Step 1: Take out a sheet of paper and record your choice for each of the following alternatives. For each number, complete the statement, "I am mostly ______.
1. a. Daring
b. Talkative
c. Stable
2. a. Open-minded
b. Determined
c. Enthusiastic
3. a. Supportive
b. Accurate
c. Efficient
4. a. Energetic
b. Patient
c. Orderly
5. a. Capable
b. Convincing
c. Calm
6. a. Fair
b. Bold
c. Funny
7. a. Helpful
b. Thorough
c. Resourceful
8. a. Outgoing
b. Tolerant
c. Logical
9. a. Decisive
b. Persuasive
c. Dependable
10. a. Cautious
b. Productive
c. Spontaneous
11. a. Loyal
b. Objective
c. Assertive
12. a. Optimistic
b. Agreeable
c. Organized
13. a. Confident
b. Lively
c. Level-headed
14. a. Conservative
b. Dynamic
c. Inspiring
15. a. Pleasant
b. Sensitive
c. Business-like
16. a. Sociable
b. Reserved
c. Independent
Step 2: Add up the number of answers you chose in each of the following categories:
Category D:
| You chose | 1a 2b 3c 5a 6b 7c 9a 10b 11c 13a 14b 15c |
Category I:
| You chose | 1b 2c 4a 5b 6c 8a 9b 10c 12a 13b 14c 16a |
Category S:
| You chose | 1c 3a 4b 5c 7a 8b 9c 11a 12b 13c 15a 16b |
Category C:
| You chose | 2a 3b 4c 6a 7b 8c 10a 11b 12c 14a 15b 16c |
Step 3: Compare the totals for yourself for each category. Which category is the most "you"? Which category is the second strongest for you? The following are the characteristics common to each category:
Driver Choleric Inspiring Sanguine Supportive Phlegmatic Careful Melancholic Daring | Determined Efficient Capable Bold Resourceful Decisive Productive Assertive Confident Dynamic Business-like Talkative | Enthusiastic Energetic Convincing Funny Outgoing Persuasive Spontaneous Optimistic Lively Inspiring Sociable Stable | Supportive Patient Calm Helpful Tolerant Dependable Loyal Agreeable Level-headed Pleasant Reserved Open-minded | Accurate Orderly Fair Thorough Logical Cautious Objective Organized Conservative Sensitive Independent |
Discussion: Look at the characterics below for each category of person. These will help you identify what type of person you are dealing with in real life...
Driver Choleric Inspiring Sanguine Supportive Phlegmatic Careful Melancholic WORK SPACE
| Functional; business-like
| Personal; cluttered
| Conforming, casual
| Formal; conservative
| WORK PACE
| Fast and decisive
| Fast and spontaneous
| Slow and easygoing
| Slow and Systematic
| AFRAID OF
| Loss of control
| Lack of prestige
| Confrontation
| Embarrassment
| UNDER PRESSURE THEY
| ..dictate orders
| ..attack, use sarcasm
| ..give in, retreat
| ..avoid
| THEY NEED TO KNOW
| the cost of doing things and the time involved
| who else has done it, who has used it
| how it will affect people
| how to justify it, if it's allowed
| WHAT THEY WANT MOST
| Control
| Flexibility
| Good, happy relationships
| Time
| THEY VALUE
| Goals
| Ideas
| Feelings
| Credibility
| THEY DISLIKE
| Indecisiveness, inefficiency
| Routine, boredom
| Impatience, insensitivity
| Surprises, unexpected
| THEY MEASURE SUCCESS BY
| Results, progress
| Recognition, compliments
| Relationships
| Accuracy, work finished
| THEY TRY TO BE
| To the point
| Interested
| Pleasant
| Precise
| |
Driver Choleric Inspiring Sanguine Supportive Phlegmatic Careful Melancholic
Best at jobs that require quick decisions | Best at situations that need instant action and accomplishments Best in areas that demand strong control and authority
Best at dealing with people enthusiastically | Best at expressing thoughts and conveying excitement Best at up-front positions of attention
Best in positions requiring mediation and unity | Best at dealing with storms that need a calming hand Best at handling routines that might seem dull to others
Best at attending to details and deep thinking | Best at keeping records, charts, and graphs Best at analyzing problems too difficult for others |
Another aspect of this system of categorizing people, is that once you know what YOU are, you can address your weaknesses...
Driver Choleric Inspiring Sanguine
You are a compulsive worker. |
You have a compulsion to be in control.
You don't handle people well.
You do not follow-through. |
It's never your fault.
You tend to talk too much.
You tend to be self-centered.
Your memory is uncultivated.
You tend to be very disorganized.
|
Supportive Phlegmatic Careful Melancholic
You are not very exciting. |
You resist change.
You seem lazy to others.
You have a quiet will of iron.
You appear wishy-washy to others.
|
Driver Choleric Inspiring Sanguine
Avoid power struggles; you will lose. | Be on time. Get right down to business and stick to business. Say what you think, not what you feel. Don't misread directness as being unfeeling and impersonal. Plan you work. Focus on results. Provide accurate facts. Allow as much freedom as possible. Try not to be a stickler for rules.
Be more informal than usual. | Acknowledge the person's feelings. Be patient with exaggerations. Accept a little joking around. Let the person be in the "spotlight" once in awhile. Follow up on meetings with summaries in writing. Allow them the freedom to improvise as much as possible. Avoid power struggles. |
Supportive Phlegmatic Careful Melancholic
Touch base often on a personal level. | Talk slowly. Be careful of tight deadlines. Deadlines cause them more stress than other people. Don't interrupt or finish their sentences for them. Reduce the level of eye contact you use and lower your voice. Be careful not to appear dogmatic. You might think you are just being direct and "telling it like it is," but they will hear it as a rigid order or a personal attack. They dislike conflict and like the personal touch.
Don't rush them into making decisions. | Allow longer pauses in conversation to give them time to speak. Lower your level of eye contact. Be careful not to appear dogmatic. Make suggestions; don't give orders. Be ready with details. They like facts and figures. Explain your line of thinking when you propose something. Be accurate. Provide written backup material of all meetings and discussions. Be prepared to listen. Their explanations often go into great detail. |
Thanks to the U.T. Health Science Center San Antonio Training Center for the use of this personality profile.
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by
Colby Glass