Knowledge Centre | Human Performance Technology by DTS

DISC Profile: I is for Influence

Written by Theo Winter | Aug 23, 2011

Note: It is important to note we are only talking about the I Style in its "pure" sense. That is, the I Style described in isolation, without considering the effect of the other 3 factors.

Influence

This scale measures how you deal with people and contacts. The higher the score on the I scale, the more the person will attempt to seek out people to interact with and influence. The lower the score on the I scale, the less a person is likely to seek out people to interact with.

High I's are often described as: Effusive, Ongoing, Magnetic, Enthusiastic, Demonstrative, Persuasive, Warm, Convincing, Optimistic, Trusting, Sociable.

Low I's are often described as: Reflective, Factual, Calculating, Sceptical, Logical, Suspicious, Matter-of-Fact, Incisive, Pessimistic, Moody, Critical.

General Characteristics Of The “I” Behaviour

The “I” has a need to interact with others. They are natural socialisers and enjoy being in new situations with new people. They have a tendency to talk at length often about any subject, and more often than not will tend to "think out loud" as a way to clarify their thinking. Using friendly contact and verbal persuasion, they will try to draw people toward their way of thinking.

The “I” also has a strong need to be liked and accepted. They are often seen to change their public views on a topic to be accepted by the group or be a part of the norm. This need to be liked can lead to them being easily led or taken advantage of.

With the “I” behavioural style there is a desire to be involved. They want to be involved in anything and everything – usually this is so they have more opportunities to interact with others. They are often very effective in situations where charisma, charm and smoothness are essential.

The “I” style is a very emotional style. In other words, they wear their heart on their sleeve. They use their face and whole body to add feeling and emotion to what they say.

For more information

Refer to The DISC Facilitator's Guide (a manual for creating and running DISC training activities) and The Universal Language DISC: A Reference Manual (the only manual in the world on DISC) - provided as part of your DISC Accreditation.

More Information: