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Which Words Describe You?

Circle all the letters next to words that describe you

L Forceful O Cautious M Dynamic

O Businesslike L Demanding H Amiable
H Patient M Emotional O Methodical
O Industrious L Decisive L Blunt
L Aggressive O Fussy H Compliant
M Spontaneous L Impatient O Exact
H Warm O Meticulous M Outspoken
M Personable L Bossy M Excitable
H Agreeable H Considerate L Opinionated
O Serious L Serious O Critical
L Probing H Passive H Steady
H Respectful M Enthusiastic O Prudent
O Analytical H Accepting L Dominant
M Provocative O Organised H Empathic
H Reserved L Relentless M Verbose
O Unemotional M Sociable L Intense
H Shy L Determined O Preoccupied
M Stimulating M Unstructured H Relaxed
L Competitive O Precise M Restless
M Unpretentious L Dogmatic O Secretive
H Calm H Conforming M Talkative
O Objective M Impulsive L Tough
M Persuasive H Supportive M Optimistic
L Bold O Deliberate H Loyal

Add up your scores

for each letter

L ________ O ________

H ________ M ________

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The Lion

Behavioural Characteristics:
• Independent
• Strong-willed
• High ego-strength
• Prefers maximum freedom to manage self and others
• Low tolerance for feelings, attitudes and advice of others
• Wants immediate results
• Goal-orientated
• Cool, independent and competitive with others
• Accepts challenges
• Takes authority
• Solves problems
• Decisive actions and decisions
• Likes and seeks control
• Dislikes inaction
• Works quickly and impressively by him/herself
• Good administrative skills
• Causes action
• Dominant
• Fast, impatient pace
• Questions status quo

Measures Personal Worth by

Results, track record.

Emphasis
Dominance – shaping the environment by overcoming opposition to accomplish
results.

Behaviour
Direct and self-contained.

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Pace
Fast.

Priority
The task.

Focus
Results.

Irritation
Wasting time; ‘touchy-feely’ behaviour that blocks action/results.

For decisions
Give options and probable outcomes (let the Lion decide).

They question
What it does and by when.

Speciality.
Being in control.

For security
Relies on being in control.

For acceptance
Depends on leadership skills, strives to be a winner.

To increase your flexibility

• Practise active listening
• Pace yourself to project a more relaxed image
• Develop patience, humility and sensitivity; concern for others’ needs
• Use more caution
• Verbalise the reasons for conclusions
• Identify with a group
• Be aware of existing sanctions

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The Owl

Behavioural Characteristics
• Serious
• Persistent
• Orderly
• Perfectionist
• Seeks facts and data
• ‘Show me’ attitude
• Structured and organised
• Asks specific questions and about specific details
• Wants to be right and therefore over-relies on data collection
• Good problem-solving skills
• Concentrates on detail
• Diplomatic with others
• Critical of others’ performance
• Complies with authority
• Cautious actions and decisions
• Likes organisation and structure
• Dislikes too much involvement
• Slow, cautious pace
• Time-disciplined and precise
• Likes problem-solving activities
• Prefers objective, task-orientated, intellectual work environment
• Works alone, slowly and precisely
• Follows directions and standards
• Works under controlled circumstances

Measures Personal Worth by

Precision, accuracy and progress.

Emphasis
Compliance – working with existing circumstances to promote quality in products
or service.

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Behaviour
Self-contained and indirect.

Pace
Slow, steady, methodical.

Priority
The task.

Focus
The details, the process.

Irritation
Surprises, unpredictability.

For decisions
Give facts, details and documentation.

They question
How it works, how you reach your conclusions.

Speciality
Processes, systems.

For security
Relies on preparation.

For acceptance
Depends on being correct.

To increase your flexibility:

• Occasionally try shortcuts and timesavers
• Try to adjust more readily to change and disorganisation
• Work on timely decision making and initiating new projects
• Compromise with the opposition
• Share opinions and feelings
• Use policies as guidelines only

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The Horse

Behavioural Characteristics:
• Accepts change slowly and reluctantly
• Likes close personal relationships
• Supports and actively listens to others
• Warm and accepting
• Works slowly and cohesively with others
• Agreeable
• Steady and calm
• Supportive
• Emphatic listener
• Shares personal feelings and emotions
• Approaches risk cautiously
• Good counselling skills
• Slow to take action and make deci sions
• Dislikes interpersonal conflict
• Has excellent ability to gain support from others
• Patient and considerate
• Loyal and dependable
• Warm and friendly
• Prefers first name/informality
• Asks many questions
• Relationship-orientated
• Amiable
• Consistent
• Respectful, ‘wears well’

Measures Personal Worth by

Harmonious relationships.

Emphasis
Steadiness – co-operating with others to carry out the task.

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Behaviour
Open and indirect.

Pace
Slow and easy, relaxed.

Priority
Relationships.

