When Dominant CEOs Communicate, Some People Get the Wrong Idea

Every time I give a CEO a DISC assessment, I usually know what to expect: some variety of a D (Dominance) personality type.

It’s not too surprising that the direct, driven, and decisive types are overrepresented among chief executives, followed, somewhat distantly, by the gregarious, energetic I (Influence) types.

But as a Dominance type myself, I’m acutely aware of the troubles that befall CEO Ds when they interact with their broader organizations. (Some employees might think the D stands for something else…)

These problems are pronounced because while I’d unscientifically put about 60+% of CEOs as Ds, these Dominance types make up only about 9% of the global population!¹

That means that most CEOs, to the average Influence, Steadiness, or Conscientiousness employee, are an interpersonal oddity.

Earlier in my career, I exhibited a lot of classic Dominance behaviors that really freaked out my employees. Among them were:

• I’d attend a meeting led by someone else and leave halfway through. In my mind, I saw that the exec or manager had things under control and I had other work to do. In their mind, I was being rude and something had happened to make me leave.

• I sent very short emails. Sometimes just one word. What else did they need to know besides “Yes” or “No”? Well, to them, this seemed like I was upset, maybe even about to let them go.

• I was sparing in my feedback. Especially with executives, I figured they knew I trusted them and thought they were doing a good job. But many of them wanted reassurance, feedback, coaching.

• I would get very impatient when people bombarded me with tons of needless information. Just get to the point already! I would think. I’m sure it showed up on my face and they felt like I didn’t care—when really I just wanted them to present the core of the issue so I could help them with it.

My fellow D-type CEOs will probably have similar stories. What feels clear and motivating to us can come across as abrupt, intimidating, or vague to others. Employees with non-D personalities—again, the majority—process information and respond differently. They may need more context, reassurance, or time to align with your directives.

How Non-D Types Perceive Your Communication

To understand the misalignment, let’s look at how other DISC types interpret a D-type CEO’s communication: