Susie,
I would hope that most marketing is not done for the DiSC by trying to tear
down the MBTI. It definitely has its uses, and Carlson actually indicates that
the two instruments measure different things, and should NOT be compared. My
undergraduate degree was in psychology, and graduate work in
Industrial/Organizational Psychology, so I do understand the implications of
each. However, some of the reasons that you state you prefer the MBTI over the
DiSC is precisely why I like the DiSC.
While having the DiSC presented by a Trained professional is the preferred
method, it can be self-administered and scored. However, just like the MBTI,
what do they do with it then? This is where training for either of the
instruments comes in. It just appears that the DiSC is easier to present,
score, and use in training for corporate customers, and is easier to train
others on how to administer and train it.
Unfortunately, there can be charlatans with each instrument. I have also
encountered people that have presented the MBTI that had no formal training on
it, so you are correct in that either can be mis-used or poorly administered or
mis-applied. It gets scary when either are used as a screening tool.
Gary Lear
President
Resource Development Systems
Management & Training Consultants
P.O. Box 3185
Lake City, FL 32056
Phone: 904-754-0920
Fax: 904-754-0094
Web:
www.atlantic.net/~lear-rds
e-mail:
lear-rds@atlantic.net
A Carlson Learning Company Independent Performax(r) Consultant
Quality Training Increases Quality In Your Organization!
-----Original Message-----
From: H. Susie Coddington, Ph.D.
Sent: Monday, March 09, 1998 8:42 PM
To:
MG-ED-DV@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU
Subject: Re: [MG-ED-DV] FW: [MG-ED-DV] MBTI Exercises
Gary,
I am familiar with the DiSC and for many reasons still prefer the MBTI. One of
my biggest "turn-offs" with the DiSC is that I perceive much of the marketing
for it as being done via speaking negatively of the MBTI. Some hype for the
DiSC has even included what I consider to be a misinformation about the MBTI.
I have also encountered colleagues who have preferred the DiSC because it does
not require the same rigor for training and certification to use as the MBTI.
IMHO, both instruments can be valuable and both can be equally mis-used. A
quality instrument does not compensate for a poor administrator/trainer or a
mis-application.
Susie
--
H. Susie Coddington, Ph.D., Coddington Learning Co.
410.992.9563
hsusie@erols.com
LEARNING NEVER ENDS . . .