegate details to others. They are usually very goal oriented and practical in their solutions. However, arriving at their solutions and goals will entail a no-nonsense, "bottom-line" approach.

"A" personalities don't like a lot of restraints or restrictions placed on them preferring instead to work independently and set their own schedules. Since they often tend to be a workaholic, it is not unusual to see them put in whatever time and effort it takes to accomplish their goal. They may seem impatient at times especially if they believe someone is spending too much time going over details with them or are impeding their successful completion of whatever goal or project they are focusing on at the moment.

Don't be surprised to see this personality type in a supervisory position or management. Having an entrepreneurial streak, they may be a business owner or strive to own their own business someday. The "A" personality is not easily discouraged and will normally exude confidence.

If their job is "routine" or repetitive day by day, they will get bored easily and not enjoy the work. They will want it to appear they are "tough" in these situations but internally may be miserable if the job is too routine. The "A" personality will do whatever is necessary to prevent themselves from falling into a pattern or routine and seek freedom and independence instead. They will also be very dissatisfied if they believe someone is trying to take advantage of them or hold them back.

The "A" personality may not be very good at recognizing co-worker's feelings and needs; not because they don't care, but because they are so focused on achieving their goals. If you're looking for someone who works well under pressure and seems to excel in high stress situations, the "A" personality is probably what you're looking for.

The "B" Personality

The "B" personality is a very outgoing, energetic and fast paced individual who likes to be around people and enjoys being the center of attention. They are good relationship builders and most people like them right away. Their driving need for approval, they try and like everyone in hopes everyone will in turn reciprocate and like them too. Compliments, acknowledgement of their achievements, words of admiration and even applause from groups will be the most important thing you can do for them.

The "B" personality loves to talk about themselves and some may view them as self centered, but their real motivation is to be liked. An extreme example was the character played by Bette Midler in the movie "Beaches" when she invited an old friend up to see her lavish apartment and told her friend about her own success. Then she said to the friend: "Enough about me, let's talk about you. So what do you think of me?"

Their biggest fear is being humiliated in public, since it might make many people disapprove of them and the thought of that would be devastating. The "B" personality doesn't want to appear unattractive or unsuccessful either, so they will make sure their appearance is impeccable and will always give the impressing of being very successful at whatever they do, whether they are or not.

Some of the strengths you can count on from the "B" personality are their enthusiasm, outgoing behavior, friendliness towards others and their ability to persuade even the most skeptical of people. They tend to be "dreamers" and can often turn those dreams into very practical ideas in the workplace. "B" personalities are normally spontaneous and use their quick wit and humor to make people like them. They aren't too good about hiding their own feelings either, so if they are hurt or disappointed, you'll probably be able to read it in their mannerisms and overall disposition.

Some of the natural weaknesses that are associated with the "B" personality include being impatient, having a relatively short attention span and are not very detail oriented. In business, "B" personalities may tend to socialize at work and not spend as much time doing their work because they strive for the social interaction. Although this is their natural tendency, many have learned to control themselves and keep their social nature in perspective.

The "C" Personality

The "C" personality is a very detail oriented individual that likes to be involved in things that are controlled and stable. They are interested in accuracy, rationality and logic. People who can't seem to control their emotions will bother them because they believe being emotional makes objectivity difficult or perhaps impossible. They will also dislike being around people who are full of "hype", since they desire facts, accurate and logical, but just the facts. Other people's emotions may not be a priority for them as they tend to strive for the facts and "let the chips fall where they may".

"C" personalities tend to be quite controlling, both of themselves and others. They don't like things to get out of hand and may not appear very expressive at times because they don't really want themselves to display a lot of emotion. They are very outcome driven and will be sticklers for following procedures and protocol in getting the job done. They are careful, resourceful, and above all, are excellent thinkers who will look at all aspects of an issue before taking a stand. Once they take a stand on an issue, they will have the facts to back it up so anyone who challenges them, better be prepared.

They like their jobs clearly defined and want to know exactly what is expected of them. Knowing those facts, they will be able to prioritize their tasks and see them through to completion.

