Different Personalities and Feedback

1. Perfectionist ‘If a job’s worth doing it’s worth doing well.’

Description

You are quite a serious-minded person and do not readily let go of your
inhibitions. You pride yourself on your discipline, organisation and quality
control. You concentrate on doing things right and can be preoccupied with
the importance of not making mistakes. You are able to spot mistakes and
people can sometimes regard you as overly critical. This is particularly true
when you are in a supervisory role, although you are as hard on yourself as
you are on others. If you commit to a task you will ensure it is done to the
highest standards. You worry about doing the right thing and have a cautious
nature. You are prepared to work hard and may even be described as a
workaholic. Your conscientious nature precludes the need for close
supervision.
When you are under pressure you tend to work even harder and lose touch
with your own emotional needs. You have high personal standards and high
expectations of the way others should conduct themselves in the workplace.
You have a tendency not to delegate as you feel that no-one could do the task
as well as you. People may find it easier to work with you than for you, as you
are such a perfectionist.

You are polite, but are prepared to be direct and can feel a strong sense of
righteous anger when people do not do the right thing. Your reaction will be
even stronger if it does not seem to concern them. As a general rule though,
you don’t like to express anger in the workplace. People may regard you as
formal and a stickler for doing the right thing. You have a tendency to see
things in either black or white, as either right or wrong. You have a strong
need to be as close to perfect as you can in anything you do. You can
sometimes feel that life is not fair when things are not working out. You are
often uncomfortable with rapid change in the workplace and dislike having to
make decisions on the run. You like to deal with real issues and others tend to
regard you as grounded.

Key motivators

• The need to be right and to be seen to be right
• To work towards the highest goals and ideals
• To improve self and others

Leadership style

• Hardworking
• Thorough
• Controlled
• Exact
• Conservative
• Honest
• Steady
• Practical
• Structured
• Independent
• Methodical
• Principled
• Logical
• Measured
• Goal-oriented
• Impersonal
• Reasonable
• Analytical

Considerations for giving feedback

• Make sure you seem prepared.
• Take a structured and systematic approach.
• Make sure you do not make mistakes.
• Be sensitive to the participant’s self-critical nature.
• Pick up and gently challenge examples of black and white thinking.
• Establish to what extent the participant is driving themselves to achieve
• perfection.
• Encourage feelings to surface.
• Encourage the participant to put themselves in another person’s shoes.

Considerations for receiving feedback

• Focus on the positive feedback in the report – no-one is perfect!
• Are you overly critical and judgmental of others?
• Do you give positive feedback to others?
• How high are your stress levels?
• Do you sometimes lose sight of the big picture and get lost in the detail?
• Do you ever have any light-hearted and spontaneous fun in the
• workplace?
• How often do you engage your creative side?
• How well do you market yourself?
• Take opportunities to discuss the report with others

2. Helper ‘Give to others and you will reap the rewards’

Description

You readily offer to help others and can pick up on people’s needs easily,
sometimes even before they do. You enjoy being needed by others and it is a
source of personal pride and job satisfaction. You dislike working in a role
where you are unappreciated or working in isolation. You are action oriented
and enjoy taking control of a situation and making others’ ideas happen. You
play a very positive role in a team as you tend to see the best in others and
look out for others. You focus on treating others as you would like to be
treated.
You have a tendency to focus on others’ needs and to lose your own identity.
This makes it difficult for you to be assertive and effectively negotiate for
results. The most stressful times in your career are when you experience
personal rejection, which may result in feelings of hurt and anger.
The most important aspect of work for you is relationships. You are very tuned
in to the workplace climate and culture. You would describe yourself as a
generous person, although others can regard your generosity as manipulative
or believe that you meet your own needs through being needed by others.
You are a people person and naturally affectionate. At work people may
become impatient with you and believe that you can be too much focused on
the world of feelings. You enjoy interacting with all types of personalities and
believe you are able to bring out the best in people who others find difficult.
You enjoy helping the underdog or underachiever and generally don’t enjoy
being the star of the show, although you do like to be appreciated. You will
often find yourself playing the part of the indispensable right hand. You admire
people who are successful and like to be respected by them. You are a
positive person who enjoys encouraging others and suppresses your more
negative feelings. You find it hard to accept criticism about yourself, as it is
important that others see you in a positive light. You are reliable and like to
meet your commitments

