April 2021

The traditional motivator icon.

Understanding Motivators: Traditional

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Desire to live by a personal set of principles, standards, or beliefs.

People who have a High Traditional motivator need an environment where their beliefs are acknowledged and respected. They do not necessarily need everyone to share their beliefs — but acknowledgement and respect are crucial for building a healthy relationship. If you are a High Traditional, look for opportunities that validate and/or allow you to share your beliefs.

You will enjoy having a group of likeminded people who share your particular belief system. Whether it is a culture, religion, or way of thinking, look for organizations where you can meet these people. Keep in mind that Low Traditionals might not understand why you feel so strongly in certain areas. Look for employers that align with or value your way of living.

Reflection Questions: High Traditional

If Traditional is one of your top two motivators, consider the questions below.  Remember, the higher your score is, the more you may feel passionate about that motivator. If you have a very high score, think about how it might stand out in your life and how you can use your passion in practical ways. The lower your score is, the more negative you probably feel about that motivator.

    • What are your guiding principles?
    • Where do your traditional values come from? Family? Faith? Culture? Something else?
    • What are your personal rules for living? This might be a list of “shoulds” or things you believe and hold yourself accountable to.
    • Have you looked into cultural or religious offerings that will meet your needs?
    • Does your work/school reflect and honor your values?
    • Are you comfortable expressing your principles or values at work?
    • Motivators can help you know what you want most out of your career and future plans. Do your future plans align with your top motivators?

For more information about the Indigo Assessment, visit https://www.indigoeducationcompany.com/indigo-assessment/

The theoretical motivator icon.

Understanding Motivators: Theoretical

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Desire to learn for the sake of knowledge.

People who have a High Theoretical motivator love learning-oriented challenges—anything where they can learn a new skill. Some Theoreticals will want to go deep on a handful of subjects, while others will be all over the place with their learning. Many Theoreticals go on to Masters or Doctoral degrees.

If you are a High Theoretical, you should figure out the particular way you approach learning and look for challenges and opportunities that will push you to go deeper in your studies. When you look at future career options, make sure there are opportunities for continuous learning and intellectual growth. Seeking out a group of friends who are interested in similar topics will feel stimulating and exciting.

As a passionate Theoretical, you might run the risk of going so deep in an interest area that you lose interest in other topics. If that is the case, find a more specialized educational program or job where you can dedicate more time to go as deep as possible in your specialty.

Reflection Questions: High Theoretical

If Theoretical is one of your top two motivators, consider the questions below.  Remember, the higher your score is, the more you may feel passionate about that motivator. If you have a very high score, think about how it might stand out in your life and how you can use your passion in practical ways. The lower your score is, the more negative you probably feel about that motivator.

    • How do you like to learn?
    • What topics excite you?
    • What do you want to learn about that relates to your other top motivator?
    • Write about your favorite learning experience, project, or assignment.
    • Do you have opportunities to learn everything you are interested in?
    • Can you get involved in ground breaking research in your field?
    • Motivators can help you know what you want most out of your career and future plans. Do your future plans align with your top motivators?

For more information about the Indigo Assessment, visit https://www.indigoeducationcompany.com/indigo-assessment/

The social motivator icon.

Understanding Motivators: Social

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Desire to help others or solve society's problems.

People who have a High Social motivator want to find ways to give back to their community. If they understand how their education will help them help others, they become much more engaged in academics. If you are a High Social, it’s important for you to figure out where you want to give back (work with people, volunteer, join a community advisory council) and how you can make a difference in that area.

Passionate Socials’ core question in life is typically, “What is my cause?” It’s totally OK if you don’t know your cause yet. Just start helping people and working with organizations that are solving social problems you are interested in. Resonant social causes are also typically in areas where you might have experienced personal pain. Don’t be afraid to heal yourself, then go back to help heal others in the same situation.

Reflection Questions: High Social

If Social is one of your top two motivators, consider the questions below.  Remember, the higher your score is, the more you may feel passionate about that motivator. If you have a very high score, think about how it might stand out in your life and how you can use your passion in practical ways. The lower your score is, the more negative you probably feel about that motivator.