When in decision making roles, they are cautious, logical and require many details and facts before they make a decision. People who try to sell them something by trying to get them emotionally involved usually fail to get them to buy because the "C" personality will consider them a "hype artist" and wonder what facts they are trying to hide with all that hype.

In more public roles, the "C" personality will strive for originality, cleverness and uniqueness in whatever they happen to be doing. Because of their detail orientation, they are meticulously prepared with all the details so nothing is left for anyone to disagree with. Many accountants and lawyers, for example, are "C" personalities. They are excellent for any job that requires creative thinking based on patience, facts and accuracy.

The "D" Personality

The "D" personality takes a slower, easy pace toward their job and life in general. They seek security and longevity on the job and are very happy doing a repetitive task, day in and day out as the repetition allows them to become very skilled in what the do. They won't like it, however, if the rules change a lot as that is contrary to their desire to minimize change and stick with what they know works. Some extreme examples we've all seen or heard of are bookkeepers who refuse to computerize because they can count on the old way and don't want to change. The "D" will resist change out of concern that, even though the current way may be unpleasant, the unknown may be even more unpleasant.

They seek the respect, sincere admiration and acceptance of others and will willingly work hard to please the people they work for as long as they feel appreciated and receive plenty of reassurance that they are needed, thus providing a sense of security that they need. They often think the "A" personality type is crazy for taking so many risks and not showing much concern for security and longevity.

"D" personalities are usually very organized and being around a messy environment or disorganization will bother them. They are also good at playing a very supportive role with others and are normally very caring, thoughtful and compassionate. They are patient, good listeners and will persevere when all others have given up. They especially like working in a group or on a team and will be a stabilizing force within that group or team.

Although they may not be as fast as others, they are accurate and thorough. They will usually keep their feelings to themselves and are reluctant to express themselves, even if a more assertive type seems to be taking advantage of them. They will probably choose to "go along to get along".

To attract the "D" type personality, be sure and talk about the company benefit package and the long-term growth potential within the company. Having a secure, stable environment will be very important to the "D" personality.

The "X" Personality

Whenever two or more Personality types are equal in strength, the Hire Success System will add an "X" to those personality types. For example, if an Applicant’s two highest strength Personality Types were "A" and "B", the System would report them as "AX" and "BX". In the extremely rare event that all four types were identical, the Applicant would be considered an "X" personality type by Hire Success.

The "X" indicates a "cross" between two or more types. It is not unusual to see the "X" between two of the 4 personality types, and it does not necessarily have to include the Primary (or strongest) Personality. However, when it does include the Primary Personality, the Applicant may have a tendency to be like one type in one situation and the other type in yet another situation. Even when all 4 types are very close in strength, the Applicant may seem like a "chameleon" of Personalities. In many instances, this can be beneficial for many jobs, especially when it is important that they be able to get along with almost everybody, such as consultative sales people for example. The "X" type tends to change Personality "colors" as needed based on who they may be with. Although somewhat unpredictable at times, this rare combination could be an important asset if utilized fully.

Application of the 4 Basic Types

The descriptions above are the same, or similar to what you will see printed on the Hire Success Overview Report. The System automatically provides a description of the Primary Personality at the beginning of the Overview Report. Variations of the above will be printed if the personality is an "X" personality combined with another type.

These descriptions are "classical" descriptions designed to provide you with some "background" information about this particular Personality. The Hire Success System uses this "classical" description for "contrast" for the specific descriptions and values found in the Traits Section of the Report. In many cases, the Applicant’s individual traits may differ, at least to some degree, from what you may see described in the overall Personality Description.

The Hire Success System determines the Traits INDEPENDENTLY of the Personality calculation and does not base Trait information on what might be "expected" from a particular Personality type. This opens the door to highlight those differences that make this Applicant a unique individual, not one squeezed into one of 4 boxes. If and when you see a Trait differ from what might be described in the Personality Overview, it is not a mistake. Quite the contrary, it is most likely the true trait you can expect to see from the Applicant on a day-to-day basis and not just an "expectation" based on a Classical Personality Description.

model description, characteristics and rules of application

It is not so easy to create a dream team where everyone is in their place and can apply their strengths to the benefit of the business. Sometimes there are failures: for example, for some reason, a commercial director is more interested in doing analytics than sales, and a person with the principle “who does not risk does not drink champagne” comes to the position of a lawyer.