Key motivators

• To be needed by others
• To be appreciated
• To be included

Leadership style

• Relationship focused
• Emotional
• Energetic
• Positive
• Popular
• Sensitive
• Client focused
• Empathetic
• Sincere
• Warm
• Generous
• Team focused
• Coaching
• Considerate

Considerations for giving feedback

• Create a warm rapport at the beginning of the session.
• Thank them for participating in the process.
• Be tactful when offering feedback which may be perceived as critical.
• Explore what could motivate the participant apart from being appreciated by others.
• Help the participant focus on their underlying needs.
• Explore how much time the participant spends on their own at work.
• Reinforce that negative emotions can be used very constructively in the workplace.

Considerations for receiving feedback

• Remember to stay objective when reviewing the report.
• What are your own needs and wants? Are you attracted to relationships that have obstacles?
• How much do you focus on task issues compared with people issues?
• Are you able to focus on the task and resist the temptation to connect with the people?
• How dependent are you on others for approval?
• Do you project a nice person image and deny your negative feelings?
• Do you create dependency relationships in the work place?
• Remind yourself to avoid the automatic ‘helper’ role in the future.

3. Achiever ‘Winners are grinners’

Description

You are a goal oriented and a go-getter. You are usually working towards
many goals at the same time and are exceptionally efficient at achieving
them. In fact, you are capable of working like a machine and can expect the
same of others. High-profile success is very important and you like to present
yourself as being accomplished. Failure is something that you avoid at all
costs. It is difficult for you to acknowledge to yourself and to others that you
have failed. You will work harder if success is under threat and will suspend
your feelings and just focus on the task. You avoid a loss of hope and
negative feelings by engaging in problem-solving activities. You trust yourself
more than anyone else to get things done well. You focus on people
responding to you favourably. You know what you think and are prepared to
be direct and down to earth. You get on well with a range of people.
You sometimes find yourself volunteering for tasks that you are not really
qualified for, but manage to pull them off. This reflects a tendency to overrate
your own ability at times. You tend to jump into a task readily and sometimes
forge ahead too quickly, ignoring important details. You can pick up an idea
and run with it quickly and once you get going you really don’t like
interruptions. You are competitive, even with yourself, and like to win.
You often find yourself in leadership positions and this is your preferred role.
You are a good team player if you identify with the team’s goals. Picking
winning business opportunities is a natural skill. Promoting yourself is
something you do with confidence and ease and you are comfortable in a
selling role. You project a winning image. However, you can be a chameleon
and adopt a socially desirable image that meets the needs of those you are
trying to impress. Being unnoticed is not appealing and you like to impress
others.
You are always busy and on the go and don’t like a lot of downtime. There is
no such thing as ongoing boredom. You worry about job and financial security
and work hard to ensure you have both. Being appreciated for your efforts
and achievements is more important than being liked. You thrive in a
workplace which provides opportunities for advancement and rewards and
also cannot work in an environment which is devoid of positive feedback. You
favour a more creative role, but are prepared to do non-stimulating tasks if it
meets a personal goal.

Key motivators

• Any tangible rewards on offer
• Achievement and success
• Personal recognition and affirmation

Leadership style

• Efficient
• Motivated
• Confident
• Achievement oriented
• Energetic
• Competitive
• Fast moving
• Future focused
• Committed
• Positive
• Upbeat
• Encouraging
• Practical
• Team focused
• Responsible
• Tenacious
• Hard working
• Market oriented
• Adaptable
• Motivating

Considerations for giving feedback

• Make sure the participant has actually stopped working and that there will be no interruptions.
• Establish a rapport by opening with some positive feedback.
• Explore the issue of the importance of achievement.
• Try to explore real feelings, not just stated ones.
• Be tactful when offering feedback which may be perceived as critical.
• Check whether the participant can be pushy when they are in pursuit of a goal.
• Ask the participant to explore the image they project in the workplace.
• Explore how much energy the participant puts into meeting their own needs.

