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What is the DiSC CS type?

8 min read

People with a DiSC® style of CS value stability and minimizing risk. They display both the C style’s conscientiousness and the S style’s steadiness. CS-style people tend to be self-controlled, modest, and soft-spoken. They tend to be precise and dependable, and typically prefer working behind the scenes than being in the spotlight.

CS style graphic with priorities: stability, accuracy, support

The DiSC CS personality type at a glance

  • Traits: Perfectionist, cautious, reflective, stable, reliable, orderly, even-tempered, fair-minded, precise, well-prepared, careful, patient, conventional, self-controlled
  • Driven by: Stability, reliable outcomes
  • Anxieties: Emotionally charged situations, ambiguity
  • Influences others by: Practicality, attention to detail
  • In tense situations: Encourages a calm demeanor, avoids emotional situations

How well these descriptors match your own CS style will depend on how close your dot is to the edge of the DiSC circle. If your dot is closer to the middle, you may exhibit these traits less often.

DiSC style blends: CS

Circle showing the 8 scales: four continua which intersect at the middle

Everything DiSC® assessments measure respondents on eight scales: D (Dominance), Di/iD, i (influence), iS/Si, S (Steadiness), SC/CS, C (Conscientiousness), and CD/DC. As you might expect, people with the CS style score highest on the SC/CS scale. C-style folks are often orderly and precise. People with S styles are likely supportive and warm. CS styles are a blend of the two, with a little more C in the mix.

Everyone is a blend of all DiSC styles, but most people tend toward one or two. All DiSC styles are equal and valuable in their own ways.

What is the opposite DiSC style of CS?

If you have a CS style, you may gain a new understanding of your own tendencies by looking at the natural tendencies of the style opposite yours on the DiSC circumplex. The personality type opposite from CS is iD. People with CS styles likely score lower on iD-scale measurements like being dynamic and liking to take risks. CS-style folks can still display these behaviors at times; it just takes more energy than their default mode.

Circle showing the 12 style wedges. The CS wedge is highlighted.
  • iD-style people tend to be bold and high-energy; CS-style folks are usually cautious and soft-spoken.
  • The iD type fears fixed environments, while the CS type prefers them.
  • People with iD styles value assertiveness; people with CS styles value humility.
Image showing the active-to-reflective dimension and the skeptical-to-accepting dimension

What motivates the CS style?

People with DiSC CS styles are motivated by stability, accuracy, and support.

Stability

  • Come across as orderly and precise
  • Prefer to be well-prepared
  • Avoid taking risks or making rapid changes

Accuracy

  • Spend time refining their ideas before moving forward
  • Rely on data to make decisions
  • Are careful and methodical

Support

  • Willing to help when their expertise is needed
  • Even-tempered and patient with both people and difficult situations
  • Obliging and accommodating

What are the CS style’s driving assumptions?

We all have core beliefs that operate under the surface of our rational minds. Though we’re mostly not aware of them, they direct our decisions and behavior. We call these driving assumptions.

For the CS style, unconscious thoughts like these may drive their behavior and choices:

  • I should never be the source of someone else’s unhappiness.
  • I must always maintain my credibility.
  • I’m half pretending that I know what I’m doing.
  • If things are not completely stable, things are wrong.

Every person is different, so even within CS styles, some of these statements will resonate more than others.

Driving assumptions can lead to both destructive and productive behaviors. For example, the values above can lead CS-style people to allow opportunities to pass them by because of their excess caution. But they also motivate CS-style folks to follow through on promises and be a reliable presence in others’ lives.

How does the CS style handle stress?

Different things create stress for people of different personality types. For example, iD styles feel stress when they’re not in the spotlight. CS styles don’t mind working behind the scenes.

What does stress out a CS-type personality:

  • dealing with unpredictable environments or loss of stability
  • taking risks
  • having to make quick decisions
  • being put on the spot
  • having little private time
  • not having expertise in a task they need to perform

Under stress, CS styles tend to:

  • maintain a calm exterior, mask their stress
  • try to solve things themselves, so they don’t burden or bother others
  • become withdrawn and passive
  • be defensive
  • overuse restraint, lean even harder into self-control
  • resist asking for help or sympathy, even when others make it clear they’d be happy to give it

How can I work well with CS-style people?