DISC typology assessment helps to protect against such hiring mistakes, as well as to place current employees in the positions that are most suitable for them. But how to conduct an assessment correctly, what to do with its results, can you trust free tests on the Internet? What personality types are there and can they change in different circumstances? nine0003

We talked about all this with a certified expert in personality profile analysis based on DISC Olga Prozorova.

What do you learn about

👉 What is DISC

👉 What types of personality are

👉 What are the behaviors of each type

👉 What are the mixed personality types

👉 How to determine the type of personality

👉 Is it possible to use free tests from the internet

👉 Where to use DISC

Olga Prozorova, leader of Finance, HR & Operations at Benchmark Executive

What is personality typology DISC

American psychologist William Marston studied types of personality behavior. Back in 1928, he published the book The Emotions of Normal People, in which he outlined the theory of DISC.

DISC is a methodology for studying human behavior based on a four-sector model with two axes:

One axis indicates behavior - active or passive. The other axis identifies the environment as perceived by the person himself. It can be hostile or friendly/favorable. nine0003

According to the theory, people want to remain passive or active depending on how they perceive the environment: as friendly or hostile.

Thus, 4 sectors are formed:

  1. Active behavior in an opposing environment (D).
  2. Active behavior in a friendly environment (I).
  3. Passive behavior in a friendly environment (S).
  4. Passive behavior in an opposing environment (C).

It is important to understand that DISC only looks at behavioral styles and does not assess a person's intelligence, emotional intelligence, or job competencies. The evaluation results may change under the influence of external circumstances and factors, as well as over time.

For example, a person moves to another job or company. Then the model of his behavior may change after a while. Therefore, it is worth re-taking DISC at least once a year or when there are significant changes in life - not necessarily professional ones. nine0003

Characteristics of personality types

In the DISC methodology, personality types are divided into 4 types: dominance (D), influence (I), stability (S), adaptability (C).

D - dominance (active in a hostile environment)

Such people like to be in a highly competitive environment - they are results-oriented conquerors. These are achievers who are motivated to action by the heated atmosphere around or the competitive environment. nine0003

Which roles are most typical for the type: sales, commercial director.

I - influence (active in a friendly environment)

Type I people influence others in a positive way and involve them in processes. They are maximally open to communications and primarily focus on human relationships.

Show active behavior, using the power of persuasion to move from hostile situations to more favorable ones. nine0003

Which roles are most typical for the type: HR.

S - Stability (passive actions in a friendly environment)

These people feel comfortable working with well-established processes, in an environment where everything is calm and there are no opposing forces. They are reliable, methodical, executive, stubborn and good-natured - they can be called "worker bees." They strive to maintain neutrality until the hostility in the environment stops. nine0003

It is believed that the leader must necessarily be of type D, that is, be a dominator with a strong focus on results. Allegedly otherwise he will not cope with the development of business. But this is not always the case: for example, if a company is associated with a service and is engaged in the provision of services, then its director may be of type S.

What roles are most typical for the type: service department, accounting staff.

C - adaptability (passive actions in a hostile environment)

Type C people work effectively in turbulent environments and adapt quickly to change. But, unlike D, they are cautious, logical, systematic, consistent, law-abiding, accurate.

As a rule, they have an analytical mind. Seek to negate the degree of confrontation and thus avoid problems or conflict.

Which roles are most typical for the type: employees of the operational, analytical and legal departments.

Behavior markers of each type

Mixed personality types

It is not uncommon to find people who exhibit 2 patterns of behavior equally strongly according to the DISC system. Let's talk about these combinations.

DI - ID: red-yellow and yellow-red

One of the common combinations. Such people are inspirers and natural manipulators. They seek to charm, influence others, and lead through personal charisma or persistent persuasion. nine0003

This type of person is great at solving complex problems with original and innovative ideas.

IS - SI: yellow-green and green-yellow

This mixed type is quite rare. It is easy to communicate with such people, their distinguishing feature is contact. They treat others with great consideration, warmth and understanding. Comfort, a stable environment, peace and harmony in the team are important to them.