Considerations for receiving feedback

• Remember that criticism does not imply personal failure.
• How much time do you spend in reflection?
• Do you cut corners to save time?
• Are you overly focused on achieving results at all costs?
• Do you pay close attention to detail and quality control?
• How important is personal success?
• Do you avoid conflict and topics that relate to feelings and emotions?
• Do you alter your image and approach to impress important people at work?
• How readily do you take command of others?
• Do you make sure you recognise other people’s contributions and not just your own?
• How do you cope with criticism?
• Schedule in regular reflection time at work.

4. Artist ‘Connecting with people deeply gives life its necessary edge’

Description

You are very creative, sensitive and aesthetic. You can readily feel other
people’s pain and are truly empathetic when people are in crisis. In fact, you
are attracted to people who are in emotional pain. You often feel a sense of
emptiness at work, almost as if something is missing. You do not enjoy tasks
that you consider boring and tedious and can feel devalued if you are given
menial tasks. Boredom is your major enemy in the workplace and you thrive
when you have an opportunity to produce something distinctive.
You are attracted to romance and relationships. You are interested in the
people you work with and enjoy becoming involved in their lives. However,
when you form strong relationships with people in your team you can often
feel yourself drawing away.

At work you believe your most valuable contribution is creativity and
originality. You need outlets for your self-expression. When you are working
well you are very capable of bringing your creative tasks to fruition. However
the people issues easily distract you from the task. You may need more
structured individuals to keep you on track.

You can be reckless and will sometimes break the rules to avoid being
trapped in the ordinary. Feeling misunderstood and alienated is quite a
common experience for you. You have a need to be heard and to have your
opinions valued. Above all, it is important to be understood. You feel unique
as a person and it is important to have your ideas and vision recognised. You
sometimes experience a rage of moods all in the one day – sometimes on top
of the world to quite down. This is related to avoiding the mundane at all
costs. It is difficult having a thin skin and feeling down is something you live
with a great deal. Others sometimes see you as pessimistic and melancholy,
particularly when you are feeling stressed. Understanding yourself is a very
important and ongoing quest. One of the difficulties you have at work is
sometimes feeling envious of those who seem to have what you want. This
can result in you engaging in competition and even wiping out the
competition.
You find it difficult to work in a team, particularly when you are the least
skilled. You do like special attention from those you consider the golden
people. You do not want to be just one of the crowd. You are sensitive to
rejection or exclusion. Following the vision or dream can really energise you
and you sometimes throw caution to the wind in its pursuit. It is the thrill of the
chase rather than getting there which motivates you. You often find yourself in
roles that involve emotional intensity or associated with a worthwhile cause
such as crisis counsellor. You need to believe in the cause and to see the
challenge to stay focused.

Key motivators

• Recognition and rewards that distinguish them from others
• Emotional engagement with people
• Interesting and varied work

Leadership style

• Energetic
• Vigorous
• Goal focused
• Unique presentation
• Heart driven
• Competitive
• Challenging
• Motivating
• Moody
• Subjective
• Emotionally intense
• High standards
• Flexible
• Spontaneous
• Non-rule driven
• Self-expressive
• Innovative
• Stimulating
• Inspired
• Imaginative
• Self aware
• Genuine
• Sense of humour
• Principled

Considerations for giving feedback

• Create a warm and personal atmosphere.
• Ask the participant to describe their strengths and challenges.
• Reinforce the importance of their contribution.
• Use your sense of humour – it will be appreciated.
• Be careful when focusing on areas which the participant may be sensitive about.
• Explore how they stay committed and interested at work.
• Explore how they believe they make a unique contribution.

Considerations for receiving feedback

• Stay objective when reviewing the report.
• How do you stay on task in the workplace?
• Do you need to work on being a team player?
• Would others describe you as moody and/or emotionally intense?
• Do you receive enough special attention at work?
• Are you overly focussed on people issues?
• Do you love and create a sense of drama?
• Explore ongoing learning opportunities with your manager.

