Turning Tension Into Trust: How Clarice Transformed an Uncooperative Employee
Clarice prided herself on being a hands-on, results-driven leader. But when she inherited a new team, one member—let’s call him Kevin—resisted everything.
➡ He ignored new processes.
➡ He pushed back on deadlines.
➡ He gave one-word answers in meetings, if he spoke at all.
Clarice’s instinct? Control harder. She sent more reminders, tightened oversight, and repeated instructions.
But the harder she pushed, the more Kevin shut down.
Wake-Up Call: Realizing Control Wasn’t Working
One day, Kevin missed another key deadline. Clarice stormed into his office ready to lecture him.
Instead, he muttered, “You don’t even try to understand where I’m coming from.”
The words stopped her. She realized this wasn’t just about performance—it was about trust.
Her style—intense and directive—was clashing with Kevin’s personality, creating tension instead of progress.
The Shift: Coaching with DISC
Clarice decided to lean into the DISC leadership training she’d recently completed.
She assessed Kevin’s DISC style and discovered he was a high “S”—someone who valued stability, patience, and personal connection.
She changed her approach:
✅ Slowed down her delivery. Instead of piling on demands, she explained the why behind requests.
✅ Listened first. She asked open-ended questions like “What’s making this process hard for you?”
✅ Coached consistently. She checked in—not to police—but to support.
Bit by bit, Kevin started to open up.
Kevin began meeting deadlines. He started offering ideas. And most importantly—he trusted Clarice.
By shifting from control to coaching with empathy, she turned a tense relationship into a true partnership.
Turn Resistance into Respect
💡 Leaders don’t just manage—they transform.
Our DISC-based leadership training helps you:
✅ Understand your team’s personalities and motivators
✅ Build trust even with resistant employees
✅ Lead with empathy and create a culture of collaboration
📘 Download our free guide: “The Leader’s Playbook for Tough Conversations.”
👉 Download Now
Looking forward to helping you step into your full leadership potential.
Best regards,
Checree Bryant
CEO Actuate Consulting