This type of person in the work environment excels in situations where you need to influence and motivate colleagues. nine0003

IC - CI: yellow-blue and blue-yellow

Contradictory type that combines opposite features. Such people are distinguished by self-confidence, intolerance and emotionality.

They are self-sufficient in any situation and perfectly motivate others when there are no guides and landmarks.

DS - SD: red-green and green-red

The most complex and rare behavioral type. A distinctive feature in behavior is mood swings and excessive initiative. People like DS - SD develop a stormy activity, while suffering from the syndrome of an excellent student - they believe that they must do the job better than anyone else. nine0003

For them, it is important that the task is completed within the agreed time frame with real, measurable results.

How to Determine Your Personality Type

One of the most popular and reliable ways to get a DISC assessment is the Thomas Personality Profile.

Thomas Hendrickson developed this system based on DISC in the middle of the 20th century. Profile analysis of personality allows you to accurately determine the behavior of a person in various areas of life. The report provides insight into intrinsic motivation factors, values, strengths and limitations. nine0003

DISC indicates what personality types are and how they are characterized. And the Thomas system is a tool that allows you to determine how these personality types are expressed in a particular person.

I'll tell you step by step how the assessment is done according to the Thomas system.

Step #1: Testing

Testing takes place in an automated mode: the testee answers simple questions for about 10–15 minutes. Based on the results of the answers, a detailed analysis of the personality is carried out, reflected in 3 graphs:

  • self-portrait - behavior in everyday life;
  • behavior at work;
  • behavior in a stressful situation.

Step 2: Graph Analysis

Initially, a person is assessed on a self-portrait (graph III): starting from the highest point, then moving on to the point at the bottom. After that, the readings are compared with the graphs of behavior at work (I) and behavior under pressure (II).

It is especially interesting to compare the data with graph II. In a normal situation, a person is able to control behavior, but in stressful conditions, control weakens - additional factors break out. So on this graph, a point that was not in the self-portrait can clearly appear. nine0003

In this case, it is important to evaluate the points in the aggregate - they can compete and interact with each other. For example:

  • if the line from S to C goes up, as in our chart, then this indicates the ability to take risks;
  • collapse of the same line suggests that the subject is prone to independence;
  • if points D and C lie at the same level below, then the person is in a state of procrastination - becomes indecisive in situations where important decisions must be made, and prefers not to move. nine0048

The highest point of the graph does not change and is the key one - it is by it that the type of personality's behavior is assessed. On our chart, there is also such a point - in area C. The rest of the points can change their position under the influence of various factors over time. And if two points constantly compete with each other at the top, then we can talk about a mixed personality type.

Particularly interesting are the reference points - those that lie on the graph axis. They set in motion other factors and enhance their manifestation. nine0003

Certified experts look at graphs in aggregate, analyze changes in the position of points and the interaction between them.

Step #3: Providing feedback

It is important to provide detailed expert feedback to the person assessed using the DISC methodology, indicating strong type characteristics, concerns, motivators, value to the organization. Feedback is critical: it can be provided by an external consultant or by your own employee if trained in the assessment methodology. nine0003

It is not enough to simply tell the subject that he belongs to type D, which is characterized by such and such traits. It is necessary to “land” formal feedback on a real person:

  • highlight the benefits, nuances and risks;
  • tell how this affects his work;
  • suggest options for the development of growth zones.

For example, a modern HR manager needs to work not only with people, but also with analytics. This means that type I alone may not be enough - you need to pump C.

Choose between free online tests or paid consulting services

Free tests can be fun, but don't jump to conclusions based on them. To get detailed reliable information, you will have to go through paid testing through official providers.

It is essential that the provider who will conduct the evaluation not only provide a general opinion, but also be prepared to provide extensive feedback. Often, test subjects and company HRs have questions about why the result is this way and what to do with this information. They look at the graphs and have absolutely no idea how these lines are related to the conclusions. nine0003

If you are testing on the knee using free sources on the Internet, and not using external certified providers, then you should not rely too much on the results of the test.

