Read Our Blog
Operative Insights: Human Behaviour and Communication Strategies
Why Communication Breaks Down in Government Teams, and What You Can Do About It
Have you ever noticed how two people can sit in the same briefing, hear exactly the same words, and walk away with completely different takeaways? If you’ve spent any time working in a federal or provincial government environment, you already know this isn’t a rare...
Is There a Best DISC Style for Management Roles?
People ask me this question more than almost any other when it comes to leadership. Which DISC style makes the best manager? If I'm building a team, which profile should I be looking for at the top? It's a question worth taking seriously, and worth answering honestly....
When Saying Yes Feels Heavy, and No Feels Worse
There is a particular kind of pressure that comes with being a Supportive style. Caring deeply about people, honouring commitments, and not wanting to let anyone down are the qualities that make high S personas so valued in every room they walk into. They're also the...
Can Two People With the Same DISC Style Still Fail to Communicate?
Most people assume the hard conversations happen between opposite styles. A Direct (D) pushing too hard. A Cautious (C) asking too many questions. A clash of pace, priority, and energy. That assumption is understandable. It's also incomplete. Some of the most...
How to Hold a Difficult Conversation Using DESC (and How DISC Strengthens It)
Difficult conversations are not the problem; avoiding them is. In business and in life, most breakdowns in trust, performance, and culture can be traced back to conversations that should have happened earlier and often did not. People delay these conversations because...
How To Use The 7 Summits Leader’s Scorecard Through the DISC Lens
Recently, I was introduced to The 7 Summits Leader’s Scorecard. One glance at the wheel and I could see why it matters. In a single picture, it pulls together a leader’s spiritual life, thinking, health, relationships, fun, finances, and work. For coaches who use the...
Does Our DISC Profile Change Over Time?
During my recent Fundamental DISC Train-The-Trainer Certification, someone asked me, “JJ, can our DISC profile change over time?” It’s a fair question. Life has a way of shaping us. We grow through new experiences, adapt to changing circumstances, and learn what works...
Bridging Cultures and Personalities: What The Culture Map and the DISC Model Teach Us About Global Communication
Communication is Simple, it’s Just not Easy! Teams today stretch across time zones, cultures, and comfort zones. One video call can include three countries, four accents, and five different ideas of what “a good meeting” looks like. In that kind of environment,...
Cracking the Code: How DISC Makes Emotional Intelligence Actually Work
Emotional intelligence. We’ve all heard of it. Most of us nod politely when it comes up in meetings, but what does it really mean in the real world? Let’s be honest. EQ can feel vague. Abstract. Like something out of a leadership textbook that doesn’t quite connect...
You Were Wired for More: Discovering Purpose Through Personality
Recently, I was guided through a reflection framework that really stuck with me. It asked me to consider not just what I do, but how I’m wired… and why that wiring might matter more than I realized. The framework is called SHAPE. It’s often used in faith-based...
Get Operative Insights right to your inbox!
JJ Brun, The Retired Spy
JJ Brun is a globally recognized Human Behaviour and Communication Specialist, who served for 20 years in the Canadian Forces in the field of Human Intelligence. JJ has dedicated his life and his business to training thousands of people in the principles of human behaviour and effective communication practices across cultures.