Can your team perform without you constantly refereeing the differences between them? That's the leadership trust question Alan, CEPA, and returning guest Melanie Palmer dig into in this episode.

Melanie Palmer of Melanie Palmer Consulting joins Alan again — and this time, they turned the tables and assessed each other. Alan took CliftonStrengths for the first time, Melanie took DISC for the first time, and they use their own results to unpack how personality and strengths assessments actually build (or break) trust on a team.

If you're a business owner or leader trying to build a team that runs well without you standing over it, this conversation gives you the language to do it.

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⏱️ Chapters

0:22 – Welcome back, Melanie Palmer

1:03 – Melanie's CliftonStrengths results, revealed

2:15 – What CliftonStrengths actually measures

3:16 – Why "well-rounded" is a fallacy

4:21 – Melanie reads Alan's top strengths: Positivity & Individualization

5:49 – Where Individualization struggles — rigid rules and procedures

6:39 – Managing opposite strengths on the same team

7:36 – Why the owner-as-gap-bridge kills business value

8:21 – Building a strengths-based culture so you're not the referee

9:20 – Turning friction into a team asset (the "Deliberative" example)

12:15 – The sports analogy: playing people in their strength position

13:47 – Alan's DISC results — and why he and Melanie "resonate"

15:29 – Natural vs. Adaptive style, explained

17:46 – Mapping a team on the CliftonStrengths grid

18:47 – Case study: a statewide nonprofit team

21:22 – Building trust through connection and compassion

22:11 – Using assessments for conflict resolution

23:10 – The visionary/implementer partnership (Jobs & Ballmer)

24:10 – DISC clashes: high-D vs. high-S styles

25:22 – How people weaponize assessments — and how not to

30:12 – Why an outside facilitator sees what you can't

32:08 – Where to find Melanie Palmer

32:27 – Final takeaway: know yourself first

Connect with Melanie:

https://www.melaniepalmerconsulting.com/

Connect with Alan:

https://www.trustbuiltsolutions.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanbennettcepa/

#LeadershipTrust #CliftonStrengths #DISC #BusinessPodcast #TeamBuilding #BusinessOwner