Guide to the DiSC model and the 4 DiSC styles
The DiSC model is a framework for understanding how people tend to think, feel, and behave. It can help you build better relationships, communicate more effectively, and motivate and understand others.
There is a significant difference in the quality of personality tests. Some are simply more well-tested and thoroughly constructed than others.
At CfL, we do not wish to play the role of judge in deciding which personality tests are the best. In this article, we present eight selected personality tests. Whether these are the eight best is for the individual to decide.
What we can say with certainty is that these eight personality tests excel at what they do and have gained recognition and widespread use in both Danish and international business.
BTB was first released in 1989.
The test was developed by a Danish researcher—who, among other things, worked with the Armed Forces—and was created with input from Danish personnel managers, which was relatively unusual in the 1980s. Back then, a personality test often began as a theoretical construction.
Based on 12 personality factors, BTB presents a nuanced view of the respondent’s motivation, drive, problem-solving abilities, temperament, and teamwork skills. It is therefore an ideal tool for recruitment and onboarding at both leadership and employee levels.
Organizations use BTB to ensure a good match between the position and the candidate. Moreover, they gain a wealth of knowledge about employees’ personality traits, which can be used to create even better conditions for a productive and satisfying work life.
Sixteen Personality Factors is a personality test from the USA that has been used in Denmark since the 1980s. It is popular in the business world, especially for recruitment, and can also be used for employee or team development.
The test is constructed to assess the respondent’s personality in relation to 16 personality factors:
The test questions are based on these 16 factors, and the result provides a detailed description of how a person behaves in various situations.
It takes 35 to 40 minutes to complete this personality test.
NPI stands for Narcissistic Personality Inventory or narcissistic personality test. NPI is somewhat special because it was originally designed as a diagnostic tool rather than a business-oriented one. The test is used to measure the degree of narcissism in a personality by placing the respondent on a scale from normal to subclinical levels of narcissism.
NPI is a thorough and relatively heavy personality test. For some organizations and positions, it may be useful to measure the degree of narcissism. An unusually high degree of self-confidence and a strong desire for self-determination can complicate good collaboration with colleagues and customers. Conversely, there are organizations that seek personalities with a relatively high degree of narcissism—this may be desirable for a leadership role.
JTI is a purely developmental tool based on Jungian Typology—the extensive psychological theory of Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung. JTI is a type tool, which means the personality test categorizes individuals into groups. It measures people’s differences with regard to:
JTI is used both individually and for teambuilding and has broad applicability in:
The Jungian Type Index describes differences between people, helping organizations to use these differences constructively rather than as a source of irritation. In Denmark, JTI is one of the most popular developmental tools.
Also known as OPQ32, this test measures 32 personality factors and is mainly used for recruitment. Globally, it is one of the largest personality tests in the business world.
The purpose of the OPQ is to describe the respondent’s behavior and work style. It is a heavy and very nuanced tool that has been refined over more than 40 years using insights from various industries.
The analysis focuses on four areas:
Dynamics: How dynamic the test person is, characterized by energy, competitiveness, and decisiveness.
Firo-B is one of the most popular testing tools for leadership development and strengthening collaborative relationships. This personality test focuses primarily on how the respondent engages in relationships with others and is used to develop better teamwork within organizations.
The test is structured around three main areas:
Firo-B is a valuable analytical tool for managers when assembling teams. It makes a significant difference in areas such as teambuilding, team development, and conflict resolution, while also helping individuals gain greater self-awareness of their behavioral patterns in group settings.
LFP is different from the other personality tests presented, as it is based on the leadership task rather than on the individual. The test measures four overarching aspects of leadership:
LFP is particularly useful for recruitment consultants and HR professionals working with leaders—for instance, in the recruitment and selection of leaders, leadership development, preparing employees for leadership roles, and advising or coaching leaders. It can be used both for recruitment and development and is best suited for experienced leaders handling relatively complex leadership positions.
MPA is a testing tool developed in Denmark and is widely used in the business world, primarily in recruitment. The personality test measures the respondent’s behavior in relation to personal qualities at the workplace:
The test results help organizations predict whether a candidate is a good match for the job and the workplace culture. MPA is a relatively accessible analytical tool that makes it easy for organizations to test several candidates and compare the results.
The DiSC model is a framework for understanding how people tend to think, feel, and behave. It can help you build better relationships, communicate more effectively, and motivate and understand others.