Accidental Leaders + A Tool That Helps.
Edition - 010
Welcome to The Obsession, glad you’re here.
From my point of view, a lot of people who run something successful eventually end up in leadership. But I don’t think most of them started their business because they wanted to be “a leader.”
Think about it like this: Do you think Steve Jobs started Apple because he wanted to manage people? Of course not. He wanted to change the way computers were used. (At least that’s how I see it.)
A lot of business owners fall into the same story.
You start because you’re passionate about something. You build something that helps you do that thing better. It works. People ask about it. Next thing you know you’re selling it. Sales start coming in, you expand, and suddenly you’re not just doing the craft anymore… you’re hiring, delegating, leading, and building a team.
It’s not quite that simple, but that’s basically what happened with Patagonia. It started with climbing equipment, and it grew into one of the biggest outdoor brands in the world.
The point is: a lot of “leaders” didn’t start out trying to be leaders.
They just built something that worked and leadership found them.
So, what I want to explore today is something that happens in the early stages of growth that helps people become better leaders faster.
The early leadership problem
When a business owner hires their first few people, they have to learn something quickly:
Even if someone is a great fit, they’re not an exact copy of you.
So just like in a marriage, you have to spend time learning how to communicate. How to delegate. How to set expectations. How to get on the same page.
A good teacher can teach in multiple ways.
A good leader can communicate in multiple ways.
And the best leaders learn how each person on the team naturally operates: what energizes them, what stresses them out, how they like to receive direction, and how they make decisions.
This is where the tool comes in.
DISC Analysis
It’s called DISC. And I know what you’re thinking: “I don’t need a personality test.”
That’s fair. But I don’t look at DISC as a “label.” I look at it as a communication shortcut, a tool that helps you understand people faster so you can lead them better.
Here’s the quick breakdown:
Dominance
What they’re like: direct, decisive, fast-paced, results-driven
Best at: making decisions, pushing things forward, taking ownership
Example: leading a project with deadlines, negotiating, driving outcomes
Influence
What they’re like: social, persuasive, optimistic, relationship-driven
Best at: energizing people, building relationships, selling ideas
Example: business development, marketing, partnerships, team morale
Steadiness
What they’re like: calm, consistent, patient, team-oriented
Best at: stability, supporting others, long-term follow-through
Example: client service, operations support, onboarding, culture building
Conscientiousness
What they’re like: analytical, detail-oriented, quality-driven
Best at: accuracy, process, risk management, systems
Example: finance, compliance, reporting, building SOPs, QA
This becomes a game changer because once you understand these tendencies, you stop communicating in the way you prefer and you start communicating in the way they actually receive it.
That’s what leadership is.
And if you’re building a team (or want to), I genuinely think learning this early can save you a lot of frustration, because most “team problems” aren’t talent problems… they’re communication problems.
THE WEEKLY 3
1) One Question I Asked Myself
Am I leading people the way I like to communicate or the way they need to be led?
2) One Idea That Shifted Me
Better leadership isn’t always more motivation. A lot of the time it’s just clearer communication.
3) One Challenge to Take Into Your Week
Think about one person you work with. Ask yourself: are they a D, I, S, or C?
Then adjust one conversation this week to match them (more direct, more context, more reassurance, more details, whatever they need).
