Be the Chameleon Entrepreneur by Tapping into All Four Personality Styles
Become a Chameleon Entrepreneur Who Utilizes All Four DISC Personality Styles
When you start a business, you naturally lean into your strongest personality style. That’s great at first, as it gives you momentum. However, if your behavior flows predominantly from just one style, you’ll encounter serious blind spots. Over the past decade of working with approximately 1,800 CEOs, one thing is clear: successful founders adapt by tapping into all four DISC styles. I call them Eagles, Parrots, Doves, and Owls.
Let’s examine how each style plays a critical role in the startup journey.
The Eagle Style: Bold Vision and Action
Startups thrive on Eagle energy. Eagles are visionary risk-takers who thrive on ambitious goals. They are the dreamers who boldly say, “Let’s do something nobody has done before.”
The Eagle Style in Action: You present your revolutionary idea. Everyone around you voices doubts, but your inner Eagle confidently replies, “Watch me make this happen.”
The Parrot Style: Influence and Inspiration
After you’ve set your vision, your Parrot style creates excitement and inspires others. Parrots generate enthusiasm that helps win over investors, customers, and team members.
The Parrot Style in Action: Imagine pitching your startup to a group of investors. Your Parrot creates a vibrant vision, making everyone in the room feel energized and optimistic about your mission.
The Dove Style: Building Trust and Culture
Your startup’s success is built on the cohesion of your team. The Dove builds trust, nurtures relationships, and creates a safe environment. This encourages your team to take risks and stay motivated during challenges.
The Dove Style in Action: When a crucial employee is nearing burnout, your Dove style listens and shows genuine support, making the team feel valued.
The Owl Style: Structure and Problem-Solving
Vision and inspiration aren’t enough if you don’t have a plan. Owls bring discipline, logic, and systems to ensure sustainable growth. They anticipate problems and strategize efficiently, helping your startup scale effectively.
The Owl Style in Action: As your startup grows rapidly, your Owl style kicks in, streamlining workflows, solving operational problems, and establishing systems that enable sustainable growth.
Why Style Agility is Essential for Entrepreneurs
Whether you call them DISC styles or Eagles, Parrots, Doves, and Owls, relying too heavily on just one style can hold you back:
- Eagles might neglect team dynamics.
- Parrots could overlook critical data.
- Doves may shy away from tough decisions.
- Owls might not motivate or inspire the team.
Entrepreneurs of any style can be successful, as long as they are adaptable.
Embrace Your Inner Chameleon
Successful entrepreneurs learn to leverage:
- The Eagle’s vision when setting ambitious goals.
- The Parrot’s charisma to rally support.
- The Dove’s empathy to build strong teams.
- The Owl’s analytical mind to implement structure.
Mastering the art of adapting your DISC style to different situations is your startup’s secret weapon.
About the Author
Merrick Rosenberg is the author of Personality Intelligence: Master the Art of Being You, The Chameleon, and many other books for both adults, students, and kids. He is the creator of the Eagle, Parrot, Dove, and Owl personality approach. As an award-winning speaker and President of Take Flight Learning, Merrick teaches people how to understand themselves and others through the lens of personality, because when you know your style, you unlock your path.
