Perceptions....

Day 35

I've been pretty excited about this class I'm currently taking  It's "Organizational Behavior and Group Dynamics."  Those of you that know my current work situation might have a small grasp on why I have been so geeked about taking this.  Anyhoo, this week, we had to take this behavioral self-assessment.  So, I did.  I answered all the questions honestly and got my results.  I read through and decided that, yeah, it's pretty much me - even the bad parts. 

The assignment is for our group and there's a paper due and blah blah blah.  There was a part after the assessment that caught my eye - it suggested that we have friends and co-workers do the assessment on us as well.  So, I shot off an email to 10 friends/relatives/co-workers and asked them to do it.  Here's where it gets interesting.  First, I don't get to see who says what - nor do I care.  I just get to see the end result.  The picture below is my graph with the results of those who have answered the questions.

The "S" is mine.  The "B" is the average of the little triangles.  The little triangles are friends/co-workers and the square is a classmate.  Obviously, this tweaked my interest just a bit as people see me different than I see myself.  Here's what each of the areas (that pertain to me) mean.

the need to control and the need to achieve. The D Styles are goal-oriented go-getters who are most comfortable when they are in charge of people and situations. They want to accomplish many things now, so they focus on no-nonsense approaches to bottom-line results.

The Dominance Styles seek expedience and are not afraid to bend the rules. They figure it is easier to beg forgiveness than to ask permission. The D Styles accept challenges, take authority, and plunge headfirst into solving problems. They take charge in a crisis. They are fast-paced, task-oriented, and work quickly and impressively by themselves, which means they become annoyed with delays. They are willing to challenge outdated thinking and ideas.

So, yeah, I can see that in myself.  How about you?

The Dominance Style (Ds) - which is the one that I assessed myself at - are driven by two governing needs:

 

The Interactive Style’s strengths are enthusiasm, charm, persuasiveness, and warmth. They are gifted in people skills and communication skills with individuals as well as groups. They are great influencers. They are idea-people and dreamers who excel at getting others excited about their vision. They are optimists with an abundance of charisma. These qualities help them influence people and build alliances to accomplish their goals.

Ok, so some of this I can see and I can definitely see why others might see me that way, but I don't think of myself as having an "abundance of charisma."

This is the one that throws me a bit -

The Cautious Style (Ci) - a friend or co-worker picked this one - are analytical, persistent, systematic people who enjoy problem solving. They are detail-oriented, which makes them more concerned with content than style. The C Styles are task-oriented people who enjoy perfecting processes and working toward tangible results. They are almost always in control of their emotions and may become uncomfortable around people who are very out-going, e.g., the Interactive Styles. The Interactive Style (Ic) - which my friends apparently think I am - are friendly, enthusiastic "partyanimals" who like to be where the action is. They thrive on the admiration, acknowledgment, and compliments that come with being in the limelight. The I Styles just want to have fun. They are more relationship-oriented than task-oriented. They would rather "schmooze" with clients over lunch than work in the office.