Understanding the Decisive Behavioral Style

Cathie Leimbach • August 10, 2021

Being aware of your and your employees' primary and backup workplace behavior styles will make you a better leader. This self-awareness helps you to:

  • more quickly engage and motivate each of your employees
  • recognize your own strengths and weaknesses
  • communicate more effectively with each employee by tailoring conversations to fit their workplace behavioral style.

 

When someone’s primary behavioral work style is decisive they tend to blend a low level of emotional responsiveness with a relatively high degree of assertiveness. Individuals with this behavioral style tend to make decisions using logical analysis, weighing the pros and cons objectively. They prefer to focus on possibilities and the big picture.

 

Members of your team with Decisive as their primary work style tend to have the following strengths:

  • goal-oriented
  • achievement-driven
  • independent
  • analytical
  • conceptual
  • inventive
  • logical

 

They will take their time to concentrate and give correct answers. Challenges, variety, and change are enjoyed and keep them motivated and engaged.

 

Limitations to the Decisive work style include:

  • impatience
  • insensitivity
  • becoming bored by routine and details
  • demanding
  • blunt
  • poor listeners

 

Leaders with this Decisive style will benefit from being aware of their limitations and becoming conscious of modifying communication, practicing better listening skills, and effectively connecting with team members who have other work styles. 

 

Management effectiveness can be improved by practicing different ways of communicating with their employees. For example:

 

Rather than saying "Ok, let's just get this done now" to the team (impatient and demanding),

Do this instead. "I would like to get this completed by next Thursday. What do you need from me to reach that goal?

 

Rather than saying, "You are just not doing a good job" (both blunt and insensitive)

Do this instead using open-ended questions. "I have noticed that you have been having difficulties meeting deadlines. What has been causing you to miss deadlines? How I can help?"

 

There are challenges with the Decisive work style. These employees may find it difficult to interact effectively within their team. Because they want to get to the point quickly, they may not listen well to other team members. Their results-oriented and competitive nature can shut down the contribution of other co-workers.

 

Coaching these employees will almost always include helping them learn more effective communication strategies. Because they are logic-based and analytical, provide reasons why communicating differently with their team members will be beneficial. 

 

Make sure that they are in a right-fit position within the team. Employees with the Decisive work style make outstanding researchers and can strengthen the team by contributing their analytical perspective and objectivity. Positioned correctly, the rest of the team will value the input provided.

 

Providing feedback on the quality of their work will be motivating and keep these employees engaged. Recognize their capabilities and ideas. Give them opportunities to learn and build competencies and logical processes.

 

Because Decisive employees can become bored by routines, make sure that they are consistently challenged and able to explore new ideas and options.

Age and Gender Shape How Employees Want to Be Appreciated

By Cathie Leimbach • June 10, 2025
In today’s evolving workplace, one constant remains: employees want to feel valued. Interestingly, research comparing data from before and after COVID-19 shows that employees' preferred languages of appreciation have remained remarkably consistent over time. However, age and gender differences reveal important nuances leaders shouldn’t ignore. Gender differences are clear. Men more frequently chose Acts of Service as their preferred form of appreciation (26%), while women gravitated toward Words of Affirmation (46%). When asked about their least preferred language, women were more likely to rank Acts of Service at the bottom, while men showed a strong dislike for Tangible Gifts. Age also matters. Employees over 60 overwhelmingly preferred Words of Affirmation (48%), while the youngest generation (under 20) leaned toward Quality Time (33%). These trends suggest that life stage and workplace experience shape what appreciation feels most meaningful.  The takeaway? While core preferences haven't shifted dramatically post-COVID, effective leaders need to understand and respond to individual differences. Avoid blanket strategies and invest in knowing how each team member feels most valued. Personalized appreciation builds stronger teams—across every generation and gender. For further details, see Dr. Paul White’s article on gender differences in appreciation preference.

Why Better Leaders Mean Better Bottom Lines

By Cathie Leimbach • June 3, 2025
Let’s talk straight—leadership development isn’t just a “nice to have.” It’s the engine behind real economic progress. John Kotter, a world-renowned voice in leadership and change, made it clear: organizations don’t rise or fall on products alone—they succeed because of how well they lead through change. When leaders know how to cast vision, inspire action, and adapt quickly, the ripple effect is huge. Teams become more engaged. Strategy gets implemented faster. Resistance turns into momentum. And yes—revenue and results improve.  Kotter’s work shows that companies with strong leadership navigate uncertainty better and capture more market share during tough times. Why? Because effective leaders create clarity in the chaos. They don’t just manage—they lead change with purpose. If we want to strengthen our teams, our organizations, and even our communities, we have to prioritize leadership development. Not later—now. Because when leadership improves, so does everything else. That’s not just theory. That’s proven strategy. Click here to view the document: Better Leader = Better Bottom Lines and see why investing in leadership pays off. Let’s build leaders who build better futures.
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