What Kind of Animal Are You?

1. What Kind of Animal Are You? Working Effectively with Different Personality Types Administrative Professionals In-Service August 2, 2013 Presenter: Margaret Brown

2. Personality Profiles

3. Common Conflicts • Time constraints and deadlines are an issue. My boss does work at the last minute and I do it ahead of schedule. • She likes to micromanage and I like to be given a task and be left alone to do it. • I am more detail oriented than my boss and like to have as complete a picture as possible before we make a decision. My boss is a “full speed ahead” kind of guy. • My manager does not check e-mail and calendars on a regular basis and misses many appointments. • There’s often a lack of information because my boss “keeps it all in his head” and does things at the last minute. He’s creative and doesn’t realize the need to plan ahead – including for travel, meetings, and projects.

4. Types of Personality Profiles • Myers-Briggs • 16 Personality Types • Extraversion/Introversion, Sensing/Intuition, Thinking/Feeling, Judging/Perceiving • Insights • 4 work styles identified by color energy • Cool Blue, Earth Green, Sunshine Yellow, Fiery Red • Type A/B • High Strung/Easy Going • Animal Personality Type

5. Completing the Assessment Example:

6. Completing the Assessment Example:

7. Graphing the Results

8. Graphing the Results

9. D Lion/dominance • Strengths: • Visionary, Practical, Productive, Strong Willed, Independent, Decisive, A Leader • Weaknesses: • Cold, Domineering, Unemotional, Unforgiving, Sarcastic Powerful Desires Control

10. I Otter/Influence • Strengths: • Outgoing, Responsive, Warm, Friendly, Talkative, Enthusiastic, Compassionate • Weaknesses: • Undisciplined, Exaggerates, Showy, Avoids Details, Egocentric Popular Desires Fun

11. S Golden Retriever/Steadiness • Strengths: • Calm, Easy Going, Dependable, Quiet, Objective, Diplomatic, Humorous • Weaknesses: • Selfish, Stingy, Worrier, Procrastinator, Indecisive Peaceful Desires Peace

12. C Beaver/Compliance • Strengths: • Analytical, Self Disciplined, Industrious, Organized, Accurate, Factual, Practical • Weaknesses: • Moody, Inflexible, Touchy, Unsociable, Critical Perfect Desires Perfection

13. Lion/dominance Otter/Influence Extroverted Task Focused People Focused Beaver/Compliance Retriever/Steadiness Introverted

14. D Lion/dominance • Behavioral Tendencies: • Compelled by ego – forceful and competitive • Task oriented - move people to action, desire and cause change • Motivated by directness - do not like to be entertained or restrained • Basic Fear - being taken advantage of, criticism of their character • Limitations – impatience, selective listeners, have “blind spots” concerning awareness of others’ views and feelings.

15. I Otter/Influence • Behavioral Tendencies: • Optimistic and people oriented • Socially oriented, emotionally energetic, loves to entertain • Motivated by social recognition – needs companionship and group support • Basic fear – rejection, disapproval in relationships, task criticism (they often interpret this as a personal rejection) • Limitations – unorganized in accomplishing tasks unless they are also a high “D”

16. S Golden Retriever/Steadiness • Behavioral Tendencies: • Pragmatic, a team player or family person • Likes concrete results, the “bottom line” approach • Motivated by loyalty • Respectful of procedures • Basic fear – loss of stability, the unknown, unplanned change • Limitations – possessiveness and adherence to code of order and desire for tranquility limits their ability to act decisively or face difficult situations

17. C Beaver/Compliance • Behavioral Tendencies: • Accurate and precise – concerned for quality control • Highly intuitive – people readers • Motivated by the correct or proper way to do something • Disciplined • Basic fear – criticism of their work or effort • Limitations – overly critical and demanding of both themselves and others because of high standards; they rarely vocalize their criticisms

18. Situational Examples • As combat generals: • The Lion attacks, attacks, attacks the enemy but forgets to order supplies, munitions, and replacement troops. • The Otter coordinates with commanders on all fronts and lobbies for a harmonious battle plan everyone will like. • The Golden Retriever attacks in an orderly, conventional manner just like he was taught at the Academy. • The Beaver inventories all of his supplies and vows not to attack until every piece of equipment he needs is delivered.

19. Situational Examples • Shopping for a new car: • The Golden Retriever takes her time and shops several dealers, looking for a model like the one she already has. • The Beaver asks questions about performance, financing, and equipment. • The Otter immediately selects the flashy new model everyone will envy. • The Lion never shows up. She gets someone else to buy it for her.

20. Situational Examples • Isolated in a north woods cabin for the winter: • The Golden Retriever settles in to catch up on some reading or starts a woodworking project. • The Lion gets cabin fever in a week and decides to remodel the cabin. • The Beaver begins reading a book that explains how to live in an isolated north woods cabin. • The Otter snowshoes into the woods everyday to talk to the animals.

