A fellow DiSC consultant and deep thinker Jerome Paige (https://whatsonjeromesmind.com/about/) has applied the DiSC model to authoritarianism vs. democracy and I think it's worth us all thinking about. Here's what he says:

The Battle Within. Fascism and democracy are not just political systems; they shape how we behave, lead, and respond to power. The DiSC model offers insight into how individuals and institutions uphold democratic values or enable authoritarian control.

In America, fascism and democracy coexist, not as distant ideologies but as everyday choices. The same leadership that fuels movements for justice can also reinforce oppression. The same need for stability that sustains communities can also create passive compliance.

American Fascism and Democracy have always coexisted, shaping the nation’s identity.

The DiSC Styles in Action. Throughout history, these behavioral styles have defined key moments in American democracy and authoritarianism:

Dominance (D): Franklin D. Roosevelt’s decisive leadership during the Great Depression and World War II saved democracy, while Richard Nixon’s abuse of executive power undermined it.

Influence (i): Martin Luther King Jr. used persuasion to mobilize the Civil Rights Movement, whereas Joseph McCarthy weaponized fear to spread propaganda.

Steadiness (S): Many Americans quietly upheld Jim Crow, fearing instability, while others worked behind the scenes to sustain movements for justice.

Conscientiousness (C): The Supreme Court’s Brown v. Board of Education ruling used legal integrity to challenge segregation, while courts under Jim Crow enforced racist laws without question.

Fascism weaponizes all styles: D for authoritarian rule, i for propaganda, S for passive compliance, and C for bureaucratic enforcement. Democracy, on the other hand, requires a balance: strong but just leadership, persuasion that mobilizes rather than manipulates, stability that nurtures rather than suppresses, and integrity that upholds fairness rather than enforcing oppression.

Understanding behavioral styles isn’t just about workplace dynamics—it’s about recognizing how we contribute to either justice or oppression in all aspects of life.

Reclaiming Agency: A Meditativist Approach. Fascism thrives when individuals submit without questioning their behavioral defaults. Democracy requires a balance of all styles—boldness to resist oppression, influence to mobilize, steadiness for long-term justice, and conscientiousness for accountability.

Reflection:

Identify Your Default Style. How do you engage with power and resistance?

Investigate Your Internalized Response to Fascism. Are you resisting or complying?

Work With Opposites. How can you integrate other styles to strengthen democracy?

Democracy is not a given—it is a daily practice. Our choices in leadership, interactions, silence, or resistance determine whether we uphold or let it erode.

Instead of reading Facebook posts and your favorite media outlet's headlines, I hope you will take a minute to think about what each of us can do to make America truly great again.

I have these questions in my soul and I imagine you do too. I turned to Parker Palmer's wisdom in Healing the Heart of Democracy (2014) and here are some of his suggestions.

Our political talk is often about people who aren't in the room. We can choose to talk with people who may have different positions with honest, curious engagement. Where do we have common ground on the issues we most care about? This is what We The People looks like.
Dividing us, as the bipartisan Senate Intel Committee has found was the intent of those who want to destroy democracy, is a way to disempower all of us. How many times after reading what you see on a screen do you think consensus is impossible or even undesirable? For now, think about all the ways you do hold tension with others and solve problems in other aspects of your life and begin to believe that it is possible for us to do this on a larger scale.
If you think politics are controlled by Big Money and you are powerless as a single voice, consider what Bill Moyers said:" The antidote, the only antidote, to the power of organized money is the power of organized people." Sixteen states have now called for a Constitutional Amendment to nullify the impact of Citizens United and at least 15 more have calls in the pipeline. This is because people from the left, center and right on the political spectrum have learned how to hold their differences, find common ground, and make common cause on an issue that effects all of us.
Do you believe change is possible? Do you have faith in our shared humanity? Parker Palmer has a way to reduce conflict in communities - he invites people on both sides of a contentious issue to spend a day together. Before 2 pm they are not allowed to reveal their position on that issue. But before 2 pm they are encouraged to tell each other stories that led to their position. He says that time and time again the conflict dissipates and the conversation moves forward after 2.

This one is on us. Not those in Washington, not on your elected officials. not on the people outside the room.

Warmly,
Karen

DiSC and How we are Governed

Making America Great Again is in our Power