The Dominant Personality
Introduction
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High D’s are driven to overcome opposition to accomplish a task.
They have the ability to thrive under negative circumstances and challenges
giving them the opportunity to create something better than what existed.
Dominant personalities are goal oriented and prefer to be in control of their
environment.
Biblical Characters with Dominant Personality Traits:
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Solomon
Joshua, Sarah
Stephen, Lydia, Apollos
Paul, Rachel
Developer
Result/Oriented
Inspirational
Creative
High D
D/I
D=I
D/C
General Tendencies of Dominant Personalities:
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High self-worth: Strong sense of self-worth.

Confident: Their confidence (highest of all DISC personalities) is so high
they believe they can accomplish almost anything. Task-oriented leadership
requires confidence.

Task / Goal Oriented: They have a greater probability of producing results
than any of the other profiles. High D’s will make their accomplishments
known. They may emphasize task accomplishment over relations with
people.

Self-centered: They can be self-centered and are less interested in hearing
other’s opinions because they see them as obstacles rather than helpful.

Motivated by Directness: . High D’s have a tendency to be direct and
expect others to approach them with the same directness. They like the
“bottom line” information in bites of ten words or less. If they want more
information they will ask for it. High D’s will take on a project on their own
and figure out the details as they go (would rather operate on instincts than
read directions).
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Aggressive: They will enter into conflict with others if they perceive the
person as a threat to their goals. High I’s will see High D’s as cold and
insensitive.

Joshua was the perfect leader to lead the Israelites in the conquest of
Canan.
Blind Spots of the High D:

Fear of Loosing Control: They quickly seize opportunities that allow them
to control their own destiny. They see confrontation as the best method of
dealing with challenges to their goals. They are quick to take the offensive
against a challenger. Caution: do not take on a High D unless you are ready
for battle and know you can win.

Insensitive to Others: Because they are extremely self-sufficient and think
they are right most of the time they have a tendency to not be concerned with
the views and feelings of others. Unfortunately, their self-confidence and task
orientation can desensitize them to the feelings and thoughts of others.
Sensitive people are often left hurt and angry when relating with High D’s.
They need to learn to listen to others and be sensitive to their needs.

Impatient: High D’s can be impatient and often require special events and
special people to help them learn patience.

