--- title: What Your DISC Style Reveals About Your Leadership  description: After 20 years of coaching executives, Dan Silvert explains how your DISC style predicts the way others experience your leadership. image: https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/hubfs/blog-featured-images/DISC-Style-Says.webp --- [![Velocity Advisory Group](https://www.velocityadvisorygroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Velocity-Logo-2023-Wide-1.png)](https://www.velocityadvisorygroup.com/) ☰ Menu - About - [Meet Our Team](https://www.velocityadvisorygroup.com/about/) - [Meet Our Coaches](https://www.velocityadvisorygroup.com/coaches/) - [Careers](https://www.velocityadvisorygroup.com/careers/) - [Speaking Engagements](https://www.velocityadvisorygroup.com/velocity-speakers/) - Solutions - [Culture & Engagement](https://www.velocityadvisorygroup.com/culture-engagement/) - [DISC Assessments & Training](https://www.velocityadvisorygroup.com/disc-assessments-training/) - [Employee Experience](https://www.velocityadvisorygroup.com/employee-experience/) - [Executive Coaching](https://www.velocityadvisorygroup.com/executive-coaching/) - [Family Business](https://www.velocityadvisorygroup.com/family-business/) - [Leadership Development](https://www.velocityadvisorygroup.com/leadership-development/) - [Sales Training](https://www.velocityadvisorygroup.com/5cs-of-selling/) - [Strategy & Implementation](https://www.velocityadvisorygroup.com/strategy-implementation/) - Resources - [Activating Greatness Podcast](https://www.velocityadvisorygroup.com/podcast/) - [Blog](https://www.velocityadvisorygroup.com/blog/) - [Case Studies](https://www.velocityadvisorygroup.com/case-studies/) - [News and Announcements](https://www.velocityadvisorygroup.com/news-and-events/) - [OrderDisc](https://orderdisc.com/) - [Upcoming Events](https://www.velocityadvisorygroup.com/upcoming-events/) - Industries - [Construction](https://www.velocityadvisorygroup.com/construction/) - [Financial Services](https://www.velocityadvisorygroup.com/financial-services/) - [Life Sciences](https://www.velocityadvisorygroup.com/lifesciences/) - [Contact](https://www.velocityadvisorygroup.com/contact/) Insights & NewsInsights February 10, 2025 # What Your DISC Style Reveals About Your Leadership After 20 years of coaching executives, I’ve noticed a few things, chief among them that your [behavioral style (DISC Style) combination](https://www.velocityadvisorygroup.com/disc-birdstyle/) is remarkably predictive of how others experience your leadership. So, if you’re a no-nonsense type, your feedback on a 360 review is likely to both acknowledge how decisively things get done under your watch, but also how more collaboration and patience would deliver better decision-making. If you’re complimented for being a positive, engaging presence that makes people feel comfortable, there’s likely to be a suggestion around tightening up time management, maintaining focus in meetings, and well — don’t fly off the handle when you’re hangry for skipping lunch, the numbers come in lower than advertised, and you let it rip on a young employee who hadn’t seen that side of you before. Whoops.  But behavioral patterns are not just revealing your leadership blind spots, they’re showing you exactly where your growth opportunities lie. And as a bonus, they’re revealing key insights in understanding why other people get stuck in their own ways.  ## **Understanding Others’ DISC Styles to Discover Their Hidden Genius** Take Mark, a typical Eagle-Owl CEO (new to the Birds Model? Catch up [here](https://www.velocityadvisorygroup.com/disc-birdstyle/)). His 360 feedback featured the phrases “brilliant strategic mind” (translation: he thinks he’s always right and usually is), “drives exceptional results” (translation: his people are terrified to miss deadlines), and “could benefit from listening to others more” (translation: it’s his way or the highway).   After reviewing his feedback, Mark didn’t just discover his own derailers, he had an epiphany about his head of sales, a Parrot-Dove who’d been driving him crazy with what he saw as “endless relationship building” and “not enough focus on closing deals.”  Mark realized he’d been trying to turn his sales leader into a mini-Eagle, completely missing the value of someone who leveraged Parrot energy to build the deep client relationships that delivered bigger, longer-term contracts.  It’s not just about managing your own tendencies, it’s about appreciating how very different approaches capture opportunities in ways that you might not. If you are able to lean in their direction, you may find the very behaviors that annoyed you in the first place to be useful for navigating a situation in a different way.      ## **Take Your Leadership to New Heights** Want to really elevate your leadership? Start noticing how your default style creates unintended limitations for others. That Dove on your team who seems “too cautious”? Maybe they see important risks you’re missing in your Eagle rush to action. The Owl who’s “analyzing everything to death”? They might be preventing a costly mistake your Parrot enthusiasm nearly flew right into.  I recently worked with an executive team where the CFO (classic Owl) and CMO (textbook Parrot) were barely on speaking terms. The CFO saw the CMO as “reckless with resources” while the CMO viewed the CFO as “killing innovation with spreadsheets.” Once they understood their style differences, they developed a more effective approach: The CMO would bring three well-thought-out proposals to the CFO, who agreed to find ways to say “yes” to at least one. Both stretched outside their style comfort zones, and the company benefited from their combined strengths.  But there’s more gold to mine than appreciating what others bring to the table. What if the very behaviors that drive us crazy about others hold the key to our own behavioral growth?  For example, Doves typically see Eagles as overly aggressive and intimidating. But when a Dove adds just 10% more Eagle-like directness to their approach by learning to speak up sooner in meetings or deliver feedback more candidly, their effectiveness often skyrockets. They’re still fundamentally Doves, maintaining their thoughtful, harmonious nature, but now with an added gear when needed. That’s flexing to the right style at the right time.   