D style

D is for Dominance

People with the DiSC D style personality are usually direct, driven, and results-oriented. You’ll notice the D style acting assertively, making quick decisions, and speaking candidly.

What does the D in DiSC mean?

The D in the Everything DiSC® model stands for Dominance. People with D styles may be described as strong-willed and competitive. They are action-oriented folks who strive for success and enjoy a good challenge. People with the DiSC D style are more likely than others to push vigorously for their opinions and desired results.

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DiSC D style characteristics | Working well with DiSC D-style people |
D style variations: Di, DC, D

DiSC map showing fast-paced and outspoken at top, cautious and reflective at bottom, questioning and skeptical on the left, and accepting and warm at the right

How do you get typed as a D?

At its core, the DiSC model is two-dimensional, measuring:

pace, on a scale from fast-paced and outspoken to cautious and reflective
agreeableness, on a scale from questioning and skeptical to accepting and warm

D styles are those personalities that are both fast-paced and outspoken, and also questioning and skeptical.

An Everything DiSC assessment goes far beyond these two scales. When you take the assessment, you'll discover your placement within the DiSC circle model, which fine-tunes the four main DiSC styles into 12 more specific styles.

Dot placement

Human personality is wonderfully varied. Though people with D styles share high-level behavioral preferences, these traits show up in many ways. The dot placement on your Everything DiSC profile tells this story.

For example, you might be strongly inclined to the DC style, with your dot appearing on the far edge and between the D and C lines. Or you might be slightly inclined toward the D style with your dot appearing closer to the middle and centered in the D quadrant.

Learn more: DiSC^® dot and priorities explained

Think you have a DiSC D style?

Take your Everything DiSC Workplace assessment today and find out! Learning about your style can help you form stronger relationships at home and at work.

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DiSC D style characteristics

Personality traits are informed by the driving assumptions that we each have: unconscious beliefs that shape our personalities and influence our decisions. Those with a DiSC D style typically have these four core psychological needs: the need to be strong, the need to be in control, the need to be on top, and the need for progress. Various people with D styles will identify with these needs to varying degrees. Here are some ways that the core needs of D-type people show up in their personalities.

Common traits:

When someone has a DiSC D style, you may observe behaviors such as assertiveness, directness, skepticism, and the drive to keep things moving. Common D style traits include:

determined
outspoken
fast-paced
ambitious

Motivations:

D-style people generally like to be in control of a situation. They find competition to be motivating and typically try to avoid showing weakness. DiSC D style motivators include:

having authority
overcoming obstacles
success, winning

Priorities:

On the Everything DiSC Workplace model, you’ll see these priorities for DiSC D-style people: results, action, challenge. They want to make their mark and reach their goals quickly. D styles feel most comfortable when they are able to prioritize:

taking action
accepting challenges
achieving results

What they value:

Although each individual has a unique set of values, you can observe some common patterns among people with similar DiSC styles. For example, DiSC D-style people tend to value autonomy, dynamic environments, and achievement. Other values of the DiSC D type include:

competency
action
concrete results
personal freedom
challenges

Stressors in the workplace:

Knowing common stressors for the D type can help you better understand your D-style co-workers. Managers should keep in mind the situations that tend to stress D styles out, and how they can provide a more motivating and less stressful environment for them. Things that DiSC D-style people find stressful include:

strict rules or protocols
lack of control of a given situation

Fears:

Each DiSC style has core fears. People don’t always recognize these fears on a conscious level, yet the fears inform many decisions and behaviors. D-style people fear:

being seen as vulnerable
being taken advantage of

How they influence others:

D-type people influence others using the traits and behaviors that come naturally to them. When someone with a D style is trying to influence others, you may notice:

assertiveness
insistence
competition

How they handle conflict:

Like all styles, DiSC D styles in conflict situations can use their natural tendencies in both productive and destructive ways. D-type people in conflict generally address a problem head-on and push to find a resolution rather than having the issue drag on. However, they can also become aggressive, viewing conflicts as situations to win. During conflict, D styles may:

speak up about problems
look to even the score

May need to work on:

DiSC assessments are great tools for understanding both strengths and weaknesses. Growth opportunities for D-type personalities include:

patience
empathy
not always needing to win, not creating win/lose situations

D-style managers

D-style managers are driven, and want their employees to show the same urgency. They prioritize rapid progress, and tend to make firm decisions.