5. Observer ‘Watch and you will see what others do not see’

Description

You do not look for attention in the workplace and you prefer to work on your
own. Teamwork and open plan work environments are not appealing to you
as they disrupt your thinking patterns. You prefer to be given time and space
to think things through on your own and don not like having to think on your
feet. You can find it difficult to be spontaneous.
You have a natural thirst for knowledge and learning and it is important that
you achieve a depth of understanding. You enjoy research activities and
people often seek you out for your opinion and expertise. Your source of
power in the workplace is your knowledge, although you do not offer
information readily. You are not interested in the frills and trappings; you can
get by as long as you have what you need to continue thinking. You are not a
person who indulges in life’s excesses.
You do not like to be drawn into other’s worlds and you value your
independence and privacy. You use your energy to focus on what is
important. You do not readily reach out to people at work and you do not
enjoy small talk. Sometimes your need for privacy and detachment may be
interpreted as arrogance and rejection. Some people may describe you as
detached and aloof and sometimes you feel detached from yourself, almost
as if you are an interested bystander observing yourself.
Your favourite occupation is engaging in intellectual pursuits. Living in your
mind means that you do not suffer from boredom and loneliness as a rule.
The most stressful times at work are when you feel that you have been drawn
into other people’s agendas and you are spread too thinly. You value your
emotional control, as it does not thwart your rational processes. The trap of
over intellectualising your feelings is a real one for you. You may think through
your feelings rather than actually feel them.
You try to avoid conflict and are extremely productive when you do not have
to work in the spotlight. Once you commit to a project you are a tireless
worker, particularly if it is mentally challenging. This is what inspires you, not
public recognition. You are much more comfortable when the focus is on the
task and not the people, although you do have an interest in understanding
the culture at work. You can become quite fascinated with what are the key
values and players in the workplace. You generally fulfil the roles and
responsibilities required of you at work and can even manage to look quite
extroverted if that is what is required to influence others. You carve out your
own territory at work and want to control what takes place in it. You lead from
inside your office and once you have thought things through you are happy to
delegate. You will do this in a methodical and structured way. Spending too
much time with people during a working day can leave you drained and the
only way to recharge is to spend time on your own. Home is your sanctuary,
where you are free to privately review what has taken place during the day
and prepare for tomorrow.

Key motivators

• Intellectual challenges
• Autonomy and privacy
• Opportunities to focus on task

Leadership style

• Scholarly
• Dispassionate
• Self-controlled
• Polite
• Planned
• Quiet
• Patient
• Conflict avoidant
• Thorough
• Analytical
• Remote
• Factual
• Calm
• Ideas focused
• Private
• Independent
• Cerebral
• Pragmatic
• Methodical
• Steady
• Abstract thinking
• Logical
• Orderly
• Concise

Considerations for giving feedback

• Provide a briefing before the feedback session so the participant can prepare.
• Establish your credentials and maintain credibility.
• Encourage the participant not to analyse the process, but to simply trust it.
• Take a quiet, measured approach.
• Don’t ask too many open-ended questions. Be precise and concise.
• Encourage feelings to surface if appropriate.
• Present your comments in a logical and objective manner.

Considerations for receiving feedback

• Suspend your doubts and trust the feedback process.
• Do not analyse or critique the process – for a while anyway!
• How can you work more closely with others in the workplace?
• Concentrate on how you feel about the 360 processes rather than what you think.
• How do you work with others?
• Do you avoid conflict?
• Personally thank each member of your rating team.

