People whose DiSC® profile shows an iD style display both the influence of the i style and the dominance of the D style. They are persuasive, charismatic, and high-energy. People with iD styles value action and enthusiasm, and this comes through in their bold and passionate personalities. They tend to move at a fast pace and feel comfortable improvising.
The DiSC iD personality type at a glance
- Traits: Friendly, high energy, poised, persuasive, open, ambitious, self-promoting, trusting, influential, impatient, indecisive, adventurous, charismatic
- Driven by: Popularity, exciting breakthroughs, prestige
- Anxieties: Fixed environments, loss of approval or attention
- Influences others by: Boldness, passion
- In tense situations: Expresses feelings, becomes overly dramatic
DiSC style blends: iD
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. People with the iD style score highest on the iD/Di scale. Further, their responses show tendencies slightly more in line with the i style than the D style. People with i styles are outgoing and enthusiastic. D-style folks are direct and strong-willed. iD styles are a blend of the two.
Everyone is a mixture of all DiSC styles, but most people tend toward one or two. All DiSC styles are equally valuable.
What is the opposite DiSC style of iD?
In the Everything DiSC model, the DiSC styles are plotted on a circumplex. Styles that are closely related are next to each other, and styles that have little in common are on opposite sides of the circle. One way to understand the iD style is to consider the style across from it on the DiSC map: the CS style.
People with iD styles likely score lower on CS-scale measurements like being reserved and systematic. iD-style folks may display CS behaviors at times, but it will likely take them a lot of energy to do so.
- CS-style people are reserved and private, while iD-style folks are outgoing and expressive.
- The CS-type personality is motivated by accuracy and systems, while iD types are motivated by influencing others.
- CS styles prefer stable environments, while iD styles seek novelty.
What motivates the iD style?
People with DiSC iD styles are motivated by action, enthusiasm, and results.
Action
- move quickly toward their goals
- maintain a fast pace
- are comfortable making decisions on the fly
- prefer adventurous ideas to safe ones
Enthusiasm
- like to rally others around a common goal
- maintain an upbeat attitude and bring genuine optimism to their work
- are excited about new possibilities
- are high-energy and expressive
Results
- are ambitious and goal-oriented
- enjoy leveraging relationships to achieve new accomplishments
- are competitive but charming
What are the iD style’s driving assumptions?
Driving assumptions are unconscious beliefs that shape our personalities and influence our decisions. We all have them, though they may be things we wouldn’t want to admit to. We may not even be aware of them. But they still direct our behavior.
For the iD style, thoughts like these may drive their behavior and choices:
- I’m wasting my time if I’m not accomplishing something.
- If I don’t stand out, I’m not valuable. or If I’m not special, I’m nobody.
- I want people to think very highly of me.
- I must never be ordinary.
- I must always be respected.
These beliefs can be both destructive and productive. They can lead iD-style people to display narcissism at times. But they also fuel the iD style’s entrepreneurial spirit and help propel them to big accomplishments.
How does the iD style handle stress?
What many people would consider stressful—high-pressure situations—may actually excite people with iD styles. It’s an opportunity for them to show how exceptional they are. They might experience pressure as a positive thing, a stimulating challenge.
What does stress out an iD-type personality:
- feeling deprived of personal agency
- a lack of stimulation
- being ignored
- being asked to do work that is repetitive, analytical, or too behind-the-scenes
- the status quo
Under stress, iD styles tend to:
- express themselves without a filter
- get flustered and disorganized
- exaggerate, attempting to make things sound as intense as they feel
- show impatience
- look for attention
How can I work well with iD-style people?
People with DiSC iD personality types bring a lot to their workplaces. They are energetic and inspiring people who aren’t afraid to take risks.
Tips for working with iD personality types:
- Express your interest in them, and make time to chat, even if it’s not directly work-related.
- Avoid bogging them down with unnecessary details.
- Allow them opportunities to express themselves.
- Be patient and help them prioritize when they need to be detail-oriented and complete tasks.
- If you’re naturally skeptical, try listening to their ideas with an open mind before immediately looking for reasons they wouldn’t work.
- Praise their accomplishments publicly so they feel valued and appreciated.
- Recognize the value of their energy and enthusiasm.
- Work collaboratively with them. Share ideas and successes.
The iD style and teamwork
Overall, iD-style teammates are enthusiastic and action-oriented. Their fast pace can help speed up more analytical teams, and their optimism can rally team members to achieve big goals.
Strengths of iD-style teammates:
- look for new opportunities and better ways to do things
- are good at networking and building connections
- bring a positive energy
- boost team morale
- know how to turn obstacles into opportunities
Challenges of iD-style teammates:
- can be impulsive and impatient
- may be prone to disorganization or lack of follow-through
- may not recognize when people need their space
- tend to talk over others, especially people with more reserved personalities
Read more: Team building
What if there are many iD people on a team?
The mix of individual styles within a group creates a larger DiSC group culture. When a group displays an i culture (with many people of iS, i, and iD styles) it tends to be energetic, optimistic, and social. We call this the “get recognition” team.