Solomon had his brothers and one of his generals killed because they
threatened his control.
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Primary High D Personality
(The Developer Pattern)
I.
II.
Tendencies of High D Personalities:
Primary drive
Very independent in seeking
solutions to problems
Personal giftedness
Innovative problem solver
Group giftedness
Energy base to see that things
get accomplished
Potential spiritual gifts
Wisdom, Exhortation,
Administration
Internal fear
Loss of control
Strength out of control
Focusing on goals without
concern for people’s feelings
Under stress becomes
Intense, active, and initiates
action
Blind spots
Seeing the need to be accountable to others
Needs to work on
Empathy, understanding, and
cooperation with others
Best team members
I/S/C, I/S, S/I
Biblical Characters Who Represent High D
Personality Traits:
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III.
Solomon
Rahab
Further Bible Study
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Strengths
Weaknesses
Eccl. 2; 1Kings 6; 9:1-9
1 Kings 2:34-46; 11:1-13
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The Primary D Personality Traits
(The Developer/Director Personality)
The Developer or Director personality projects the most pure tendencies of the
High D personality style.
Positive Traits:
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The D personality is more of an individualist and tries to meet his own
personal needs.
They place an emphasis on seeking answers to difficult challenges without
help from others.
Solomon is a good example of the High D.
Personal Giftedness:
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The major focus of the D personality is to identify the problem and seek
innovative methods of solving it.
They have a tendency to disregard the norms of acceptable behavior and
use whatever means to meet the challenge at hand.
Strength Out of Control:
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High D’s will use their ability to manipulate others as a means to promote
their own causes. They see themselves as being shrewd rather than
manipulative like others see them.
Approach To Teamwork:
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Initiates action
Likes to be in charge
Motivated to reach goal(s).
Leadership or Management Style:
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Adopts an autocratic style
Defines responsibilities for others
Implements action plans with accountability
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Sensitivity to Feelings of Others:
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Tends to be insensitive to the feelings of others
Sees emotional expressions as obstacles and unnecessary
Sees life as a battle
Releasing Stress:
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Becomes intense when goals are blocked
Prone to outburst of anger
Releases stress through physical exercise
Recovery from Emotional Stress:
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Most often will engage in a physical activity.
Making Spiritual Commitments or a Commitment to
Christ:
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Usually requires a traumatic event which challenges their control over their
life and future.
Strengths of the High D Personality:
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Initiating
Decisive
Goal-oriented
Authoritative
Competitive
Forceful
Complementary Strengths Needed:
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Taking care of details (C personalities)
Showing patience (S personalities)
Showing concern for people (I personalities)
Diplomatic (S personalities)
Team player (S personalities)
Verbalize feelings of/to others (I personalities)
Note: When a High D’s tendencies are out of control, they can offend others by
being too aggressive and by being insensitive to the feelings of others.
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The High D/I Personality
(Result-Oriented Personality)
I.
II.
Tendencies of D/I Personalities:
Primary drive
Strength of character, gets
results
Personal giftedness
Flexibility, self-motivated
aggressively takes charge
Group giftedness
Acts as catalyst to carry
difficult assignments
Potential spiritual gifts
Leadership, Exhortation, Faith
Internal fear
Lack of urgency in moving ahead
in accomplishing a goal
Strength out of control
Pushes for action when patience
is a better option
Under stress becomes
Emotionally reactive and
demands action
Blind spots
Seeing where their actions
contribute to negative
consequences
Needs to work on
Not manipulating people and
circumstances; not striking out
toward others
Best team members
S/C, S/C/D, S/I, C/S
Biblical Characters Who Represent D/I Personality Traits:
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III.
Sarah
Joshua
Further Bible study:
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Strengths
Weaknesses
Josh. 3:1-17; 24; 1-33
Gen. 16:1-6; 21:1-10
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The High D/I Personality Traits
(Result-Oriented Personality)
Positive Traits:
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The D/I personality style is driven mainly by dominance and secondarily
by influencing traits.
This representative profile displays a gift for taking command of situations.
These individuals are quick and decisive and give direct and forceful
instructions.
Few people will challenge them because they are so forceful.
Joshua (Jos. 1:16) was an organizer.
Personal Giftedness:
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This personality type commands respect, and others rely upon their
strength and persistent character.
They are determined and move forward regardless of the barriers.
They see obstacles as challenges waiting to be conquered.
See: Joshua
Strength Out of Control:
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Under stress, D/I personalities have a tendency to be impatient and to use
confrontation and intimidation as a means of gaining control.
Refer to the story of Moses and Pharaoh
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The D = I Personality
(Inspirational Personality)
I.
II.
Tendencies of the D=I Personalities:
Primary drive
Strong drive to control by
charm and persuasion
Personal giftedness
Talented at achieving goals