6. Questioner ‘Action is always preceded by doubt’

Description

You like to question things and rarely take them at face value. This sometimes
leads people to see you as anti-authoritarian or rebellious. In fact, you can
take the opposite side of an argument just for the sake of it. You feel most
comfortable when you are questioning things and you are a very good devil’s
advocate.
You like to know where authority lies in the workplace as this allows you to
decide whether you can trust who is in charge or whether you will challenge
them. You can attribute too much power to those you feel are in authority. The
people you see to be powerful can make you feel powerless. Your response
to people in power is therefore either one of compliance and seeking
protection for rebellion. In other words passive or aggressive.
You like to think things through carefully before taking action and the pace of
today’s workplace can make this difficult for you. People can see you as a
procrastinator and blocker because of your need to engage in a private
decision-making process. You often have difficulty making up your mind and
this is compounded by the fact that you like things to be ordered and
predictable. Constant change in the workplace can cause you consternation
and you have a tendency to imagine worst-case scenarios when things are
uncertain. Despite your dislike of change, you can often change quite
unpredictably yourself.
You set yourself high goals, but do not enjoy openly competing with others.
You do not want your success to be contingent upon another person’s failure.
You are not always good at completion. Sometimes this is a result of selfdoubt,
which causes a lack of confidence. You are most likely to finish tasks if
faced with opposition. You are highly creative and imaginative. It is important
to prove yourself to others, although you do not enjoy public recognition. You
really enjoy a difficult challenge and this is when your leadership skills can
really come to the fore. Once you identify challenges, you become engrossed
in action and achieve results. This is a much more comfortable position for
you than imagining worst-case scenarios.
Conflict and anger in the workplace cause you anxiety. However, you are
good at asking hard questions, which others may avoid. You can become
quite aggressive if you are attacked but this masks your inner doubts. Your
capacity to see the flaws makes you a good troubleshooter. You are
conscious of any threats in the environment and almost have a sixth sense
when it comes to reading the motives and agendas of others.
You enjoy interacting with people and it is very important to you that people
are treated fairly. You like organisational systems to be clear and consistent.
Favouritism in the workplace is a real irritant. You can often be found on the
side of the underdog. You do not trust people readily, but once you do, you
are extremely loyal, especially when times get tough. You find it extremely
difficult to forgive people who are inconsistent and untruthful
Sometimes you can misconstrue what people are saying as a result of your
analytical mind. You prefer to work in a team, rather than in isolation. As you
can tend to be too tough on yourself, receiving ongoing feedback, particularly
from a trusted colleague or mentor, can dispel anxieties you may have about
your performance.

Key motivators

• Warding off future disaster
• Focusing on long-term benefits
• Security

Leadership style

• Analytical
• Focused on areas of difficulty
• Modest
• Cautious
• Creative
• Team focused
• Ambivalent
• Security conscious
• Troubleshooting
• Questioning
• Loyal
• Procrastinating
• Problem solving
• Sceptical
• Private
• Low maintenance
• Strategic
• Contrary
• Tentative

Considerations for giving feedback

• When establishing rapport, bear in mind that the participant may be anxious.
• Be careful not to be overly positive.
• Look for opportunities to provide reassurance about performance.
• Allow the participant to disclose their self-doubts and questions.
• Explore the possibility of ongoing feedback and/or a mentor.

Considerations for receiving feedback

• Approach the 360 process with confidence.
• Accept positive feedback as genuine perceptions.
• What is your relationship with your manager like?
• Do you have feelings of ambivalence about yourself as a leader?
• How do you deal with conflict?
• How do you establish trust in your team?
• How do you handle having to be visible/public in a leadership role?
• Focus on presenting a positive, confident image.

7. Adventurer ‘Work so you can play’

Description

You need your work to be constantly stimulating and interesting and will often
find yourself involved in short-term projects which keep your attention
harnessed. You like to have multiple options and not to be hemmed in. Your
career has probably been interesting, reflecting a pursuit of different
opportunities. You are not afraid of taking risks to achieve results.
You know exactly what you want to achieve and you expect others to share
your vision. You have a talent for strategic planning and you derive energy
from focusing on the future and its possibilities. You are effective in the startup
phase of an operation, but can easily lose interest once a steady state is
achieved. Long-term commitment is generally not a strong point and your
priorities can shift very quickly. Becoming involved in too many new projects
can be an issue and procrastination can set in.
A thirst for learning is always present and you really need to be involved in
work you consider to be enjoyable. You have confidence in your own abilities
and can sometimes overrate them, even to yourself. This positive and
enthusiastic nature can lead you into situations where you have to wing it.
You do not like to be immersed in problem situations in the workplace. You
have a tendency to reframe them as being positive or you may move on to
something different to delay dealing with them.
People at work generally find you engaging and charming. This is a strong
source of influence and you love to meet new people and network. You are
good at verbally influencing others and you are inclined to oversell ideas and
opportunities. You like to work with people who appreciate you and who have
similar beliefs and interests. Accepting negative feedback is difficult as you
have an idealised sense of self-worth. It can be difficult for you to have
empathy for other people. You tend to avoid other people’s pain and your own
negative feelings by moving on to the next experience.
You are quite comfortable with the demands of travel if it is part of your job.
You avoid conflict in the workplace as you like things to be positive. However,
you do blame others when things go wrong. You also lack tolerance when
others are critical of you and you may ridicule them. Instead of directly
engaging in conflict you find ways to reinterpret or get around the rules. You
like to be spontaneous and have no difficulty with the demands of constant
change. In fact, you welcome change as a steady routine is difficult for you to
maintain. You are good under pressure and find open-ended arrangements
appealing. You find rules and regulations in the workplace extremely limiting
and frustrating and you do not enjoy bureaucratic processes. You like to
equalise power in the workplace as much as possible.

