Using Leadership Assessment Tools to Make Teams Stronger
Adam Stamm
Managing Partner: Online DISC Profile
Leadership assessment tools are often positioned as individual development tools. In reality, their greatest practical value shows up at the team level.
When used well, they help leaders understand how they think, communicate, and make decisions. More importantly, they help teams reduce friction, improve collaboration, and align around shared goals.
This article focuses on how to use leadership assessment tools in practice to strengthen teams, not just to evaluate individuals.
How Leadership Assessment Tools Can Help You Become a Better Leader
On June 6th, 1944, the largest amphibious invasion took place in northern France. The invasion included 7,000 ships and landing craft manned by over 195,000 naval personnel from eight allied countries. Almost 133,000 troops from the United States, the British Commonwealth, and their allies landed on D-Day.
If you had to guess, what DISC Leadership Style do you think the man leading the charge, General Eisenhower, had?
- Dominant Style (D Personality Type): fast-paced, results-oriented, and enjoys overcoming challenges.
- Influence Style (I Personality Type): Fast-paced, optimistic, social, and outgoing.
- Steadiness Style (S Personality Type): Methodical, cooperative, patient, and supportive.
- Conscientiousness Style (C Personality Type): Analytical, detail-oriented, and focused on quality and accuracy.
I’ve used General Eisenhower as an example for years, and he is often, and mistakenly, identified as a D-Personality type.
Afterall, it makes sense that the only person able to accomplish the largest, multi-national, amphibious assault (and succeed!) must be someone who thrives in challenging situations, right?
Eisenhower likely had an SC style out of the 12 DISC Personalities. Here are details that showcase his true personality type beyond a singular accomplishment in his life:
- Eisenhower was the “Glue” that held the join military operations together because he was diplomatic and tactful. He was also very concerned about the well-being of those under his direction. He was quoted as saying, “It’s hard to look a soldier in the eye when you fear you are sending him to his death.”
- This is S-Style behavior.
- During a speech, Eisenhower discussed a decision-making tool he used to help him decide. He was quoted as saying, “I have two kinds of problems: the urgent, and the unimportant. The urgent are not important, and the important are never urgent.” Today, you can use the Eisenhower Matrix as a decision-making model for time management.
- This is C-Style behavior.
Eisenhower was naturally reserved, but he adopted a more decisive, firm stance on the D-Day invasion (D-Style behaviors). Additionally, he would deliberately project a “sunny disposition” and grin to boost troop morale (I-Style behaviors), even when he personally felt the opposite.
When leaders are self-aware of their strengths, motivations, and weaknesses, they can adapt to any situation. This is the goal of using DISC to identify how you lead. Eisenhower is a prime example of how this process works. Leadership assessment tools can help you jumpstart this process of learning and adaptation.
Understanding Your Natural and Adaptive Traits
Most leaders operate in two modes:
- Natural style: how they lead under normal conditions
- Adaptive style: how they adjust under pressure or expectations
Example:
A leader with a naturally direct style may slow down and become more collaborative in a team environment. Without awareness, this can feel inconsistent to others.
What to do:
- Use assessments to identify how a leader’s dominant style(s) may show up under stress
- Share this openly with the team
- Clarify when and why adaptation happens
When leaders understand their natural leadership style, they can more easily adapt when the situation calls for it, just as Eisenhower did during the D-Day invasion example I wrote about above.
For leaders who are new to DISC and these concepts, you can start your learning by reading “How to Understand and Apply the Four DISC Leadership Styles“.
For those who understand DISC and want to go deeper, consider reading “DISC for Leaders” and “DISC Interpretation Dos and Don’ts“.
Balancing Strengths and Weaknesses
Every leadership strength carries a risk of overuse.
- High drive can become impatience
- Strong collaboration can lead to the avoidance of conflict
- Attention to detail can become over-analysis
Example:
A highly analytical leader may slow down team progress by over-validating decisions. A leader who has a strong focus on results might push to make quick decisions rather than give time for exploration.
What to do:
- Identify 1-2 “overuse risks” per leader
- Pair complementary styles across the team
- Build awareness into team norms
This simple activity can take place over a period of 30-days with weekly check-ins during a standing team meeting to discuss progress.
