You Already Know What Kind of Leader You Are

You Already Know What Kind of Leader You Are

The question is: are you leading from that place on purpose?

There's a moment I've watched happen dozens of times in the Maxwell Leadership Game.

Someone is mid-sentence, explaining how they would solve the problem on the table, and then they stop. Not because they ran out of words, but because they heard themselves. Really heard themselves, maybe for the first time as a leader.

That pause is what I live for. Because in that pause, something cracks open.

We Don't Lack Leadership. We Lack Self-Awareness.

In 27 years in education and thousands of hours coaching, training, and sitting across from leaders in Wichita, from classroom teachers to small business owners to executives, I've noticed something consistent: people are not short on capability. They're short on clarity.

Clarity about who they naturally are. How they process information. What they move toward, and what they instinctively avoid. How they come across to the people who need them most.

This is exactly what DISC gives us. And it is exactly why I use it with every single client.

A Quick DISC Primer (Because This Changes Everything)

DISC is a behavioral & communication assessment, not a box, not a label, not a ceiling.

It's a mirror. It shows you how you're wired, how you lead, and how others experience you.

Four styles:

D — Dominant

Results-driven, direct, decisive. You lead by moving. Sometimes too fast for the people around you.

I — Influential

People-first, enthusiastic, inspiring. You lead by connecting. Sometimes you lead from the heart before the plan is ready.

S — Steady

Loyal, consistent, calm under pressure. You lead by anchoring. Sometimes you stay quiet when your voice needs to be heard.

C — Conscientious

Accurate, analytical, quality-driven. You lead by thinking. Sometimes you wait for perfect when good-enough would move the mission forward.

None of these styles is better than another. All of them lead. All of them matter. The magic happens when you know yours, and learn to work with everyone else's.

What DISC Can't Tell You (And What Can)

DISC tells you your natural wiring. John Maxwell's principles tell you what to do with it.

Law #1 in The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth is The Law of Intentionality. growth doesn't just happen. You have to choose it. You have to name what needs to grow, create the conditions for it, and show up even when it's uncomfortable.

For a high-D leader, that might mean slowing down to ask questions before deciding.

For a high-S, it might mean speaking up before the room moves on.

For a high-I, it might mean following through when the spotlight has moved.

For a high-C, it might mean trusting a good plan instead of waiting for a perfect one.

Intentional growth means knowing your default, and choosing something better when the moment calls for it.

Back to That Room

In the Leadership Game, that pause I described? It happens because the game creates a safe container for people to watch themselves lead, and to be curious about what they see. No performance reviews. No office politics. Just a table, a game, and the truth.

I've watched high-D leaders slow down and ask for input, and be surprised by how much the team had to offer. I've watched quiet S-style leaders find their voice and change the direction of an entire conversation. I've watched teams who had worked together for years finally understand why they kept talking past each other.

That is not a workshop. That is a transformation.

So, What's Your DISC Style?

If you don't know, that's exactly where we start. A DISC assessment with debrief gives you a personalized look at your leadership profile, your strengths, your blind spots, your communication style, and your growth edges.

And if you already know your style, the question becomes: are you using it on purpose?

Ready to find out?

Book a DISC Assessment + debrief session, explore the Maxwell Leadership Game for your team, or schedule a discovery call to talk about what you need most right now.

craftedbykristen.com

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Kristen is a John Maxwell Certified Teacher, Coach, and Speaker; a DISC Consultant; and the founder of Crafted by Kristen, a leadership development consultancy serving women and small businesses in Wichita, Kansas.