the four animals A Brief History of Personality Indicators

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1 Be Inspired! This is a workshop to increase our capacity in understanding how we relate to other people and how they relate to us. It is an intentional step to resolving Gods designed Communication Tension as we resolve Gods designed Creative and Legacy Tension. God has given us 16 different personality types, 5 love languages, 5 Learning styles, 5 conflict tolerances, 4 leadership styles, emotions to feel and free will in how we choose use them; wisely or not. We are using the DISC Personality System diagnostic and the Four Animals interpretive in this workshop both recognized as universal languages of behavior. Research has shown that behavioral characteristics can be grouped together in four major divisions called personality styles. People with similar styles tend to exhibit specific behavioral characteristics common to that style. All people share these four styles in varying degrees of intensity. The acronym DISC stands for the four personality styles represented by the letters: D is referenced as Dominant and represented as a Lion. I is referenced as Influence and represented as an Otter. S is referenced as Steadiness and represented as a Golden Retriever. C is referenced as Compliance and represented as a Beaver. The challenge for us is to improve our EQ, our Emotional Intelligence, while being intentional at resolving God designed tension and building powerful relationships that reflect Gods best in our lives. A Brief History of Personality Indicators The ancient Greeks were among the first to identify personality types which were based upon the beliefs that the body consisted of four major liquids the Greeks called humours (moods). Humours were based on the four elements of fire, air, water and earth. When one liquid became more dominant over the other liquids, the person s mood or personality was said to change. The four humours were blood, yellow bile, phlegm and black bile. (The History of Disc) If a person had too much of one liquid, a different personality type would become more apparent. An excess of blood made a person sanguine or confident and optimistic. Yellow bile resulted in a person with a choleric personality or one that is easily irritated or angered. Too much phlegm created a personality that showed apathy or was unconcerned. Black bile meant melancholia or someone that has a sad or depressing personality. Like the Greeks, many researchers have identified personality types and categorized the types into four areas. The chart below shows a comparison of four dimension personality instruments designed by different researchers. 1 P a g e

2 A Comparison of Four Dimension Personality Instruments 4 Animals DISC True Colours Hippocrates /Greeks Lion Dominance Green Choleric/ Yellow Bile Otter Influence Orange Sanguine / Blood Golden Retriever Steadiness Blue Phlegmatic / Phlegm Beaver Compliance Gold Melancholic / Black Bile Mirroring the four humours of the Greeks, William M. Marston developed a theory to explain emotional responses which he placed in the following four factors: Dominance, Influence, Steadiness and Compliance. These four factors became the DISC personality test. Carl Jung was another influential psychologist that defined personalities into four different types: Extraverted or introverted, sensing or intuitive, feeling or thinking, judging or perceiving. Jung believed that human behavior was not random but predictable. Out of Jung s research was the beginning of the Myers Briggs Inventory the MBI is used to identify how people perceive the world and make decisions. The personality indicator that we are using was developed by Gary Smalley and uses four animals that describe the four personality traits much like the four indicators in the DISC. The Lion likes to lead, is goal oriented and a good decision maker. The Otter loves people, is influencing and likes to motivate people. The Golden Retriever is sensitive, loyal and steady. The Beaver is organized and creative Like the 4 Animal test, the True Colors Inventory identifies four colors that represent corresponding personality types. Oranges are social and optimistic, Greens are analytical thinkers and inventive. Blues are personal and compassionate and Gold s are organized, prepared and spiritual. (Lowry) True Colors can also be used as an interview question or can be given to individuals or teams. The Four Animals Gary Smalley Each of us has been given a unique and distinctive personality that research has shown can be grouped into four categories. There have been many personality assessment models developed including the DISC profile, True Colours and the more comprehensive Myers Brigg Type Indicator. One of the most effective personality assessments we have found to help people better understand their personality type preference is The Four Animals. This model allows you to easily identify your personality preference with an animal type in mind. It also facilitates understanding each others personality types and helps build better relationships through effective communication. The Four Animals personality assessment model uses four animals; lions, beavers, golden retrievers and otters as their type indicators. The greatest value of having an understanding of your personality type preference is to better understand how you relate to others and how others relate to you. If you have ever sensed 2 P a g e