    • What is your cause?
    • To what issue do you want to give your time?
    • What injustice makes you angry?
    • What problem do you want to solve in the world?
    • How do you want to make a difference?
    • How can you use your education to gain the skills to make a difference in the world?
    • Motivators can help you know what you want most out of your career and future plans. Do your future plans align with your top motivators?

For more information about the Indigo Assessment, visit https://www.indigoeducationcompany.com/indigo-assessment/

The individualistic motivator icon.

Understanding Motivators: Individualistic

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Desire for independence, visibility, rank, or power.

People who have a High Individualistic motivator want opportunities where they control the agenda and where they will be recognized for performing well. This might include starting their own business. If you are a High Individualistic, seek out situations where you feel in control and where you know you will be measured by your performance, not your participation.

Seek out innovative mentors and share your ideas. There may even be start-up capital available to help make your ideas a reality. You might also look into local government, theater, or public speaking classes to hone your skills.

It is very important that passionate High Individualistics have choices. Instead of being told what to do, they want the option between two or more choices. “Because I said so” is a huge negative trigger. Make sure you have freedom and choice in your career.

Reflection Questions: High Individualistic

If Individualistic is one of your top two motivators, consider the questions below.  Remember, the higher your score is, the more you may feel passionate about that motivator. If you have a very high score, think about how it might stand out in your life and how you can use your passion in practical ways. The lower your score is, the more negative you probably feel about that motivator.

    • What do you want to be known or recognized for?
    • How do you maintain independence or control of your own destiny?
    • What kinds of leadership roles do you like?
    • What kinds of rewards do you prefer?
    • If you could do anything, what would that look like?
    • Have you considered starting your own business/becoming an entrepreneur?
    • Motivators can help you know what you want most out of your career and future plans. Do your future plans align with your top motivators?

For more information about the Indigo Assessment, visit https://www.indigoeducationcompany.com/indigo-assessment/

All the motivator icons.

Understanding Indigo: Motivators

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The Indigo Assessment measures 6 motivators as described in the work of Drs. Eduard Spranger and Gordon Allport in their study of human value, motivation and drive. Motivators describe why people do things: the internal desires that drive behavior. For example, the Aesthetic motivator indicates a desire for harmony and beauty, whereas the Theoretical motivator describes those who learn for the sake of knowledge. Motivators correlate with career choice, college major selection, and fulfilling activities.

The Indigo Assessment measures six motivators:

Aesthetic – Desire for form, harmony, balance, or beauty.
Individualistic – Desire for independence, visibility, rank, or power.
Social – Desire to help others or solve society’s problems.
Theoretical – Desire to learn for the sake of knowledge.
Traditional – Desire to live by a personal set of principles, standards, or beliefs.
Utilitarian – Desire for a return on investment of time, energy, or money.

What Motivates You?

The motivator list ranks your relative passion for each of the six motivators. Your motivators are ranked in order from the most important to the least important to you, with the 1st being the motivator with your highest score and the 6th being the motivator with your lowest score. Your motivator score for each motivator is given to the right of each bar.

Look at your ranking first (ranking is the order in which the motivators appear). Whether the numerical score is very high or around average, the top two motivators are the most important. If the third motivator is high, it is generally worth thinking about as well.

A sample motivator graph for a High Social motivator.

Notice where your score is close to 0 or 100. This reveals areas where your motivators may be outside the mainstream and could lead to passion or conflict.

The further a score rises above mainstream, the more you may feel passionate about that motivator. If you have passionate scores, think about how they might stand out in your life and how you can use your passion in practical ways.

The lower your score is, the more negative you probably feel about that motivator. Essentially, this is a “de-motivator”. What turns you “off” is just as valuable to notice as what gets you jazzed. It can sometimes explain why certain people are resistant to different activities or can’t get along with people who have an opposite motivator.

For more information about the Indigo Assessment, visit https://www.indigoeducationcompany.com/indigo-assessment/

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Understanding Your DISC: Compliance

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The C in DISC is Compliance.  Compliance reflects how you respond to process.

High Compliance people produce high quality work – that is important to them and they do not like to make mistakes. They are very detail-oriented. High C’s prefer environments where there are rules and procedures to follow. The higher the C score, the more this is true.

