Choosing a DiSC alternative starts with the question you need to answer. Do you want to understand individual talents, explore personality preferences, or describe how this particular team works together?
This guide compares five options: CliftonStrengths, TeamDynamics, MBTI, the Big Five, and the Enneagram. Each has a different focus. DiSC also has team applications; the useful comparison is what each assessment measures and how you will use the results.
Alternative #1: StrengthsFinder (aka Gallup CliftonStrengths)
While DiSC explores behavior styles, StrengthsFinder zeroes in on the specific talents of your team members, supporting strengths-based development.
Ever wondered why some team members excel in brainstorming sessions while others are better at detailed project planning? While the DiSC assessment is a popular choice for understanding workplace behavior, StrengthsFinder (also known as CliftonStrengths) offers a practical alternative.
Understanding Team Roles with StrengthsFinder
StrengthsFinder identifies 34 unique talent themes, helping team members discover their top strengths. This tool explains why some individuals excel in innovation (like those with Strategic strengths) or maintain harmony (like those with Relator strengths). Understanding these strengths can help you assign roles effectively, anticipate potential conflicts, and leverage your team’s talents.
Why StrengthsFinder is a Good Alternative to DiSC
While DiSC focuses on behavior styles, StrengthsFinder provides a detailed and actionable understanding of individual talents. It goes beyond general personality traits, helping you identify what your team members are naturally good at. This makes it easier to apply these insights in a work setting, especially when building and managing teams.
Want to use StrengthsFinder for team building? Check out our free CliftonStrengths team building workshop download!
StrengthsFinder in Action
Imagine you’re assembling a project team. With StrengthsFinder insights, you can pair a team member with Analytical strengths with another who has Ideation strengths, balancing detail orientation with creativity. This approach ensures that strengths are recognized, celebrated, and utilized effectively.
Alternative #2: TeamDynamics
TeamDynamics measures the shared behaviors of a specific team across four dimensions: Communicating, Processing, Deciding, and Executing. In Pro, participants describe how the team works, and their completed responses contribute to a shared team profile.
Why choose TeamDynamics?
Choose it when you want to discuss concrete working habits: how updates reach people, what information shapes decisions, who determines the next step, and how plans change. Personal preferences separately inform CoDynamics, which helps each participant understand natural fit and potential tension with the team. They do not determine the team's shared result.
TeamDynamics vs. DiSC
DiSC focuses on behavioral styles and supports workplace relationships and team development. TeamDynamics starts with participants' observations of this team's shared working patterns. A team can use both perspectives: one to discuss how people relate to each other, and one to agree how the group will work.
Putting the result to work
A product team might use its profile to discuss whether changing priorities are reaching everyone and when a decision needs consultation. Pro includes a Team Profile, individual CoDynamics, a Manager Report, and a Team Discussion Guide. The guide supports a structured conversation and concrete next steps.
See the working patterns behind your team’s DiSC styles
DiSC helps colleagues understand behavioral differences. TeamDynamics adds a shared view of how your team communicates, evaluates information, makes decisions, and follows through.
Explore the interactive Team Discussion Guide and its sample discussion slides.
Alternative #3: Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)
MBTI offers a comprehensive lens to understand your team’s personalities. It’s an invaluable tool in team analysis, providing insights that can be used alongside other assessments like DiSC.
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is a well-known tool for understanding individual personality types and their impact on team dynamics. Unlike assessments like DiSC, which focus on behavior, MBTI gets deeper into the psychological preferences of individuals, categorizing them into 16 distinct personality types. This framework provides a comprehensive roadmap for navigating the complexities of workplace interactions.
Personality insights with MBTI
MBTI describes four pairs of personality preferences and sixteen types. Use those preferences as prompts to ask how colleagues like to communicate and make decisions. A type does not establish someone’s ability, job suitability, or likely response in a crisis.
MBTI vs. DiSC
MBTI explores personality preferences; DiSC explores behavioral styles. Both have workplace and team applications. Choose the framework and report that match the conversation you want to facilitate.
Planning an MBTI session? Download our free MBTI team communication workshop.
Practical application of MBTI
Before a project begins, ask teammates how they prefer to receive information, reflect on options, and discuss a decision. Use the answers to agree meeting and update practices. Consider skills, experience, and interests when assigning work.
Your next step
Discover how your team works. Build a plan to make it work better.
Spot what helps your team succeed—and what gets in the way. Get practical next steps for clearer communication, better decisions, and stronger teamwork.