3 that the person you are talking to is not getting it, not listening, taking to long to get to the point, abstract, or missing the point then you have experienced two different personality types in action. If you have a better understanding of how you are giving or receiving communication Type Comparison 4 Animals Lion Otter Beaver Golden Retriever A.A.Milne Rabbit Tigger Eeyore/Gopher Pooh/ Pigglet Peanuts Lucy Snoopy Linus Charlie Brown Big Bang Theory Leonard Penny Sheldon Raj Seinfeld Elaine Cramer Gerry George Golden Girls Sophia Blanche Dorothy Rose NFL QB s Eli Manning Tim Tebow Peyton Manning Joe Flacco Biblical Leaders Paul Peter, Barnabas Moses, Ruth, Ester Abraham, Martha then you are better able to build your desired relationships and achieve your desired communication outcome. The key to looking more closely at your personality type preference is to have fun with it and remember that there is no right or wrong personality preference. 3 P a g e

4 Summary of The Four Animals with other personality assessments Lion Choleric Colours: (Green) DISC Profile: (Dominance) Carl Jung: (Sensing) Beaver Melancholy Colours: (Gold) DISC Profile: (Compliance) Carl Jung: (Thinking) Likes authority Confident Firm Enjoys challenges Problem solver Bold Goal driven Strong willed Self reliant Persistent Takes charge Determined Enterprising Competitive Productive Purposeful Adventurous Independent Controlling Action oriented Enjoys instructions Consistent Reserved Practical Factual Perfectionist Detailed Inquisitive Persistent Sensitive Accurate Controlled Predictable Orderly Conscientious Discerning Analytical Precise Scheduled Deliberate Otter Sanguine Colours: (Orange) DISC Profile: (Influence) Carl Jung: (Intuitive) Golden Retriever Phlegmatic Colours: (Blue) DISC Profile: (Steadiness) Carl Jung: (Feeling) Enthusiastic Visionary Energetic Promoter Mixes easily Fun-loving Spontaneous Creative-new ideas Optimistic Infectious laughter Takes Risks Motivator Very verbal Friendly Enjoys popularity Likes variety Enjoys change Group oriented Initiator Inspirational Sensitive feelings Calm Non-demanding Avoids confrontations Enjoys routine Warm and relational Adaptable Thoughtful Patient Good listener Loyal Even keeled Gives in Indecisive Dislikes change Dry humor Sympathetic Nurturing Tolerant Peace maker 4 P a g e

5 Summary of The Four Animals and the key indicators by animal type Lion KEYWORDS: Powerful - Driver BEST AT: Motivating people to action Giving quick and clear instruction Getting it done Leading PRESENTS AS: Authoritative and convincing MAJOR NEEDS: Action and excitement Relational Strengths Takes charge. Problem solver. Competitive. Enjoys change. Confrontational. Strengths out of Balance Too direct or impatient. Too busy. Cold blooded. Impulsive or takes big risks. Insensitive to others. Communication Style Direct or blunt. One-way. Weakness: Not as good a listener. Relational Needs Personal attention & recognition for what they do. Areas where he or she can be in charge. Opportunity to solve problems. Freedom to change. Challenging activities. Relational Balance Add softness. Become a great listener. Beaver KEYWORDS: Perfect - Analytical BEST AT: Planning and explaining the details Doing it right Sensitive to the needs of others Good with numbers, charts, graphs, etc. PRESENTS AS: Accurate and sincere MAJOR NEEDS: Order and understanding Relational Strengths Accurate and precise. Quality control. Discerning. Analytical. Strengths out of Balance Too critical or too strict. Too controlling. Too negative of new opportunities. Lose overview. Communication Style Factual. Two-way. Great listener (tasks). Weakness: Desire for detail and precision can frustrate others. Relational Needs Quality. Exact expectations. Relational Balance Total support is not always possible. Thorough explanation isn't everything 5 P a g e

6 Summary of The Four Animals and the key indicators by animal type Otter KEYWORDS: Popular - Expressive BEST AT: Making initial contact with people Creating enthusiasm and excitement Encouraging and uplifting others Insuring the group has fun PRESENTS AS: Outgoing and engaging MAJOR NEEDS: Fun and adventure Relational Strengths Optimistic. Energetic. Motivators. Future oriented. Strengths out of Balance Unrealistic or day-dreamer. Impatient or over bearing. Manipulator or pushy. Avoids details or lacks follow through. Communication Style Can inspire others. Optimistic or enthusiastic. One-way. Weakness: High energy can manipulate others. Relational Needs Approval. Opportunity to verbalize. Visibility. Social recognition. Relational Balance Be attentive to mate's needs. There is such a thing as too much optimism Golden Retriever KEYWORDS: Peaceful - Amiable BEST AT: Staying calm and functional Not over reacting to a negative situation Effective listener Making sure the group is relaxed and comfortable PRESENTS AS: Believable MAJOR NEEDS: Rest and quiet time Relational Strengths Warm & Relational. Loyal. Enjoys Routine. Peace-Maker. Sensitive Feelings. Strengths out of Balance Attract the hurting. Missed opportunities. Stays in a rut. Sacrifice own feelings for harmony. Easily hurt or holds a grudge. Communication Style Indirect. Two-way. Great listener. Weakness: Uses too many words or provides too many details. Relational Needs Emotional security. Agreeable Environment. Relational Balance Learn to say "NO" Establish emotional boundaries. Learn to confront when own feelings are hurt. 6 P a g e