Advantages of the iD group culture:
- cultivates self-starters
- fosters creativity through high energy
- promotes frequent informal communication
Drawbacks of the iD group culture:
- glosses over potential risks
- avoids tending to repetitive or routine tasks
- exerts pressure to be extroverted and energized
Read more: DiSC i group culture
Which careers are good for DiSC iD personalities?
There’s not an easy or truthful answer to this, because people of any personality type can succeed in any field. We don’t recommend basing career decisions (or hiring decisions) on personality type alone.
How DiSC can help is by giving you clarity around your motivations and stressors. What gives you energy? What drains your energy? Review your DiSC profile and make notes about what speaks to you the most. Think about how this knowledge can direct your career search.
For example, people with iD styles tend to value environments that provide a great deal of personal autonomy. They have a high need for stimulation, change, and growth. They want the opportunity to influence others and don’t mind taking some risks to do so. iD-type people could explore jobs in entrepreneurship, marketing or sales, the arts, medicine, consulting, organizing or lobbying, fundraising, teaching, and many other industries that allow them to be bold and creative.
Do iD personality types make good leaders, managers, and salespeople?
Are iD types good leaders?
Great leaders can be found within every DiSC style. Everyone has leadership skills that feel natural to them, and others that require more energy. The key to effective leadership is knowing how to stretch into different styles in different situations.
iD-style people are pioneering leaders: bold, passionate, and inspirational. They trust their gut instincts and are good at initiating change.
People with iD styles may also display the qualities of energizing leaders.
On 360-degree-type leadership assessments, iD-style leaders tend to rate highly in areas like pushing boundaries and initiating change. They receive lower ratings in areas such as staying open to input and facilitating dialogue.
Read more: iD-type leaders
What are iD-style people like as managers?
Managers with the DiSC iD style:
- get people excited about their work
- tend to be optimistic about people and their abilities
- provide encouragement
- promote collaboration and creativity
- give people recognition and celebrate group victories
- like excitement and fast movement
- look for innovative, groundbreaking solutions
iD-type managers probably enjoy:
- inspiring and influencing people
- creating opportunities for collaboration and innovation
- keeping things moving
- giving people confidence and empowering them to use creative approaches
iD-style managers likely don’t enjoy:
- having to be objective
- taking a diplomatic approach
- working steadily toward long-term goals
- slowing their pace for more cautious and skeptical team members
Read more: Management
Do iD-style people make good salespeople?
You’ll find successful salespeople with all different DiSC styles. Each style has its natural strengths and challenges when it comes to sales.
Salespeople with iD styles use their energy and confidence to create a sense of momentum. They are goal-oriented and want the freedom to set their own course.
Other characteristics of iD salespeople:
- ambitious and self-assured
- passionate and expressive
- strong ability to persuade customers
- able to initiate change
- enjoyment of meeting new people and building large networks
The overriding priority for salespeople with iD personality types is action.
Read more: The 8 styles of salespeople
How does the iD personality type deal with conflict?
People with iD personalities tend to assert themselves during conflict. They don’t feel the need to tiptoe around issues; they want to take care of the problem and move on. iD-style folks want to express themselves in conflict situations, and are more focused on emotions than facts.
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.
Tendencies of iD styles that are productive during conflict:
- encourage open dialogue
- are willing to share what’s on their mind
- acknowledge tough issues
- have a bias toward action
The same personality traits driving the above tendencies can also drive destructive tendencies during conflict, like:
- talking over others
- making personal attacks
- not thinking through what they’re saying
- becoming overly emotional or impulsive
If you are in conflict with someone with an iD style, try these tips:
- Engage in open debate in the pursuit of good ideas.
- Realize that you may have to speak up for your opinions and needs at times. Otherwise, they may go unnoticed.
- Acknowledge their feelings.
- Let them know that your relationship is still solid despite your differences.
- Don’t disregard their perspective even if their delivery is highly emotional.
Is the DiSC iD style emotionally intelligent?
Emotional intelligence (EQ) is not a single trait that you either possess or don’t. It is a collection of skills and mindsets that allows you to respond differently to different situations. Like all of us, people with iD styles have natural strengths and challenges when it comes to emotional intelligence.
Of the eight EQ mindsets described in Everything DiSC Agile EQ, iD styles align most closely with the dynamic mindset. This means iD-style people are likely to:
- initiate action on their ideas
- influence people
- project a strong social presence
- take advantage of opportunities that might otherwise go untapped
- promote their visions
Read more: Emotional Intelligence (EQ)
What are some growth opportunities for DiSC iD styles?
Unlike many other personality assessments, Everything DiSC is developmental rather than just informational. If you take an Everything DiSC assessment, you’ll get both an understanding of your personality and an individualized path for personal development.
In general, iD-style people may benefit from working on:
- being more objective
- following through on tasks
- receiving criticism
- holding others accountable
- showing patience
- leaving space for others to speak
What is my DiSC style?
Do you have the DiSC iD personality type? If so, how does your unique personality differ from the typical iD 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.
