Try it before you buy.

Before anyone speaks, you already have data. In the first minute of any meeting, watch three things: pace, focus, and volume of words.

Fast pace, short sentences, task words → likely a Driver (D). They want the outcome, not the story. Match their pace or you'll lose them.

Fast pace, expressive, lots of words about people → likely a Connector (I). Acknowledge the relationship first; then get to the point.

Slow pace, calm, few words → likely a Stabilizer (S). Don't rush them. Signal safety. Give processing time.

Slow pace, precise, question-heavy → likely an Analyst (C). Bring the data. Skip the emotion. Written detail before verbal discussion works best.

You don't need certainty. You need a first hypothesis to adjust your opener. That alone changes how the next 20 minutes land.

Driver (D). Lead with the outcome. "I want us to leave this meeting with a decision on X."

Connector (I). Acknowledge the relationship first. "I value how we work together — I want to talk through something."

Stabilizer (S). Signal safety. "This isn't about blame. I want to understand what's happening."

Analyst (C). Frame the data. "I looked at X, Y, Z and I want to walk through what I saw."