Embrace Your DISC Superpower

If you could have any super power what would it be? Have you dreamed of being able to take flight among the clouds? Would you prefer super human speed to zip through your daily commute or mundane chores? Maybe you would choose the ability to have top-secret conversations through telepathy? What if I told you that you could stop dreaming of such powers because you are already gifted with your very own superpower? That’s right! The four DISC behavioral styles each have their own unique “superpowers”.

If you have followed our series on DISC styles, then you have already learned a lot about how understanding these styles can help you to understand yourself and those around you. Today we are going to discuss the unique skills that come intuitively to each DISC behavioral style. You may not even realize that within your style you naturally have a handle on these superpowers, but you are a master (and the other styles could each learn a lesson from you). These skills are often very difficult for the other styles to perfect but to you, they come naturally!

Before going any further, here is a quick refresher on the DISC:

• “D” refers to Dominant and is represented by an Eagle. They are daring, decisive, direct, and driven.
• “I” refers to Interactive and is represented by a Parrot. Parrots are imaginative, influential, intuitive and inspirational.
• “S” refers to Supportive and is represented by a Dove. Doves are sincere, steadfast, sympathetic and satisfied.
• “C” refers to Conscientious and is represented by an Owl. They are cautious, critical, concise, and consistent.

Now that you have had a quick refresher on DISC, let’s jump right into the four styles and their superpowers:

D- (Eagle) – Eagles are masters of not taking the actions and statements of others too personally. Eagles can move on from conflict almost instantly and continue to successfully work towards their main objective.  Mission-oriented eagles also deal with change like champions as they can adapt very quickly while they continue to keep their eye on the end goal.
I – (Parrot) – Parrots naturally do a fantastic job at staying positive and keeping up the morale of those around them, even during difficult times. Parrots also have an innate ability to see the best in others. Parrots often inspire those around them with their intuitive positivity and glass-half-full mindset.
S- (Dove) – Doves are naturally amazing listeners. This skill allows doves to be great conflict managers as they carefully take the feelings of others into consideration. Doves have the intuitive ability to take their ego out of the decision-making process. This is a rare skill that can make the difference in deciding what is right and wrong.
C- (Owl) – Owls are master problem solvers. Owls have the natural ability to analyze a problem and then get to the root of the issue. This ability allows them to then prevent that problem from happening again. The detail-oriented nature of the owl style also naturally lends to great organizational skills.

Now that you have identified your own superpower and unique skillset, try to spend some time acknowledging the superpowers of those around you. What can you learn from them? How can this new knowledge help you work better together? By asking yourself such questions and understanding the superpowers of those around you, both you and your team can perform at new levels of success!