Low C’s tend to think of rules and regulations as suggestions. They are more focused on the result than the process. They are out of the box thinkers. Low C’s prefer environments with less structure and less focus on the details. The lower a person’s C score, the more this is true.

From Indigo CEO Sheri Smith:

High C’s and the Need for Perfection

“People who are High C are very concerned with being accurate, which can sometimes lead to perfectionism. If you struggle with this, I highly encourage you to practice compassion with yourself and become OK with the areas where you can’t be perfect. Think of your best friend or a loved family member; does your love for them have anything to do with them being ‘accurate’? I bet it’s their quirks and imperfections that you love most. Don’t be afraid that making mistakes will make you ‘less than’.”

DISC ACTIVITY: STEADINESS

Start by identifying your C score. You can find your C Score below the blue bar on the DISC graph. Do you have a high, medium, or low score?

Read through the lists of traits below and circle two that you think best describe you. If you are a Low C, focus on the Low C list. If you are a High C, focus on the High C list. Note that if your score is near the middle, you may identify with traits from both lists.

Low C Traits:
Independent
Efficient
Big-Picture Thinker
Risk-Taker
Innovative
Fast Worker

High C Traits:
Detail-Oriented
Structured
Systematic
Precise
Logical
Analytical

When have these traits worked well for you (school, work, leisure)? What are some challenges or problems you’ve faced exhibiting these traits?

IDEAL WORK ENVIRONMENT

Once you have read the posts for all the DISC styles, write out an Ideal Work Environment Statement. Your Ideal Environment Statement should be one to three sentences about your most distinct DISC traits, what they mean to you, and what sort of work environment would fit those traits.

Some examples of Ideal Work Environment Statements are:

    • I am High Dominance and Low Compliance, so I want to work in a place where I have a lot of choices and I’m not told what to do. I’m also High Aesthetic, so I want to work in a beautiful environment.
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    • I am Low Influencing and High Steadiness and Compliance, so I want a stable work environment that has clear rules and where there is not a lot of interaction with people.

For more information about the Indigo Assessment, visit https://www.indigoeducationcompany.com/indigo-assessment/

Steadiness icon

Understanding Your DISC: Steadiness

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The S in DISC is Steadiness.  Steadiness reflects how you respond to pace.

High S’s tend to be patient, routine driven, and supportive. High S’s like stable environments with clear expectations. High Steadiness folks usually do best when they take the time to make a plan and stick to the plan if at all possible. The higher the S score, the more this is true.

Low S’s tend to be adaptable, change oriented, and prefer variety. Low S’s like environments that are constantly changing. The lower the S score, the more this is true.

A High S DISC graph.

From Indigo CEO Sheri Smith:

Steadiness and Planning

“High Steadiness folks usually do best when they take the time to make a plan and stick to the plan to the best of their ability. If you are High Steadiness, and don’t already have a routine for life planning and goal setting every week/month/quarter/year, I highly recommend you start now and monitor your progress. You will find yourself getting more done, feeling less stressed, and getting closer to what you want out of life by tackling big decisions in a systematic manner.”

DISC ACTIVITY: STEADINESS

Start by identifying your S score. You can find your S Score below the green bar on the DISC graph. Do you have a high, medium, or low score?

Read through the lists of traits below and write down the ones that you think best describe you. If you are a Low S, focus on the Low S list. If you are a High S, focus on the High S list. Note that if your score is near the middle, you may identify with traits from both lists.

Low S Traits:
Adaptable
Likes Variety
Flexible
Active
Spontaneous
Impromptu

High S Traits:
Reliable
Supportive
Predictable
Patient
Consistent
Sincere

When have these traits worked well for you (school, work, leisure)? What are some challenges or problems you’ve faced exhibiting these traits?

For more information about the Indigo Assessment, visit https://www.indigoeducationcompany.com/indigo-assessment/

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Understanding Your DISC: Influencing

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The I in DISC is Influencing.  Influencing reflects how you respond to people.

Scores above 50 are considered High I’s. High I’s tend to be talkative, enthusiastic, and outgoing. High I’s like to express themselves and connect with people. They trust others easily. The higher the score the more this is true.

Scores below 50 are considered Low I’s. Low I’s tend to be more reserved and reflective and listen more than they speak. Low I’s prefer a more cautious approach when developing trust. The lower the score the more this is true.

