Behavior Style Report

Your Primary Style: Performer

General Description: Your high Ego Drive and high Empathy result in a free flowing, persuasive communication or leadership style which influences others to take action or change their behavior… Your Performer personality likes to generate creative solutions to productivity challenges, though some of these ideas may not be realistically grounded or piloted for effectiveness… Your greatest strengths are your persuasive ability and verbal intelligence while your greatest improvement opportunity is your need to slow down for others, keep the communication process simple, and explain yourself for process-oriented individuals… Performers can be found in positions that provide variety, creative freedom, and social competition while avoiding nonsocial activities such as preparation, organization, and attention to detail… Examples of professions common to Performers include sales, sales management, advertising, motivational speaker, public relations, and communications consultant.

Responding Well to Stress: Under stress, resist the temptation to become emotional, defensive, angry, and impatient with individuals during the communication process. The stress may occur for you when you are not recognized for your creativity, your approach is criticized, or individuals want to analyze and question your ideas… Rather than getting personal and critical in return, your maturity when scrutinized helps you remember not to take things personally, but to remain objective. This keeps you from hurting your interpersonal relationships with Diplomats and Thinkers who are turned off by an over-reactive individual. By not over-reacting, remaining confident, and continuing to listen when questioned, you will keep Dynamos from losing respect for your lack of emotional control… When stress increases, for example when you are questioned and your ideas are challenged, remind yourself that a service-oriented approach to a person's questions and concerns will cause less conflict… Also, remind yourself that a service-oriented approach has the greatest value in most interpersonal situations…

The Behavioral Style Requiring the Most Adaptation: When communicating with others, a Performer's natural behaviors are most incompatible with Thinkers who require a patient and methodical approach supported by detailed analysis… As a Performer, your quick pace and impulsive initiatives can quickly make Thinkers lose trust since they require time to analyze and test ideas before making decisions… In order to flex to the Thinker's style, concentrate on slowing down your pace, asking more questions, and providing supporting logic or data as you present ideas or solutions to satisfy their wants, solve their problems, fill their needs, or win them over to your way of thinking.

Behaviors for Each Style

Here are some tips to remember when communicating, serving, or working with the four personality styles.

Dynamos (i.e. analyst, finance guru)

• Never exaggerate your statements or claims
• Respect their time by stating your purpose/objective
• Be sure to be well-prepared and well-organized
• Stick to the facts; avoid tangents
• Focus on what is important to them (time, money, etc.)
• Avoid looking down; look directly into their eyes
• Let them be in control to tell you what they need
• Avoid personal feelings and personal anecdotes

Performers (i.e. sales exec, founder)

• Be casual and less formal/professional
• Entertain them with stories and testimonials
• Encourage them to do the talking
• Minimize paperwork; most likely they won't read it
• Ask questions to lead them into the decision
• Feel free to share your experiences with them
• Avoid drawn-out or detailed explanations; be brief
• Be agreeable, not confrontational

Thinkers (i.e. accountant, engineer)

• Minimize hand and body movements
• Provide hand-outs and published materials
• Only make promises/commitments you can keep
• Be efficient and well-organized
• Avoid being overly friendly or overly expressive
• Focus on the facts and the figures, not the feelings
• Be gently persistent; give them time to decide
• Be more formal/professional and less casual

Diplomats (i.e. writer, visual artist, designer)

• Build the relationship over time; don't impose
• Greet them informally and casually
• Avoid telling or selling; just share your ideas
• Talk little; listen carefully
• Understand their needs and concerns
• Slow down; give them time to relate to you
• Avoid talking about your successes; be humble
• Share personal feelings/experiences

Your Primary Style: Performer

Important Note: The closer you are to the corner of your 4-style quadrant, the more extreme these behaviors become, and the more difficult it is for you to adapt to the other styles.

Behavioral Strengths: You are naturally outgoing and thoroughly enjoy making new relationships… You love to be the center of attention, and, as a result, are typically "the life of the party." Your fun-loving spirit is a major asset that turns any conversation into an enjoyable experience… In occupations, you are best at making friends and influencing others. You most likely have already heard that you can "sell ice-cubes to Eskimos" and can strike-up a conversation with anyone, anywhere… Your high Empathy and high Ego Drive result in a free flowing, expressive communication style that readily motivates others to take action or change their behavior… Rather than confronting resistant individuals head-on or criticizing their choice or behavior, you attempt to influence them with your charisma, your use of stories/examples, and your sense of humor… When you face difficult situations, you find "outside the box" solutions rather than relying on traditional methods.

Improvement Opportunities: To be most effective, you may need to perfect your ability to take "the unnatural stretch" to moderate your expressive style that can occasionally overwhelm others… Your greatest improvement opportunity, however, might be to ask enough questions to determine the need (and hidden objections) before presenting your ideas… Also be aware of your tendency to present your ideas to people who have no authority to act or take actions. Sometimes you might be so enthusiastic about telling anyone your story that you may not pre-qualify those to whom you present, and you waste valuable time… One other possible challenge is the fact that, if the job duties become too mundane or repetitive, you might become easily bored and seek change either in the career or your personal life. These changes may upset momentum and decrease productivity.

The Behavioral Style Requiring the Most Adaptation: When communicating with Dynamos, concentrate on the "bottom line" and maintain a more professional and less charismatic approach… When communicating with Thinkers, slow down and patiently and methodically provide the information they require… When communicating with Diplomats, give them plenty of time and personal attention… Though you will find it quite easy to communicate with other Performers, be sure to honor their feelings and avoid interrupting them… Remember, like you, they enjoy being the center of attention. You will find it most difficult relating to and communicating with Thinkers (accountants, engineers, etc.) who are less prone to express their feelings and share their experiences.