One of Steve Gavatora’s coaching clients was struggling in her new leadership role. Sara, a market research leader, was experiencing high stress and conflict after being promoted. After reviewing the results of her DISC assessment, Steve quickly discovered that the stress was due to the difference in her Natural and Adapted leadership styles.
TTI Success Insight’s unique approach to DISC reveals that everyone has two leadership styles:
Your Natural style reflects how you behave in your most comfortable environment—at home, with loved ones, or in familiar settings.
Your Adapted style represents how you modify your behavior in professional environments—at work, in leadership roles, or when you feel the need to be “on.”
While it’s natural to shift between these styles, dramatic adaptation can lead to long-term stress and even burnout.
It turns out that Sara’s natural behavioral style was extremely outgoing and low in Dominance, but when she was in her Adapted style, her Outgoing nature dropped, and her Dominance skyrocketed. This sizable shift in her natural leadership style left her—and her team—feeling on edge.
“As we worked together, she shared that she was not happy or comfortable in that role since it was her first real leadership role,” Steve said. “Here is this wonderful, gregarious person stifling her natural behavior and overcompensating by behaving how she thought a leader should. As a result, her team perceived her as bossy, impatient, and dictatorial.”
As a leader, understanding your behavior is crucial for maximum performance and the success of your team. If you find yourself experiencing extra stress in your leadership position or frustration with the day-to-day experience of your work, learning more about your Natural and Adapted styles may be the answer.
Understanding both styles—and the differences between them—can be your secret weapon for managing stress, gaining perspective, and leading with confidence.
“If your scores are changing 20 points or more between your Natural and Adapted styles, that’s where we see the stress come in,” explained Darcy Sisson, Partner Support Advisor at TTI. “This kind of adaptation can be supported with the right tools, but over time, it often leads to chronic stress.”
When you act against your Natural style, it requires more energy and focus than behaving authentically. Over time, this strain can lead to:
So what can you do to manage adaptation without burning out?
If your adaptation is temporary, prepare for the effects of stress by:
Steve knew his client Sara had all the criteria necessary for success, but none of the short-term preparedness. He worked on her leadership and management skills, as well as reviewing her team’s behavioral styles with her.
“After we understood her adaptation and what was happening, I knew I could give her foundational skills to fall back on. As a result, she felt more confident and more prepared to lead her team to success,” he said.
Adapting as a leader is inevitable—but over-adapting at the cost of your well-being isn’t sustainable. Understanding your Natural and Adapted behavioral styles gives you the power to manage stress, communicate effectively, and lead authentically.
By recognizing when adaptation is necessary and when it becomes a source of strain, you can make intentional adjustments that support both your success and the success of your team.
“Learning about your behavioral style and how it changes depending on your environment is a crucial step for leaders,” Darcy said. “Increasing your awareness will only help your experience and the experience of your team.”
If you’re interested in taking a DISC assessment and learning more about your Natural and Adapted styles, contact us here.