People with DiSC CS personality types bring a lot to their workplaces. They generally have great follow-through and attention to detail, and they like offering support to teammates.

Tips for working with CS personality types:

  • Don’t assume that because they are logical or self-controlled, their feelings aren’t important.
  • Give them time to process new information.
  • Clarify which decisions are subject to change and which are final.
  • Let them know when something requires more urgency. Otherwise, they will likely default to a slow and steady pace.
  • If you have a similar style, find ways to add momentum and risk-taking to your work.
  • Support your ideas with objective points.
  • Recognize the value of their precise and patient nature.

The CS style and teamwork

CS-style teammates are generally reliable and supportive. They are motivated to do things the right way and ensure superior results. They’re more interested in group success than ego.

Strengths of CS-style teammates:

  • humility
  • ability to see things from others’ perspectives
  • like to support teammates
  • follow through on promises
  • meticulous
  • willing to do the less-glamorous behind-the-scenes work that may bore others
  • even-tempered and diplomatic

Challenges of CS-style teammates:

  • risk-averse
  • can be rigid or overly “by the book” as a safeguard against blame
  • prefer a steady pace that may not be right for every project
  • hesitant to ask for help when needed
  • passive or compliant during conflict
  • averse to strong displays of emotion

Read more: Team building

What if there are many CS-style people on a team?

The mix of individual styles within a group creates a larger DiSC group culture. When a group displays a C culture (with many people of CS, CD, and C styles) it tends to be detail-oriented, analytical, and diplomatic. We call this the “get it right” team.

Advantages of the CS group culture:

  • commits to getting the job done right
  • respects people’s rights
  • calculates risks thoroughly

Drawbacks of the CS group culture:

  • misses opportunities due to excess caution
  • lacks outward excitement and energy
  • avoids giving even constructive criticism

Read more: DiSC C group culture

Which careers are good for DiSC CS personalities?

This is a common question, but the truth is that people of any DiSC style can be successful and happy in any field. Your DiSC style doesn’t predict how you’ll perform in any given job. We don’t recommend basing career decisions (or hiring decisions) on personality type alone.

Although your DiSC profile can’t tell you what career to pursue, it can help you articulate what you might enjoy about different professional environments. Reviewing your DiSC profile can remind you where you get your energy and what your core motivators and stressors are.

For example, people with CS styles often enjoy environments that provide stability and harmony. They may find it draining to be “on” for long periods of time, and instead seek the space to work privately. That doesn’t mean they should limit themselves to these environments. But a balance of stable and more dynamic situations may be more sustainable for this style than a fully chaotic environment. CS-type people could explore jobs in scientific research or fieldwork, editing (audio, video, written word, etc.), library science or archival work, technology, craftsmanship or manufacturing, quality control, data science, and many other fields that welcome their dedication to precision and steady progress.

Everything DiSC Workplace priorities map
Review your priorities when considering a career change. Image: Everything DiSC Workplace® priorities map.

Do CS personality types make good leaders, managers, and salespeople?

Are CS types good leaders?

People of all DiSC styles make good leaders. Every style has its strengths and challenges when it comes to leadership. In fact, the most effective leaders frequently move between styles as they go throughout their day.

CS-style people are humble leaders: composed, modest, and fair-minded. They exemplify the “servant leader” mindset and provide a consistent, supportive environment.

In 360-degree-type assessments, CS-style leaders tend to be rated highly on things like being receptive to other people’s needs and maintaining their composure during stress. They rank lower on initiating change.

Read more: SC-type leaders

Humble leaders: maintaining composure, showing modesty, being fair-minded

What are CS-style people like as managers?

