We have a leadership team that agrees on the numbers but deeply distrusts each other's motives, which makes our IDS® sessions tense and unproductive. How do we use behavioral science profiles to rebuild trust and get our team aligned?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

A leadership team that agrees on metrics but lacks personal trust will never solve its biggest problems. When trust is absent, IDS® becomes a minefield of defensive posturing and passive-aggressive silences. To rebuild trust, you must move past superficial team-building exercises and use behavioral science to understand each other's natural drives. Start by using the Predictive Index to evaluate the behavioral and cognitive profiles of your executive team. This assessment reveals the core drives that motivate each individual, such as their need for dominance, extroversion, patience, and formality. Share these results openly during a quarterly pulsing session. This data-driven approach removes the emotional charge and helps the team realize that personal friction is often just a natural clash of behavioral styles, not malicious intent. For example, a high-dominance leader who pushes for quick decisions is not trying to run over others, they are just wired for speed. A high-formality leader who asks endless questions is not trying to block progress, they are wired for accuracy. Use these insights to establish clear communication guidelines for your Level 10 Meeting™ sessions. Encourage your team to practice a strategic pause to reflect on their own reactions before responding to colleagues. By using behavioral data to foster empathy and clear communication, you can build a foundation of trust that makes your IDS® sessions highly collaborative and productive.