Give each of them something

My last post talked about how you could approach me when if you knew a bit about my personality. That was merely an example. Let us, generalize this to understanding how you would approach people with different personality types.

Sometime last year I received a presentation from PRI International, a company that specializes in human performance management. PRI has an Identity Mapping™ methodology that can be used to foster more effective communication. According to their methodology there are 4 major identity types. People have characteristics of each, however, depending on what is the most dominant identity type in an individual, they will be more receptive to certain approaches versus others. The major identity types are:

• Action - People who want to do something.
• Relationship - People who value relationships and working together.
• Logical - People who need facts.
• Organized - People who need to see a game plan.

Follow this link to PRI's web site, and click on, "What do we see!" and "What do we hear!" This will give you some ideas about the characteristic traits of each identity type. How does this influence your approach to someone?

• Action - Tell them the end goal. You do not need to tell them how to get there.
• Logical - Give them the objective facts.
• Organized - Show them how you will get to where you want to be.
• Relationship - This was the odd one, approach them using their second most dominant identity type (i.e., action, logical or organized.)

I do not want to elaborate much more than this as PRI offers courses on this material and they provide a free executive preview where you can learn all about it.

To dove tail this post, when you are thrust into a situation where you need to communicate a message to individuals that you do not know; it may be useful to try to add something for each of the identity types so that each of them feels you connected with them. Or, give each of them something.