Key motivators

• New and exciting opportunities
• Team approval and acceptance
• Multiple options to explore

Leadership style

• Egalitarian
• Upbeat
• Self-directed and motivated
• Enthusiastic
• Changeable
• Strategic
• Adventurous
• Positive
• Persuasive
• Independent
• Commitment phobic
• Charming
• Conflict avoidant
• Spontaneous
• Imaginative
• Fast paced
• Unreliable
• Theoretical
• Creative
• Visionary

Considerations for giving feedback

• Begin with the positives.
• Gently encourage the participant to explore negative issues.
• Explore the participant’s career path to date – is it a series of short-term commitments?
• Discuss plans for ongoing development.
• Explore the possibility of ongoing feedback and/or a mentor.
• Encourage them to treat their professional/personal development as a veryinteresting project.

Considerations for receiving feedback

• Treat the 360 process as a new opportunity.
• How split is your focus in the workplace?
• How hard is it for you to accept negative feedback?
• Do you have a plan for ongoing personal development?
• How difficult do you find commitment?
• How do you deal with authority and hierarchy in the workplace?
• How do you ensure you follow through ideas to implementation?
• Look for opportunities for ongoing feedback.

8. Asserter ‘Take charge of those who need it’

Description

You are often described as the ‘salt of the earth’. You are down to earth and
direct with others. What you see is what you get. You do not like dealing with
hidden agendas or closed communication styles and honesty is of paramount
importance. You are an energetic and strong person. Authority comes
naturally to you and you often find yourself in leadership positions. You find it
easy to be assertive and you are not afraid of conflict. You do not respect
people who wilt under fire. You are noticed in the workplace, as your style is
to make your presence felt. In fact you enjoy being noticed. You are very
definite about getting your way and will always say what you think, however
unpalatable it is for others. Once you have things off your chest, you feel
much better. You may intimidate others and people may regard you as
aggressive. You may seek retribution if you feel you have been wronged.
Others will often be aware of your anger and displeasure, even though you try
not to show it. This can make people in the workplace concerned about
crossing you and can be detrimental to relationships.
Your energy levels mean that you are usually active and involved. When you
are pursuing important goals your energy can be excessive. You can readily
see what is right and wrong and you will jump into action accordingly. It is
difficult for you to see the other side of things as you have very definite views.
You set goals and then set about meeting them as efficiently as possible. You
like to work in teams and can be very protective/supportive of your friends and
those you feel need it, although you do have a tendency to take charge of
other people’s lives too readily. You like to know what is going on and expect
to be consulted. Some team members may become dependent on your
strength.
You do not trust people until you are quite certain that you can. You can put
people to the test to determine whether or not they are dependable. Once the
test has been passed, you are willing to show your vulnerability and to
become closer to people. It is important to you that justice takes place at
work. You do not like to see power misused or abused. You do not want
others to control you. Rules in the workplace may be put to the test if you see
them as being overly controlling. Sometimes you find yourself not only making
the rules, but also breaking them. You would rather see strong leadership
than rules being enforced for the sake of it. You are territorial by nature and
are likely to have set up a comfortable, secure working space. This can be a
sanctuary as you are comfortable withdrawing from others at work, particularly
during times of stress.

