If DISC shows us how we act, Driving Forces explains why we act that way. This is the part most people miss. We can see behaviour in ourselves and in others, but underneath every action there is a push, a reason, a spark that drives it. Without that spark, behaviour feels flat. With it, everything suddenly makes sense.
Think of two people who both come across as decisive, confident, and quick to act. On the surface they look the same. But if you look deeper, one might be driven by a passion for innovation, wanting to solve problems in new ways, while the other might be motivated by a focus on results, wanting to see efficiency and clear returns. The behaviour looks similar, but the reason behind it is very different. That is what Driving Forces helps us uncover. The model comes from the work of Eduard Spranger, who studied human motivation almost a century ago. TTI Success Insights has refined it into a modern tool that shows the underlying values that fuel our decisions and priorities. It does not stop at saying you like to learn, or that you value people. Instead, it measures how strongly those drives show up and what they look like in practice. It is about the energy that sits behind your choices, the things that light you up and keep you going.
This is important because misalignment drains us. When you spend too much time in an environment that does not feed your strongest drivers, it feels like running uphill. You can do it, but it takes effort, and it wears you down. When your work or relationships line up with what truly motivates you, the opposite happens. You feel energised, time flies, and you often do your best work without forcing it.
The hidden spark behind behaviour
In coaching conversations, I see this play out again-and-again. Someone might feel stuck in their role. On paper everything looks fine, but they come into sessions saying they feel flat or restless. When we look at their Driving Forces, it becomes clear that their strongest motivators are being ignored. Maybe they are driven by collaboration but work in a culture that rewards solo performance. Maybe they are motivated by learning but stuck in routine tasks. As soon as we uncover that, things shift. We can start talking about how to bring more of those drivers into their daily work, even if it is in small ways at first.
What I like about TTISI’s Driving Forces is the nuance. It does not put you in a box. Instead of giving you a single label, it maps out the blend of motivators that sit behind your behaviour. It shows the ones that matter most and those that sit in the background. This creates a picture that feels authentic and useful. It also gives us a language for conversations that often stay hidden. When you can explain not just how you act but why, it opens doors to better teamwork, less conflict, and more satisfying choices.
Just like with DISC, the insight only becomes valuable when you do something with it. Reading about your Driving Forces can be fascinating, but the real change comes when you use that knowledge to adjust how you spend your time, how you approach challenges, and how you communicate with others. That is why I pair the assessment with practical activities and coaching. Together we can look at where you feel energised, where you feel drained, and what needs to shift. Clients often describe this as unlocking a new level of clarity. Suddenly their frustrations make sense, and the path forward feels a lot clearer.
Understanding your why can be just as powerful as understanding your how. Driving Forces helps you see the hidden engine behind your behaviour. When you know what fuels you, you can make choices that give you energy rather than drain it. You can explain yourself more clearly to others, and you can find more meaning in the way you work and live.
This is the next step in the journey. DISC shows us how we act. Driving Forces reveals why. In the next article, we will look at Emotional Intelligence, which helps us see how well we manage ourselves and connect with the people around us. When you put these layers together, you start to build a toolkit that goes far beyond self-awareness. It becomes a way to grow with purpose and show up in the world with more impact.
For full transparency, I am an accredited practitioner of TTI Success Insights’ assessments. I hold certification in DISC, 12 Driving Forces®, and Emotional Quotient™, which means I am authorised to administer these assessments and provide professional debriefs of the reports. All assessments, reports, and related materials are proprietary to TTI Success Insights (Target Training International, Ltd.), and names such as TTI Success Insights®, DISC, 12 Driving Forces®, and Emotional Quotient™ are trademarks or registered trademarks of Target Training International, Ltd.
Acces my Driving Forces Program here – Note this is more than an assessment, You’ll get the full package: your personalised assessment, an in-depth report, a one-on-one debrief, practical improvement activities, and follow-up coaching to lock in real change.
