What Does It Mean to Have High Drive and High Influence in DISC?

The DISC assessment is known for dividing people into four main personality types: Drive (D), Influence (I), Support (S), and Clarity (C). But it’s also possible to fall into one of the subtypes. This is where you have a primary type plus a strong secondary type that influences and moderates your main DISC style in some way. 

There are 12 DISC subtypes in total. Two of them involve a combination of Drive and Influence. Today, we’re taking a deeper dive into the Drive + Influence combo, including what they mean and how to recognize them.

How can you have high Drive and high Influence?

While many people think that there are just four personality categories in the DISC assessment, it’s actually more nuanced than that.

The starting point is to picture the DISC graph. It’s a circle made up of four quadrants. Each quadrant represents one the four main DISC types: D - I - S - C. 

However, just like the Myers and Briggs personalities exist on a spectrum, so too does DISC. Someone who types slap-bang in the middle of the Drive quadrant, for example, will behave in subtly different ways to someone who types closer to the edge of the quadrant. For that reason, we dice each quadrant up into three parts. So, someone whose main style is Drive could either be a pure Drive, or they could have a lot of Influence traits, which makes them a Drive + Influence type, or they could have a lot of Clarity traits which makes them a Drive + Clarity type.   

Slicing each quadrant into three gives us 12 DISC subtypes in total. 

If you have a combination of Drive traits and Influence traits, you will fall into one of two subtypes. Either you will be D/i, which is Drive + Influence. Or you will be I/d, which is Influence + Drive. The first capital letter is your main type and the second lowercase letter is your strong supporting type. 

D/i and I/d have many characteristics in common, things like confidence, charisma and great social skills. But they’re also subtly different. Here’s what it means to belong to these two energetic, go-getting DISC types.

D/i: Drive + Influence

People with high Drive combined with Influence move comfortably in different social settings. Drawing on the Drive type’s natural leadership traits, the D/i subtype tends to take control in social groups and is skilled at bringing people together, making people feel comfortable, and creating scenarios where everyone can work collaboratively and productively towards a common goal.

D/i people are charismatic, charming and strategic in their relationships. They tend to be resourceful, drawing on the wealth of skills from people around them while always being clear on their personal goals and aspirations.

At work, D/i individuals tend to take ownership of tasks and results. They’re generally eager to take charge and steer the ship and they quickly take against situations where they feel like someone else is trying to influence or control them. In discussions, D/i people are easily recognized by their outspoken and opinionated discussion style: they’re usually the ones brimming with ideas and perspectives they want to share. 

Spend any time with a D/i personality and you’ll also quickly learn that they’re not afraid to get involved in a debate or even confrontation if they don’t agree with something. They have a strong sense of their own values and this guides every aspect of their lives.

I/d: Influence + Drive

If you have high Influence combined with Drive, then you’re part of the I/d subtype, which is subtly different to the D/i subtype. Whereas D/i types can get focused on the task or goal at hand, I/d types tend to be more expressive and outgoing in their outlook.

For I/d individuals, life is about enjoying the many challenges and adventures that come their way. It’s more about the journey than the destination. This means they tend to approach people and situations in an open-minded, upbeat way, leading others forward with their engaging and lively personality.

The combination of high Influence and strong Drive means that this subtype tackles relationships and situations with equal energy. They love to imagine future possibilities and take a big picture approach to life and its challenges, preferring to take a broader view rather than getting down into nitty gritty details.

Like D/i individuals, the I/d subtype is especially good at bringing people together. They fall in the Influence quadrant of the DISC chart, and that means they have a special skill at motivating people to take action. I/ds can usually be found encouraging open discussion and tackling different challenges with a wide range of people. They’re natural problem-solvers and they bring a sense of energy and excitement to teams.

How to know if you’re a D/i or I/d

Curious which subtype you fall into? Here are a couple of examples to help you tell the difference between D/i and I/d.

Are you a blue-sky thinker or more strategic?

Both D/i and I/d individuals love to brainstorm and debate with other people. If you find yourself discussing new ideas, challenges, or topics like politics and social problems, there’s a high chance you fall into one of these subtypes.

However, for I/d types, discussions tend to take more of a big-picture, blue-sky approach to finding a solution, whereas D/i people tend to be more strategic. They have a specific goal in mind and are usually outspoken on what approach they think will have the most productive outcome. 

For example, if you’re having a discussion in your family about where to go for your summer break, you could immediately tell the difference between D/i and I/d types. That’s because a D/i person would be looking for a goal – like relaxing or sightseeing – and already considering the cost, climate, a potential itinerary and more. On the flip side, an I/d type would be more interested in going wherever they’re most likely to have an adventure and meet amazing people. 

Do you make decisions alone or collaboratively?

For D/i and I/d subtypes, challenges and problems are an opportunity to find a solution, rather than get stressed. Both types love to tackle obstacles with a proactive mindset, drawing on the expertise and opinions of others to help them solve them.

But you’ll notice the difference between these two subtypes in how they approach problems. For example, D/i individuals will usually take charge of a situation, taking advice and ideas from other people but ultimately being the ones sitting in the driver's seat. They like to have control and resist giving up the leadership role to other people. 

The I/d subtype is much more about collaboration. They prefer to take a community-centered approach to challenges, working as a team without taking charge themselves. I/d individuals are much more about bringing energy and enthusiasm rather than strategic leadership to a group.

Final words

By appreciating the different subtypes in the DISC assessment, you can start to identify and understand the subtle differences that make up each category and where your personality falls on the spectrum. While high Drive and high Influence types share many similarities, some key differences mean they both have their strengths and weaknesses. Knowing these can help you better navigate the workplace and find your place in it.