How to apply the methodology at work

To evaluate candidates

The methodology can be used at the final stage of assessing candidates for a vacant position. Let's say you have two applicants for the same role, both of them are suitable in terms of background and skills. In this case, DISC acts as an additional tool that allows you to see the whole picture - to see even what was not visible during the interview. nine0003

There are no good or bad personality types - there are those that fit or don't fit a particular role. As a result of testing, you determine which of the two candidates is more relevant to the position profile according to the behavior model.

In an internal assessment

DISC can be used to assess whether a person is in the right place, how he feels and whether he is able to behave as expected of him.

For example, the commercial director of one company did not work as efficiently as expected. He was strong in analytics and planning, but did not show himself as a result-oriented leader. Before the assessment, the company did not understand what exactly was wrong, but the assessment showed that the commercial director is a type C person, not a D.

It is up to each company to decide what to do with this information. It is not always about replacement: weaknesses can be strengthened. For example, if you give the commercial director detailed feedback, pointing out points of development, then he will have the opportunity to work on his behavior and strengthen communications.

If successful, the director will increase his D-factor and performance. Of course, an employee will be able to come to such changes if he has well-developed other competencies, for example, emotional intelligence. nine0003

To determine the state of an employee

Using DISC, you can assess the psychological state of an employee - see frustration, burnout, depression, stress due to uncertainty.

Thus, a graph in which all points lie on the X-axis plane is called compressed. Depending on which of the three graphs is compressed, one can infer problems. For example, the compression of schedule I indicates that the employee is confused, lost his bearings, or does not understand what is required of him. Perhaps he is demotivated and is considering career changes. nine0003

This is what happens when an employee is appointed against his will to a new position. Then he feels out of place and suffers. If the HR sees such a picture, he can communicate with the employee and try to solve the problem: move him from this position or, conversely, help him find himself in a new role.

To assess the realism of the job profile

Sometimes customers are looking for a candidate who must be able to absolutely everything and combine the incompatible. Some assessment providers allow you to fill out a job profile and then get a schedule of the person who would fit the role. nine0003

So it may turn out that the customer is looking for a "unicorn" - a candidate who must have all personality types at a high level at once.

Conclusions
  1. According to the DISC typology, people are divided into 4 types - depending on the perception of the environment and the activity of their own actions.
  2. Personality types DISC:
  • D - dominant, active in a hostile environment;
  • I - influencing, active actions in a friendly environment; nine0048
  • S - stable, passive actions in a friendly environment;
  • C - adaptive, passive actions in a hostile environment.
  1. In addition to people who belong to one type of personality, there are those who combine several types.
  2. The most popular and reliable DISC typology assessment tool is the Thomas Profile Personality Analysis.
  3. Testing takes place automatically within 10-15 minutes. As a result, you get 3 graphs of the subject's behavior: in ordinary life, at work and in a stressful situation. nine0048
  4. The highest point on the graphs may indicate the type of personality. At the same time, it is important to look at the points below, as well as at the relationships.
  5. The graph of the stressful situation is the most revealing
  6. Free tests on the Internet are just fun. To get a reliable and detailed assessment, it is better to contact certified experts.
  7. DISC can be used:
  • in recruiting,
  • in assessment,
  • for diagnosing the psychological state of employees,
  • to assess the realism of the job profile.

Record candidate assessment results directly in Huntflow

4 DISC personality types

Contents

Sales

Article

January 20, 2020

A model used by 80% of Fortune Global companies.

Natalia Konoplyanikov,
browser at LABA

The DISC model describes four personality types: dominant, influential, consistent, and conforming. DISC is the number one commercial valuation tool used by over 80% of Fortune Global companies. nine0003

IBM and DaimlerChrysler use the model in recruiting and building teams. DISC is also useful for sales managers - the model helps to find an approach to different types of customers.

About this - in our article based on materials from the German online magazine Impulse.

The DISC Model and the Four Styles of Behavior

In the 1920s, psychologists Carl Gustav Jung and William Marston (separately) searched for the causes of repetitive behavior in people. nine0003

They came to the conclusion that our behavior is based on upbringing, experience and socialization: if a certain strategy was successful once, we use it again and again.

That is why we can talk about personality types that have a stable set of characteristics.