The main types of leadership assessments
Not all leadership assessments measure the same thing. Choosing the right one depends on your goal.
| Assessment Type | What it Measures | Best For | Limitations | Connection to DISC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Behavioral & personality (DISC, etc.) |
Communication, behavior patterns |
Team development, leadership growth |
Not predictive of technical skill |
Core DISC application |
|
Situational tests |
Judgment in real scenarios |
Hiring and promotion decisions |
Can feel artificial |
Complements DISC insights |
|
Cognitive tests |
Problem-solving ability |
Executive roles, complex decision-making |
Does not address behavior |
Separate from DISC |
|
Emotional Intelligence (EQ) |
Self-awareness, empathy |
Leadership effectiveness |
Harder to observe directly |
Strong overlap with DISC |
|
360 Degree Assessments |
Leader’s perceived performance. |
Performance review and leadership development |
Requires coordinating feedback (time consuming). |
DISC insights can explain leader’s scores. |
Key insight:
DISC is most effective when combined with other tools, but it is often the most actionable starting point for improving team dynamics.
How to choose the right assessment for your organization
Use this quick checklist to guide your decision.
- What is your goal?
- Hiring → consider cognitive, situational or predictive assessments
- Development → prioritize behavioral tools like DISC
- Do you need individual insight or team impact?
- Individual → any validated tool may work
- Team → choose something practical and shareable, ideally with team reporting
- How will the results be used?
- One-time report → lower impact
- Ongoing development → higher ROI
- Do you want insight or behavior change?
- Insight only → many tools qualify
- Behavior change → DISC excels here
Implementing assessments in your leadership strategy
Many organizations fall short when implementing a tool because the tool itself is not the solution – the application is key.
When to administer tests
Use assessments at key moments:
- Leadership onboarding
- Promotions or role changes
- Team restructuring
- Conflict or performance issues
As an example, we show how DISC can improve your onboarding process by establishing a framework for communication. By leveraging DISC at the start of a employee’s work journey, you start off with a strong foundation for better organizational culture.
Interpreting the data
Avoid treating results as labels.
Instead:
- Focus on tendencies (i.e. what responses occur in certain environments), not fixed traits
- Look for patterns across the team
- Use results to guide conversations
Tip: Pair assessment results with real-world examples from the team: "You can see our team is primarily represented by the C Personality Type. Are there instances we move too slowly in making decisions?"
Common pitfalls to avoid
- Treating results as static labels
- Over-relying on one tool
- Failing to follow up with action
- Ignoring the team-level application
Better approach:
- Use assessments as a starting point
- Build them into ongoing team conversations
- Reinforce through coaching and feedback
For example, we write extensively about how DISC personality assessments are used in team coaching. This process involves constant check-ins and discussions around motivations, stressors, and self-awareness. It’s an ongoing process and will help any team learn how to understand and develop team culture with DISC.
Applying the Platinum Rule
A core DISC principle is simple: Treat others the way they want to be treated.
This is where assessment data becomes practical.
- Adjust communication style
- Match pace and level of detail
- Tailor feedback approach
This concept comes directly from how DISC Teaches the Platinum Rule. When this core principle is applied, DISC concepts are used more effectively, and communication is more effective.
Summary: Assessment Implementation Strategy
| Core Phase | Best Practices | Pitfalls to Avoid |
|---|---|---|
|
When to Administer |
• Leadership onboarding • Promotions or role changes • Team restructuring • Conflict or performance issues |
Don’t treat the assessment tool as a standalone solution. Instead, focus on its execution and application. |
|
Interpreting the Data |
• Focus on behavioral tendencies in specific environments, not fixed traits. • Look for macro patterns across the entire team. • Use data to anchor and guide constructive conversations. |
Treating results as rigid, permanent labels. |
|
Application & Integration |
• Use assessments merely as a starting point. • Integrate insights into continuous team dialogues. • Reinforce behavioral learnings through ongoing coaching and feedback loop check-ins. |
• Over-relying entirely on a single tool. • Failing to follow up with a concrete action plan. • Ignoring how the data applies to the team level. |
What Leadership Style Are You?
There is no single “best” leadership style. Like General Esinhower, our goal is to choose our responses rather than just react to any given situation.
The most effective leaders:
- Understand their natural tendencies
- Adapt intentionally
- Lead differently depending on the situation and the people involved
DISC helps answer key questions like:
- What kind of leader am I naturally?
- Where might I create friction without realizing it?
- How can I adapt to get better results from my team?
If you are ready to go deeper:
- Explore DISC for Leaders
- Review DISC Leadership Styles in more detail
Final thought
Leadership assessment tools do not make teams stronger on their own – leaders do. However, the right tools, used intentionally, give leaders a clear, practical way to understand behavior, adapt their approach, and create stronger, more effective teams.
Take the next step
If you want to apply this in your organization, start with a DISC leadership assessment and turn insight into action.
Explore:
- DISC for Leaders
- Communication and conflict resources
- Team coaching applications
Have Questions about Using These tools? Connect with us!
"*" indicates required fields