7 Key Communication Facts for the 4 Animals Lion Dominant Take charge Leader don t mind telling people what to do Self-Confident don t mind taking risk natural confidence Task Oriented get the job done overcome obstacles Straight forward tell you exactly what they want and don t mince words Don t care a lot for details they prefer someone else handles them Extrovert determined by what being around other people does to your energy level Risk Taker have enough ego strength that if they fail at something they will just try something else. Can be confrontational if things are not on task they will get in your face to get things done Opinionated they have definite opinions are more than willing to share there s with you. Impatient since task orientated they will be impatient if you re in the way of getting things done. Can be controlling when things not going their way they can be controlling manipulative and bossy Biblical Personality Apostle Paul o A take charge kind of guy ready to take the Word to the world! o Whether tossed in prison, shipwrecked or beaten, he was going to get the job done Abrahams wife Sarah o Take charge personality; get rid of that slave women o Not the typical submissive wife we see in the Old Testament Primary Need of the Lion: to be respected. 7 P a g e

8 How to WORK with a Lion Be clear, specific, and to the point. Be prepared. Present your requirements, objectives, and support material without wasting their time. Involve them in developing a solution. Let them decide how to accomplish it and give them the freedom to do it by themselves. Clarify the limits of their authority and available resources. Don't back down when they attack. Take issue with the facts without confronting the person directly. What NOT to do around a Lion Chitchat. Try to develop a relationship. Approach them casually. Waste their time. Tell them what to do and expect them to do it. Expect them to pick up on your feelings or unspoken agenda. To be your best... Take time to gather information and think through the consequences of your decisions. Instead of just announcing your decision, explain your reasoning. Consult others, respect their input, and keep them informed. Cultivate patience. See the value of cooperation 8 P a g e

9 Key Communication Facts for the 4 Animals Otter - Influencer Sociable always busy entertaining you; the life of the party Talkative they always have a story to tell Outgoing they friendly and the connectors Encourager natural cheerleaders; first with congratulations when you have done something well; they like to inspire you Team Player rather be on a committee than work alone when there s a job to do. Extrovert - They get energy from other people. Peacemaker they don t like conflict; they don t like people to be upset with each other Persuasive they can talk you into anything. When they find something new they want to tell you all about it so you will be excited too! They are the public relations team! Not the most organized their workspace is not always neat; they know what they want is in there, somewhere! Avoid Conflict they will try and talk their way around a conflict Sensitive to peer pressure- very aware of how they are perceived Want to be liked careful not to do something that will cause people to dislike them. Bible Character Apostle Peter and Barnabas (son of encouragement) Peter was a great leader but caved into peer pressure He didn t want to eat with the gentiles when his Jewish brothers were around; he was concerned about what other people thought about them. Both Peter and Barnabas really exemplified the Influencer personality Primary Need: to feel liked 9 P a g e

10 How to WORK with an Otter Be friendly. Start your conversation in a personable way before getting down to business. Help them set clear, realistic goals. Develop timetables and check back with them frequently. Maintain an open door policy with them. Make them feel included. Set clear objectives and time frames for any major task. Look for ways to make the best use of their verbal skills. What NOT to do around an Otter Bore them with details. Freeze them out. Exclude them. Make them feel like an outsider. Ignore their ideas. Expect them to cope well with bureaucracy. To be your best... Develop time management skills. Listen. Question. Pause. Consider. Be more discriminating. Learn how to appraise people more realistically. Resist the urge to do something new. Rein in your impulsiveness. Cultivate perseverance. Become more reflective. 10 P a g e

