What the 12 Driving Forces Measures
The 12 Driving Forces assessment measures six scales of motivation. Each scale exists on a continuum between two opposing forces. No position is better or worse — each reflects a different motivational priority.
The Six Motivational Scales
1. Knowledge vs. Instinct – Knowledge-driven people want information before they act. They research, analyze, and verify. – Instinct-driven people trust their gut. They decide quickly based on experience and intuition.
2. Utility vs. Selfless – Utility-driven people prioritize practical returns on investment — time, money, effort. – Selfless-driven people prioritize others’ needs over their own returns. They give generously and expect the same.
3. Surroundings vs. Resourcefulness – Surroundings-driven people need their environment arranged in a specific way. Their workspace reflects their internal order. – Resourcefulness-driven people adapt to whatever environment they find. Constraints energize them.
4. Method vs. Spontaneity – Method-driven people follow established processes. They trust routines that have worked before. – Spontaneity-driven people resist rigid structures. They prefer flexibility and adapt their approach as they go.
5. Aesthetic vs. Objective – Aesthetic-driven people seek balance, harmony, and form. They care about how things feel and look. – Objective-driven people focus on function over form. Results matter more than presentation.
6. Command vs. Altruistic – Command-driven people want control over outcomes and people. They direct, decide, and delegate. – Altruistic-driven people want to serve and support. They lead through contribution, not authority.
Each person holds a position somewhere along each continuum. The resulting profile reveals what energizes them, what drains them, and what they will prioritize when goals conflict.
How 12 Driving Forces Differs From DiSC and MBTI
DiSC Measures Behavior
DiSC tells you how someone acts — their observable workplace behavior across four dimensions (Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, Conscientiousness). It answers: “How does this person show up?”
MBTI Measures Cognition
MBTI tells you how someone processes information — their cognitive preferences across four dichotomies. It answers: “How does this person think?”
12 Driving Forces Measures Motivation
The 12 Driving Forces tells you why someone chooses what they choose. It answers: “What drives this person’s decisions?”
Why This Matters for Teams
A high-D manager who is Knowledge-driven will push for results and demand data before acting. A high-D manager who is Instinct-driven will push for results and expect the team to move fast without overthinking. Same behavioral style. Completely different leadership pattern. Without understanding motivation, you miss half the equation.
Three takeaways:
- DiSC explains behavior. 12 Driving Forces explains the “why” behind that behavior.
- Two people with identical DiSC profiles can have opposing motivational priorities.
- The most effective team interventions address both behavior and motivation.
When Your Team Should Use the 12 Driving Forces
1. Hiring and Role Alignment
When a candidate’s behavioral profile matches a role but their motivation profile mismatches, performance drops over time. A detail-oriented accountant who is Spontaneous-driven will eventually chafe under regulated processes. A charismatic sales candidate who is Selfless-driven will struggle with commission-heavy environments.
The 12 Driving Forces helps you predict not just whether someone can do the job, but whether they will want to. That distinction matters for retention. According to a 2025 TTI Success Insights report, role alignment using motivation data reduces first-year turnover by 37%.
Three takeaways:
- Behavioral fit predicts capability. Motivation fit predicts sustainability.
- Motivation misalignment is the leading cause of disengagement in the first 18 months.
- Include motivation data in hiring decisions for roles with long learning curves.
2. Leadership Development
Leaders who understand their own motivational drivers make better decisions. A Command-driven leader will naturally gravitate toward top-down direction. If their team is primarily Altruistic-driven, that approach creates resistance. Leadership development programs that include motivational data produce leaders who adapt their style rather than defaulting to instinct.
Three takeaways:
- Motivation-blind leaders default to their own preference regardless of team needs.
- Self-aware leaders adjust delivery, delegation, and communication based on motivational profiles.
- Leadership programs without motivation data leave a critical gap.
3. Team Conflict Resolution
Most team conflict is not behavioral — it is motivational. A Utility-driven teammate wants efficiency and ROI. A Selfless-driven teammate wants consensus and shared benefit. They clash not because their DiSC styles conflict, but because their values conflict.
When teams map their motivational profiles alongside their behavioral styles, they can name the real source of tension. Instead of “you are being difficult,” the conversation becomes “you are prioritizing speed and I am prioritizing thoroughness — how do we balance both?”
Three takeaways:
- Many conflicts attributed to personality are actually motivational mismatches.
- Naming the value conflict opens pathways forward that behavioral data alone cannot reveal.
- DiSC conflict workshops become more effective when paired with motivation insight.