Key motivators

• Making sure justice occurs
• Attention from others
• A leadership role

Leadership style

• Assertive
• Determined
• Forthright
• Direct
• Persistent
• Demanding
• Protective
• Hearty
• Strong
• Unambiguous
• Confrontational
• Independent
• Fair
• Energetic
• Supportive
• Intimidating
• Dynamic
• Powerful
• Excessive
• Combative
• Tough
• Outspoken

Considerations for giving feedback

• Be clear when outlining the feedback process.
• Encourage the participant to reflect slowly on the feedback and avoid hasty conclusions.
• Do not withhold any information.
• Set boundaries and do not give up control of the process.
• Explore how they create constructive relationships.

Considerations for receiving feedback

• Remind yourself that this can be very valuable process.
• Do you always assume leadership?
• How sensitive are you to feedback from others?
• Do you blame others too readily?
• How in tune with other people’s needs are you?
• Seek feedback from people you have had conflict with in the past.

9. Peacemaker ‘Live and let live’

Description

You are an excellent mediator as you are able to see all points of view.
People regard you as neutral territory. You can find this slows you down as it
makes it difficult to make decisions. You feel much more comfortable agreeing
with others than disagreeing openly. People often assume you agree with
them when you don’t, but you usually don’t tell them. It can be difficult for you
to identify your own feelings as they have a tendency to merge with he
feelings of other people. Spontaneous decision making is a challenge.
Ambivalence is part of your makeup and you have a background restlessness
or questioning as to whether you are in the right place. You find personal
decisions the most difficult to make. It can feel like you are stuck when you
are trying to make a personal decision and you can become obsessive about
it. Others may feel uninformed as you ponder your decision. In fact, other’s
needs seem more important than your own.
You enjoy working in a pleasant and harmonious environment and find conflict
very upsetting. Being assertive can be a real challenge and you will often say
nothing rather than say no. Most people would describe you as a nice person.
You are valued for your wisdom, positive approach and understanding. One
thing to guard against is listening too much to others and spending too much
time in consultation rather than action. You are generally fairly placid and
relaxed. However, anger is the emotion that will surface if you are upset.
Occasionally, it can even erupt. You can also express your anger in less
direct ways, such as through procrastination and avoidance. You can also be
stubborn if you are not getting what you want.
You enjoy working in a team and team building and playing are your natural
skills. You are genuinely pleased to share and acknowledge team and team
member success.
You generally do not like to lead from the front and are much more
comfortable behind the scenes. You like to be appreciated, but too much
direct attention can be a source of embarrassment. You enjoy positive
appraisal, but will never seek it out. Being accepted and liked for yourself is
important.
You are not likely to be the instigator of major change in the workplace, but
you accept change and do not work against it. You like things to be clear and
straightforward and do not like to have multi-faceted options and goals. This
can feel overwhelming and can lead to a feeling of paralysis. Once you are
clear about your goals, you pursue them with zeal. Under stress, you need to
ensure that you are focusing on the important goals and not trivia. You thrive
in an environment which is familiar, structured and dynamic. You like goals to
be clearly defined and a structured timetable or routine to be laid out. It is also
important for reward systems to be clear and structured.

Key motivators

• Working in a harmonious team
• Clear and structured rewards and goals
• Space and time to make your own decisions

Leadership style

• Calm
• Measured
• Gentle
• Accommodating
• Responsible
• Accepting
• Non-directive
• Consultative
• Fair
• Cautious
• Structured
• Responsible
• Indecisive
• Harmonious
• Team-focused
• Diplomatic
• Ambivalent
• Relaxed

Considerations for giving feedback

• Encourage the participant to explore their own needs and direction.
• Allow time for reflection.
• Explore the participant’s own opinions.
• Explore how they deal with conflict and aggression.
• Encourage opportunities for proactivity.
• Ask if they feel others listen to them.

Considerations for receiving feedback

• Maintain your own perceptions – don’t be swayed too easily.
• How do you know and meet your own needs at work?
• How do you manage to be assertive?
• Do you have difficulty in making decisions?
• Do you avoid conflict?
• Do you overly accommodate others?
• Make sure you explore issues with your manager.