Managers with the DiSC CS style prioritize reliability. They:

  • Create a safe, predictable environment
  • Act as a steadying influence
  • Follow through on their word
  • Make sure their decisions are backed up by logic and facts

CS-type managers probably enjoy:

  • Working through issues systematically
  • Lessening uncertainty and chaos for their team
  • Supporting people so they can do their best work
  • Creating efficient systems or procedures

CS-type managers likely don’t enjoy:

  • Making quick decisions without time for analysis
  • Dealing with angry or argumentative people
  • Improvising
  • Managing conflict
Priorities map from Everything DiSC Management
Priorities map from Everything DiSC® Management

Read more: Management

Do CS-style people make good salespeople?

Each DiSC style has its natural strengths and challenges when it comes to sales. Someone’s DiSC style does not predict how successful they will be as a salesperson.

CS-style salespeople take pride in following through on their word. They want customers to know they are reliable and won’t abandon them.

Other characteristics of CS salespeople:

  • Steady and consistent
  • Well-prepared
  • Guide customers rather than pressure them
  • Tactful and diplomatic
  • Treat people with respect
  • Enjoy finding the most effective solution for each customer

The overriding priority for salespeople with CS personality types is dependability.

Everything DiSC Sales priorities
Everything DiSC® Sales priorities

How does the CS personality type deal with conflict?

People with CS styles are seeking stability during conflict situations. They also like to stay objective. Their actions and choices during conflict situations are driven by these two needs.

Conflict is a part of every workplace, and many studies show that some amount of conflict is actually healthy, when this conflict is productive, not destructive.

Priorities map from Everything DiSC Productive Conflict
Priorities map from Everything DiSC® Productive Conflict

Tendencies of CS styles that are productive during conflict:

  • focusing on the facts
  • encouraging others to model their calm demeanor
  • giving people space
  • listening

The same personality traits driving the above tendencies can also drive destructive tendencies during conflict, like:

  • freezing up, passivity, waiting for it to pass
  • placating rather than validating someone else’s strong emotions
  • using passive-aggressive tactics
  • letting issues simmer beneath the surface

If you are in conflict with someone with a CS style, try these tips:

  • Give them space to synthesize and articulate their position.
  • Keep volatility to a minimum.
  • Focus on facts.
  • Look for the root cause of problems.
  • Encourage them not to withdraw.
Conflict behaviors in the Five Behaviors model
The Five Behaviors® model discusses healthy and unhealthy behavior during conflict. For CS styles, you can see that a healthy behavior is encouraging a calm demeanor and unhealthy behaviors are retreating from the conflict and avoiding emotional situations.

Is the DiSC CS style emotionally intelligent?

Emotional intelligence (EQ) is not a single trait. It’s a skill set that allows you to respond well to different situations, but a collection of skills everyone can work to develop. Like all DiSC styles, CS-type people have both natural EQ strengths and challenges.

Of the eight EQ mindsets described in Everything DiSC Agile EQ, CS styles align most closely with the composed mindset. This means CS-style people are likely to:

  • reflect before acting
  • moderate their responses
  • contribute to a state of calm
  • possess the ability to step back and analyze a situation
  • exercise diplomacy
Priorities map for Everything DiSC Agile EQ
Priorities map for Everything DiSC® Agile EQ™

What are some growth opportunities for DiSC CS styles?

Unlike many other personality assessments, Everything DiSC is developmental rather than solely descriptive. People who take the assessment gain not only self-understanding but also an individualized plan for personal growth.

Speaking generally, CS-style people may benefit from working on:

  • Showing flexibility
  • Being decisive
  • Showing urgency
  • Sharing opinions openly
  • Standing up for themselves
  • Taking initiative, being proactive
  • Being more open and less guarded with others

What is my DiSC style?

Do you have the DiSC CS personality type? If so, how does your unique personality differ from the typical CS 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 also learn how to form better relationships at home and work. We recommend starting your DiSC journey with Everything DiSC Workplace.

Author

Avery Harris-Gray

SC style, NY based. Writing about Everything DiSC and The Five Behaviors since 2020. Leadership style: humble. EQ mindset: composed. I always have snacks to share.

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