11 Key Communication Facts for the 4 Animals Golden Retriever - Steady Worker Bees of the world Loves stability resistant to change; need to time to process change Dependable they will get the job done no matter what. If they say they will do something you can count on it. Routines gravitate towards jobs and tasks that have high repetition Loyal if you have one of these for a friend you have a friend for life Orderly they like all there ducks in a row and don t like things to get out of order Predictable they are so predicable they will always order the same thing at a restaurant Controlled environment they don t like a lot of surprise or change going on Introverted it doesn t bother them to be alone; that s how they get charged up. They like people; they just don t need to be around them all the time Careful they are careful with decisions and take time to think them through. They don t make hastry decisions. Don t handle change well like things to stay the same Clam up under pressure can t get an argument out of them; they will clam up and walk away but come back later to discuss it. Bible Character: Abraham, Martha Abraham; very loyal and trusting of what God had for him to do. He was not flashy kinda guy but he became the father of the nation of Israel. Martha is an example of a worker bee The Primary Need: to feel safe 11 P a g e

12 How to WORK with a Golden Retriever Be friendly. Start your conversation in a personable way before getting down to business. Tell them about future changes to give them time to adjust. Chat with them frequently. Ask them about themselves. Assign them fewer, larger projects. Encourage them to speak up at meetings. What NOT to do around Golden Retriever Pop changes on them. Confront them directly or make them feel personally attacked. Question their loyalty. Expect them to cope well with hostility or disapproval. To be your best... Become more flexible with your routines, more willing to negotiate change. Develop your assertiveness skills. Know that other people don't know what you're feeling or thinking. Learn how to disclose yourself appropriately. Cultivate assertiveness. Become more flexible. 12 P a g e

13 Key Communication Facts for the 4 Animals Beaver - Compliant Accurate they want to know how you want it done and will do it by the book. Detailed they don t care how long it will take as long as it is right Follow Instructions Beavers are the reasons instructions are in boxes. While everyone else goes by the seat of their pants the beavers actually read the instructions. Analytical they want to analyse every problem from every angle. If this happens then this will happen; they analyse in depth before they make a decision. Task-orientated want to et the job done like the lion but beavers want to make sure it is done right. Introverted they can work alone and they can be alone. Cautious they give careful consideration to decisions made Logical they love for things to follow through logically; it drives them crazy if it doesn t happen that way. Perfectionist they value accuracy and want things done right. Often miss the big picture because they are so focused on detail they become specialists but can miss where they specialty fits into the whole scheme of things. Stuff emotions they stuff them so much that they might just blow up. Bible Character: Moses, Ruth, Ester Moses: when called to get his people out of Egypt he first analysed it; who am I?, what if Pharaoh doesn t listen to me?, what if they ask your name? He tried to analyse the situation before he began the job. Ruth: had this trait also and ester did too. When Mordaci said she needed to talk to the King she couldn t unless he calls for her. What if I go and he doesn t receive me? Primary Need: to be right 13 P a g e

14 How to WORK with a Beaver Get right down to business. Present the facts. Focus on the issue. Involve them in defining standards and developing procedures. Ask their opinions. Wait for them to answer. Listen. Involve them in long term planning. Respect their personal limits. Train them in people skills and negotiating. What NOT to do around a Beaver Pop changes on them. Ask them to take on multiple projects at one time. Spend time on their feelings or ask them how they're really doing. Expect them to cope well with change. To be your best... Become more open to other people's ways of thinking and communicating. Learn when it is appropriate to settle for good enough. Gain perspective on the consequences of being wrong. Know that you don't have to know everything before voicing an opinion or making a decision. Cultivate acceptance. Become more assertive. 14 P a g e

15 The Diagnostic In the space provided, identify the degree in which the following characteristics or behaviors most accurately describe you. Total up your scores in the box below. The highest score is your personality type preference 0 = not at all 1= somewhat 2= mostly 3 = very much Likes control Enthusiastic Sensitive Consistent Confident Visionary Calm Reserved Firm Energetic Non-demanding Practical Likes challenge Promoter Enjoys routine Factual Problem solver Mixes easily Relational Perfectionist Bold Fun-loving Adaptable Detailed Goal Driven Spontaneous Thoughtful Inquisitive Strong willed Likes new ideas Patient Persistent Self-reliant Optimistic Good listener Sensitive Persistent Takes risks Loyal Accurate Takes charge Motivator Even-keeled Controlled Determined Very verbal Gives in Predictable Enterprising Friendly Indecisive Orderly Competitive Popular Dislikes change Conscientious Productive Enjoys variety Dry humor Discerning Purposeful Group oriented Sympathetic Analytical Adventurous Initiator Nurturing Precise Independent Inspirational Tolerant Scheduled Action oriented Likes change Peace maker Deliberate 15 P a g e