DiSC activity with Dr. Seuss quotes
Objective: Encourage discussions about people-reading and common traits of each DiSC style.
Prerequisites: General familiarity with DiSC
Materials: Quoting Dr. Seuss presentation (.pptx), or another method to display quotes to participants
Time required: ~15 minutes
Instructions:
- Choose the quotes you want to use. We’ve included several quotes so you can pick and choose which ones you want to use.
- For a small group activity: Print out a selection of quotes. Give each table a few quotes, let them discuss which style might match each quote, and then report back to the larger group.
For a large group: Present them to an entire group as a slide show and let everyone vote for a style. - Facilitate a discussion.
If you’re short on time during your program, you could leave a few quotes and answers at tables to initiate discussion while waiting for everyone to return from a break.
Common observations
You can expect some interesting discussions to surface around several of these quotes. You’ll notice that there is more than one quote about fun that we identify as an i-style quote. Often you’ll have a participant point this out and insist that all the styles can have fun.
There are also several quotes about thinking that we identify as C-style quotes. Participants are likely to notice this too. You can use these observations as an opportunity to talk about the dangers of using DiSC to pigeonhole someone. Explain how DiSC is about preferences and priorities, not entrenched and hardened behaviors. Of course an i style can enjoy a journal article and a C can enjoy a party. But if you want to motivate a group of i-style people, you’ll use more active, bright, and loud activities than you would if you want to motivate a group of C-style people. DiSC is a tool, but not a bludgeon.
You’re likely to overhear people talking about how they might agree with the DiSC style we associate with a quote, but they’ll want to offer examples of how they acted outside their own style. There may be differing interpretations of what a quote means, and therefore disagreements about what style should be associated with it. We offer a brief explanation for why we gave our answers to help with these discussions.
Facilitators may have to look out for discussions turning toward someone’s favorite Dr. Seuss book or memories of reading one to a child. It can be tempting for participants to switch topics from DiSC to Dr. Seuss.
Alternative quotes
If your audience is more familiar with the A Series of Unfortunate Events series, you can use this Reviewing DiSC Styles with Lemony Snicket (.pptx) slide deck instead.
Or, find quotes from your favorite book series or TV show.
