When organisations invest in people development, one of the first questions they ask is:
“Should we use DISC or CliftonStrengths?”
It’s an excellent question because both assessments are respected worldwide and both help people better understand themselves and others.
However, they measure very different things.
At The DISC Agency, we’re often asked which assessment delivers the greatest return for organisations wanting to improve communication, leadership and team performance. The answer depends entirely on what you’re trying to achieve.
This guide compares DISC and CliftonStrengths in detail, explains where each excels, and helps you determine which is right for your business.
What is DISC?
DISC is one of the world’s most widely used behavioural assessment tools.
Rather than measuring intelligence, personality or technical ability, DISC measures observable behaviour—how people naturally behave and how they adapt to different environments.
The four behavioural styles are:
People high in D tend to be:
- Direct
- Decisive
- Competitive
- Results-focused
- Comfortable making quick decisions
They enjoy solving problems and taking action.
People high in I are typically:
- Outgoing
- Enthusiastic
- Persuasive
- Optimistic
- Relationship focused
They gain energy from interacting with others and enjoy influencing people.
High S individuals are generally:
- Patient
- Reliable
- Calm
- Loyal
- Supportive
They value stability, teamwork and consistency.
High C people are often:
- Analytical
- Precise
- Logical
- Quality focused
- Detail oriented
They enjoy accuracy, planning and working within established systems.
What does DISC actually measure?
DISC looks at behavioural preferences such as:
- Communication style
- Decision-making
- Pace of work
- Response to pressure
- Approach to conflict
- Team interaction
- Leadership behaviour
- Customer service style
- Sales approach
- Workplace adaptability
Because behaviour is observable, DISC provides practical tools people can begin using immediately.
What is CliftonStrengths?
CliftonStrengths (formerly StrengthsFinder) was developed by Don Clifton and Gallup.
Instead of measuring behaviour, CliftonStrengths identifies an individual’s natural talents.
Gallup defines a strength as:
“The ability to consistently produce near-perfect performance in a specific activity.”
Participants complete an assessment that identifies their strongest talent themes.
There are 34 possible strengths including:
- Achiever
- Strategic
- Learner
- Communication
- Empathy
- Responsibility
- Relator
- Analytical
- Positivity
- Focus
- Maximiser
- Individualisation
Most organisations focus on each person’s Top 5 strengths.
The biggest difference
This is where many people become confused.
DISC asks:
“How do you naturally behave?”
CliftonStrengths asks:
“Where do your greatest talents naturally exist?”
Behaviour and talent are not the same thing.
Someone may naturally possess the strength of Strategic thinking while still behaving as a careful, methodical, high Compliance (C) style in DISC.
Likewise, a person may have the Communication strength in CliftonStrengths but display a low Influence style in DISC because they communicate thoughtfully rather than energetically.
The two assessments answer different questions.
DISC vs CliftonStrengths at a glance
| DISC | CliftonStrengths |
| Measures behaviour | Measures natural talents |
| Four behavioural styles | 34 talent themes |
| Easy to learn quickly | Requires deeper understanding |
| Highly practical for everyday communication | Excellent for individual development |
| Focuses on adapting behaviour | Focuses on leveraging strengths |
| Widely used in sales, leadership and customer service | Widely used in coaching and leadership development |
| Strong application across entire teams | Strong focus on individual growth |
Which assessment is better for improving communication?
This is where DISC stands apart.
Communication challenges rarely occur because people lack talent.
They occur because people behave differently.
Examples include:
- One employee gets straight to the point while another prefers conversation.
- One leader wants immediate decisions while another wants more information.
- One salesperson builds rapport while another focuses on facts.
- One manager enjoys change while another prefers certainty.
DISC explains these behavioural differences in simple language.
People quickly understand:
- Why misunderstandings happen
- How to adapt communication
- How to reduce workplace conflict
- How to build stronger relationships
For organisations wanting immediate behavioural improvement, DISC is exceptionally practical.
Which assessment is better for leadership?
Both provide value—but in different ways.
DISC helps leaders:
- Adapt communication
- Lead different personality styles
- Coach more effectively
- Deliver feedback
- Delegate appropriately
- Handle conflict
- Improve emotional intelligence
- Build trust
Leaders quickly learn that managing everyone the same way rarely works.
Instead, DISC teaches situational leadership through behavioural flexibility.
