DISC and Change: How Each Personality Style Drives (or Resists) Change
DISC and change go hand in hand, because how a person reacts to change is rarely random. It usually traces back to how they are wired. The DISC model sorts behavior into four styles, Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, and Conscientiousness, and each one drives, supports, or resists change in its own predictable way. Once you know which style you are talking to, you can stop guessing at how to bring them along.
I sat down with Stacy Mulligan, known to her audience as The DISC Queen, to discuss all things DISC! We already covered The 5 Questions of Change, which walks you through what to ask before rolling out any change. DISC answers a different question: once you know what you are asking, how do you say it so each type of person actually hears it?
What Is DISC, and Why Does It Matter for Change?
DISC is a behavioral model that groups observable behavior into four styles: Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, and Conscientiousness. The model traces back to psychologist William Moulton Marston, who first proposed it in 1928, in his book Emotions of Normal People, and it has been refined and studied for nearly a century since. It matters for change because people do not all process a new initiative the same way. A D wants to know what is changing and when. An I wants to know if it will still be fun. An S wants to know the team is in it together. A C wants to know the plan actually works. Speak to all four the same way, and you will only land with one of them.
The 4 DISC Styles and Change, Explained
D: The Dominant Style
D styles tend to be direct, fast moving, and results focused. When a D decides something needs to change, they say so plainly and they follow through. Their strength in a change effort is momentum, they do not sit on a decision once it is made. Where they can trip up is bringing everyone else along at the same pace they are moving.
Watch the full episode: DISC D Style: Why Dominants Drive Change Like No One Else
I: The Influencer Style
I styles drive change through people and enthusiasm. They are full of ideas, and once they land on a good one, they can rally a room around it fast because they naturally think in terms of relationships and how a change will affect the people involved. Where they tend to slip up is the follow through. I styles are drawn to the big idea and the people side of it, and they can lose energy fast once a change requires paperwork, structure, or sitting still with the details. Pair an I with someone who can build the plan behind their vision, and that gap closes.
Watch the full episode: DISC I Style: Why Influencers Drive Change Like a Party
S: The Steady Style
S styles bring consistency and calm to a change process, and they are often the glue that keeps a team together while everyone else is adjusting. They value stability and want reassurance that a change is a team effort, not something being done to them. Because they prioritize harmony, they may be slower to voice concerns out loud, which means leaders need to actively check in rather than assume silence means agreement.
Watch the full episode: DISC S Style: Why Steadiness Is the Backbone of Every Change
C: The Conscientious Style
C styles want accuracy, structure, and a plan that actually holds up. They are the ones asking the questions nobody else thought to ask, and they are often the reason a change rollout does not fall apart under its own details. Change can be hardest on a C when it arrives without enough information, because ambiguity is where they get stuck. Give a C the specifics and the reasoning behind them, and they become one of the most reliable people driving the change forward.
Watch the full episode: DISC C Style: Why Perfectionists Make Change So Hard
Why Understanding DISC Makes You Better at Leading Change
Most change communication gets written once and sent to everyone the same way. DISC is a reminder that a single message rarely lands the same way twice. The same change, framed around results for a D, fun and people for an I, teamwork for an S, and a solid plan for a C, will get you further than one message trying to do all four jobs at once. You do not need to write four separate announcements every time. You need to know which lever to pull with which person, especially the ones you need most on board.
Meet The DISC Queen: Stacy Mulligan
Stacy Mulligan is a Maxwell Certified DISC Behavioral Consultant, speaker, and coach, and the author of Why You Clash and How to Finally Connect. She has spent years helping leaders and teams use DISC to communicate better, reduce conflict, and build stronger working relationships. If this series resonates with you, her leadership development and team training work is a great next step for going deeper with your own team.
How to Start Using DISC in Your Next Change
Before your next change conversation, think through who you need on board and what style they likely lead with. You do not need a formal assessment to start, just pay attention to how people already communicate. Someone who wants the bottom line fast is probably leaning D. Someone who lights up talking about the team and gets distracted by the next big idea is probably leaning I. Someone who asks how everyone will be affected is probably leaning S. Someone who wants the details in writing before they commit is probably leaning C. Adjust how you deliver the message, not the substance of it, and watch how much easier the conversation gets.
Frequently Asked Questions About DISC and Change
What does DISC stand for?
DISC stands for Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, and Conscientiousness, the four behavioral styles at the center of the DISC model, first proposed by psychologist William Moulton Marston in 1928.
Is one DISC style better at handling change than the others?
No. Each style brings something different to a change effort, D brings momentum, I brings buy-in and enthusiasm, S brings stability and follow through, and C brings structure and accuracy. Change goes smoother when all four are understood and used, not when one style is treated as ideal.
Do I need a formal DISC assessment to use this framework?
No. A formal assessment adds precision, but you can start applying DISC just by paying attention to how the people around you naturally communicate and adjusting your message accordingly.
Watch the Full Series
We have covered the framework at a glance, but each style gets its own deep dive with Stacy Mulligan, The DISC Queen. Watch D, I, S, and C. Subscribe to The Change Nerd on YouTube for content that doesn't suck!
Want to bring this framework to your own team, or want a second opinion on a change you are navigating? Contact Jason directly.
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