A High I DISC graph.

From Indigo CEO Sheri Smith:

Influencing and Introverts and Extroverts

“The Influencing score does not measure whether someone is an extrovert or introvert. It is possible for a High I person to be either type. The I score merely indicates the degree to which an individual enjoys a people-oriented, energetic environment. Extroverted High I’s gain energy from this type of environment, while introverted High I’s need time away from it to recharge. DISC measures how you do what you do. The terms “introvert” and “extrovert” measure how you recharge. If you suspect that you are a High I introvert, explore this by asking yourself questions about how you recharge.”

DISC ACTIVITY: INFLUENCING

Start by identifying your Influencing / I score on the DISC graph. You can find your I Score below the yellow bar on the DISC graph. Do you have a high, medium, or low score?

Read through the lists of traits below and write down the ones that you think best describe you. If you are a Low I, focus on the Low I list. If you are a High I, focus on the High I list. Note that if your score is near the middle, you may identify with traits from both lists.

Low I Traits:
Reflective
Good Listener
Observant
Thoughtful Communicator
Focused
Reserved

High I Traits:
Friendly
Optimistic
Enthusiastic
Persuasive
Self-Promoting
Sociable

When have these traits worked well for you (school, work, leisure)? What are some challenges or problems you’ve faced exhibiting these traits?

DISC, INFLUENCING, AND COMMUNICATION

In corporate America, DISC is used mainly as a communication tool. It is important for you to communicate with other people based on their DISC styles, not your own. For example, if you are a High I, you likely want to talk a lot, usually in a friendly, enthusiastic manner. However, a Low I prefers less chatter, more time to think before responding, and a quieter tone of voice.

Think of someone you know well with a different high/medium/low Influencing style than you (or a different DISC score in general). How can you communicate with this person differently now, based on what you know about communication styles?

For more information about the Indigo Assessment, visit https://www.indigoeducationcompany.com/indigo-assessment/

Dominance logo

Understanding Your DISC: Dominance

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The D in DISC is Dominance.  Dominance reflects how people respond to problems.

Scores above 50 are considered High D’s. High D’s tend to address things directly and urgently, not minding if conflict is created. High D’s like intense environments with challenges and competition. The higher the D score the more these characteristics are true.

Scores under 50 are considered Low D’s. Low D’s tend to be deliberate and thoughtful, avoiding friction while solving problems. Low D’s prefer to work in more peaceful, collaborative settings. The lower the D score the more these characteristics are true.

A High D DISC graph.

From Indigo CEO Sheri Smith:

Can all DISC scores be leaders?

“I get this question often and the answer is, “Absolutely!” Western society tends to characterize High D’s and High I’s, only, as leaders. Our workplaces also reinforce this stereotype. However, there are many examples of people throughout history who lead with all the styles. I love to use Mother Theresa and Gandhi as examples. Both of them were likely Low Dominance and High Steadiness. They led by being consistent, peace loving, and collaborative.”

DISC ACTIVITY: DOMINANCE

Start by identifying your Dominance / D score on the DISC grph. You can find your D Score below the red bar on the DISC graph. Do you have a high, medium, or low score?

Read through the lists of traits below and write down the ones you think best describe you. If you are a Low D, focus on the Low D list. If you are a High D, focus on the High D list. Note that if your score is near the middle, you may identify with traits from both lists.

Low D Traits:
Team Player
Diplomatic
Cooperative
Agreeable
Collaborative
Modest

High D Traits:
Adventuresome
Direct
Competitive
Bold
Decisive
Results-Oriented

When have these traits worked well for you (school, work, leisure)? What are some challenges or problems you’ve faced exhibiting these traits?

DOMINANCE AND LEADERSHIP

Dominance is a quality that is often associated with leadership. It is important to know that both High and Low D’s make great leaders, but their leadership style looks different.

What does a High Dominance leadership style look like? (Remember, this is a “directive” style.)

What does a Low Dominance leadership style look like? (Remember, this style is collaborative and consensus in nature.)

What is your leadership style?

Note: We are not suggesting that you behave differently, but that you take ownership for your behavior and the impact it can have.

For more information about the Indigo Assessment, visit https://www.indigoeducationcompany.com/indigo-assessment/

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