High-D employees are some of the most productive people on any team. They are results-driven, decisive, and unafraid to take charge. They are also the people most likely to challenge your authority, push back on your decisions, and tell you bluntly when they think you are wrong.
If you manage a high-D, you have probably experienced the tension. They want autonomy. You need alignment. They move fast. You need them to coordinate. They question everything. You sometimes just need them to execute.
Here is how to manage that energy effectively.
Understand What Drives Them
High-D types are motivated by three things: results, control, and challenges. They want to see the impact of their work, have ownership over how they get it done, and be pushed to grow. Take away any of those three, and you will see frustration, disengagement, or outright rebellion.
This means micromanagement is the fastest way to lose a high-D employee. If you are assigning tasks with step-by-step instructions and checking in every hour, they will either disengage or leave. Often both.
Give Them the "What," Not the "How"
The most effective way to manage a D type is to define the outcome clearly and let them figure out the path. Instead of "I need you to build a dashboard using this template, with these exact metrics, reviewed by Thursday," try "I need a dashboard that shows the leadership team our pipeline health by Thursday. Here are the three questions it needs to answer."
You have given them a clear target, a deadline, and freedom to execute. That is exactly what they want.
Be Direct in Your Communication
D types respect directness. If you bury feedback in qualifiers and softeners, they will either miss the point or lose respect for you. Instead of "I was wondering if maybe you could think about possibly adjusting your approach to client calls," say "Your last two client calls ran 20 minutes over. I need you to keep them to 30 minutes so we stay on schedule."
This is not about being harsh. It is about being clear. D types actually prefer this. They would rather hear the real issue in 10 seconds than decode a three-minute diplomatic speech.
Pick Your Battles
High-D employees will challenge you. That is not optional. The question is which challenges you engage with and which you let go. If they push back on a process that genuinely does not make sense, listen. D types often see inefficiencies that others accept out of habit. Their willingness to question the status quo is a feature, not a bug.
Save your authority for the things that truly matter: team dynamics, company values, and non-negotiable standards. On everything else, be willing to negotiate. A D type who feels heard and respected will fight for you. A D type who feels controlled will fight against you.
Channel Their Competitiveness
D types are naturally competitive. Instead of trying to suppress this, point it at something useful. Give them stretch goals. Put them on projects where speed and decisiveness are assets. Let them lead a team through a challenging deadline. High-pressure situations that stress other employees often bring out the best in D types.
You can also use their competitive nature for development. "I have seen managers at your level who can close a negotiation in one meeting instead of two. I think you can get there." That kind of challenge motivates a D type far more than generic praise.
Address Conflict Early
When a D type has an issue, it will not stay hidden for long. They tend to express frustration directly, which can feel confrontational if you are not expecting it. The worst thing you can do is avoid the conversation. D types lose trust quickly when they sense a manager is dodging conflict.
Instead, meet it head on. "I can see you are frustrated with how the project scope changed. Let me explain the reasoning, and then I want to hear your concerns." This validates their directness while keeping the conversation productive.
Watch for Blind Spots
The strengths of a D type are also their blind spots. They may:
- Steamroll quieter team members in meetings
- Make decisions too quickly without enough input
- Prioritize speed over quality when under pressure
- Come across as dismissive or impatient
Your job as their manager is to help them see these patterns without making them feel attacked. Frame it as a performance issue, not a personality flaw. "Your instinct to move fast is one of your biggest strengths. The issue is that when you cut off Sarah in sprint planning, she stopped contributing for the rest of the meeting. I need you to create more space for the team to weigh in."
The Payoff
Managing a high-D employee well is harder than managing someone who just does what they are told. It requires more intentionality, more direct communication, and a thicker skin. The payoff, though, is significant. A high-D employee who trusts their manager and feels appropriately challenged will outperform, take ownership of difficult problems, and raise the bar for the entire team.
Tools like Culture Wheel's DISC profiles help you understand each team member's behavioral style so you can adapt your management approach to get the best out of everyone, not just the people who communicate like you do.