Another one of my favorite days in Gateway CEO! ❤️

We talk about DISC early in the year because understanding yourself—and understanding how other people communicate, work, make decisions and respond to challenges—is a huge part of becoming a great teammate and leader. We went super high level this year with anticipation for more discussion. But this year, we waited about six weeks before taking it to the next level with Board Chair Wendy Symer from WLS Consulting.

And I think the timing made all the difference. Wendy brought the DISC profiles to life with a hands-on exercise that helped our Class of 2027 really see how their differences show up in the way they work together.

Students divided into groups based on their highest DISC dimension and worked through a series of questions:
🔹 What are the strengths and weaknesses of our style?
🔹 What makes us who we are?
🔹 What are up to 10 words that describe us and help others understand us?
🔹 How might other personality styles experience us differently?
🔹 How should we approach each other when challenges or conflict arise?
🔹 What are our biggest takeaways?

Then came the fun part—each group presented what they discovered about themselves. There were a LOT of laughs, plenty of “aha!” moments and probably a little more truth-telling than some expected.

But underneath all of that was something really valuable: understanding. At six weeks into the year, and class business plans unfolding quickly, these students aren't just learning about four personality dimensions on a piece of paper. They're beginning to know each other. They're working together. They're making decisions. They're navigating differences. They're figuring out where they fit—and where they can contribute. And watching a student discover, “Ohhh…THIS is why I do that!” is pretty awesome.

We wrapped up the day with the Golden Rule: Treat people the way you want to be treated.

And then we took it one step further with the Platinum Rule: Treat others the way THEY want to be treated.

There is so much value in understanding you—your strengths, your tendencies, your blind spots, your “why.” But there is an entirely different level of leadership that comes when you take the time to understand others, too.

Because the best teams aren't made up of people who are all alike. They're made up of people who understand their differences, respect what each person brings and learn how to work together effectively. And that's bigger than building a business. That's learning how to navigate people, relationships, teams and whatever this life brings your way.

I believe one of the greatest gifts that comes out of the Gateway CEO experience is the confidence to understand who you are—and then have the courage to simply be yourself. And this group? We've got an equal mix of everything:
D-Dominance🔥 Leaders rising up and pushing us forward
I - Influential⚡ Energy and enthusiasm keeping the fun rolling
S - Steadiness 🤝 Steady teammates making sure everyone is included
C - Conscientious 📋 Plenty of detail to keep us from taking too much risk and keep us on task!

That's the beauty of a team. Our differences aren't the problem. They're part of what makes the team work.

Thank you, Wendy, for investing so much time, energy and heart into our Class of 2027. You have a way of making self-awareness practical, fun and something these students can actually use. And I think we walked out the door today with a whole lot more understanding—and a whole lot more team love.

#GatewayCEO #ClassOf2027 #DISC #Leadership #Teamwork #SelfAwareness #Entrepreneurship #InvestInTheNextGeneration @