The research of William Marston (not only an eminent psychologist, but also the creator of the Wonder Woman comics) formed the basis of the DISC model.

Psychoanalysts proceed from the fact that there are two types of people: extroverts, for whom it is important to be the center of attention, and introverts, for whom reflection is important. nine0003

In addition, people can be divided by priority.

For a goal-oriented (or task-oriented) personality, the main thing is to achieve what was planned at any cost. The person-oriented type tries to surround himself with people whom he appreciates and who appreciate him.

So we get four combinations describing personality types according to DISC:

#1. Extroversion + goal orientation = dominant type (D - Dominance)

These are born leaders, they are straightforward and proactive. They make decisions quickly, are focused on results and progress. nine0003

#2. Extroverted + people-oriented = influential type (I - Inducement)

Optimistic and cheerful people who easily win the favor of others.

#3. Introversion + human orientation = constant type (S - Steadiness)

Such people are attentive to others, calm, value stability and reliability.

#4. Introversion + goal orientation = appropriate (agreeing) type (C - Compliance)

This type of person is careful and tries to follow rules and regulations. They are reserved and do not seek close contact.

How to use the DISC model in sales

DISC helps you quickly assess the client, adjust to his type of behavior and choose the right argument.

Greeting

Dominant type . The client immediately gets down to business and seeks to control the conversation - give him this opportunity. nine0003

Influential type . It is important for such a person to establish warm contact with the interlocutor. The decision to make a deal largely depends on personal liking.

Permanent type . Such people at the stage of acquaintance try to find something in common with the interlocutor.

Corresponding type . The client is ready for discussion after a short small talk. From the very beginning, it is important for him to see that the interlocutor has carefully prepared for the meeting.

Need detection

Dominant type . Ask the client clear questions, curtseys are not needed here. At the end of the conversation, be sure to ask if he wants to clarify something else.

Power type . People of this type can answer questions very extensively and go far in their thoughts, so the task of the interlocutor is to return him to the topic of conversation.

Permanent type . Straightforwardness, which is good in communicating with the dominant type, will not work here. Try to "package" the question so that it does not scare away the client. nine0003

Corresponding type . These clients answer questions in detail, but you should be prepared to explain why you are asking about it.

Consulting and presentation

Dominant type . The main thing that interests such a client is what is his benefit. Don't waste his time and yours on general benefits, don't go into technical details. Dominant clients make decisions quickly and often spontaneously. nine0003

Influential type . Such a client should be told what benefits he will receive in comparison with those who have not purchased this product or service. Specifications have little effect on the purchase decision.

Permanent type . It is important for him to understand the product well and find feedback from other customers.

Corresponding type . These clients value accuracy: numbers, facts, tables, and research results. In this case, the data must be confirmed by reliable sources. nine0003

The decisive factor in the purchase will be the technical specifications. When communicating with such clients, it is better to avoid abstract phrases and long descriptions of benefits.

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Closing a deal

Dominant type . Despite the fact that dominant customers often make spontaneous decisions (including under pressure from the seller), it is important for them to feel that they have made a thoughtful independent choice: it was not you who sold the product, but they bought it. nine0003

Influential type . It is difficult for such clients to make a final decision. Do not offer them a choice of several options - choose the best one and sell it.

Permanent type . People of this type need time to think, they need to consult with colleagues and loved ones. You can show them reviews from other clients and even share their contacts if it's a big deal.

It is very important not to put pressure on such clients - otherwise they close, and the chance of a sale drops sharply. nine0003

Corresponding type . Before making a purchase decision, such a client will once again evaluate all the data and critically approach your arguments. Provide additional information and allow time for reflection.

After sales communication

Dominant type . For him, the main thing is to see concrete results from using the product. Ask if he is satisfied with the purchase, whether it meets expectations.

Influential type . Discuss what personal benefits the customer gained from the purchase.

Permanent type . Clients of this type appreciate the opportunity to maintain contact with the manager with whom he made a deal.

Instead of contacting the general helpdesk, he would prefer to call an employee he knows directly. He will be pleased if you remind him of yourself from time to time for no particular reason.

Corresponding type . Respond promptly to questions and provide new useful information. nine0003

#Personality #Sales #Self-development

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