DEALING WITH YOUR PEOPLE

ACCORDING TO THEIR TEMPERAMENTS

 

 

GENERAL PERSONALITY

CHARACTERISTICS AND WAYS TO MOTIVATE PEOPLE WITH THESE CHARACTERISTICS.

 

  1. The Conservative:  Dependable, reserved, controlled, inhibited, perfectionist, conformer.

 

Be objective, logical, specific, matter-of-fact, and impersonal.  Give little supervision.  Encourage initiative.  Be mild in criticism.

 

 

  1. The Good Guy:  Outgoing, friendly, sociable, optimistic, energetic, industrious, emotional, excitable, nervous, distractible, talkative, adaptable, versatile, alert, and cooperative.

 

Be enthusiastic and optimistic.  Appeal to teamwork and group spirit.  Avoid giving excessive details.  When necessary counteract optimism with negative facts.  Ask him to repeat important instructions.  Praise or criticize directly.

 

 

  1. The Worry Wart:  Pessimistic, cautious, conscientious, indecisive, procrastinating, inactive, not alert.

 

Encourage and show confidence in him.  Offset pessimism with optimism.  Help him take first steps.  Give assignments in small batches.  Get his opinions.  Supervise closely.  Praise directly; be mild in criticism.

 

 

  1. The Self-Centered:  Ambitious, materialistic, selfish, gambler, buck-passer, schemer, disloyal, untrustworthy, credit-taker.

 

Stress immediate gains or financial reward.  Show long-range benefit.  Show what he stands to lose.  Enforce standards of performance.  Praise or criticize directly.

 

 

  1. The Shy Guy:  Sensitive, bashful, blushing, imaginative, dreaming, impractical, unapproachable, reclusive.

 

Express confidence in his ability.  Ask for his ideas.  Explain background of new job but let him work out details.  Appeal to his imagination.  Insist on his being concrete.  Praise his work, not him.  Criticize mildly by stressing his good intentions, giving him an “out” and asking for his suggestions.

 

 

  1. The Know-It-All:  Aggressive, driving, argumentative, intolerant, conceited, suspicious, prejudiced, close-minded, stubborn, defensive, revengeful, rationalizing.

 

Ask for his ideas and opinions.  Show him credit and recognition he will get.  Appeal to his desire for power, prestige, and position.  Avoid kidding, praise directly.  Criticize directly but give an “out.”

 

 

  1. The Plodder:  Project-oriented, single-minded, detail-minded, deliberate, slow, persistent, matter-of-fact, monotonous, planner.

 

Appeal to his desire to accomplish.  Give him sufficient details.  Ask him to set his own deadlines.  Avoid interrupting his work.  Praise accomplishments and importance of his undertaking.  Criticize in unemotional, friendly, way with emphasis on overall objectives.