through verbal skills
Group giftedness
Articulating a point of view
Potential spiritual gifts
Prophecy, Evangelism,
Teaching
Internal fear
Not having authority to control
events, complex relationships
Strength out of control
Overwhelming others with words
and arguments
Under stress becomes
Intimidating and can tend to
manipulate others
Blind spots
Understanding that their
aggressive style often causes
covert responses
Needs to work on
Not having to win every
argument, slowing down
Best team members
S/C, S/I, I/S
Biblical Characters Who Represent D=I Personality Traits:
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III.
Stephen, Apollos
Lydia
Laban
Further Bible Study
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Strengths
Weaknesses
Acts 7:1-50; 16:14-15
Acts 7:51-60
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The D = I Personality Traits
(Inspirational Personality)
Positive Traits:
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D=I or Inspirational personalities are quick to identify the best way to
motivate those around them. They are often perceived as Motivators.
They have a keen sense of knowing what other people need or want.
They do not use tentative words like suggest or think. More often they
forcefully claim, maintain, and allege.
D=I personalities are willing to risk rejection.
Stephen’s sermon was so forceful the leaders wanted to kill him.
Personal Giftedness:
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D=I personalities have equal measures of dominance and influencing
traits.
Thus, they can be both confrontational and entertaining.
They are skilled with words and have no peers in their ability to
persuade others of their point of view.
Refer to Apollos
Strength Out of Control:
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D=I personalities sometimes manipulate the rules to work for their
personal advantage.
They often forgive themselves for their shortcomings and when failure
occurs they shift personal guilt to someone else.
Laban used this tactic on Jacob.
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The High D/C Personality
(The Creative Personality)
I.
II.
Tendencies of the D/C Personalities:
Primary drive/goal
Being the front-runner in
developing new concepts
Personal giftedness
Being the instrument to bring
about change.
Group giftedness
Critically looking at old systems
and making them better.
Potential spiritual gifts
Discernment, Wisdom, Prophecy
Fears
Not being influential, others
failing to meet their standards
Under stress becomes
Sulky; condescending and critical
toward others, bored with routine
work.
Strength out of control
Fixing things that are not broken
Blind spots
Understand that grace and
forgiveness are critical elements
in relationships.
Needs to work on
Communicating warmth, patience,
softening judgmental, critical spirit
Best team members
I/D, I/S, I/S/C, S/C
Biblical Characters Who Represent D/C Personality
Traits :
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III.
Paul
Rachel
Further Bible Study:
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Strengths
Weaknesses
Rom. 3:20-=30; Gal. 3:10-29
Gal. 2:11-14; Acts 15:36-40
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The High D/C Personality Traits
(The Creative Pattern)
Positive Traits:
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The D/C personality is driven mainly by dominance and secondarily by
their conscientious traits.
They have the gift of analyzing a system and determining its
shortcomings. They not only have the ability to see the big picture, but
also the details of the picture.
They can quickly discern the solution to a problem and present it in
such a way that it makes sense.
D/C (Creative) personalities influence others by setting the pace for
communicating new ideas.
Personal Giftedness:
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D/C personalities impact relationships by their ability to initiate
activities that bring about change.
Paul spent his life and ministry working toward bringing about change
in the thinking of both the Jews and Gentiles.
Internal Fears:
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D/C (Creative) people fear not having sufficient authority to change a
course of events or the lives of others.
Paul’s life is a testimony to submissiveness to God and allowing the
Holy Spirit to turn weaknesses into strengths.
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Needs of the Dominance Personality
Overview of High D’s Personality:
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The High D wants to be in total control of their environment. They will
naturally challenge and rebel against anyone or structure imposed on
them.
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High D’s put a great deal of importance on winning, only to discover that
they must pay a high price in stress and struggle to meet that goal.
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They believe that they must always be pushing forward and to relax would
to risk becoming vulnerable.
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Family members and close friends often become objects whose major
function is to help them achieve their goals. And if they do not perform
effectively they can expect an unpleasant reaction. This pressure can
result in broken relationships.
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For the High D, the controlling drive to succeed is a never-ending
process.
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Creative personalities often report that a war is continually being waged in
their minds. One message says, “I must do this,” and the other message
counters with, “I should not do it.” In Romans 7:15-25, Paul gives a
description of this mental battle of action versus caution, good versus bad,
right versus wrong. Paul follows this up with Romans 8:1-4 which offers a
message of hope.
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People think that High D’s are tough and don’t need other people.
However, they desire relationships like anyone else, but they don’t have
the natural skills to develop them, so they retreat to achieving goals. They
need other’s help but that means risking failure and that’s scary.
Conflict Patterns With A High D:

