Getting Promoted Using DISC: Your Cheat Sheet

Advocating for yourself and asking for a job promotion can be daunting. You might find yourself wishing for a cheat sheet as you make your pitch. 

The good news? If you have a working understanding of DISC, you already have that cheat sheet. You don’t need to officially know your boss’s style; you can make educated guesses about someone’s behavioral style just by observing them carefully. 

DISC measures four separate behavioral factors: Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, and Compliance. The four factors create a behavioral makeup that is unique to every person, resulting in eight communication styles.

We’ve covered a few ways  DISC can help you get a promotion and further your career. Now, we’ll detail how that looks in practice, considering your boss’s primary DISC Behavioral style. 

Direct Boss

Direct communicators are ambitious, forceful, decisive, strong-willed, independent, and goal-oriented. They enjoy clear, brief conversations that get to the point effectively.

Ask your Direct boss for a raise with confidence! Take a “sell, don’t tell” approach—they don’t want to be told what to do, but they do want to know your purpose as quickly as possible. Don’t spend too much time on your approach. Make sure they have the time to talk with you, lay out your case, highlight the benefits you bring, and then make your ask. 

Don’t ask for an answer on the spot, but don’t be surprised if you get one; a Direct boss might make an immediate decision. It’s your job to present your ideal outcome as the right one. 

Reflective Boss 

Reflective communicators are cooperative, low-key, modest, and mild. They tend to engage people by being agreeable and outcome-focused and prefer clear, precise, and thorough communication.

Invest in the conversation with your Reflective boss. They’ll appreciate a friendly approach but not an excess of enthusiasm. Having a conversation in person and following up over email can be a great way to start a dialogue while giving them time to consider. 

Make sure to highlight the value you bring to the team and showcase the ways you’ve excelled in contributions lately. A Reflective boss will appreciate your thoughtfulness and collaboration.  

Outgoing Boss

Outgoing communicators are people-oriented, optimistic, and enthusiastic. They are creative problem solvers and skilled at negotiating conflict. They want action and intention upfront and tend to strongly believe in their own ideas and dreams.

Asking for a promotion from an Outgoing boss requires some salesmanship. They aren’t looking for you to act out of character, but they will appreciate confidence as you demonstrate value and highlight your accomplishments. 

Start the conversation in person, with lots of opportunities for them to ask questions and offer their opinion. If you can position your ask as contributing closely to one of their goals, they’ll dream with you and see that vision. 

Reserved Boss

Reserved communicators are restrained, controlled, and reflective. They may be concerned with the thoughts and feelings of others, but that might not always be apparent in their communication, as they often prefer to be socially discreet. 

Your Reserved boss needs you to show your work when asking for a raise. They are influenced by facts and figures, not emotion or storytelling, so make sure to have all of your information right before approaching. Sending demonstrated results over email is the best way to start the conversation. Reserved communicators need time to fact-check and think through their answers. 

Remember, Reserved leaders can be highly skeptical of others with higher levels of enthusiasm. A particularly chatty or informal approach can turn them off and entirely disengage them. Keep it formal and match their energy for the best outcome. 

Steady Boss

Steady communicators are considerate, compassionate, and accepting of others, but might seem indifferent or hesitant on the surface. They prefer a slow pace, defined responsibilities, and clearly outlined expectations. 

A Steady leader wants you to demonstrate your value over time by tracking progress with clear results. Don’t be aggressive in your approach; give them time to review your results. If you need an answer by a set date (for example, if you have another job offer), make that timeline clear and give them as much time as possible to think it through. 

“As someone with a primary Steady behavioral style, I would say, when possible, provide an outline of what you want to discuss ahead of time to your Steady leader,” said Suzanne Dmuchoski, Director of Learning & Certifications at TTI Success Insights. “That gives them time to process and research prior to the meeting. Also, make sure to acknowledge the part you play in the bigger picture. Strong company relationships and being easy to work with go a long way with Steady people, just as much as the actual responsibilities of a role.”

Dynamic Boss 

Dynamic communicators are open and confident when sharing information, and they prefer lively, fast-paced conversations. They are energetic and outgoing but can come across as impatient or agitated. They love jumping from idea to project to task without slowing down. 

To engage your Dynamic boss, get right to the point. Emphasize points of their interest and focus on their engagement while making your pitch. Be prepared for questions; they might want to dig immediately into the details of what your position could look like and your plans for the future. Meet their energy! 

Precise Boss

Precise communicators are careful, dependent, and neat. They want to get the job done right and thrive on establishing routines and processes to follow in the workplace. They enjoy analyzing the communication patterns of others to develop their own people skills. 

When asking for a raise, showing your work is crucial for Precise leaders. You need to have the facts and figures to back up your ask. They prefer data-based decisions and logical information over emotional information, so keep it formal. 

“I’d ask for research up front,” said Kate Biben, Art Director at TTI, a Precise communicator. “I’d want to know what they’re asking for and what research they've done to come to that figure. Then, if I think the number is off, I would show them why, based on local averages or any other information I have. If it's not enough, I would guide them to where they could find the correct information and have them put together that research into a document so that I can keep a record. That would make negotiating for a different amount easier when I present that to my superiors. I would want them to come to me with minimal emotion because over-excitement or enthusiasm can discourage discussion about hard facts.” 

Ask through writing with attached supporting materials, and give them time to review. Don’t be pushy or demand quick answers; they won’t respond well. Getting specific is a good strategy; if you can show ‘an X percent in productivity,’ do so. 

Pioneering Boss

Pioneering communicators are independent, unconventional, and outspoken. They like finding the best outcome with the best possible means, no matter how random or experimental. They prefer an uninhibited work environment. 

Approach your Pioneering boss with an open mind and an open approach. Be prepared with some structure if needed, but let the conversation flow naturally. 

“As a leader with a low Compliance score, I tend to not be impressed by overly detailed policies, excessive justification, or emotionally driven appeals,” said Shaunna Adinolfi, Director of Partner Growth at TTI. “I tend to operate by gut, vision, and personal conviction, so an employee asking for a raise should approach me in a straightforward, confident, and results-focused way that aligns with my working style.” 

A Note on Over-Adaptations 

Using DISC to ask for a raise requires a short-term adaptation. This means you’ll adjust your natural approach to better appeal to your leader. Don’t entirely abandon your usual behavior by over-adapting; you still want to feel like yourself during these conversations. You’re simply adjusting your approach for the possibility of a better outcome. 

Over-adaptations do happen, and they’re noticeable. “I was working with a Direct leader and her Steady employee,” said Cindy Jacoby, Management Consultant and Executive Coach at BizHelp. “After learning about each other’s behavioral styles, they both made big adjustments. During their next meeting, the Steady communicator had all her facts straight and was prepared to get right into it, but the Direct leader kept asking about her weekend and her cat, making small talk and easing into the conversation. They were both over-adapting to each other in a very sincere way. We were able to talk it through and laugh about it. They were both trying and really found value in wanting to communicate better.” 

You can see that over-adaptations don’t have to be a bad thing! Just keep them in mind, be true to yourself, and make strategic shifts for the best possible outcome. 

Getting promoted using DISC can help you understand behavior, communicate better, and develop your career, your way.

Interested in taking a DISC assessment and learning more about you? Want your team to dig into behavior and growth? We can help. 

Author: Jaime Faulkner