Discover the managerial strengths of the D style and unconscious assumptions that D-style managers sometimes make. Read more on our learning hub.

Working well with DiSC D-style people

People with DiSC D personality types bring a lot to their workplaces. D-style teammates are generally action-oriented and enjoy challenges. They can help teammates focus on the big picture and achieve results. The advice for working well with D-type coworkers will differ based on your own personality type. For example, the challenges an S-style person might have communicating with a D-style teammate are likely quite different from those of two D-style people. That said, here are some general tips for working with DiSC D styles.

Communicating with D styles

Because people with different DiSC styles have different communication preferences, you can strengthen your relationships by learning some type D communication tips. If you have a D style, these behaviors may come naturally to you. If you don’t have a D style, you may benefit from reviewing the best way to communicate with D types. Here are some D-style communication tips:

Give them the bottom line.
Be brief and speak up.
Focus your discussion narrowly.
Avoid generalizations.
Refrain from repeating yourself.
Focus on solutions rather than problems.

D styles in meetings

To run good meetings with D types, review their priorities and motivators. D-style meeting tips include not wasting time and not talking around a problem that could be addressed more directly. Here are some more meeting tips for DiSC D styles:

They prefer to dive in right away, with minimal small talk and side chatter.
They appreciate an agenda that everyone sticks to.

Problem-solving with D styles

When problem-solving with D-type people, remember that they appreciate directness and are naturally skeptical. D styles are generally more interested in big-picture results than detailed analysis. Here are some D-style problem-solving tips:

Be aware that they respond well to bold or daring ideas.
Avoid suggesting unrealistically positive scenarios.
Focus on the big picture and avoid over-analysis.

Do D-style people make good salespeople?

Salespeople with D styles are persistent and assertive. They focus on their main objective, and help the customer keep that focus as well.

Explore the different styles of salespeople, and how you can stretch into different sales styles to meet the needs of your customer Read more on our learning hub.

The D styles: Di, DC, D

Keep in mind that everyone is a blend of all four DiSC styles: D, i, S and C. But most people tend strongly toward one or two styles. If your style falls on a border with another style, you probably show traits associated with that style, as well. Thus, D styles often show traits associated with the i and C styles.

The Di style

The Di style is the D style closest to the i quadrant, so Di-type people display some i-style tendencies in addition to D-style behaviors. This means Di-style people are typically the most fast-paced and enthusiastic of the D styles.

Common Di-style traits: dynamic, inquisitive, persuasive, active, rebellious, restless, entrepreneurial, results-oriented, assertive, quick, vocal, enthusiastic, bold, outspoken, colorful, charming

Learn about Di styles

The DC style

DC-style people share some priorities and behaviors with the C style. This means that of the D styles, DC-style people are usually the most determined and forthright.

Common DC-style traits: diligent, tough-minded, creative, have high standards, determined, perfectionist, take initiative, embrace challenges, blunt, critical, cool, focused, resolute

Learn about DC styles

The D style (“solid D”)

People who fall solidly in the middle of the D quadrant in the DiSC model are sometimes referred to as having “solid D styles.” Their personalities likely align most closely with the larger D-style qualities discussed on this page.

Common D-style traits: direct, firm, results-oriented, driven, strong-willed, competitive, self-reliant, independent thinkers, ambitious, assertive, straightforward, controlling, easily bored, bold, tough-minded, outspoken, insistent, commanding

Other styles

i styles

fast-paced & outgoing, accepting & warm

Learn about i styles

S styles

cautious & reflective, accepting & warm

Learn about S styles

C styles

cautious & reflective, questioning & skeptical

Learn about C styles

What is your style?

Do you have the DiSC D personality type? If so, how does your unique personality differ from the typical D type? Taking a DiSC assessment is the first step toward meeting many personal development goals. Not only will you understand your own behaviors more, but you’ll learn how to form better relationships at home and work. We recommend starting your DiSC journey with Everything DiSC Workplace.

Take a DiSC assessment