I believe this with my whole heart: DISC assessments are powerful tools for understanding human behavior. The foundation for DISC, in its various forms, originated nearly 100 years ago. It has been studied, verified, and refined for decades.
And like most tools, when they’re used well, they’re extremely helpful. But when you misuse a tool—or use it for the wrong task—it doesn’t go so well. A hammer and a nail? Perfect. A wrench and a nail? Not so much. The wrench isn’t a bad tool; it’s just the wrong tool for the job.
The same is true for the DISC personality test. It’s powerful and useful—when used the right way. But too often, leaders and organizations misuse it. And when that happens, the results can be harmful.
Danger #1: Treating DISC as a description of people
DISC is a model of behavior, not a definition of people.
DISC assessments are designed to give us a sense of tendencies—how people might naturally behave or communicate. That insight is incredibly useful.
But if we’re not careful, we can slide from “this helps me understand someone” to “this is who they are.” That shift turns insight into labeling, and labeling is dangerous for relationships, teamwork, and leadership.
Danger #2: Confusing tendencies with skills
DISC shows natural tendencies, not skills or limitations.
Just because we lean in one direction doesn’t mean we can’t build skills in another. For example, someone who doesn’t naturally enjoy detail work can still become highly effective at it through training, practice, and discipline.
Stated another way: DISC is an indicator, not an arbiter. It helps us see patterns of behavior, but it doesn’t decide what people can or can’t do.
When organizations use it as a hiring filter—“only this DISC style can do this job”—they misuse it. I can show you people with every possible DISC profile who succeed in every type of role. Skills, effort, and learning matter far more than a letter combination.
Danger #3: Oversimplifying people
People are far more complex than a few letters on a chart.
DISC is meant to help us understand the complexity of human behavior, not reduce people to labels.
When we say “she’s a DI” or “he’s an SC,” we risk oversimplifying and stereotyping. We lose sight of nuance, growth, and individuality. And when we stop seeing people as whole, complex humans, we miss the real power of behavior assessment tools like DISC.
Why I Still Believe in DISC
As I said at the beginning, I’m a believer in DISC. In fact, my team and I created our own version of the DISC assessment because we’ve seen how valuable it can be when used responsibly. You can find it at kevineikenberry.com/disc.
But even the most powerful tools can be misused. And when that happens—even unintentionally—they can do more harm than good.
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