Focus
Building trust and getting acquainted.

Irritation
Pushy, aggressive behaviour.

For decisions
Give guarantees and reassurance.

They question
How it will affect personal circumstances.

Speciality
Support for others.

For security
Relies on close relationships.

For acceptance
Depends on conformity, loyalty and helpful nature.

To increase your flexibility:

• Say ‘no’ occasionally
• Attend to completion of tasks without over-sensitivity to others’ feelings
• Be willing to reach beyond your comfort zone
• Take risks
• Delegate to others
• State unpopular opinions

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The Monkey

Behavioural Characteristics:
• Spontaneous actions and decisions
• Stimulating
• Talkative
• Quick pace
• Gregarious
• Dramatic opinions and actions
• Jumps from one activity to another
• Works quickly and excitingly with others
• Operates on intuition
• Likes involvement
• Exaggerates and generalises
• Tends to dream and get other s caught up in their dreams
• Undisciplined about time
• Risk taker
• Enthusiastic
• Optimistic
• Good persuasive skills
• Emotional
• Friendly

Measures Personal Worth by

Acknowledgement, recogni tion, applause.

Emphasis
Influencing others – shaping the environment by forming others in an alliance to
accomplish results.

Behaviour
Open and direct.

Pace

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Fast.

Priority
Relationships.

Focus
Interaction, dynamics of relationship.

Irritation
Boring tasks and being alone.

For decisions
Give incentives and testimonials.

They question
Who else uses it.

Speciality
Socialising.

For security
Relies on flexibility.

For acceptance
Depends on playfulness.

To increase your flexibility:

• Control time and emotions
• Develop an objective mindset
• Spend more time checking, verifying, specifying, organising
• Improve follow through
• Concentrate on the task
• Take a more logical approach

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Comparison with Other ‘Styles’ Concepts

Personal ‘Styles’ is not a new concept. People have used various
terms to identify the differences in behaviour types since the days
of Hippocrates

For the convenience of those who wish to examine our concept more closely,
here are the approximate equivalents of Behavioural Styles as they appear in
the works of other well-known researchers and philosophers.

Lion
· Dominance (Performax, Geier)
· Driver (Merrill, Wilson,
Alessandra, Hunsaker)
· Sensor (Jung)
· Controller (DeVille)
· Choleric (Galen, Hippocrates)
· Controlling-Taking (Atkins)
· Q1 Dominant-Hostile (Lefton)
Owl
· Compliance (Performax, Geier)
· Analytical (Merrill, Wilson,
Alessandra, Hunsaker)
· Intuitor (Jung)
· Comprehender (DeVille)
· Melancholy (Galen, Hippocrates)
· Conserving-Holding (Atkins)
· Q2 Submissive-Hostile (Lefton)

Monkey
· Influence (Performax, Geier)
· Expressive (Merrill, Wilson,
Alessandra, Hunsaker)
· Feeler (Jung)
· Entertainer (DeVille)
· Sanguine (Galen, Hippocrates)
· Adapting-Dealing (Atkins)
· Q4 Dominant-Warm (Lefton)
Horse
· Steadiness (Performax, Geier)
· Amiable (Merrill, Wilson,
Alessandra, Hunsaker)
· Thinker * (Jung)
· Supporter (DeVille)
· Phlegmatic (Galen, Hippocrates)
· Supporting-Giving (Atkins)
· Q3 Submissive-Warm (Lefton)

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The works referred to are:

Alessandra, Anthony, Ph.D. and Wexler, Phillip. Non-Manipulative Selling ©
1979 Reston Publishing Co.
Atkins, Stuart. The Name of Your Game © 1982 Stuart At kins, Inc.
Burton, Richard. The Anatomy of Melancholy
DeVille, Jard. Nice Guys Finish First © 1979 William Morrow & Co.
Galen, Claudius. Second Century A.D. Philosopher and Physician, as
referenced by Jung, Carl, in Psychological Types
Geier, John. (D, I, S, C) Personal Profile System © 1988 Geier, John C., Ph.D.
Performax Systems International, Inc.
Gorovitz, Elizabeth. The Creative Brain II: A Revisit with Ned Hermann.
Hunsaker, Phillip, Ph.D. and Alessandra, Anthony, Ph.D. The Art of Managing
People © 1980 Spectrum
Publishing Co. (especially see chapters 2, 3, 4 and 5).
Jung, Carl. Psychological Types © 1924 Harc ourt, Brace & Co.
Lefton, Robert. Effective Motivation Through Performance Appraisal © 1977
John Wiley, Inc.
Merrill, David and Reid, Roger. Personal Styles and Effective Performance ©
1981 Chilton Book Co.
Training and Development Journal, December 1982 pp. 74-88.
Wilson Learning Corporation. Social Styles Sales Strategies © 1977 Wilson
Learning Corporation.

