What's Your Personality Style? 

Type One: "Total Quality Management"
Principled and earnest, Type One individuals strive for excellence and flawless execution of whatever projects they are involved in. The focus is on correcting error, continuous improvement, maintaining high standards, and pride in a job well done. Ones can become too rigid in their thinking, and insistent that others conform to their ideals. In their desire to help others improve their performance, One managers can be perceived as overly demanding and critical. back

Type Two: "Relationship Management"
Type Two individuals place a high value on interpersonal relationships. Optimistic and up-beat, they enjoy mentoring others and going the extra mile to keep a customer happy. Twos are often in the role of "right-hand-man" to senior managers and those on the rise, and take a personal stake in helping the other succeed. They can have a hard time saying no to requests, and begin to feel personally responsible for the welfare of others, a division, or entire organization. back

Type Three: "Results Driven"
Threes project a successful, polished, "can-do" image that is valued and rewarded in business. They are prodigious producers who excel at finding the most efficient way of reaching a goal. Focused and driven, they value promotions, awards, and other outward measures of success. These individuals may begin to define themselves by their accomplishments, cut corners for expediency, and write off associates who are not as single-minded and determined to "win." back

Type Four: "The Artiste"
Fours value the unique, the original, and the creative. Imaginative and independent, they eschew templates and rules in favor of a new twist or daringly different approach. Fours are often found in creative fields, and in counseling professions where they readily empathize with the emotional distress of others. These individuals may overlook expedient, mundane solutions in favor of unexpected approaches. Their personal feelings about a situation may hamper their objectivity and delay decisive action. back

Type Five: "Management by Information"
Type Five individuals seek knowledge as a way to understand and respond to challenges. Intensely private, they happily spend long hours by themselves, gathering facts, analyzing possible outcomes, and testing theories. Patient observers, Fives do not allow their emotions to color their judgement, and thus can be counted on for objective feedback. They can become so immersed in data gathering that they neglect to act, and their reserve can alienate more socially-minded colleagues. back

Type Six: "Crisis Management"
Loyal and creative, Sixes take their responsibilities seriously, and focus on meeting the needs of the group (staff members are frequently referred to as "my people" or "my team"). They focus on what might go wrong in the future, and devote much energy to developing contingency plans and "what if" scenarios. They are quick to notice when people's actions don't match their words. At times, their hyper-vigilance can make them paranoid, and they may miss upside potentials. A desire for certainty can lead to second-guessing, procrastination, and settling for a tried and true solution. back

Type Seven: "The Entrepreneur"
Whether they have their own businesses or not, Sevens embody the entrepreneurial spirit of asking "what if," exploring new options, and devising new ways of doing things. Where others see problems, the unflaggingly optimistic Seven sees opportunities. Their skill at seeing how disparate elements can be combined in a cohesive way makes these individuals natural innovators. Since the possibility of failure is often not even considered, unexpected set-backs can leave Sevens in a tail spin. In attempting to avoid boredom and leave options open, Sevens may neglect to follow through on their many projects. back

Type Eight: "Chairman of the Board"
Commanding, assertive, direct, and self-confident, people with this style are natural leaders who can engender great loyalty from the rank and file. Eights seek power and control, and will test colleagues to see if they can hold their own against the Eight's formidable presence. A key issue is whether or not you can be trusted, and "yes-men" and "wimps" will be summarily dismissed. These individuals value justice and are quick to assist people who have been victimized in some way. Eights are often unaware that they intimidate others with their angry outbursts and blunt pronouncements. back

Type Nine: "Building Consensus"
A special gift of Nines is the ability to understand many different points of view, and diplomatically engineer peaceful compromises. Their easy-going optimism ("Everything will work out") is calming when tensions are running high. Style Nine individuals enjoy routine, consistent processes, and building consensus. They can have a hard time asserting their own point of view for fear that "rocking the boat" will anger others. They may distract themselves with inessential activities to avoid having to make a decision. back