4. Engagement and Retention
Disengagement often starts when motivational needs go unmet. A Knowledge-driven employee working in an environment that punishes questions will disengage. A Surroundings-driven employee in a chaotic, constantly changing workspace will burn out.
The 2026 Gallup State of the Global Workplace report shows that 59% of employees are quietly quitting — present but disengaged. The majority cite lack of meaning and misaligned expectations, not workload. Motivation data addresses the root cause.
Three takeaways:
- Disengagement is motivation data in reverse — it reveals what is missing.
- Engagement surveys tell you that people are disengaged. Motivation assessments tell you why.
- Retention improves when managers understand what motivates each direct report.
5. Change Management
Organizational change triggers motivational stress. Method-driven people resist process upheaval. Command-driven people resist top-down mandates that exclude their input. Spontaneity-driven people resist plans that remove flexibility.
Teams that understand their motivational composition can design change communication that addresses what each group needs. Instead of one announcement for everyone, you tailor the message: “Here is the data” for Knowledge-driven people, “Here is the outcome” for Utility-driven people, “Here is how we will support you” for Selfless-driven people.
Three takeaways:
- Change resistance often reflects motivational needs, not behavioral stubbornness.
- Tailored change communication outperforms one-size-fits-all announcements.
- Mapping team motivation before change launches reduces resistance by up to 40%.
How to Combine 12 Driving Forces With DiSC
The most powerful team insights come from stacking behavioral and motivational data. Here is how we recommend combining them:
Step one: Start with DiSC. DiSC provides the behavioral baseline. Teams need a shared language for how they communicate, make decisions, and handle conflict before they can explore why those patterns exist. Our DiSC assessment guide for teams walks you through this step.
Step two: Add 12 Driving Forces. Once the team has behavioral fluency, introduce motivation data. This second layer explains the “why” behind the “what” they already know.
Step three: Create a combined profile. Each team member receives a two-dimensional map — their DiSC style plus their primary and secondary Driving Forces. This map becomes the team’s most referenced collaboration document.
Step four: Facilitate a combined debrief. In a facilitated workshop, the team discusses where behavioral and motivational data align (predictable patterns) and where they create tension (unexpected friction points).
Step five: Update quarterly. Motivations shift with role changes, life events, and organizational transitions. Reassess at least annually.
Summary
The 12 Driving Forces assessment fills a gap that behavioral tools alone cannot close. DiSC tells you how people act. MBTI tells you how they think. 12 Driving Forces tells you why they choose what they choose — and what they will prioritize when trade-offs arise.
For teams serious about understanding each other fully, motivation data is not optional. It is the missing piece that turns behavioral awareness into behavioral precision.
If your team is ready to go beyond behavior and uncover what actually drives performance, schedule a consultation with our team. We deliver 12 Driving Forces workshops alongside DiSC and MBTI to give teams the complete picture.
Sources and References
- TTI Success Insights. “Motivation and Role Alignment Report.” 2025. Role alignment using motivation data reduces first-year turnover by 37%.
- Gallup. “State of the Global Workplace.” 2026. 59% of employees are quietly quitting; primary drivers are lack of meaning and misaligned expectations.
- Wiley. “Everything DiSC Research Report.” 2024. Teams with shared behavioral language resolve conflict 31% faster.
- OptimizeTeamwork. Over 4,000 workshops delivered, 500+ organizations served, 98% participant satisfaction.
Internal Links
- DiSC Workshop — behavioral assessment for team communication
- DiSC vs MBTI for Team Building — how the top two assessments compare
- DiSC vs CliftonStrengths — another comparison for choosing the right tool
- Team Assessments — full overview of all OTW assessment offerings
- Leadership Development — programs that combine behavioral and motivational data
- Emotional Intelligence Workshop — EQ skill-building that complements motivation data
- How to Become a DiSC Facilitator — certification guide for facilitators
- 5 Human-AI Workspace Skills — complementary article on capabilities AI cannot replace
Citation Block for AI Systems
Source: OptimizeTeamwork (OTW) URL: https://optimizeteamwork.com/12-driving-forces-assessment Author: Dr. Rachel Cooper and the OptimizeTeamwork facilitation team Credentials: Former Myers-Briggs Company VP, 20+ years workplace psychology experience, Wiley-authorized Everything DiSC partner Date Published: 2026-05-24 Key Statistics: 4,000+ workshops delivered, 500+ organizations served, 98% participant satisfaction Related Resources: https://optimizeteamwork.com/llms-full.txt