* ‘THINKER’ While this was the title given by Carl Jung in his classical work
Physiological Types, he meant something quite different by it from contemporary
use. Jung defined this drive in people as one which involved ‘working with
existing data’ in a manner which allowed this ‘evidence’ to be their basis for
explaining the reality of their life experiences by naming and/or labelling facts,
including the fact of what one is ‘feeling’ (in the ‘introverted’ types), and/or
theories. This function, then, is directed essentially by an external system of
knowledge or logic rather than one’s own inner, or more i ntuitional state which is
what is meant by the term ‘THINKER’ (The ‘C’ pattern) in this programme. For
further clarification, you are referred to the above-mentioned works by Carl Jung
available through Princeton University Press.

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Increase Your Behavioural Flexibility

How to deal with a LION

· Present the facts logically and quickly
• Don’t waste time
• Focus on the task, not feelings
• Asking how they would solve the problem
• Prepare answers to these questi ons:
‘How does it work?’
‘What’s the main benefit?’
‘How soon can we do it?’
‘What are the results?’

How to deal with a HORSE

• Allow plenty of time for them to explore thoughts/feelings
• Be sincere
• Don’t pressurise
• They tend to take things personally – don’t blame
• Discuss options
• Prepare answers to these questi ons:
‘How does this affect everyone?’
‘Will it affect our personal circumstances?’

How to deal with an OWL

• Elicit their thoughts about processes, procedures, problems
• Be accurate; include statistics
• Allow them to investigate possible repercussions
• Tie new ideas to old ones
• Give them plenty of time
• Prepare answers to these questi ons:
‘Can you prove it?’
‘Has it worked before?’
‘What’s the evidence based on?’

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How to deal with a MONKEY

• Pay attention to facts and feelings – especially feelings
• Give them plenty of time to talk about what’s bothering them
• Use stories, examples, humour
• Keep going with enthusiasm
• Show other people are in favour
• Prepare answers to these questi ons:
‘Can we change it later?’
‘Will we all be working together?’
‘What do other people feel?’

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Behaviour Under Stress

When tension is high, each style tends to manifest symptoms of
behavioural stress, often called ‘back-up’ style. In dealing with
people under stress, you can reduce tension by meeting their
dominant needs

Lion
Will dictate and may appear
• Restless
• Critical
• Blunt
• Uncooperative
• Irritable
• Aggressive
• Pushy

They need:
• Control of situation and self
• Tangible evidence of progress
• Fast pace for moving toward goals
• Removal of any threat to accomplishment

Example of response to stressful situation: ‘If you can’t stand the heat, get out of
the kitchen.’

Owl
Will withdraw and may appear

The real man • Over-reliant on data/documentation

smiles in • Resistant to change

trouble, • Slow to act

gathers • Unable to meet deadlines

strength from • Lacking in imagination

distress, and • Withdrawn

grows brave • Resentful

by reflection.
Thomas Paine They need:

(1737 – 1809) • Guarantees that they’re right

• Understanding of principles and details
• Slow pace for ‘processing’ information
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• Removal of any threat to accuracy

Example of response to stressful situation: ‘I can’t help you any further, do what
you want.’

Monkey
Will confront and may appear
• Manipulative
• Over-eager
• Impulsive
• Inconsistent
• Superficial
• Unrealistic
• Wasteful of time

They need:
• To get credit
• Action and interaction
• Quick pace for stimulation and excitement
• Removal of any threat to prestige

Example of response to stressful situation: ‘Listen, you idiot, I’m fed up with the
way you’re treating me.’

Horse
Will submit and may appear
• Wishy-washy
• Submissive
• Passive
• Dependent
• Hesitant
• Defensive
• Indecisive

Adopting the They need:

right attitude • Reassurance that they’re liked
can convert a • Personal assurances
negative • Slow pace for comfort and security
stress into a • Removal of any threat to relationships
positive one.
Dr. Hans Example of response to stressful situation: “OK, if that’s the way you must have
Selye it, we’ll try it.”

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Behavioural Style in the Workplace

Answer the following questions to increase your behavioural
flexibility and awareness of the real-life consequences of your
behavioural style

1. What do you consider are your two most positive behaviours?

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

How do these behaviours affect your work?

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

2. What do you consider are your two least desirable behaviours?

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

How do these behaviours affect your work?

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

3. How could you adjust/modify these behaviours to work for you instead of
against you?

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

4. Think about a work-related situation that you find stressful? Specifically,

just what is it about this situation that generates stress?

________________________________________________________________
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________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

5. Which people cause you to experience stressful feelings during the

course of your workday? What things do these people do and say that
you find unpleasant?

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

6. How do you typically react to people who have a behavioural style least
like yours? What are the effects of your reaction(s)?

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

7. How can you adapt your behaviour with each style to make them more
comfortable with you?

Lion:
________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

Owl:
________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

Horse:
________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

Monkey:
______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

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