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By Lorene Rasmussen
Have you ever wondered what makes someone tick? What motivates or drives them? Have you ever looked at the person in the cubicle next to you and tried to figure out what possesses them to line their books up according to the Dewey Decimal System and then by size and then by color and why the guy at the end of the row doesn’t even bother to put his books away but organizes them according to where they land? Most likely you have spent sometime considering
the individual differences of your co-workers and
even family members. My husband calls it, “viva
la difference!” I find it down right intriguing. I
have a nephew that turns a family vacation into
a 7 step strategic plan, charted, and executed
perfectly. However, his sister can take the
dullest chore like doing dishes and make a party
out of it. As different as these two are, they
recognize and appreciate the strengths of each
other’s personalities. (Of course, we always get
a good laugh from their differences.)
The study of personality or the intrigue I
regularly experience is certainly not new. As far
back as the ancient Greeks, man has tried to
understand and categorize the individual
difference processes; those differences that
make us distinctively human.
Personality is defined as, “a collection of
emotional, thought and behavioral patterns
unique to a person that is consistent over
time.” The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of
the American Psychiatric Association states that
personality traits are “prominent aspects of
personality that are exhibited in a wide range of
important social and personal contexts.” For
example, a friendly person will act friendly in
most every situation because of the traits in
their personality. According to one author, “one
criticism of trait models of personality as a
whole is that they lead. . .to accept
classifications
or worse offer advise based on a superficial
analysis of one’s profile.”
When facilitating The BEST Style
Personality/Communication Workshop, my
partner Phil Eastman always prefaces the
assessment with, “the category you may find
yourself or your team member in today are only
descriptive not prescriptive.” Even with that
said, it is amazing how people feel much better
equipped knowing the characteristics of each of
the four dimensions discussed in the workshop.
The participants walk away with the comfortable
realization that Mr. or Miss Co-worker didn’t
wake up this morning and say, “what can I do to
frustrate you today?”
By knowing and understanding the personality
traits and communication style of other people,
one can actually release the need to be offended
by another person’s behavior and strive to listen
to what is being said.
During a recent Women in Business and
Leadership conference in Boise, I listened to a
panel discussion with several dynamic women
who shared their philosophy on success in
today’s world. There was a broad scope of
businesses represented; everything from a
Pediatric Otolaryngologist to a Saloon Owner, an
elite athlete to a civic leader and even a Sports
Reporter.
When the ladies were asked, “how do you
handle or deal with diversity in the workplace?”
The obvious answer was to look past the shade
of somebody’s skin and learn to understand
them as a person. I liked that response but the
answer that stuck in my mind came from Heather
Cox, the sports reporter for several networks
including ESPN. Heather said, “the key to
working with someone is to know their
personality and work with their strengths.” This
comes from someone who admittedly gets along
with Bobby Knight, the fiery college basketball
coach formerly from Indiana University.
This topic continues to be important and popular
in all areas of our lives. On September 19,
2006, in the Marketplace section of The Wall
Street Journal, Jared Sandberg addresses the
issue of communication. He
writes, “miscommunication in corporate culture is
so endemic that whenever management
consultants, industrial psychologists and
executive coaches hear of any problem, they
prescribe ‘better communication,’ as if it were
two aspirins.” He goes onto say, ". . .they are
right on the money. . .”
Anyone that is open and aware of behavioral
differences and diverse communication styles
would be further ahead in all their relationships.
They would no longer have to guess why
their “cube mate” uses the Dewey Decimal
System to line their books; they would know it is
because he is a Technical and motivated
by
accuracy. Where as in the case of my niece, she
is an Expressive and loves fun; she is
the spirit
of my family.
So what is the solution? Well, I’m not a psychologist, nor do I play one on TV, but I am an informal student of human behavior, so I believe the obvious answer is to assess, educate, instruct, train, and coach. Lorene Rasmussen, partner for
Business Operations, guides and supports the
daily and strategic operations of Leadership
Advisors Group. She combines a unique sense of
fun and organization to insure operations run
smoothly and that clients receive the highest
quality service possible. Lorene’s background in
corporate, nonprofit, and family leadership
brings a wide range of experience to the
Leadership Advisors team. Lorene is an
Expressive-Bold.
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Communication is Essential
Personality is at the very heart of what it means to be human. We move in different rhythms, tempos, and directions. Thus, we are all different, consequently, we all communicate differently. The Bold personality is stimulated by the challenge of new adventure. The Expressive thrives on being around others and persuading them. The Sensitive personality is patient, dependable, loyal, and a good listener. The Technical personality is controlled, cautious, precise, and rule-oriented. Each type has needs and preferences which are the keys to understanding and motivating each personality. The BEST Style Communication &
Personality
Over the past eight years our clients have repeatedly used this workshop to develop the interpersonal communication skills of their staffs. This lively 4-hour workshop establishes dominant personality and communication styles; teaching people how to bridge the natural divides that exist between styles. These divides often keep individuals and groups from being as effective as they could be. Participants find this workshop engaging, entertaining and practical in both their personal and professional lives. Understand Your Style
Don’t wait any longer! Contact Leadership Advisors Group to help understand your BEST personality style. Participants will leave this workshop with a far greater appreciation for their team mates and learn how to communicate more effectively with them. What others are saying?
“I feel the knowledge about other peoples personality/communication style is a strong tool for all managers to have.” ~ Manager, Pioneer Title “I wish I knew these communication distinctions earlier in my career, it could have saved a lot of heartache in dealing with a company’s most valuable asset - the people.” ~ Partner, Consulting Firm “Remembering how to deal with each group will be a challenge but it seemed like we interacted well. This material will have a lasting effect on interactions within our department.” ~ V.P., Washington Group International $99.00
Friday, September 29, 2006 8 am to Noon George Fox University - 1810 Eagle Rd., Meridian, ID Contact Lorene: 208.871.5981 |
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Organizations that effectively build a core of
principle-centered leaders consistently
outperform their competitors and often achieve a
breakaway performance with their industry. The
10 foundational character principles known as
the MAXIMIZERS will have a profound
impact upon your life.
$375.00
Friday, October 27, 2006 8 am to 4:30 pm George Fox University - 1810 Eagle Rd., Meridian, ID Contact Lorene: 208.871.5981 |
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Leadership Advisors Group will help you
and your organization succeed by:
You are receiving this email from Leadership
Advisors Group because you are a valued
client, have requested information regarding our
services, or you are part of a highly respected
organization. To ensure that you continue to
receive emails from us, please add
phil@leadershipadvisors.com to
your address book.
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Phil Eastman & Lorene Rasmussen
Leadership Advisors Group
email:
phil@leadershipadvisors.com
phone:
(208) 344-0471
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