How are you wired?
Why do you do what you do?
Michael and I often say to one another that figuring this out and knowing how the other person is wired was the biggest change factor in our marriage.
We heard of doing a personality profile through Dan Miller. We used the DISC Profile provided through his site.
The most amazing part of taking the test was how it freed me to be myself. I used to always think I should be different. I compared myself to stronger personality types and thought that was better and I needed to change to be like them. Now I know how I am wired and designed to function and no longer feel the need to compare.
I can also relate to Michael on a deeper level because I now understand that he is wired differently than me. We were able to review each other’s profiles and it was like someone explaining to me how best to communicate with my husband and vice versa.
Too often we relate to everyone else strictly based on how we function. We forget everyone does not think how we do.
This is such a narrow view of the world and the diversity with which God created us.
Taking the test has enabled me to improve all my relationships, my marriage, and understand my baby better. It has brought great freedom and insight. What a gift!
Question: How are you wired?
I was blessed to take that profile through Rob Clinton and everything you shared is very true. We forget that everyone doesn’t see things or react to them as we do – we are truly all wired so differently. I see it clearly in my 3 children – and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Ann,
What a blessing you have given your children!!… appreciating their uniqueness! Wow, they will never forget that.
That is a huge burden on my heart as Michael and I embark into parenthood… so I’d love any tips 😉
I took the test and it showed that I am S/C . It’s interesting that others are saying it depends on the day they take the test because sometimes I feel like it should be different on certain days too! I am wanting to take the test again in the future just to see what it says. I have learned so much from it. I can sometimes tell what wiring people are and it helps me to relate and be able to understand them better. I agree it can be helpful in a marriage and am excited to see what Skyler is. We have our guesses. It reminds me of the different learning styles and how it can really be helpful when teaching your kids. Just knowing my style of learning is helpful to ME!
Claudia : How are you wired?
Ashley,
Oh fun! I’m glad that you took it! That was soooo fun for us, and revealing. Best thing ever. We now try to guess all of our family and close friends!
It has helped me relate better to people as well.
I am an S,C,I. All about at the same level. Sometimes I love it, sometimes I don’t know who I am exactly 🙂
We are really excited to see who Jude turns into as well. It is fun trying to guess!
I am an I,C!
I’ve always been interested in personality wiring, but never really dug into it until this past year and I love it! Josh and I have also experienced more understanding in our marriage as we learn more about our personality types. I think it has hugely helped to not take offense to things said by the other, or at least to understand why the OTHER person took offense.
It’s awesome that you are digging into this… so may I ask… how are you two wired?
Alana,
haha, I didn’t even include that did I?? 😉
I am an S,C,I all at about the same level. My D is low. Interesting. It is a strange combo of loving people/wanting to be by myself/wanting strict organization/yet being ok with disorganization because of being flexible/feelings, feeling, feelings 🙂
You are I,C… You my dear will be a wonderful coach 🙂 Love of people and precision. Great combo! Is Josh your opposite?
Cool! I was going to guess you were an “S.” 🙂 oooh, I can relate to some of the descriptions you posted about yourself! Yes, personality stuff is SO FUN for me!
Thank you for the compliment! 🙂
Josh is a C,S. His C is much stronger than my C, however I realized the other day while talking with Deb Ingino that my C is what comes out when I am stressed. It now makes sense to me that when I am stressed (especially when doing a task) I want all the details before moving forward.
Is Michael your opposite? Originally I was going to guess him to be a CI or an IC, but I haven’t interacted with him as much.
Hey Alana,
You’re an I/C, very cool! I’m a C/S, like Josh. My I is way in the basement! However, I think my S makes up for some of that. I do enjoy making people feel included and will be more outgoing to do that.
So, both Claudia and I are more on the C/S side, however her I is much higher than mine. And where her D is very low, mine is above the mid-line.
I agree, you have a great personality to work with people! Keep it up!
Interesting! So… tell me if this question is too personal, but does it put you way out of your comfort zone to do all of the networking that you are doing?
I know you are working on the I Don’t Care project and some of that involves putting you “out there” with people you would not normally interact with… so as I write this, it makes sense why some of the things you do, DO put you out of your comfort zone!
Hopefully that made sense. I am very tired right now. :/
Alana,
No, not too personal at all. No, the networking doesn’t really put me out of my comfort zone. I actually really enjoy it!
I think it’s different because it’s online. If I’m meeting lots of new people in person, I’m less comfortable and the conversing takes more energy. Unless the other person is more talkative than I am and then I can really feed off that and find it more energizing.
That being said, I think it’s healthy to have a balance and connect with people in person too. I really love getting to know people online and in person that are intentional with their lives and are excited about what they are doing!
Interesting Alana. So you are a C when stressed… makes perfect sense! Your precision personality wants to get it all in order and back in line! That works out nicely.
I haven’t thought about what parts of me come out when. I’ll have to evaluate that… It would be fun to see the result!
I too love personality stuff! It is so intriguing to me… what makes us all tick.
Michael is a C,S. So we are actually fairly similar in a lot of ways. I like that. 🙂
Claudia – you mentioned you used the DiSC personality test from Dan Miller. There should be a page in there with 3 graphs on it (near the beginning of the packet). If it is still laid out the same, the center graph is your “true self.” This is the you that comes out when you are under stress. 🙂
For me, the first graph shows a really high “I” which is how I interact in public, but my second graph shows the “C” at a very high level along with the “I.”
