Use DISC for Conflict Resolution in Your Team Building

Building the right team requires time, effort, and an understanding of communication and behavioral styles. While the process can be difficult, using the right tools can make avoiding conflict easier, leading to a strong team and a stronger organization. 

Here are a few ways to use DISC for conflict resolution in your team building. 

Support Each Behavioral Type

The first step to building a strong team is understanding the individuals who comprise it. Everyone on your team has something unique to bring to the table; make sure you value and understand all contributions equally to avoid conflict due to an imbalance. 

Having a team of similar behavioral styles may seem like a good thing initially, but it can be challenging to manage in practice. If your entire team consists of Reserved communicators, they may struggle to generate energy and keep conversations flowing. If the team is mostly Direct communicators, there might be a lot of disagreement about the best courses of action and who to follow. 

Even if your team gets along because they’re similar, like a team of Outgoing communicators, they might be distracted by enjoying each other’s company instead of getting work done, which can lead to conflict down the road when projects fall behind schedule. 

DISC helps you identify the behavioral styles on your team, then hone in on areas for improvement. Not everyone is going to fit in the same box—that’s a good thing! 

Cognitive diversity, which refers to differences in the fundamental way people approach problems, is a strong indicator of a healthy team. Forbes shared that teams built with cognitive diversity in mind make better business decisions up to 87% of the time, and these decisions result in 60% better outcomes when executed. 

Provide a Shared Language

Focusing on behavior and communication during conflict resolution makes your teams strong. Instead of labeling someone as “difficult” or “too emotional,” team members can use the DISC framework to understand the underlying causes of behavior. This fosters proactive support and psychological safety.

That’s how, “I don’t know why you’re so hung up on all the details—we need to actually get the project done!” turns into “I know you’re a Precise communicator and want to follow the right process to do that. I’ve got a low Steadiness score, so I’m feeling a sense of urgency and want to get to work without focusing on the details. I think that’s stressing us both out.” 

While each behavioral type and approach will differ depending on the people involved, gaining language for understanding creates new opportunities for clarity in your team building. It can help switch the perspective. Instead of you versus me, it becomes us versus the problem.

Teach Stress Triggers 

Stress is inevitable in the workplace, but it can be harnessed for productivity with the right approach. When you understand your team’s behavioral styles, you can structure solutions for disagreements, keeping their preferences in mind. Rather than relying on guesswork to navigate personality clashes, utilize effective strategies and turn conflict into a useful tool. 

For example, a Steady communicator might not respond well if put on the spot to resolve a conflict. They need time and space to process and think through their responses. When you understand their needs and give them that space, you can avoid triggering a stress response and are more likely to achieve a better outcome as a result. 

This clarity enables a team to adjust and understand one another before the situation escalates. It also builds communication agility, where team members learn to flex their style to meet others where they are. Short-term adaptations are achievable if the team understands why they’re adapting and how the outcome will be; with practice, your team will thrive. 

Appreciate Each Team Member

Differences should be celebrated in your team building, and DISC can help make that happen. By appreciating what each person brings to their work, you can celebrate differences instead of being divided by them. 

The team as a whole will benefit, especially when you celebrate together. When employees feel valued and understood as part of the team building process, they’re more likely to engage, contribute, and thrive in their roles. 

A Gallup study found that effective employee recognition can be simple, as long as it’s authentic and individualized. The key is knowing what makes feedback meaningful and memorable for the employee. When you understand behavior, you can tailor your feedback to best suit the recipient, building their confidence in themselves and the team. 

By supporting each behavioral type, providing a shared language, teaching stress triggers, and appreciating individual contributions, organizations can transform disagreements into opportunities for stronger team building.

Are you ready to harness the power of DISC? We’re ready to help.

Author: Jaime Faulkner

Jaime believes authenticity and storytelling are the keys to successful marketing. As a graduate from the Hugh Downs School of Human Communication, she loves finding and connecting narratives. When she's not at work, she's psychoanalyzing contestants on The Bachelor, painting, listening to podcasts, or playing tabletop RPGs.