The Power of Self-Awareness & Team Alignment

Case Study

Amanda Ash - CPA/CFO

Amanda has been in her professional space for over 20 years. Working on a team with different experiences and approaches led to misaligned meetings and lack of growth.

Goal: Create a better team dynamic so there is stronger execution from meetings and better collaboration.

Services Provided: DiSC assessments, team training.

Jamison: Amanda, what challenges were you having among your team?

Amanda: We were having hard time communicating. I think we were all on such different pages. When the team would come together to make decisions, it’s like nobody knew how to talk to each other. We were talking “at” each other, or just didn't say anything at all.

J: Everyone on the team took the DiSC assessment.  What was one of the biggest aha moments you had for yourself when you read your results?

 A: You can take different personality tests anywhere and it's like a generic thing. It might pertain to you or parts of it do. But the DiSC assessment is legit. Like, it's me, 110% all the way down, and it talks about me. Not anyone else, me. Not someone like me, but me. As I read it there were a few things that were just like mind blowing. You truly get to know yourself better. It's like you know yourself…. but you didn't really know yourself until you read it, then it all comes into alignment and makes sense.

J: Amazing. Then you started learning about your team and their results from their DiSC assessments. What was that experience like?

A: Understanding each other and learning each other styles helps so much when we're working together.  It helped us connect better. I think others understood me better, too. And talking about it, like when we would all go around a room and share an epiphany about someone’s communication style, it made me excited. I enjoyed sharing something about myself to everyone. I think that really helps a lot.

J: Absolutely. I love that feedback. After the DiSC training, we jumped into team conversation about where to focus and identifying things that needed to change or improve. Did taking DiSC prior impact that conversation?  

 A: Yes. Instead of just going around, beating around the bush, we actually talked openly about things.  We have a lot of “idea’s” people on our team and learning about DiSC with you made us realize when there is a lot of talking and ideas but not a lot of follow through and why that was a pattern on our team. It goes back to understanding each other more. It was a pretty big deal.  

J: What has changed for your team since the training?

 A: More collaboration, follow through, and accountability. We just had a meeting last night, and so we talked about it, and you're coming back to train us again! But since the first training, we get things done faster. Sometimes we still have to reel it in, but it's not because we're talking about the same thing over and over and over again. We broke that habit.

For me personally, I just feel so much more comfortable on the team. I feel like we built a connection, even though our personalities are so different. It gave me permission to be me. I love that. I love that because I can be up front sometimes and direct. But I was holding back my ideas because I didn’t feel comfortable. Now I don’t mind if they agree or not, I can give my input and its accepted.  

J: What was your experience like working with me in the training?

A: I instantly connected with you. You never left us in limbo. And you just would always guide us, even if we didn’t know what we were doing. You’d ask a question, then follow up by examples and it helped us, because sometimes in those types of trainings, we get stumped.  You had visuals and you kept us engaged by going around the room, like it forced us to be involved, And it was super interesting. It wasn’t boring at all.

J: On a personal level, what would you say was your biggest takeaway from the coaching experience ?

 A: I've shared my DiSC results with so many people. I’ve sent it to friends and other businesses and been like, “hey, you need to do this”. I think working as a group and communicating was such a big deal. But I really enjoyed the DiSC assessment and the way you trained it. I mean, my packet is about me personally on there. I have it saved on my computer so that I can go back and read it. Like a guide. And reflecting on other styles and how to maximize team work and communication. If I’m having a rough day or needing a reminder, it’s a great resource and helps put things into perspective.

J: That’s great! If you could describe my coaching style or approach in 3 words, what would those 3 words be?

A: Powerful. Adaptable. Impactful.

You really made an impact not only in my personal life, but in my business life. You're powerful, you bring so much with you to get us where we need to be. And you adapt because you have to deal with all of us, helping us all grow when we are all different.

Bottom Line

No matter how experienced or new a team is, there’s always room for growth. Through guided awareness, reaching the next level of collaboration and execution becomes possible.

Are you seeking more awareness and execution within your team? We have the tools to help you get there.