Alternative #4: The Big Five Personality Traits (Five Factor Model)
The Big Five describes individual differences across five broad traits. It can support a conversation about preferences, alongside examples of how colleagues work together.
The Big Five Personality Traits, also known as the Five Factor Model, is like the Swiss Army knife of personality assessments—versatile, reliable, and comprehensive. This model breaks down personality into five key traits: Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism, often remembered by the acronym OCEAN.
In-Depth Insights with the Big Five
Think of the Big Five as a high-definition map of human personality. It dives deep into understanding not just how team members act, but why they act that way. For instance, someone high in Openness might be your go-to person for innovative ideas, while a team member with high Conscientiousness could be the one who keeps projects on track. This model provides a nuanced understanding of individual differences, making it invaluable for team building.
Big Five vs. DiSC
While DiSC focuses on behavior styles, the Big Five offers a broader and more detailed view of personality. It emphasizes core traits that drive behavior in various situations, providing a comprehensive lens that is essential for managers seeking to build well-rounded teams. Unlike MBTI, which categorizes individuals into 16 types, the Big Five provides a more flexible and empirical approach to understanding personality, making it an excellent alternative to DiSC.
Want to use the Big Five Personality Traits with your team? Download our free Big Five team building workshop!
Applying the Big Five in teams
Trait scores can prompt conversations about working preferences. Ask colleagues for concrete examples and support needs; avoid assigning project roles from a trait score alone.
Alternative #5: Enneagram
The Enneagram offers nine types as a framework for reflecting on motivations and personal growth. Use it to invite discussion rather than label colleagues.
The Enneagram offers a unique approach to understanding personalities, going beyond surface traits to uncover deeper motivations and fears. Unlike DiSC, which categorizes behavior styles, the Enneagram identifies nine distinct personality types, each providing profound insights into what drives behavior.
The Enneagram’s Deeper Insights
Think of the Enneagram as a psychological map that not only identifies how team members behave but also explains why they behave that way. For instance, Type 3, the Achiever, is driven by a desire for success and recognition, while Type 9, the Peacemaker, seeks harmony and avoids conflict. This model helps you understand core motivations, leading to more empathetic and effective team management.
Enneagram vs. DiSC
The Enneagram offers a framework for reflecting on motivations and personal growth. DiSC offers a framework for discussing behavioral styles. These are different lenses; neither establishes a colleague’s motives or abilities for you.
Planning a reflective session? Try our free Enneagram team building workshop.
Practical application of the Enneagram
Invite people to describe what helps them contribute under pressure and where they need support. Let participants interpret their own experience, and turn the discussion into an agreement the team can observe.
Comparing the Top 5 Alternatives to the DiSC Assessment
Looking to understand the pros and cons each the best DiSC assessment alternatives? Take a look at this simple comparison table.
| Tool | Primary Focus | Pricing | Best For | Key Strengths |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| StrengthsFinder (Gallup CliftonStrengths) | Individual Talents | Varies by report and provider | Teams needing actionable insights into strengths | Identifies 34 talent themes, practical for team building |
| TeamDynamics | Shared team behaviors | Pro: $39 per participant, one-time payment | Teams focusing on performance, collaboration and alignment | Team-focused, identifies norms, enhances collaboration |
| Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) | Psychological Preferences | Varies by report and provider | Teams exploring personality preferences | 16 personality types, useful for planning and communication |
| Big Five Personality Traits (Five Factor Model) | Core Personality Traits | Varies by assessment and provider | Organizations needing detailed personality insights | Covers 5 key traits, flexible and empirical approach |
| Enneagram | Motivations and Fears | Varies by assessment and provider | Teams wanting to understand deeper motivations | Nine personality types, focuses on personal growth |
Choosing the right DiSC alternative
Use CliftonStrengths to explore talents, MBTI to discuss personality preferences, the Big Five to explore trait differences, and the Enneagram as a reflective framework for motivations. Use TeamDynamics when the question is how this team communicates, processes information, decides, and executes work. TeamDynamics does not combine the CliftonStrengths or Enneagram methodologies.
Before buying, check the specific assessment, included reports, facilitation support, and current pricing. TeamDynamics Pro costs $39 per participant as a one-time payment. Solo costs $29 once and provides an estimate from one person’s description of the team.
Holding a DiSC workshop? Use our free DiSC team communication style discovery worksheet.
Pick a tool around one practical goal, such as making decision ownership clearer, and plan a follow-up to see whether the new working agreement helps.
