How You Drive Is Not Who You Are: Why Self-Awareness Is Just the Start

The Wake Up Eager Workforce Podcast

Episode Overview:

In this episode of the Wake Up Eager Workforce podcast, host Suzie Price unpacks one of the most misunderstood leadership tools: the DISC assessment. Joined by expert guests Kayla DeVault and Karla Brandau, Suzie explores how DISC goes beyond labels to become a powerful lens for self-awareness, communication, and connection.

Through vivid metaphors (like a four-way stop sign!) and real-life workplace stories, they reveal how understanding your DISC style—and learning to adapt—can transform how you lead and relate to others. You’ll hear how DISC helped teams resolve conflict, boost productivity, and even close more sales. But that’s just the beginning.

Suzie also dives into the broader TriMetrix framework, showing how Motivators (what fuels you) and Acumen (how you think) complete the picture of who you are and how you perform.

If you're ready to lead with more clarity, connect more authentically, and grow beyond self-awareness, this episode offers practical tools and fresh perspective to drive results—without losing your humanity.

Read the transcript for Episode 131 below and discover how knowing how you drive (and why) can help you become a more Wake Up Eager leader.

Takeaways of Episode #131 ---

• DISC is a Powerful Lens, Not a Label Understanding your DISC style is not about boxing yourself in—it's about increasing awareness so you can communicate more effectively and build stronger relationships. The true power lies in adapting your style to meet others where they are.

• Real-Life Stories Bring DISC to Life From team conflict resolution to sales success and personal growth, the stories shared by Kayla Devault and Karla Brandau show that DISC isn't theory—it’s a practical tool for everyday effectiveness and human connection.

• DISC is Just the BeginningAs valuable as DISC is, it’s only one part of the TriMetrix trio. To truly understand yourself and others, you also need to know what drives you (Motivators) and how you think (Acumen). Like your car analogy: DISC is how we drive, but we also need to know what fuels us and what’s under the hood.

Episode Recap:

Suzie Price explores the power of self-awareness and behavioral insight in this practical and inspiring episode of the Wake Up Eager Workforce podcast. Joined by DISC experts Kayla Devault and Karla Brandau, Suzie unpacks how understanding your DISC style—and more importantly, how to adapt it—can unlock stronger communication, leadership, and team connection.

Through real-world stories and coaching examples, Kayla shares how self-awareness helped leaders reduce conflict and improve team dynamics, while Karla reveals how aligning sales strategy with DISC styles can drive remarkable results. Together, they emphasize that DISC is not a label, but a lens to improve relationships both personally and professionally.

Listeners will gain fresh insights into the TriMetrix framework—DISC, Motivators, and Acumen—and how these tools work together to create a full picture of how we drive, what fuels us, and what’s under the hood. Suzie breaks it all down with her signature car analogy and practical communication tips for every DISC style.

The episode closes with a Wellbeing 2.0 segment featuring Douglas White, CEO of Soul-Integrated Athletics, who reflects on emotional regulation, presence, and the deeper work leaders must do to align with their true excellence.

Whether you're new to DISC or a seasoned practitioner, this conversation will help you lead, coach, and connect with more awareness and intention.

In this episode:

[00:14:48] Kayla DeVault: “He was able to adapt his style to meet the needs of his team. He understood they preferred deadlines and needed time to think through challenges before moving forward.”

[00:16:42] Kayla DeVault: “They came up with a format for working together—assigning tasks based on strengths. It was amazing to see how they used DISC to create better collaboration.”

[00:18:12] Suzie Price: “Awareness without action is trivia. If you learn your style but don’t adjust your approach, you’re missing the point.”

[00:28:32] Karla Brandau: “Josh used DISC to build his own sales method and hit over $100K in monthly sales—by leading with likability, empathy, analysis, and decisive action.”

[00:30:25] Karla Brandau: “It proved I’m not the person I thought I was… I wouldn’t have become the man I’m going to become if I hadn’t taken that assessment.”

[00:36:27] Suzie Price: “DISC is only the tip of the iceberg. To understand the whole person, we need to know what fuels them, what’s under the hood, and where they’ve been.”

[00:43:40] Douglas White: “You want to become something? Great. But you have to be it first. Start acting, thinking, and feeling like that version of you—now.”

[00:44:52] Douglas White: “Becoming is the dream. But being is what you do every day. That’s the art—learning how to be to become.”