21. Understanding the Animal Temperaments

22. Understanding the Lion/Dominance Animal “Do it now!” “What’s the point?” • Environment: lots of projects, awards on the wall, large calendar, office furniture arranged in a formal way • Gain Security by: control • Pace: fast and decisive • Needs: a climate that responds • Irritated by: wasted time, unpreparedness, arguing, blocking results • For Growth They Need to: appear less critical, respect people’s personal worth, develop tolerance for conflict, pace themselves • Avoid With Them: attacking his/her character, telling them what to do, presenting win-lose scenarios

23. Understanding the Otter/Influence Animal “Trust me!” “Lighten up!” • Environment: cluttered, awards and slogans on the wall, personal pictures, friendly • Gain Security by: flexibility • Pace: fast and spontaneous • Needs: a climate that collaborates • Irritated by: too many facts, too much logic, boring tasks, same old approach, routine, being alone, ignoring their opinions • For Growth They Need to: respect priorities, more logical approach, follow through, get better organized, concentrate on the task at hand • Avoid With Them: negativism, rejection, arguing

24. Understanding theGolden Retriever/Steadiness Animal “Why change?” “Let’s work together!” • Environment: family pictures, slogans on the wall, personal items, relaxed friendly decorations • Gain Security by: close relationships • Pace: slow and easy • Needs: a climate that processes • Irritated by: pushy and aggressive behavior, insincerity, being put on the spot, disrupting the status quo • For Growth They Need to: take risks, delegate to others, confront, develop confidence in others, learn to change and adapt • Avoid With Them: conflict, sudden unplanned risky changes, overloading, confusing

25. Understanding the Beaver/Compliance Animal “Do it right!” “Prove it!” • Environment: structured and organized, charts and graphs, functional decor, formal seating arrangement • Gain Security by: preparation • Pace: slow and systematic • Needs: a climate that describes • Irritated by: people who do not know what they are talking about, lack of attention to detail, surprises, unpredictability • For Growth They Need to: make faster decisions, tolerate conflict, learn to compromise, adjust to change and disorganization • Avoid With Them: criticizing, blunt personal questions, incomplete or inaccurate recommendations

26. Communicating Amongst the Animal Temperaments

27. Communicating With the Lion/Dominance Animal “Do it now!” “What’s the point?” • Wants You to Be: efficient and to the point • Provide Them With: options, information on what it does and by when, freedom to act, immediate action • General Strategies: be efficient and competent, support their goals and objectives, if you disagree – argue facts and not personal feelings, be precise, time disciplined, well organized, focus on the results or bottom-line, do not waste their time, let them make the decision

28. Communicating with the Otter/Influence Animal “Trust me!” “Lighten up!” • Wants You to Be: stimulating and interesting • Provide Them With: quality, information on how it will enhance their status, increased talent, originality, uniqueness • General Strategies: be interested in them, support their dreams, feelings and opinions, be sociable, do not hurry the discussion – give them a chance to verbalize, try not to argue, don’t deal with details – put it all in writing, do not be shy, agree on the specifics of any arrangement

29. Communicating with theGolden Retriever/Steadiness Animal “Why change?” “Let’s work together!” • Wants You to Be: cooperative and pleasant • Provide Them With: assurances, information on how it will affect their circumstances, popular ideas, risk sharing, reliability, assistance in presenting to others • General Strategies: be non-threatening and sincere, show personal interest and support their feelings, don’t push, move along in a slow manner, show that you are listening, be easy-going, assure them that you stand behind any decisions

30. Communicating With the Beaver/Compliance Animal “Do it right!” “Prove it!” • Wants You to Be: accurate and precise • Provide Them With: evidence, information on how they can logically justify, systematic plans, progress reviews • General Strategies: be thorough and well planned, support their thoughtful approach, demonstrate through action rather than words, be exact, organized, and prepared, give them time to verify your words, don’t rush decision making, avoid gimmicks, provide evidence that what you say is true and accurate

31. Seven Tips for Overcoming Clashing Work Styles • Take the high road • Work with what you have • Get on the same page • Check in regularly • Put yourself in the other person’s shoes • Don’t take it personally • Know your own behaviors

32. For Additional Information • References • Weird Guy Blog by Eric Brown • http://weirdblog.wordpress.com/2007/02/27/communicating-amongst-the-animal-temperaments/ • http://weirdblog.wordpress.com/2007/09/05/how-leadership-styles-affect-productivity/ • http://weirdblog.wordpress.com/2007/09/04/leadership-styles-dictatorial-authoritative-consultative-participative/ • http://weirdblog.wordpress.com/2007/09/05/leadership-styles-when-to-use-them/ • http://weirdblog.wordpress.com/2007/02/22/personality-types-lion-beaver-otter-and-golden-retriever/ • http://weirdblog.wordpress.com/2007/02/23/understanding-the-animal-temperaments/ • Personality Plus by Terri L. White • http://koinonia-all.org/homeschool/personality.htm • Joy in the Journey • http://proverbs4.blogspot.com/2006/03/what-animal-are-you.html

33. For Additional Information • References (continued) • The Smalley Center – Free Personality Test • http://smalley.cc/images/Personality-Test1.pdf • Gary Smalley Personality Types Inventory • http://www3.dbu.edu/jeanhumphreys/SocialPsych/smalleytrentpersonality.htm • Wikipedia – DISC Assessment • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DISC_assessment