Unified Introduction to the High/Low Drive Series
Every organisation is shaped by people — not just their skills and roles, but the natural wiring patterns that influence how they think, communicate, decide, and work with others. Understanding these behavioural drivers can transform how teams collaborate, how leaders support their staff, and how individuals recognise their own strengths and limitations.
This series explores the four core behavioural drives — A, B, C, and D — in both their High and Low forms. Each drive represents a distinct pattern of motivation, energy, and approach to work. None is better or worse than another; each brings unique strengths and challenges that add depth and diversity to a team.
By understanding these profiles, teams can improve communication, reduce friction, and build workplaces where people are set up to succeed.
What the Four Drives Represent
Drive A — Dominance / Autonomy
- How you assert yourself
- How you work with authority, direction, and decision-making
- How strongly you prefer independence or team alignment
Perspective: Low A, Perspective: High A
Drive B — Sociability / External Processing
- How you communicate
- Whether you process thoughts internally or through interaction
- How much you rely on social reinforcement
Perspective: Low B, Perspective: High B
Drive C — Pace / Structure
- How you manage time, rhythm, and workflow
- Whether you prefer variation or predictability
- How you handle urgency, change, and competing priorities
Perspective: Low C, Perspective: High C
Drive D — Discipline / Tolerance for Detail
- Your appetite for structure, rules, and repeatability
- How much detail you need to feel confident
- Whether you think tactically or conceptually
Perspective: Low D, Perspective: High D
High and Low Expressions of Each Drive
Each drive appears in two broad expressions:
High Drives
High drives show a strong preference for the energy associated with that drive. They indicate an internal emphasis — a clear, sometimes intense inclination towards certain behaviours or motivations.
Low Drives
Low drives show a preference in the opposite direction. They are not “less” of the drive — they are simply different. Low drives bring balance, adaptability, and alternative approaches that are just as valuable as their high counterparts.
The value comes from understanding both ends of the spectrum — and how they interact.
Why This Series Exists
Teams often encounter misunderstandings when they assume others think or work the same way they do. These driver-based perspectives:
- help explain why people behave the way they do
- give leaders tools to support different working styles
- help teams navigate conflicting approaches constructively
- enable individuals to understand their own wiring
- create a common language for discussing behaviour without judgement
From the internally driven confidence of a High A, to the reflective processing of a Low B, to the restless energy of a Low C, to the conceptual freedom of a Low D — each profile contributes something important.
When these differences are acknowledged and understood, teams become more balanced, engaged, and effective.
How to Use This Series
Each profile page in this collection provides:
- a clear description of the wiring pattern
- common strengths and natural tendencies
- typical challenges and frustrations
- practical guidance for managers
- suggestions for improving teamwork and communication
- parallels between high and low expressions
- examples drawn from typical workplace scenarios
You can use the series to:
- support team-building
- inform one-to-one coaching
- guide managers in tailoring communication
- design work environments that suit different profiles
- provide behavioural context alongside data warehouse insights
- enhance onboarding, training, and development pathways
Final Thought
Workplaces thrive when people understand themselves and each other. These eight profiles offer a framework for doing precisely that — not to label or limit individuals, but to help them work more authentically and collaboratively.
The best teams embrace cognitive diversity.
And the best leaders know how to harness it.