Support is one of the four main personality types in the DISC assessment system. It describes behavior that is helpful, caring, steady and reliable. People who have a Support personality type are typically cooperative, patient, friendly and loyal to their colleagues and friends. They tend to be focused on relationships and build them over time by demonstrating dependability and consistency.
Support personalities are often seen as the "glue" that holds teams together. They work well in collaborative settings and are usually the first to lend a helping hand. The Support style is less well suited to competitive environments where it's every man for himself.
Support Style Overview
The “S” of the DISC system stands for Support and supporting others is exactly what these types excel at. Support types rarely have their own agenda; rather, they are all about noticing what others need and finding ways to serve them. People with a Support style have an intense focus on relationships and helping people reach their goals.
In the workplace, Support people are likely to appear:
- Loyal
- Dependable
- Cooperative
- Supportive
- Calm
- Patient
- Tactful
- Steady
- Approachable
- Passive
They are less likely to appear:
- Aggressive
- Dominant
- Rash
- Forceful
- Impatient
- Unpredictable
- Decisive
- Pioneering
- Bossy
- Insensitive
Work Style and Talents of a Support Type
Support personalities tend to be team players who put the group first. Compared to other personality types, they are less interested in individual achievement, but highly motivated when it comes to serving the team. While they typically work quietly in the background and rarely seek the limelight, there is a sense that they are simply "there" for people, ensuring everyone is heard and supported.
Support types are often great listeners and have an exceptional ability to understand people and build trust with them over time. They're also patient, even-keeled and rarely fly off the handle when things don't go as planned.
These types prefer harmony over competition and they dislike change. They often take a while to warm up to new people and situations and prefer to maintain the established system and status quo. People with high Support often take a lot of time to consider all perspectives before making decisions. This can make them slow to act but ultimately helps ensure that the fairest decision is made.
Strengths of a Support type
Support people tend to be good at:
- Building strong relationships
- Collaborating with others
- Serving in a support role
- Being patient and tolerant
- Accommodating others’ perspectives
- Doing what they say they will
- Working with a wide range of people
- Working steadily to achieve goals
Blind Spots of a Support Type
Support people may find it difficult to:
- Take risks
- Try new things
- Make fast or difficult decisions
- Resist the influence of others
- Be direct and assertive
- Lead or manage people
- Set boundaries and stick to them
- Shift to smarter ways of working
Ideal Work Environment
Support types prefer work environments that are predictable and stable. They thrive when they can build relationships with colleagues, help others on their team and serve people a supportive role. It's important for them to feel like they have control over their own work, which is why they often prefer roles that don't involve too much pressure or strict deadlines.
Management styles that suit Support personalities will typically emphasize teamwork, set clear goals and expectations, provide feedback in a patient and supportive manner, and reward loyalty.
Support people tend to work best when they have:
- Clear goals and expectations
- Steady-paced projects with reasonable deadlines
- Opportunities to build relationships with colleagues
- A safe working environment where their opinions are respected
- A low-pressure environment
- Minimal exposure to change
They may feel drained when they have:
- Unclear goals
- Tight timelines
- High-pressure environments
- Competitive cultures
- Drama and confrontation
- Withdrawn or overly independent colleagues
- A lot of solo work
Careers for Support Types
Roles that Support personalities might find fulfilling include social work, teacher, counselor. Nurse. administrative assistant, customer service representative, human resources specialist, office manager, medical office assistant.
To learn more about the Support type and discover whether it fits you, take the free DISC personality test.
