Managers are looking for more practical ways to adapt their leadership styles

Managers play an important role in shaping employee experiences, from setting expectations to delivering feedback and resolving workplace disagreements. However, leading people with different communication preferences and behavioral tendencies requires more than applying the same management approach to every employee.

According to Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace 2025 report, only 44% of managers worldwide said they had received management training. The report also found that managers who received training were less likely to be actively disengaged than those who had not. These findings highlight the need for more accessible development resources for people in leadership positions.

Behavioral assessments can provide managers with a framework for understanding how employees approach decisions, relationships, tasks and workplace challenges. DISC is one of the models commonly used in organizational settings, focusing on four behavioral dimensions: Dominance, Influence, Steadiness and Conscientiousness.

Best DISC assessment for managers

Cloverleaf provides a DISC assessment within its broader platform for team development and personalized coaching. Its approach combines individual behavioral results with information about colleagues, allowing managers to understand how different working styles may influence communication, collaboration and feedback.

The company’s DISC assessment measures behavioral tendencies across four dimensions: Dominance, Influence, Steadiness and Conscientiousness. Employees can complete the assessment through Cloverleaf, access their results and use them as part of their broader behavioral profile.

For managers, the platform offers a Team Dashboard that brings assessment results together. This allows leaders to review behavioral differences across their teams, understand potential communication challenges and consider how employees may respond to different management approaches.

Cloverleaf’s guide to using DISC as a manager describes practical applications such as preparing for team discussions, understanding different approaches to conflict and considering behavioral preferences when assigning responsibilities. Managers can use these insights to adapt conversations rather than relying on a single communication style.

The platform extends this functionality through its Relationship Intelligence Engine, which synthesizes DISC with other assessments, including Enneagram and CliftonStrengths. By considering multiple dimensions of an individual’s profile, Cloverleaf aims to provide more contextual guidance about how specific colleagues can work together.

Its AI coaching capabilities deliver personalized recommendations through tools such as Slack, Microsoft Teams and email. Managers can receive guidance before meetings, prepare for feedback conversations and explore ways to address potential friction between team members. The platform also supports role-play exercises to practice difficult conversations before they take place.

Cloverleaf’s assessment management capabilities allow organizations to centralize DISC and other behavioral frameworks in one place. Its assessment comparison page outlines which assessments are included in its subscription, the availability of team dashboards and reporting, and supported languages.

For organizations evaluating the best DISC assessment for managers, important criteria include the clarity of behavioral profiles, team-level reporting, practical management guidance and integration with everyday workplace tools. Assessment results should inform conversations and development plans, not be used as fixed labels or as the sole basis for hiring, promotion or performance decisions.

By connecting DISC results with team-level insights and continuous coaching, Cloverleaf provides managers with a way to apply behavioral information to everyday leadership situations.