Sunday, November 30, 2008

SCHOOL RELATED POST #7 - Blog Topic #5: The ABCs of DISC (fun, but a waste of time)

According to the personal profile system “test,” I am a C high S. This means that I am more conscientious than anything, with steadiness being my next greatest attribute. I think that this test portrays me quite accurately. Looking under the description of conscientious people, I find that it is true that I usually like to analyze things and weigh the pros and cons to make an informed decision. However, sometimes I make a decision very spontaneously, which does not conform very well to being conscientious. I also have a tendency to be diplomatic with people and use assassin-type maneuvers to quell a situation of conflict. However, conflict is sometimes entertaining. It is also true that I like clearly defined performance expectations. When doing something, it would usually be good to know the reason why you are doing it. This basically means having a goal, which is important because your goals shape your actions. It is essential to ask “why” questions to inquire and learn about the task at hand.
According to this profile system, in order to be effective, I need specific feedback. This is only partly true, as I am receptive to feedback only when I am open to it. Some of the time, I just prefer to do my own thing and not be bothered. This test also says that in order to be effective, I need an opportunity for careful planning. Again, though this is sometimes true, a good amount of the time I like to dive headfirst into a problem when I just do not feel like analyzing anything.

This test also said that steadiness is a prevailing quality of mine, meaning I tend to emphasize cooperation with others in order to carry out a task. Overall I feel I am a steadfast person but there are characteristics under steadiness in the personal profile system that I do not believe I possess. For example, although I value steadiness very highly, I am sometimes an unpredictable person. I say things that just come to my head that may not be expected of me. Also, although I demonstrate patience a large amount of the time, I abhor waiting.
There are some qualities of steadiness that apply to me very well. I believe that I am a loyal person and most definitely an excellent listener. To be more effective, I need information on how my effort is contributing towards the total effort. The reason for this is because I always like to know if I am making a difference or not, in any aspect of my life. I also desire an environment where credit is given for work accomplished. This does not only apply to me and my work, as I feel that anybody who has accomplished anything should be given credit where credit is due.

Overall, I do not wish I was another type on this personality profile system. However, one thing that I do not think is accurate about me is that apparently, people who are conscientious work within existing circumstances. Sometimes I try to look outside of existing circumstances to see if there are any ideas outside the box I can implement, or possibly spark new ideas within the box.
I think it would be very difficult to try to change your personality type within this personal profile system. We were shaped into who we are by the environment we grew up in and it would be an arduous task to diverge from the tendencies and characteristics we have had for most of our lives. However, I do think it is possible, given a strong will and discipline.
I do not believe that this is a good test for gauging personalities. I find that most personality tests are bullshit because there are always gray areas within a person’s psyche and the most the tests can do is give a very general idea of what type of manager or leader a person is. I do not believe that a test like this will help me very much in other personal interactions except in giving me a very broad scope of what a person’s tendencies and needs are. Overall, I felt this personal profile system test was a waste of time, unless the goal of this test was to show that the test was a waste of time. Then it would not be a waste of time.

Until next time,

Kwok

3 comments:

J said...

From working with you on various assignments in management class, I have realized that you are not the type to jump into conclusions and decisions. You usually sit back and observe before you contribute. I think this is a good factor because it allows you to see the bigger picture and know the facts and details of the assignment. Perhaps this is why you're a C. From knowing you outside of class, you are quite a spontaneous person and don't plan every aspect of your day, week, life.

I think this test was correct in determining you as a C personality type. Although you show signs of a steady and spontaneous person on numerous occassions, you do seem to consider the pros and cons of a given situation. I think you are more careful than you come off to be and have your priorities straightened out. I am not surprised that D wasn't one of your dimensions because you don't have the aggressiveness yet you still have the ability to get the tasks done.

Power of Management said...

Base on the several class activities that we work together, I think that you really show some of the traits of Conscientious and steadiness. Whenever we work together for class activity, you are always the one that takes notes of all of our ideas and then evaluate the pros and cons of those options. Such as the activity that we had in our class about what are the 5 most important things we want to take if we want to survive, our group actually had hard time agreed on the same 5 objects; therefore, you gave us some of your evaluation of our choices and try to help us agree on the 5 most important things. Therefore, I think that you really show traits in Conscientious; You seems to observe and analyze a lot before you make a comment or contribute.

Also, due to the fact that you are the one that takes down all our comments and contribute to the group activities, I would say that you are definitely a S type person. S type person is a good listener. Since you are the one that takes down all of our comments and contribute, you never reject our ideas; rather you listen and you take down information about our comments and then evaluate afterward. Therefore, I would say that you are definitely a good listener and displays to be a S type person.

I think I have to know you longer in order to determine whether you displays other type of personality. I am glad that I get a chance to cooperate with you in the management class and hope that we can have more class taking together for our remaining semesters in baruch.

mr.mike said...

Like you, I too am a C high S. However, I thought that somewhere in there, you would have been an I. Whether it would be a C high I or a S high I. I guess by working with you a few times for various assignments, it occurred to me that you were quite influential and that's because you were able to pull ideas that seemed a little strange or awkward, yet, the idea made sense in a way. We usually would then just ponder about your idea and wonder if it would work or not. For example, in the egg assignment, you were the one that wanted to create a cage-like thing to protect the egg. I thought it was a great idea. I even tried to calculate the amount of straws we needed and different ways to bend the straws so that we would be able to make the contraption. I mean the idea wasn't so crazy, because in the end we found out that it worked for all the other groups, but it was different than all the other ideas that we thought of. So, in the end, I guess you're right that this profile system was a waste of time because even though you may agree with the test about being a C high S, I think that you're more of a C high I.