Ooooh yes, Alana I do remember that part.
Mine was basically the same… that’s probably why it didn’t stand out to me 🙂
Claudia,
I think I’m a D,C but these two don’t really seem to go together. It’s best to take advantage of our strengths and do what we can to minimize our weaknesses.
Have a Victorious Day!
Marianne Clements
Victory Christian Coaching
Marianne, D, C work really well together… You might have the gift of accuracy/details/precision, as well as leadership. I think that’s a golden mix! There are many greats who have D, C, and as a matter of fact I think Dan Miller is a D,C… I know my D and C are up… Though my I is just slightly higher than C, so I’m really D/I… You are as perfect as you were made being exactly who you are… D/C rocks!
I totally agree with Rob here Marianne!
What a wonderful gift your mix of D and C are! Perfectly you! The key would be surrounding yourself with wise people in the areas you feel you lack in… if you feel imbalanced.
I am a S,C, I. All high…
Crazy and wonderful how we are all wired so uniquely.
Nice post…through the years, I’ve taken the test and am consistently High S / C. This bothered me for quite awhile as I thought I “should” be more outgoing. However, I’m reading that they’ve done studies showing that up to 50% of the population are “introverts” (they’re just in hiding)..ha. Apparently, there is actually a difference in our brains! I noticed my “I” score went up a good bit in the seven years since I last had taken the DISC and Deb Ingino told me “you must have kids now!”. That is one smart lady. She has a small book on DISC for kids she gave to me and I want to test my daughter soon…still have to get Mrs. Wright’s DISC profile too! As you point out, it will definetly help in understanding your spouse.
Michael,
Very cool. Nothing wrong with being an introvert. I’m one myself.
Why do you think your I went up after having a child? I would have never guessed that to happen.
Also, haven’t forgotten about our call! I’ll send you an email shortly.
Thanks Michael! Look forward to talking soon. I think having my daughter introduced a playfulness that I wasn’t used to. Having a baby – toddler – child puts you in this unique position to start relating with other parents, talking with them, discussing behaviors, etc. I always would take her out to various playgrounds and there are always discussions popping up, so I was talking more than my usual self. When we discovered she had Autism, it further pushed us out to foster friendships and relatonships with other parents in the same boat. My “I” is still low with respect to my S / C.
Ohhh interesting Michael!
Yea, it made a wonderful difference in our marriage. Totally opened doors of communication that weren’t there before!
My score used to say D,C about 5 years ago… But something happened and now it’s a D ,I… However, my C, is still above mid-line… I think it had a lot to do with me moving in the direction of my calling, starting my business, and plus major life changes had taken place… It’s funny, that 5 years ago, my “I” was way below the line… All of a sudden, it decided to bring itself to life!
Very cool, Rob! I bet it’s because you’re more confident in who you are and where you’re going. Plus, there’s life in your eyes! I can see it! Who wouldn’t want to talk and connect more when they’re fully alive?
hahaha your social side woke up!!
That is so interesting that when you moved in the direction of your calling your personality experienced change. Great insight for us all 🙂
Taking your test again after pursuing your calling was a great way to understand yourself better.
Exactly! This mind boggled me for a bit, but then it made perfect sense! You know, I’m still not one to just mingle around and strike up conversations… That still takes effort on my part, but get me talking about the deeper meaning of things, that’s when it gets fun!
Very cool, Rob. I am similar in that way. Just striking up conversation takes energy, but when there’s a connection or a common interest, it’s a lot easier.
It helps me too, like I mentioned to Alana, when the other person is more talkative than I am. Then I can really feed off that and find conversing more energizing.
Absolutely! One thing that really helps me is to just be genuinely interested in that person, and just ask questions about them, instead being concerned with how I’m going to be perceived, or the stories about me that I should be telling. These can open the door to great conversations… When it’s about them, I think things open up… What do you think would happen if both people conversing had the same intention?
Yeah, really! That’s using Dale Carnegie’s “How to Win Friends” approach. Well done!
Thanks Michael! Appreciate that… It’s all about finding what makes us fully alive… I carry a Howard Thurman quote in my e-mail signature, “Don’t ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”
That’s a great quote. I’m happy that you’re living this out!
D/I or I/D here (depends on which day I take the profile). Kathy is a S with I/C at the midline. This makes for an awesomely balanced marriage as long as we accept and embrace each other’s uniqueness.
When I train the DiSC, I always say that successful people play to their strengths and learn to compensate for their weaknesses.
I have heard this a lot Kent! That your wiring changes a bit depending on the day. Makes complete sense! Sounds like you and Kathy are a great match and really balance each other out 🙂
I like that you tell people to play to their strengths not focus on their weaknesses. That is really key!
Claudia, another great post. D/I and my wife is an S/C. The knowledge of this assessment has helped our marriage. Today, I currently use the DISC with every client. By understanding how they are wired I can tailor my communication with them ovine forward. Blessings, @missioncoach
Rob,
You have a great advantage understanding how people are wired and being better able to relate to them as a coach. That is a huge gift to your clients!