We are all different, but we are all the same. We all have similar emotional and physical needs, but we all possess individual differences in basic temperament. ‘Personality’ means a relativity fixed set of feelings, behaviours, and responses – long-term features that comprise a person’s personality ‘make up’ or ‘profile’. And of course each different ‘profile’ will elicit different feelings, behaviours, and responses from other differing ‘profiles’. Personality profiling has been around for hundreds and hundreds of years. One of the most popular in the business world today is the Myers & Briggs personality type indicator (MBTI), but there are others as well. And, there are also free tests on line that will give you a ball park idea of where you land.
More recently, because attempts have been made to understand personality as related to the inner workings of the brain, we can now map and ‘read’ the brain through advanced brain imaging technology, and the field is expanding every day.
There is value to understanding that there are different types of people in the world. At a more physical level, every person has specific behaviour tendencies, and although no two people are alike, these ‘tendencies’ can be grouped and analyzed within four separate quadrants for behaviour profiling. When you understand your own behavioural patterns (or tendencies), and what they actually ‘look’ like, then you can acquire some insight into what impact others will have on you – on your own feelings, thoughts and behaviour. You will also become more tolerant of others by understanding that not everyone is just like you, nor will everyone like or dislike exactly the same things. When you understand ‘who’ you are and the impact other behaviour types have on you, only then will you be able to understand the impact your behaviour has on others, and then learn to adjust your behaviour habits to bring the best out in all those around you.
The more you understand your own and other people’s behaviour, the more capable you are to use your skill of Positive Presence to create a positive outlook.