Trick question! They all are.
It's tempting to assume that there is one disc personality type that's most naturally suited to lead. The truth is that great leaders come in all personality types.
People who fall into each of the four major DISC personality styles can all be effective and capable leaders. Their innate leadership styles, however, will naturally be very different from one another. Whether you're looking to find the best person to promote into a management position or are working to bring out your inner leader, the best place to start is by identifying the unique talents that each personality type instinctively brings to a leadership role.
Why a D Style Personality Makes a Great Leader
People with a D style personality don't just like to be in charge. They need to be in charge. They are their most content and productive when given a leadership role, which makes sense considering their major strengths are making decisions quickly, delegating tasks, creating action plans, and seeing the big picture. They are tough-minded, driven, demanding, and not afraid of confrontation. As a leader, a person with a "D" style personality is ambitious, forceful, commanding, fearless, and driven. They want results now, and as a result, their leadership style is strong and direct.
Leaders with a D personality style command others' respect through their confident and authoritative manner. They are as demanding of others as they are of themselves. When they give direction, people tend to follow through without debate. Best of all, executives and managers with a type D personality are unflinching in the face of conflict and are not afraid of dealing with difficult issues head-on.
Why an I Style Personality Makes a Great Leader
Whereas D style leaders command others' respect through their direct and demanding personalities, leaders with an "I" personality are extroverts that bring people together using their charm, charisma, and enthusiasm. They are the kind of leaders that people love to be around because of their magnetic personalities. "I" style leaders are great at communication and enjoy an interactive environment, making them masters of creating strong and cohesive teams.
I style leaders have boundless energy, genuinely enjoy the company of others, and can naturally motivate and inspire the people around them. They are likable, easy to talk to, and often diffuse conflict using their sharp sense of humor. They are also extremely persuasive, and their natural optimism makes the people around them believe that anything is possible.
Why an S Style Personality Makes a Great Leader
S style leaders are collaborative, considerate, and communicative. They place great value on the group's overall cohesiveness, creating a respectful, positive, and mutually beneficial environment. S style leaders are very attentive to the needs and well-being of others. They are good listeners that are inclusive of other people's ideas and are excellent at mediating conflict in a stressful environment.
S leaders are calm, patient, and relaxed. Their steadiness tends to put everyone at ease and they are seen by others as dependable and supportive. If a cooperative and harmonious environment is what you're looking to create, there's no better leader than an S personality.
Why a C Style Personality Makes a Great Leader
Leaders with a "C" style personality are methodical and organized. They use their natural strengths in analysis and planning to look at problems from all sides and put a great deal of thought into calculating any course of action. Perfectionists at heart, they hold everyone that works for them to high standards of excellence.
Leaders with a "C" personality are excellent at enforcing deadlines, creating schedules and are sticklers for accuracy. Being an example of a thoughtful, calculated problem solver, they inspire the people around them to think through decisions carefully and examine problems from all possible angles.
The Bottom Line:
When you brainstorm a list of the most sought-after qualities of a leader, what would you put down? Flexibility? Communication? Organization? Vision? Authority?
To find or become the best leader for your organization, think about your organization's needs. Is your office a chaotic environment? Giving a leadership position to (or adopting the leadership traits of) a controlled C DISC type or a stable S DISC style might help smooth things out. Need someone to lead the company through significant changes? D or I style personalities would be a smart choice.
DISC helps you identify your natural leadership strengths. Want to learn about your leadership style? Click here to take the DISC leadership personality test and find out your leadership strengths through the accompanying DISC report.
Now that you know anyone can be a leader, here is how you can become a better leader.