CliftonStrengths helps leaders:
- Understand their natural leadership talents
- Delegate around weaknesses
- Build confidence
- Develop authenticity
- Focus on areas of excellence
Rather than adapting behaviour, CliftonStrengths encourages leaders to maximise existing talents.
Which assessment works best for teams?
For team development, DISC is generally easier to implement.
That’s because every team member quickly understands the four behavioural styles.
Visual tools such as Team Wheels allow participants to see:
- Behavioural diversity
- Team strengths
- Communication gaps
- Decision-making preferences
- Potential blind spots
This creates immediate discussion and practical application.
Teams often begin adapting their communication during the workshop itself.
CliftonStrengths also supports team development but usually requires more coaching because:
- There are 34 possible strengths.
- Everyone has a unique combination.
- Understanding interactions between multiple strengths takes more time.
It offers rich insight but is typically a longer development journey.
Which assessment is easier to apply every day?
DISC wins on simplicity.
People quickly remember:
- D
- I
- S
- C
That simplicity makes it highly practical.
Employees begin recognising behavioural styles in:
- Meetings
- Emails
- Phone conversations
- Customers
- Suppliers
- Managers
- Colleagues
This creates ongoing behavioural awareness.
CliftonStrengths requires participants to remember multiple strengths and understand how they interact, making everyday application more challenging for many workplaces.
Can DISC improve sales or account management performance?
Absolutely.
DISC has become one of the world’s most popular sales development tools because it helps sales professionals identify customer behavioural styles and adapt accordingly.
Rather than using one sales approach for everyone, salespeople learn to:
- Build rapport faster
- Ask better questions
- Present information differently
- Handle objections effectively
- Match communication preferences
- Close more confidently
This behavioural flexibility often leads to stronger customer relationships and improved sales outcomes.
Can CliftonStrengths improve sales?
Yes—but differently.
Rather than adapting to customers, CliftonStrengths helps salespeople understand their own natural talents.
For example:
Someone with high Woo may naturally enjoy networking.
Someone with Strategic may excel in complex solution selling.
Someone with Learner may quickly master product knowledge.
It helps individuals maximise what they naturally do well.
Which assessment is better for recruitment?
Neither should be used as the sole basis for hiring decisions.
However, DISC can provide valuable insights into:
- Preferred communication styles
- Workplace behaviour
- Leadership preferences
- Team fit
- Sales tendencies
Many organisations also use behavioural comparison reports alongside structured interviews to support recruitment decisions.
CliftonStrengths is generally more useful after someone has joined the organisation, helping managers develop and coach new employees based on their natural talents.
Can you use both?
Absolutely.
In fact, many organisations gain the greatest value by using both assessments at different stages of development.
A practical sequence might look like this:
Step 1: Use DISC to improve communication, teamwork and leadership.
Step 2: Use CliftonStrengths to help individuals maximise their natural talents and long-term career development.
The two assessments complement each other rather than compete.
Which assessment does The DISC Agency recommend?
At The DISC Agency, our primary focus is helping organisations create measurable improvements in:
- Communication
- Leadership
- Team performance
- Sales and account management
- Customer service
- Workplace relationships
For these objectives, DISC consistently delivers immediate behavioural change because participants leave with practical tools they can apply the very next day.
Teams quickly learn how to:
- Understand themselves.
- Understand their colleagues.
- Adapt communication.
- Reduce conflict.
- Build trust.
- Improve collaboration.
- Strengthen leadership effectiveness.
These are outcomes that organisations can see and feel almost immediately after a well-facilitated DISC workshop.
Final Thoughts
DISC and CliftonStrengths are both outstanding development tools, but they answer different questions.
If your goal is to understand how people behave, communicate, lead and collaborate, DISC is often the most practical and immediately actionable solution.
If your goal is to help individuals discover and develop their natural talents, CliftonStrengths offers valuable long-term insights.
Many organisations eventually use both, but for businesses looking to improve team dynamics, communication and leadership across an entire organisation, DISC remains one of the most effective and widely adopted behavioural assessment tools available.
Ready to Build a Stronger Team?
At The DISC Agency, we help organisations across Australia improve communication, leadership, teamwork, customer service and sales performance through engaging DISC workshops and scientifically validated behavioural assessments.
Whether you’re developing a leadership team, onboarding new employees or strengthening collaboration across your business, our tailored DISC programs provide practical strategies that participants can apply immediately.