The same growth happens in reverse. Eagles often find Doves frustratingly slow and conflict-avoidant. Yet when an Eagle learns to add 10% of Dove patience and relationship focus, their leadership impact expands dramatically. I recently watched an Eagle CEO transform his leadership team’s culture simply by pausing for seven seconds before responding to ideas in meetings. Yes, he counted. That bit of Dove patience created space for more voices and better decisions. It wasn’t easy for him, but the benefits were self-evident.    My favorite transformations happen between Owls and Parrots. Owls tend to see Parrots as unfocused optimists who need to “get real.” But when an Owl learns to embrace just a touch of Parrot-style possibility thinking, their analytical skills find creative applications they’d never considered. Meanwhile, Parrots who adopt even 10% more of the Owl’s rigorous approach often find their creative ideas gaining more traction and support.  The beauty in this is that you don’t need to fundamentally change who you are. Small adaptations, especially the ones that are uncomfortable, can lead to breakthrough growth. That different DISC style that drives you nuts? It might just contain exactly what you need to take your leadership to the next level.   Connect with [Dan Silvert](https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielsilvert/) or learn more about the [Birds Model.](https://www.velocityadvisorygroup.com/disc-assessments-training/) Share: [facebook-f icon](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/insights/your-disc-style-and-leadership) [linkedin-in icon](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/insights/your-disc-style-and-leadership) [Twitter icon](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/insights/your-disc-style-and-leadership) [pinterest-p icon](http://pinterest.com/pin/create/link/?url=https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/insights/your-disc-style-and-leadership) [envelope icon](mailto:?body=https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/insights/your-disc-style-and-leadership) [Insights](https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/insights/tag/insights) [Leadership & Coaching](https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/insights/tag/leadership-coaching) [DISC & Birds](https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/insights/tag/disc-birds) ## Ready to activate greatness on your team? Velocity Advisory Group helps leadership teams build the culture, strategy, and systems that let good people do their best work. [Book a discovery call](https://www.velocityadvisorygroup.com/contact/) ## Related posts [![DISCover Your Hidden Genius with the Birds](https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/hs-fs/hubfs/blog-featured-images/Discover-Genius-with-Birds.jpg?height=200&name=Discover-Genius-with-Birds.jpg)](https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/insights/discover-your-hidden-genius-with-the-birds) [Insights](https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/insights/tag/insights), [DISC & Birds](https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/insights/tag/disc-birds) ## [DISCover Your Hidden Genius with the Birds](https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/insights/discover-your-hidden-genius-with-the-birds) [Admin](https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/insights/author/admin) Jun 28, 2022, 9:43:31 AM Everyone has their own unique genius. Something unexpected that they bring to the table. But it’s... [Read more](https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/insights/discover-your-hidden-genius-with-the-birds) [![Unlocking Team Dynamics with the DISC Model | Hangin’ at the Reef Podcast](https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Unlocking-Team-Dynamics-1.webp?height=200&name=Unlocking-Team-Dynamics-1.webp)](https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/insights/unlocking-team-dynamics-with-the-disc-model-hangin-at-the-reef-podcast) [In the News](https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/insights/tag/in-the-news), [DISC & Birds](https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/insights/tag/disc-birds) ## [Unlocking Team Dynamics with the DISC Model | Hangin’ at the Reef Podcast](https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/insights/unlocking-team-dynamics-with-the-disc-model-hangin-at-the-reef-podcast) [Admin](https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/insights/author/admin) Jan 29, 2025, 3:10:07 PM Dan Silvert, co-founder and partner at Velocity Advisory Group, was recently invited to be a guest... [Read more](https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/insights/unlocking-team-dynamics-with-the-disc-model-hangin-at-the-reef-podcast) [![Set Your Intentions for 2022 by Choosing a Word of the Year](https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/hs-fs/hubfs/blog-featured-images/Intentions-for-2022.jpg?height=200&name=Intentions-for-2022.jpg)](https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/insights/set-your-intentions-for-2022-by-choosing-a-word-of-the-year) [Insights](https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/insights/tag/insights), [Leadership & Coaching](https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/insights/tag/leadership-coaching) ## [Set Your Intentions for 2022 by Choosing a Word of the Year](https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/insights/set-your-intentions-for-2022-by-choosing-a-word-of-the-year) [Admin](https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/insights/author/admin) Jan 3, 2022, 11:54:56 AM As 2021 came to a close, I knew it was time to pick a word of the year for 2022. I headed off to my... [Read more](https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/insights/set-your-intentions-for-2022-by-choosing-a-word-of-the-year) --- [![](https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Velocity%20Logo%202023%20Wide-2.png?width=1025&height=267&name=Velocity%20Logo%202023%20Wide-2.png)](http://velocityadvisorygroup.com) Copyright © 2026, Velocity Advisory Group ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Dan Silvert", "url" : "https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/insights/author/dan-silvert" }, "dateModified" : "2026-10-09T20:31:59.399Z", "datePublished" : "2025-02-10T13:00:00.000Z", "headline" : "What Your DISC Style Reveals About Your Leadership ", "image" : [ "https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/hubfs/blog-featured-images/DISC-Style-Says.webp" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/insights/your-disc-style-and-leadership", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/hubfs/Velocity%20Logo%202023%20Wide-2.png" }, "name" : "Velocity Advisory Group" } } ```