I wasn’t expecting my final coaching session of the year to involve a red suit, a snowy beard and the faint smell of cinnamon… but here we are.

Santa — yes, that Santa — arrived five minutes early, hung his coat carefully over the chair (which was impressive given the size of it), and smiled as he said:

“Stephen, I’ve been told it’s time I understood my DISC profile. The elves say I’m… unpredictable.”

I opened my notebook and thought, this might be the most festive coaching session of my career.

 

 D – We have one night… Let’s not overthink it

When we explored the Dominance quadrant, Santa didn’t hesitate.

High D energy? Absolutely.

This is the man who coordinates a global logistics operation in 24 hours with no margin for error. He makes decisions quickly, he leads from the front, and when something needs doing, he doesn’t sugar-coat it (unless it’s gingerbread).

But like any leader with strong D qualities, he knows the risk: moving too quickly, forgetting the emotional pace of others.

“Stephen,” he said, “I may have once told an elf to ‘pick up the pace’ during peak season.”

I nodded. We’ve all been there.

 

I – I love people… it’s just a lot of people

Santa’s Influencing style was unmistakable.

Warm. Engaging. Loves connection. Thrives on joy.But here’s the coaching truth — even high-I leaders can experience burnout behind the scenes. Sometimes the pressure to lift everyone’s spirits becomes the biggest burden of all.

He admitted it softly: “Some years, I’m the one who needs the cheer… but I still put the suit on.” A powerful reminder that leaders who bring energy to the room also need places to recharge.

 S – Christmas only works because of consistency

High-S traits? They practically run the North Pole.

Santa values loyalty, stability, tradition and the same systems repeated every year. He understands that the magic only works because the structure works.

But we explored the tension too:
High-S leaders often carry the emotional weight of keeping everyone safe, calm and happy — even when things get chaotic.

“Sometimes,” he said, “I don’t speak up when the workload is too much. I don’t want to disappoint people.”

If that isn’t the hidden truth of so many leaders I coach, I don’t know what is.

 

C – The list… I check it twice for a reason

Then we reached Compliance — structure, detail, accuracy.

Santa sat up straighter. “Stephen, there are spreadsheets… you’ve never seen spreadsheets like this.”

High-C leaders care deeply about fairness, precision and getting things right. For Santa, it’s not just a list — it’s accountability. It’s integrity. But high-C comes with its own challenge:
Overthinking, over checking and sometimes worrying about the one thing that might go wrong.

Even Santa isn’t immune to the pressure of perfection.

 

So what’s Santa’s DISC profile?

A fascinating blend — like most great leaders:

 D: decisive, outcome-focused, drives performance

 I: warm, engaging, brings people together

 S: loyal, steady, dependable

 C: meticulous, fair, quality-driven

And at the end of the session, he looked at his results, smiled and said: “So what does this mean for my leadership?”

I answered the same way I do with every client:

“It means you’re human — a mix of strengths, blind spots, habits and potential. Great leadership isn’t about being one letter. It’s about knowing the blend.”

He nodded, stood up, fastened his coat, and whispered: “Stephen… if you ever fancy coaching the elves, let me know. They could do with a bit of goal setting.”

 

A Lesson for leaders (Without the Tinsel)

Every leader — even Santa — is a combination of styles.

The magic happens when we understand how we show up, how others experience us, and how we adapt in the moments that matter.

And whether you’re leading a team, an organisation, or a workshop full of elves… self-awareness always makes the journey smoother.

If understanding your own DISC profile is something you want to explore in 2025, I’d love to help. – Drop me a message — no sleigh required.