23rd September, 2014
Previously, we have looked at the four basic personality types; we examined the complex ways in which these traits blend to make up each person’s personality style. The different personality types have different natural tendencies. Our tendencies are our “comfort zone” the areas where we feel most comfortable.
As we face daily situations, our feelings search out areas of comfort and safety, allowing our natural tendencies to take over. Personality researchers have found that when life’s challenges and demands force a person to play a role that doesn’t suit his or her personality, the person’s immune system, enthusiasm and motivation wear down significantly over time.
Such situations cause us to not only view life from a negative perspective, but also to feel tired, to think less clearly and to feel less satisfied in all other aspects of life.
For example when a person who is naturally an extrovert, that is outgoing and fast pace, is asked to do a job where he or she works in solitude for the majority of the day perhaps such person is to keep records of account follow procedures and take care of detailed documentation for several weeks in a row. That person’s productivity will decrease.
On the other hand, when a person who is naturally introverted, slow-pace and calm is asked to continually think aloud, direct groups, and have limited quiet time, perhaps take customer care or front desk position for many weeks in a row, his or her ability to function and happiness will also drastically decrease.
This affects not only our job performance, but all other areas of life. Millions of people the world over wake up each day to go to jobs they hate. Jobs that frustrate them, they are trapped in a desperate cycle of performing jobs that sap their energies, contributing less than they are capable of because it is a misfit to their personality, but it pays their bills.
Understanding your own unique personality style will help you recognize your strength and you will grow in your weaknesses; this will distinguish you from those frustrated by their job.
Employers who focus only on the schools and grade obtained by their prospective employees are learning that IQ alone is not going to make them successful. The way they conduct themselves, and the way they interact with others are as important if not more important than the person’s score on intelligence test. IQ alone cannot predict an individual’s performance or success.
Not that the technical aspect of a job is not important, but you need to lay those technical skills over a strong foundation of a compelling self-discovery.
All human interactions are a form of communication, in the business world and in our personal life much cannot be achieved without effective communication. The reality is that every home consists of several different people; when you begin to study and understand personality types you will discover that you and your spouse have different and most likely opposite behavioural styles and each of your children are unique in their own personality blend.
Each of us has our own likes and dislikes; we have different emotions and energy levels. Some of us are intense others are more laid back. We see things differently and hear things differently even when we are listening to the same story.
One day after we all attended church service, I asked my children to give me their notes I was amazed and the different perspective each had taken down the same sermon. This accounts for why we can give the same instruction to two people at the same time and the both hear different things from the same message.
It is much the same in the business world, nothing worthwhile can be achieved without effective communication among employers, employees, clients, suppliers and customers. If we look at the most successful business people in the world, you notice that they are people who have mastered the act of influence and persuasion by keying into the knowledge of human behaviour.
All great leaders are people of influence and communication gurus. Next time we will be looking into our individual personality dynamics in relation to purpose. See you at the top.
•Modupe Eka is a consultant, trainer of the D.I.S.C model of human behavior, a graduate of English language, with teaching background, she is a Public speaker and by practice a counselor and an expert in relationship and communication she runs seminars and workshop for cooperate and private institutions on topics as sexual health, parent/child relationship and cooperate/ effective team building. She has organized and runs various youth empowerment programs. Together with her team they have done extensive work with many Redeem Christian church of God parishes within the Lagos environs.