The Four Personality Styles Part 3

Have you ever wondered what factors are at work to explain why some people attract us and others repel us? For example, have you ever met someone and felt an immediate connection? No doubt you admired this person’s positive character and personality. But what about the opposite experience where you immediately clash with or take a dislike to the person you have met? Are they really difficult and undesirable or might some other factor be at work to explain the bad chemistry?

Understanding human personality has been a hot topic ever since the ancient Greek physician Hippocrates attributed people’s moods, emotions, and behaviors to an excess or lack of certain body fluids. Thankfully, behavioral science researchers have advanced our knowledge of such things since then, and have identified four personality styles and four accompanying styles of communication. The four styles are:

• The Supporter
• The Socializer
• The Analytical
• The Director

Everyone has a communication style which determines how you present yourself to others and how you are perceived by others. Another way of looking at it is to say that 75% of the population has a different style than you – not better, not worse, just different. Your communication style affects your ability to connect with others – whether family, friend, or co-worker. Communicating effectively with others depends on being able to identify their behavior style and then responding appropriately to it.

Our individual differences are what make us collectively stronger! That is because these differences will challenge our weaknesses and provide diversity in our thinking. Each one of us has a preferred behavioral pattern. Each of us has within us these four behavioral styles, but our core style has been within us since an early age.

We have now come to look at the third type – the Analytical.

The Analytical

Analytical personalities are task-oriented (vs. people-oriented) and indirect (vs. direct).

Task-oriented individuals are not easily influenced by the opinions of other people, but rather base their decisions on logic and facts. They focus on the task at hand and do not appreciate distractions from others.

Being indirect means the Analytical is patient and reserved. They like to operate behind the scenes. Their combination of task-orientation and indirectness makes Analyticals quiet and results-oriented problem solvers.

You might be an Analytical if you are:

• Methodical
• Persistent
• Independent
• Organized
• Cautious
• Conscientious
• Calculating

Understanding the Analytical

“I’m going to put my head down and make sure I get this right.”

Here are some essential things to know to help you understand and communicate effectively with an Analytical:

• Their priority: accuracy
• Their pain point: to be wrong or criticized
• Their typical questions start with “How?”
• Performs best: when they have facts and evidence and can be systematic, thorough, and precise
• Don’t get too personal with them
• Compliment them on the precision and accuracy of their work

As you read about the four personality types, remember that every type has its own needs, values, and motivators. People who are different than you aren’t “difficult” – they’re just different! With greater understanding of these behavior types comes better communication and more productive interactions between individuals!

Meg Soper is a motivational humorist speaker who can help you learn to laugh along the way of life as you take on life’s stressors. Get in touch with Meg today!

Why does Meg get booked for speaking events again and again? Find out!

More posts? Bring it on!

• 8 Strategies for Effective Conflict Management in the Workplace
• Why Use Humor as a Motivational Tool in the Workplace?
• Generations & the Workplace: “Now Let’s All Just Get Along!”