We all agree that it is important to continue to learn and try new things. This may take the form of learning about new technologies, like CRISPR, or software programs that provide new levels of productivity at work. But sometimes it’s important to simply learn more about oneself. Over the years I have found Myers Briggs, the Four Personality Types and various theories on personality interesting. They have helped me understand how I communicate and how I may be perceived, and also provide insights as to how others may prefer to interact. I can use this information to constantly improve my social and business skills. Recently there has been more written on this subject.
The latest tool I have enjoyed in my quest to develop my own self-discovery and how people interact is Grentchen Rubin’s book about the Four Tendencies. This should not be confused with methods to characterize personalities, but rather brilliantly uses one question to help you understand why you and others may respond differently to internal and external expectations. She explains that people fit into Four Tendencies: Upholders, Questioners, Obligers, and Rebels. She goes on to say that “Our Tendency shapes every aspect of our behavior, so understanding this framework lets us make better decisions, meet deadlines, suffer less stress and burnout, and engage more effectively. The Four Tendencies explain why we act and why we don’t act.”
If you don’t have time to read the book but would like to learn more about this, she has a quiz on line that takes just a few minutes and can be very enlightening. Large, successful companies, like Illumina, and others, are including this in their corporate training programs, so why don’t you?