Day one of the 2024-25 ProFILE class’ February session focused heavily on the DiSC personality assessment. To understand how each classmate approaches and views work-related situations, each member completed a DiSC assessment and throughout the day learned how to collaborate better with their fellow classmates.
DiSC breaks down four personality types from which everyone is a mix, with most falling into one or two quadrants:
- D — Dominance: Results-focused people who see “the big picture”
- I — Influence: Enthusiastic, optimistic, influential, persuasive
- S — Steadiness: Cooperative, sincere, dependable
- C — Conscientiousness: Quality, expertise, competency
MFB Field Operations Director Deb Schmucker led the class through the guidebook to understand their own personality type along with those of their classmates.
At one point small groups of participants were tasked with highlighting their contributions to the workplace, their fears, how they feel they’re misunderstood, and how other different styles can better relate to each other. The exercise was incredibly insightful and allowed each group to share responses and promote better understanding between personality types.
We learned that D’s generally want to complete tasks first and delve into the ‘why’ questions later. C’s prefer to dissect the task at hand and develop a well-thought-out approach.
S’s want to provide support and offer helping hands when tasks arise, and I’s will be there to keep everyone’s spirits up and work on securing buy-in from others.
In most workplaces, each personality type contributes to a job well-done — and with a unified approach supportive of the team as a whole.
ProFILE participant Cora Okkema helps on her family's dairy farm in Mecosta County's Millbrook Township while also working full-time as an MSUE dairy educator in northwest and north-central Michigan.
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Rebecca Gulliver
