Behavioral Styles Can Make or Break Your Team

Cathie Leimbach • August 2, 2021

Do you ever experience this? Teams that aren’t effective, even though the members are talented. Conversations that go off track, no matter how hard you try to communicate. There’s one employee you can’t get through to no matter how hard you try. You are left with one question – why isn’t this working?

 

Here’s the thing. All of us have our own behavioral style. How do we communicate with others? Are we productive on our own, or need to be motivated? Do we question things or follow directions? 

 

Behavioral style is a pattern of habits and behaviors that can be observed. It is how you handle tasks and interact with other people. And behavioral styles impact productivity and how each of your employees interacts with their colleagues.

 

So why does it matter? Understanding how we approach the goals and tasks in front of us versus our employees’ approach helps us be better leaders. When we build teams based upon the team members’ behavioral styles, they are stronger and more productive. Creating a culture that is sensitive to how each colleague is wired decreases misunderstandings and increases productivity.

 

There are four styles outlined below. Most of us have a primary and secondary style, with bits and pieces from other styles appearing from time to time.  We rely mainly on our primary style to achieve our workplace tasks and goals. It explains 50% of how we behave at work. We exercise our secondary style when the primary style is not achieving our desired results. Our primary and secondary styles together explain 80% of our behavior. When we understand our own style and the style of each of our employees and colleagues, we can lead and work together more effectively. 

 

The Decisive Style blends a low level of emotional responsiveness with a high degree of assertiveness. People with this work style tend to be task-oriented, know where they are going and what they want. They get to the point quickly, are pragmatic and results-oriented. Limitations include impatience, being demanding, poor listening skills, and being quickly bored by routines and details.

 

The Expressive Style blends a high level of emotional responsiveness and assertiveness. People with this work style look at the big picture, often taking fresh and creative approaches to problems. They are willing to take risks to seize opportunities. They thrive in interactive situations, and their ability to charm, persuade, excite, and inspire people can be a strong motivating factor. Limitations include being unrealistic, not detail oriented, reactive, excitable, and having a tendency to listen to feelings more than logic.

 

The Steady Style combines higher than average responsiveness with comparatively low levels of assertiveness. Individuals with this style tend to be sympathetic to the needs of others and are sensitive to what lies beneath someone’s outward behavior. They are most likely to use empathy and understanding in interpersonal problem-solving situations. Limitations include being over accommodating, avoiding conflict, and resistance to change.

 

The Analytical Style tends to take a precise, deliberate, and systematic approach to work. They usually gather and evaluate a lot of data before acting. They are self-controlled, cautious, and prefer analysis over emotion. Limitations include being too hard on themselves, critical of others, overly cautious, and indecisive without “all” of the facts. 

 

Each behavioral style contributes to your organization. Understanding yours and adapting it to meet team members where they are helps you communicate and lead more effectively. Helping your employees understand their style increases productivity, improves communication, and builds more effective teams.

What If Your Biggest Performance Problem Isn’t What You Think?

By Cathie Leimbach • May 5, 2026
What If Your Biggest Performance Problem Isn’t What You Think? When CEOs think about risk, they often focus on: Market shifts Operational issues Financial exposure But one of the biggest performance problems is far less visible: Low trust inside the organization. Nearly 30% of employees say they don’t receive clear, honest, or consistent communication from leadership. Over time, that creates doubt—about expectations, personal performance, and priorities. Employees begin to feel that their job is at risk because they aren’t getting any positive feedback. They question whether they have the tools, training, and support needed to do their jobs well. When they only hear about changes at work through the rumor mill, they feel information is being held back. And when that happens: Alignment drops Speed slows Assumptions increase Execution fractures “Trust is the glue of life. It’s the most essential ingredient in effective communication. It’s the foundational principle that holds all relationships.” — Stephen R. Covey Trust isn’t soft. It’s a leading indicator of performance. When trust is strong: Decisions move faster Teams align quicker Change sticks When trust is weak: Everything takes longer Everything costs more And here’s the reality : Trust-building conversations are not a common leadership strength today. Yet leaders like Ken Blanchard, Stephen M.R. Covey, and David Horsager all point to the same conclusion—these are not optional skills. They are required for performance in today’s environment. Which means trust gaps are rarely about effort. They’re about conversation skills. A question to consider: Where might low-trust leadership behaviors—not lack of effort—be quietly slowing your organization down? Join Cathie Leimbach and a small group of leaders for a 45-minute Leadership Conversation – Workforce Challenges on Tuesday, May 12 at 3:00 PM ET. If trust is impacting speed, alignment , or execution in your organization, this conversation is for you. Register here Limited to a small group.

The Culture Problem Most Leaders Don’t See—Until It Shows Up in Results

By Cathie Leimbach • April 28, 2026
Most CEOs don’t wake up worrying about culture. They’re focused on growth, margins, execution. But culture quietly determines all three. Because when people feel disconnected, something subtle happens: Execution slows Ownership drops Problems surface later—and cost more Nearly a third of employees describe their workplace as isolated or impersonal. That’s not just a morale issue. That’s an execution risk . And employees don’t “love” a company because of perks. They stay committed when they feel valued. When that’s missing: Effort becomes transactional Communication becomes minimal Discretionary effort disappears The data is clear—when employees feel valued: Attendance improves Conflict decreases Productivity rises This is where many organizations misfire. They try to fix culture with initiatives. But culture is shaped in daily leadership interactions —not programs. And most leaders haven’t been trained to have regular meaningful conversations. They have been promoted to people leadership positions yet not prepared for their new roles. When untrained leaders don’t get topnotch results, it’s not due to a gap in effort or potential. It’s due to a current gap in ability. What can you do about it? Where might your workplace culture be quietly affecting execution—even if performance still “looks okay”? 👉 Join our next 45-minute Leadership Conversation— Workforce Challenges . We’ll explore how culture impacts performance—and what leaders can actually do about it.