Getting to know you 

Objective: Introduce DiSC and the value of each of the four main DiSC styles. 

Prerequisites: For groups of ten or more, with participants sitting at at least two tables. No knowledge of DiSC required.

Materials: One box of QuikDiSC cards for every five participants.

Time required: ~60 minutes

Instructions:

1. Shuffle the QuikDiSC cards and distribute six cards to each participant. Ask everyone to select one of their cards that is least like them and place it face down on a table in an open area. Explain that they are keeping the five cards that they feel most closely—but perhaps not completely accurately—reflect how they see themselves.
2. Have everyone stand and mingle with the rest of the groups. Ask them to introduce themselves to other participants and trade cards. Their goal is to get an increasingly accurate description of themselves reflected in their own cards. Give them enough time to exchange with at least three other people. (If everyone already knows each other, they might go directly to people to give them a card.)
3. Ask everyone to return to their seats and select the two cards in their hand that feel most like them. The other four cards should be placed face up on a table where people can take from them to build a new hand that better reflects their own personality.
4. Ask everyone at their tables to take turns sharing their two most accurate cards and explain why those cards were chosen. (If the groups already know each other well, you might need to allow time for the other participants at the table to offer their own examples of how a card is accurate or if they would choose a different description for their colleague. You can also ask the person whose turn it is to talk about how they felt about the cards people wanted to give them. Were others accurate in picking cards for them?)
   –or–
   Ask each participant to share one of the cards in their hand and offer an example of one potential strength of this behavior and one potential weakness.
5. Read a few of the cards that were initially discarded face down. Ask the tables to discuss how valuable those discarded traits can be on a team or in day-to-day life. (Sometimes there will be cards on the table that reflect behaviors the group finds uncomfortable or that have negative connotations for them.)
6. Reveal how the colors of the cards reflect the four main DiSC styles and that many of us have a mixture of styles. Remind them of the value of all these styles and how it’s dangerous to pigeonhole someone based only on knowing their DiSC style.

Tip: If a participant is dealt more than one copy of the same card, replace the duplicate with another card from a deck.