Friday, June 8, 2012
Lessons from the Lunchlady: Pass the Personality
As part of my management training, I was required to take a personality test. At first I thought, hmmm...I wonder what this is all about. The good news...I have a personality. The bad news...it wasn't all that surprising.
We were all presented with one sheet of paper that had four columns and we were told to check off the words that applied to us.
Some of the words: firm, bold, goal driven, creative, fun loving, infectious laughter, accurate, discerning, factual, enjoys routine, adaptable, patient.
The column you had the most checks in was your personality type.
Not surprising, I am an otter/socializer. My strengths are that I'm optimistic, energetic, a motivator, an innovator, and a risk taker. My weaknesses are that I hate structure, I avoid detail, I tend to be impatient and I day dream often.
I AM THE QUEEN OTTER. I have just about every stinkin characteristic of this category. There were only six of us in the entire group. The dominate group was the Golden Retriever. The peacemaker. They are warm and friendly, loyal and good listeners. My second highest column.
These results weren't very surprising since we all work in a school district and people are our business. The two dominating personalities were people central. The other two, which are task oriented, the beaver and the lion, were much smaller.
The training held my attention but it didn't really clarify how to work with the task oriented people efficiently. I mean let's be serious without task oriented people who are firm, bold, goal driven, accurate, discerning, and factual, few things get done.
Knowing this, however, doesn't help me convey information more efficiently with them. I like to tell a story. They don't really like to listen. I seek approval and attention. They don't like to give it. I day dream and they find that annoying.
How do I know? I've been married to a beaver for nearly 16 years and I still haven't figured out how to effectively communicate with him.
Are you married to someone with a similar or completely different personality?
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About Me
- kisatrtle
- I'm a 41 year old (gasp) freelance writer, school cafeteria manager, wife and mother. I have three children and one anxious and overweight beagle. I use my blog to make others laugh, to share some cool crafts, to document my lunchlady adventures and to lament about the challenges faced by us all on the journey called life. Thanks for visiting. Please leave some crack...um...I meant some comments.
5 random thoughts:
I wish I could see this lil test, I wonder what I would be.
Ha... lovin' the "Otter" reference... My Otter is a little bit more serious than most I believe but if you need a fellow Otter to commiserate with some day, I'm sure he would lend an ear.
Scott and I are a great balance... polar opposites in some ways and identical in others. I really feel like we both appreciate the differences the other brings to the relationship.
I have a feeling you and your husband are much the same. :O)
Can you identify what your kids are?
I love taking these kinds of tests. I always find it interesting what they come up with. Sometimes they work and sometimes they are way off.
As for my hubby and me, we are different in many ways. He is a serious task master and even he says he'd hate to have himself as a boss. I, on the other hand, take a different track to get people to do what I need done. When I was a supervisor in nursing, the people that worked with me knew they better get their job done and done right. I was pretty matter of fact about that, but I was also very pleasant, understanding and friendly, as long as you weren't a screw up. But don't cross me by not doing your job, because then a whole other side of me comes out.
Dave tends to just be a nag and very much a micro manager. He thinks I'm disorganized, probably because of the way my craft room always looks, but at work everything had a place and was in it all nice and neat. So I guess it depends on where we are, who I am. Know what I mean.
Communication is a tough thing, I'm sure you'll do fine with the new job, you'll figure out ways to get your point across.
I love the animal names! An otter and a beaver, huh? Interesting!!! I'm sure Mr. Jenners and I are different animals as well.
Ooooh yeah! But they say that opposites attract, right?