DISC Profile Patterns: The Six Basic DISC Shapes

DISC Profile Patterns

One of the many advantages of Extended DISC® is the DISC profile patterns easily recognisable from the graphs. From one glance at the profile patterns, recruiters, consultants, and HR Managers can understand a persons’ natural behavioural style. DISC shapes in the profiles can create recognisable patterns, behavioural attributes and indicate job ‘fit’.

DISC Profile Patterns are the shapes the profile graphs create. There are six basic disc shapes in the Extended DISC® profiles. These are recognisable patterns to help consultants, managers, and recruiters understand people’s behavioural attributes. The DISC profile patterns also help evaluate job fit during the pre-employment process

The DISC profile patterns help us identify an individual’s DISC personality type and their innate talents at one glance. The Six Basic DISC Shapes are the most common shapes to appear in Profile II of an Extended DISC® Behavioural Assessment.

What are the Six Basic DISC Shapes?

The Six Basic Shapes are: 

• I Sell = DI profile
• I Follow = SC profile
• I Participate = IS profile
• I Create = CD profile
• I Plan = DS profile
• I Explain = CI profile

I Sell (DI)

DISC DI Personality types are decisive, goal-oriented, busy, independent, active, extroverted, social, communicative, open, and friendly. DI disc profile types are great at creating excitement, setting goals and generating new ideas. Careers that correspond to the DI DISC shapes natural behaviours are sales, management, and entrepreneurship.

I Follow (SC)

DISC SC Personality types are peaceful, considerate, steady, undemanding, helpful, polite, traditional, reliable, quiet, and good team workers. SC DISC profile types are great at handling rules and instructions. SC DISC shapes stay focused for long periods and follow instructions effectively. Careers that correspond to their natural behaviours are IT, research, and engineering.

I Participate (IS)

DISC IS Personality types are peaceful, steady, thorough, friendly, tolerant, people-oriented, good listeners, independent, polite, adaptable, and social. IS DISC profile types have great people relations, create open and friendly atmospheres, and look for ways to improve job satisfaction. Careers that correspond to IS DISC shapes natural behaviours are sales, human resources, and counselling.

I Create (CD)

DISC CD Personality types are direct, demanding, bold, practical, active, exact, logical, goal-oriented, ambitious, creative, and pedantic. CD DISC profile types can manage systems, complicated matters, and processes well. CD DISC shapes work independently and ensure tasks are performed correctly. Careers that correspond to their natural behaviours are finance, medicine, and management.

I Plan (DS)

DISC DS Personality types are decisive, direct, organised, logical, stubborn, unyielding, strong-willed, patient, focused, and practical. DS DISC profile types are outspoken and resilient. They know when to think and when to act. Careers that correspond to the DS DISC shapes natural behaviours are engineering, governing institutions, and management.

I Explain (IC)

DISC IC Personality types are friendly, empathic, pleasant, cheerful, exact, adjustable, active, and enthusiastic. IC DISC profile types are great at explaining complicated matters. IC DISC shapes respect rules and regulations and are adaptable to new situations. Careers that correspond to IC DISC personality patterns natural behaviours are academia, account management, and surveying. 

Special Cases

There are other DISC profile patterns that we call ‘Special Cases.’ These special cases help consultants to understand how a person was feeling at the time of assessment. These special case DISC patterns determine whether someone could be experiencing significant amounts of stress or pressure, be feeling uncertain or frustrated, have a feeling of helplessness or insecurity. 

The DISC patterns evident in the special cases provide valuable information to increase job satisfaction, productivity, performance and wellbeing in the workplace. 

Special cases and DISC personality patterns are not reported in Extended DISC® assessments. They are only recognisable through training. We teach the DISC patterns and special cases during our Level One Extended DISC® Practitioner Training.