TWO BEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENTS:

MBTI® AND EXTENDED DISC

by Kathryn Gaines

Self-awareness and the ability to understand others are critical competencies for leaders and teams. The more we are able to flex and adapt our styles the better we are at leading, motivating, communicating, coaching, resolving conflict, and managing change. There are two popular and powerful instruments that are useful for both self-assessment and for an enhanced understanding of others: Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI) and Extended DISC.

Both assessments make clear that differences among people are natural and valuable, that such differences are a source of creativity and effectiveness in a work team, and that learning to effectively manage such a creative team requires being sensitive to differences in type. The MBTI® and Extended DISC are both based upon the theories developed in the 1920's by Swiss psychologist Carl Jung. He maintained that human behavior is actually quite orderly and consistent when one understands how people differ around how they relate to the world around them, gather information about that world, and reach decisions, conclusions and judgments.

The MBTI® was developed in the U.S. by a mother-daughter team -- Katharine Briggs and Isabel Myers-- and has been extensively tested and used for almost 60 years. It has become the single most commonly administered personality profile in the U.S. with over two million per year completing the instrument. DISC theory was developed at about the same time. Extended DISC was developed in Finland and is the 1990's addition to DISC theory. Both instruments are well-established and validated. So how do you decide which one is better for you and your team?

                 

 

Myers Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI)
Extended Disc 

 

Advantages

Accepted in the U.S. as a psychological instrument

Requires certification and minimum educational requirements to administer

"Paper and pencil" assessment is quick and affordable

(about $20)

 

Disadvantages

Takes time (minimum of 8 hours) to learn and absorb

Works with 16 different types

Focus on personality and psychological preferences ­ this can be abstract and confusing if enough time is not dedicated.

 

Advantages

Computer-based reporting provides comprehensive information

Works with 4 different types

Focus on behaviors not personality ­ more concrete, quicker to grasp and use.

Can be done in 2 to 4 hours (minimum)

 

Disadvantages

Computer-generated report is more expensive to produce (about $50 each)

Lacks the long-standing history of the MBTI®, including in-depth stories, examples, and exercises.




Kathryn Gaines, an instructor for inSITE, is certified to administer the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator®  and is a U.S. affiliate for Extended DISC. She has worked with both instruments in a variety of leadership and team development efforts.