At Harmony Insights, we incorporate a variety of DiSC-related exercises into our classes and workshops. By doing so, we reinforce basic concepts, encourage interaction among all participants, and facilitate a greater understanding of the DiSC model and its wide-ranging applicability. Most importantly, we engage our audiences in often unexpected and memorable ways. What follows are some examples of the exercises that we find to be the most fun and insightful.
For further information on how you can successfully and effectively debrief and explore any of the following exercises and anticipate style-specific reactions among participants, send us an e-mail!
KEY CONCEPTS: pure DiSC styles, natural behaviors, preferred environments, motivations, fears
EXERCISE:
1. Place participants into four groups according to their primary styles (i.e., D, I, S, and C).
2. Present a single piece of artwork to the entire room, either in person or projected on a screen.
3. Have a spokesperson from each group communicate to all participants what was seen in the piece of art.
4. Contact us for tips on how to debrief this exercise!
KEY CONCEPTS: pure DiSC styles, natural behaviors, preferred environments, motivations, fears
EXERCISE:
1. Place participants into four groups according to their primary styles (i.e., D, I, S, and C).
2. Instruct each group to select what make/model/color of automobile best represents their pure style.
3. Instruct each group to select what motto or slogan would appear on the automobile’s bumper sticker.
4. Have a spokesperson from each group communicate to all participants what was chosen and why.
5. Contact us for tips on how to debrief this exercise!
KEY CONCEPTS: pure DiSC styles, natural behaviors, preferred environments, motivations, fears
EXERCISE:
1. Place participants into four groups according to their primary styles (i.e., D, I, S, and C).
2. Instruct each group to select what part of an automobile (e.g., steering wheel, accelerator, brakes, radio, etc.) best represents their pure style.
3. Have a spokesperson from each group communicate to all participants what was chosen and why.
4. Contact us for tips on how to debrief this exercise!
KEY CONCEPTS: natural behaviors, priorities, motivations, fears, diversity
EXERCISE:
1. Ask participants to take out a piece of paper, listen to the scenario to come, and write down their very first reaction without talking.
2. Ask participants to imagine that they are mid-flight on a commercial airplane, when the pilot is suddenly unable to continue flying the plane.
3. Have participants write down what they would do.
4. Contact us for tips on how to debrief this exercise!
Submitted by…
Bridget Wenman
President
Perspectives Training & Consulting LLC
KEY CONCEPTS: pure DiSC styles, adapting, natural behaviors
EXERCISE:
1. Position 4 chairs as though they are seats in a car.
2. Select 3 participants, regardless of DiSC style, to occupy 3 of the 4 seats.
3. Select 1 participant to act as a “hitchhiker” and occupy the 4th seat in the car
4. Instruct the hitchhiker to take on one of the DiSC styles, and have the other 3 passengers mimic the same DiSC style in an improvised conversation in the car.
5. Have the group guess what style is being reflected in the passengers’ behavior and conversation.
6. Contact us for tips on how to debrief this exercise!
Submitted by…
Laurel Gregory
Chief Engagement Officer
Living In Your Light
KEY CONCEPTS: communication
EXERCISE:
1. Give a single blank 8 ½-by-11-inch sheet of paper to each participant.
2. Tell the participants the following: “We are going to play a game that will show us some important things about communication. Pick up your sheet of paper and hold it in front of you. Now, close your eyes and follow the directions I will give you—and no peeking! Participants cannot ask questions.”
3. Give the following directions, carrying them out yourself with your own sheet of paper and pausing after each instruction to give the group time to comply: “The first thing I want you to do is to fold your sheet of paper in half. Now tear off the upper right-hand corner. Fold it in half again and tear off the upper left hand corner of the sheet. Fold it in half again. Now tear off the lower right-hand corner of the sheet.”
4. After the tearing is complete, say, “Now open your eyes, and let’s see what you have. If I did a good job of communicating and you did a good job of listening, all of our sheets should look the same!” Hold your sheet up for them to see. It is highly unlikely any sheet will match yours exactly.
5. Contact us for tips on how to debrief this exercise!
KEY CONCEPTS: pure DiSC styles, natural behaviors, problem-solving tendencies, communication preferences
EXERCISE:
1. Place participants into four groups according to their primary styles (i.e., D, I, S, and C).
2. Present each group with a 25ish-piece puzzle box that has 1) a single piece missing entirely (i.e., in your possession) and 2) a few pieces that have been removed and included in the other boxes.
3. Direct all groups to complete their respective puzzles in the shortest possible time.
4. Contact us for tips on how to debrief this exercise!
Submitted by…
Wendy Crawford
Lifeforming Leadership Coach and Trainer
Better Connections Coaching and Communications, LLC
KEY CONCEPTS: pure DiSC styles, natural behaviors, preferred environments, motivations, fears
EXERCISE:
1. Place participants into four groups according to their primary styles (i.e., D, I, S, and C).
2. Allow each group 15 minutes to collect items from the workplace (e.g., ruler, gold star stickers, telephone, employee handbook, etc.) that best represent their pure style.
3. Have a spokesperson from each group communicate to all participants what was chosen and why.
4. Contact us for tips on how to debrief this exercise!
Submitted by…
Patty Thompson
Senior Manager of Learning & Development
CSE, Inc.
KEY CONCEPTS: adapting, natural behaviors, preferred environments
EXERCISE:
1. Have participants find a pen (or pencil) and a piece of scratch paper.
2. Instruct participants to simply pick up the pen and sign their name.
3. Instruct participants to then place the pen in their non-dominant hand and sign their name once again.
4. Contact us for tips on how to debrief this exercise!
KEY CONCEPTS: pure DiSC styles, natural behaviors, preferred environments, motivations, fears
EXERCISE:
1. Place participants into four groups according to their primary styles (i.e., D, I, S, and C).
2. Allow each group 10 minutes to plan a staff outing for a different group, incorporating activities that would best illustrate the chosen group’s pure style.
3. Have a spokesperson from each group communicate to all participants how and why a given staff outing was planned.
4. Contact us for tips on how to debrief this exercise!
Submitted by…
Patty Thompson
Senior Manager of Learning & Development
CSE, Inc.
KEY CONCEPTS: natural strengths, natural behaviors, preferred environments, people reading, adapting
EXERCISE:
1. Place a selection of QuikDiSC cards face up in front of participants.
2. Ask each participant to identify a single word that best describes a notable strength of his/hers.
3. Have each participant write his/her selected strength on a provided sticker and place the sticker on his/her chest, as one would position a name tag.
4. Contact us for tips on how to debrief this exercise!
KEY CONCEPTS: pure DiSC styles, natural behaviors, preferred environments, motivations, fears
EXERCISE:
1. Place participants into four groups according to their primary styles (i.e., D, I, S, and C).
2. Allow each group 10 minutes to plan what they would pack in their shared suitcase for a trip to sunny Mexico.
3. Have a spokesperson from each group communicate to all participants what was chosen to be packed and why.
4. Contact us for tips on how to debrief this exercise!
Submitted by…
Chariti Gent
Leadership Development Coach, Team Building Specialist and DiSC Trainer and Facilitator
Chariti Gent Coaching + Consulting