I hate losing! So much so in fact, if you were to ask my brother
what it was like to play a board game with me growing up, he would roll his
eyes and tell you the stories of how I was terrible of a loser. This wasn't
just a pout in the corner. This was quit-in-the-middle-of-the game because
there is no way I was going to win and then I refuse-to play-with-him-again
mad. While I still hate losing (and refuse to play any board games,) I am glad
to report I have become a more graceful loser.
My fierce competitive spirit was the same when it came to middle
school dodge ball. While I know for many just the words “dodge ball” elicits
chills running up and down your spine, and not the good kind. It’s the kind
that spreads fear and dread through you. However, I have found that the way I
handled dodge ball tells me a lot about who I am today. It also tells me about the
type of employees that I want to surround myself with as a team.
Think back to middle school and you are in the gym, the P.E.
teacher blows the whistle and everyone runs to grab dodge balls then you take
your place. Where do you go?
A. Are
you the person who is standing in the middle of the group talking to your
friends?
B. Are
you standing as close to the wall as physically possible?
C. Are
you up at the front line throwing the balls as hard as you can?
D. Are
you the one who comes up with a plan to win that you follow at all cost?
You are probably thinking, well I fit a few of these. That is
okay, I just want you to pick the one that you MOST relate to back in the day.
If you get hit by the ball because you are standing in the middle
of the group talking. You are a High I or Influencer personality. You are a
goldfish. You are typically the life of the party and you know everyone in the
office and are the head of the party planning committee. You are able to shape
your environment by influencing or persuading others. You do a great job at
making everyone feel included and can start up a conversation with a stranger
and be best friends by the end of it.
If you are the person who is standing as close to the wall as
physically possible and who has nightmares about being hit by the dodge ball,
you are a high S or Steady personality. You are the golden retriever. You are
loyal and want to avoid conflict as much as possible. You are the person that
when conflict does come up in the office, you want to go make sure everyone
makes up as soon as possible, so that things will be back to “normal.” You are
great at working with others to make sure a task gets completed with as little
conflict as possible.
The next people are on the front lines of the dodge ball game. They
are the people who get “out” the most. You are my people. This group is called
the high D or Dominant personality. The animal that most describes us is a
lion. If you need something done regardless of the ramifications, it is in your
best interest to find someone who is a high D personality. On the flip side,
often when they do take charge the ramifications can be like an atomic bomb detonating.
The final group are the people who are making sure that every rule
is followed. If you could opt out of playing and be the referee, that would be
your dream. They are high C or Compliant personalities. You are an owl. You
thrive on quality and accuracy in everything that you do. You are the one who
gathers, criticizes, and test all the information that you receive to come up
with the best plan.
Every single person who gets to the interview stage at BCI is
required to take a personality assessment. In fact, most of the time we ask any
qualified candidate to take it when they send in their resume and cover letter.
We take time to benchmark what type of personality would be the best fit for
specific roles in our company. Understanding personality types has helped us
come a long way in relating to each other as a team and giving us specific
parameters to look for when we are ready to bring on an additional team member.
If you are interested in having your team go through personality
assessments, email natalie@bobclements.com for a
FREE assessment.
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