When faced with submission to someone else’s authority the issue
becomes a loss of control.
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When a personal goal is being blocked or threatened.
► Once a High D personalizes a goal, they normally expend all their
energy into meeting the goal.
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► They will eliminate any obstacle in their path with whatever works the
quickest and best. If the obstacle persists, they often build up great
amounts of energy which is usually released in the form of anger.
► If an individual becomes the barrier, the High D sees to it that life is
extremely unpleasant for that person, even to the point of bringing
emotional or physical pain upon the person.

When being confronted with a person (messenger)
► One can expect the High D to disagree with any plan that is contrary to
their goals.
► It could result in a nasty confrontation. They may result in a “jungle
warfare syndrome” where survival of the fittest wins.

Communication becomes difficult.
► A High D will typically close off communication except through a
messenger of their choice or through consistent contact with them. It
is a way of maintaining control.
► God used Moses as a messenger to communicate with Pharaoh.
The Three R’s in Loving the High D
 Responding To A High D:
► Be firm and direct
► Focus on actions and goals
► Caring confrontation may be necessary to get their attention
 Relating To A High D:
► Be brief and to the point
► Explain “How to achieve goals”
► Allow a High D time to consider your ideas
 Reinforcing the High D:
► Repeat the plan of action, focusing on goals, objectives, and results or
have a messenger repeat them.
► Give bottom-line instructions
► Get out of their way
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Additional Information:
 Accept the fact that they are driven by challenging goals.
 Remember: If their environment prevents them from achieving their
goals, a negative reaction may occur.
 The Creative personality fears not becoming as influential as they
would like. This fear is related to their personal goals being blocked or
progress toward a future position or objective being challenged.
 They prefer being in charge and resist being restrained
 Creative personalities prefer positions of power that provide unusual
opportunities.
 They have the ability to methodically work within a system and secure
total control.
 Confrontation may be necessary to get their attention
 The High D is interested in direction and action, rather than
relationships.
 Because they have high ego strength there is a risk of this trait getting
out of control.
 There are times when backing away from a High D is a viable strategy.
 However, experience has confirmed that being willing to make a loving
confrontation will in most cases help a relationship with a High D.
 Be firm and direct and focus on how their actions affect you.
 Once a High D has been confronted, it is critical to focus on how their
actions directly affect you rather than entering into a personality attack
on them.
 Notice how Jesus confronted Paul directly about his actions: “Saul!
Saul! Why do you persecute me?” (Acts 22:7)
 Allow them time to cool down and to reflect on your ideas.
 Give them time to analyze and reflect on their ideas, opinions, etc.
 The Usefulness of the messenger
 The benefit of the messenger system is twofold. First, it neutralizes
the potential for further ego conflict between the confronter and the
High D. Second, the messenger or arbitrator can reconfirm on a
rational basis the goals and objectives of the confronter.
 The messenger is in a better position to communicate positively while
allowing the High D’s ego to remain healthy and the confronter’s
resolve to continue to build the relationship.
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 Be prepared for them to make quick changes
 They change quicker than any other personality. (See: Acts 9:20)
 Others can doubt the sincerity of High D’s because they change
quickly and often.
 High D’s could benefit from listening to counsel from others before
changing directions.
 High D’s greatest struggles:
 Pride is one of the High D’s greatest hindrances to spiritual maturity.
In the Bible, God ‘s strategy for overcoming pride is to allow the person
to go through personal pain. Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” is an example.
 High D’s have difficulty turning weaknesses into strengths.
 It is difficult for them to be part of a team and be in submission to
someone else’s authority. If they can learn to be submissive, they can
become a valuable contributor to the team.
 Humbling themselves and losing control is particularly difficult.
Difficulties Relating to High D’s:

High D:
No problem being confrontational; however, body language
and tone of voice can escalate the conflict.

High I:
Giving short answers, sticking to the plan, being committed
to a goal without a relationship.

High S:
Using confrontation and having to respond quickly.

High C:
Being brief.
How To Build Better Relationships With High D’s:

\
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High D:
Talk straight with them, but know when to back off.
High I:
Modify my need for a totally unstructured environment.

High S:
Be willing to risk change and security.

High C:
Willingness to modify the rules and structure if it doesn’t
sacrifice quality.
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Most Needed Talents of the High D:

High D:
Their commitment to goals

High I:
Energy and ability to complete tasks.

High S:
Ability to stand up for their commitments.

High C:
Ability to be decisive at a critical point in getting a project
done.
How to Respond to a High D Under Stress:

High D:
Talk about what you want them to do and not about abstract
feelings.

High D/I:
If they need correction, give them affirmation, then correct
the action. Do not make a personal attack.

High D=I:
Listen, then ask questions

High D/C:
Give them time to think through issues before expecting
them to react. Let them think over their opinions, ideas, etc.
and when they are ready to talk they will let you know.
Rev. 10/2006 by Dr. Richard Carr
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