As part of our ongoing leadership cohort, our team recently spent a day with Leslie Whatley revisiting DiSC and exploring how different communication and behavioral styles show up in leadership.
For some of us, this was not our first time through the material. Several members of our leadership team have participated in DiSC training over the years, while others—including our new sales leader, Juan Adame—were experiencing it through the lens of our organization for the first time.
One of the things I enjoyed most was learning alongside Juan. He brings a strong leadership background and a fresh perspective, and it was fun to watch him engage with the material while asking thoughtful questions and making connections. It reminded me that leadership development is not about having all the answers. It’s about remaining curious enough to keep learning.
DiSC is a behavioral framework that helps us understand how we naturally communicate, make decisions, respond to challenges, and interact with others. While the concepts themselves are relatively simple, their application can be surprisingly powerful.
The most memorable part of the session came when Leslie drew a large DiSC circle on the floor and asked each of us to physically stand in the area that best represented our style.
What sounds like a simple exercise quickly became one of the most insightful moments of the day.
As we looked around the room, we could see ourselves and each other differently. We could see why some leaders naturally move quickly toward decisions while others prefer more information before taking action. We could see why some seek collaboration and discussion while others are focused on efficiency and results.
We could also see how those differences influence our daily interactions, our communication styles, and even some of the frustrations we occasionally experience with one another.
More importantly, it created empathy.
Instead of viewing someone’s behavior as difficult or confusing, we were reminded that many of us are simply approaching the same situation from a different perspective. What feels natural to one person may feel uncomfortable to another. Neither approach is necessarily right or wrong.
I also appreciated that it gave my colleagues a reminder of how I am wired. As someone who tends to move quickly, think strategically, and push for progress, I know I can occasionally leave people wishing I had slowed down, provided more context, or allowed more time for discussion. The exercise served as a helpful reminder that understanding goes both ways.
What stayed with me most, however, had less to do with DiSC itself and more to do with the value of revisiting familiar concepts.
There is a tendency in leadership to chase the next idea, the next book, the next framework, or the next breakthrough. Yet some of the most meaningful growth comes from returning to the fundamentals.
Every time I revisit a concept I’ve learned before, I discover something new.
Not because the material changed, but because I changed.
My experiences are different. My responsibilities are different. The challenges I’m navigating are different. Sometimes an idea that didn’t resonate the first time suddenly becomes exactly what I need to hear.
That’s one of the reasons I value our leadership cohort so much. It creates space to step away from the day-to-day demands of running a business and invest in becoming better leaders, communicators, and teammates.
The timing of this session was particularly valuable because our leadership team found ourselves applying many of these concepts almost immediately. As we navigated organizational changes and important conversations, I could see the impact of the work we had done together. Not because we communicated perfectly, but because we were more aware of how different people process information, respond to change, and experience uncertainty.
That awareness doesn’t eliminate tension. It doesn’t guarantee agreement. But it does create more empathy, more patience, and ultimately, better communication.
While tools like DiSC can certainly help us become more effective at work, their value extends far beyond the office. They help us better understand ourselves. They help us strengthen relationships. They help us communicate with greater intention.
And in many ways, that’s what leadership is all about.
The longer I lead, the more I realize that leadership isn’t just about driving results. It’s about understanding people—including ourselves. It’s about building stronger relationships, creating better connections, and helping people feel seen and understood.
I’m grateful that Bender Insurance Solutions continues to invest in our growth—not just as professionals, but as people. Because when we understand ourselves and one another a little better, everything else gets better too.
Written by Maggie Bender-Johnson     
