Mixing It Up: Hiring the Best Personalities for the Job

As an entrepreneur, you’re most likely a risk taker and a person who gets things done and asks questions later. So when it comes time to grow a championship team, you should select people with the same type of hard-driving qualities, right? Well, maybe not so much. Leading a group of entrepreneurial types with no other personality styles on the team would be like herding cats or trying to nail Jell-O to a tree—a really bad plan, Dave says.

So how do you decide who to hire? As Dave teaches in EntreLeadership Master Series, you need a healthy mix of personality styles. And the tool he uses for insight into how people make decisions and what their tendencies are is the DISC assessment test. It ensures that their style fits with the job and team they’ll join.

DISC breaks down personality into four distinct types. We’ve listed them below, plus their greatest strengths for your team.

Dominance (D)

These go-getters love being in charge and enjoy a challenge above all else. They’ll also never hold back, so they’re great when you need an honest opinion. They can be blunt to the point of hurting feelings, so a very high D can freak out other personality styles. Keep that in mind when placing others on their team.

Famous D’s: Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, Tiger Wood and John McEnroe

Influencer (I)

You know the saying, “Let the good times roll?” We think it was created for the I’s of the world. They love being around others and can easily motivate them, although they can easily get distracted. If you are looking for creative or out-of-the-box ideas or simply some fun, an I will come through every time.

Famous I’s: Jay Leno, Oprah Winfrey, Bill Clinton and Steve Martin

Steady (S)

Steady, loyal and big-hearted, they’re just about willing do anything for anyone and will go out of their way not to hurt someone’s feelings. Everyone loves the S personality because they are so amiable. They’re perfect team players, however conflict can paralyze them. An S will try to avoid it at all costs.

Famous S’s: Mother Teresa, Gandhi, Michael J. Fox and Mr. Rogers

Compliant (C)

Looking for someone who is analytical and thrives on details and procedures? Then a high C is the perfect person for the job. They’re all about business, love rules and those who follow them. Keep in mind that they can be slow to change, since they need all the information before making any move.

Famous C’s: Bill Gates, Alan Greenspan, Albert Einstein, Henry Kissinger

The DISC test is a great tool to use as part of your hiring process to ensure that personalities mesh and teams connect. If you are a high S for example, don’t hire another high S as your assistant. You’ll never get anything done in fear of hurting someone’s feelings. Remember, though, it’s only one tool in your arsenal. At Dave’s company, there are at least 12 components involved in the hiring process, with an average of six to 15 interviews. He knows when you get the right people on board, magic happens and everybody wins.

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