What Is Everything DiSC®?
An advanced behavioral assessment tool based on the theory first proposed by Marston in 1928, with the first assessments created by Dr John Geier, and further development by respected Wiley Publishing, which are used for improving workplace communication, team collaboration, leadership development, and personal awareness.
Everything DiSC® Advantages Over Extended DISC®
- Highly Accessible & User-Friendly
- Language is easy to understand for employees at all levels.
- Strong visual models (e.g., DiSC® map) make results tangible and engaging.
- Application-Focused Reports
- Offers targeted versions (e.g., Workplace, Management, Agile EQ, Productive Conflict, Sales, Work of Leaders).
- Built-in coaching and facilitation content is practical and ready-to-use.
- Strong Focus on Development
- Emphasizes adaptability and how individuals can modify behavior.
- Encourages awareness and growth vs. labeling personality.
- Trusted Brand with Organizational Buy-in
- Often perceived as “safer” and more developmentally constructive.
- Easy to introduce culturally, especially in organizations just starting with behavioral assessments.
- Integrated with Leadership Models
- Links well to broader leadership and communication frameworks used in L&D.
- Multi-Language Availability and International Distribution/Support
- Offers reports in many languages as great fit for global organizations.
Everything DiSC® Disadvantages
- Less Emphasis on Natural vs. Adapted Behavior
- Everything DiSC® captures current behavioral style but doesn’t distinguish between natural and adapted behavior.
- Might miss insights about stress behavior or how someone changes under pressure.
- Limited Reusability for Broader Analytics
- Less focused on deep data insights or repeat assessments over time for tracking change.
- Not customizable for large-scale analytics or competency modeling.
What Is Extended DISC®?
Extended DiSC® is an assessment based on the original DISC® model with enhancements to measure both natural and adapted styles, offering more nuanced insights.
Extended DiSC® Advantages vs Everything DiSC®
- Captures Natural vs. Adapted Behavior
- Provides insight into how people change their behavior in different environments (e.g., under stress, with authority).
- Useful for hiring, coaching, and identifying potential burnout or role misfit.
- More Customizable for Organizational Use
- Flexible reporting and branding options.
- Can be integrated into competency models, team analytics, and talent strategy.
- Wider Range of Applications
- Includes tools for recruitment, performance, leadership pipeline, team composition, and culture alignment.
- Strong support for HR analytics and trend monitoring over time.
- Multi-Language and International Flexibility
- Offers reports in many languages and is often better suited for global organizations.
Extended DiSC® Disadvantages
- More Technical and Less Intuitive
- Reports are detailed but can be harder for some employees/managers to interpret without professional facilitation.
- Less accessible for first-time users.
- Steeper Learning Curve
- Facilitators and end users often need more training to use it effectively.
- Less “plug-and-play” compared to Everything DiSC®.
- Less Emphasis on Developmental Language
- Can be perceived as more diagnostic or evaluative, especially if not rolled out with a developmental lens.
- May feel more clinical or rigid if not framed carefully.
Summary Comparison Table
| Feature | Everything DiSC® | Extended DISC® |
|---|---|---|
| Behavioral Lens | Current/observable style | Natural vs. adapted style |
| Ease of Use | High (very user-friendly) | Moderate (requires training) |
| Development Focus | Strong (growth-oriented) | Moderate (more diagnostic) |
| Customization | Not Available | High |
| Recruitment & Selection | Not ideal | Strong use case |
| Team/Org Analytics | Deep | Advanced |
| Visual Simplicity | Very visual and engaging | More data-driven |
| Facilitator Dependency | Moderate | Higher for impact |
| Cultural Acceptance | High (especially in the US) | High (globally adaptable) |
Everything DiSC® Vs Extended DiSC® – Which Should You Use?
- Use Everything DiSC® if:
- Your goal is to build self-awareness, improve communication, or develop management/leadership capabilities.
- You need a developmental, team-friendly tool with minimal training for broad acceptance
- You’re looking for pre-constructed, scenario-specific tools (like conflict, sales, emotional intelligence, leadership).
- Use Extended DISC® if:
- You need deeper insights for talent selection, role fit, or organizational change.
- You want to track behavioral change over time (e.g., before and after training).
- You need robust customization and analytics across teams or departments.
