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ANALYZING
YOUR BEHAVIOR
While knowing the negotiating style of another person is critical to the success of any interaction, equally important is knowing your own style.
Below is a version of the Personal Profile System, devised by the Psychiatric Department at the University of Minnesota that can be used as a quick analysis of your negotiating style.
STEP 1
In each of the five boxes below, examine the four descriptive adjectives as they may or may not describe you. In each box, rank the adjective that most describes you as "7", the next closest as "5", the next closest as "3", and the least closely as "1". Each box should have four adjectives ranked 7,5,3, and 1. No group can have duplicate values, that is, there must be at least one of each of the four values, in each of the five groups.
Group 1 | Group 2 | Group 3 | Group 4 | Group 5 |
a) stubborn | a) competitive | a) adventurous | a) determined | a) assertive |
b) persuasive | b) playful | b) outgoing | b) convincing | b) optimistic |
c) gentle | c) obliging | c) moderate | c) good-natured | c) lenient |
d) humble | d) obedient | d) precise | d) cautious | d) accurate |
STEP 2
Transfer your responses from Step 1 to the boxes below and
total columns A, B, C & D at the bottom
Group |
a) Dominance |
b) Influence |
C) Steadiness |
d) Compliance |
1 |
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2 |
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3 |
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4 |
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5 |
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Total |
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STEP 3
Use the column totals to establish Plot Points on the graph below.
Example of what it should look like |
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Basic
Tendencies
1 |
High
"D" Tendencies |
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2 |
High
"I" Tendencies |
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A. |
Demanding |
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A. |
Impulsive |
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B. |
Dominant |
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B. |
Influential |
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C. |
Impatient |
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C. |
Recognition Seeker |
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D. |
Resists Personal Criticism |
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D. |
Disorganized |
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E. |
People-Mover |
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E. |
Resists Personal Rejection |
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3 |
High
"S" Tendencies |
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4 |
High
"C" Tendencies |
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A. |
Safety Seeking |
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A. |
Conscientious |
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B. |
Stabilizer |
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B. |
Reserved Perfectionist |
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C. |
Cooperative Group Worker |
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C. |
Overly Critical |
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D. |
Possessive |
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D. |
Resists Criticism of Ideas or Work |
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E. |
Resists Sudden Changes |
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High
"D" Tendencies
Behavioral Tendencies |
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Leader |
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People-Mover |
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Fast-Paced |
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Impatient |
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Focused |
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Full of Drive |
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Decisive |
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Demanding |
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In Control |
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Direct |
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Needs Power |
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Logical |
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Potential Strengths |
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Top Producer |
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Problem-Solver |
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High-Energy |
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Accepts Challenges |
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Achiever |
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Aggressive |
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Results-Oriented |
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Action-Oriented |
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Direct |
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Potential Weaknesses |
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Impatient |
Does Not Accepts Criticism |
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Poor Follow-up |
Pushy |
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People-User |
Restless |
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Poor Listener |
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Suggestions |
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Slow Down |
Group Recognition |
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Personal Challenges |
Sensitivity |
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Patience |
Be Open |
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High
"I" Tendencies
Behavioral Tendencies |
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Influence |
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Emotional |
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Gregarious |
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Spontaneous |
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High Profile |
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Social |
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Expressive |
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Charismatic |
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Potential Strengths |
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Morale Booster |
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Motivational |
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Concern for People |
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Always Open |
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Optimistic |
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Customer Service |
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Solution Oriented |
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Gets Along with Others |
Potential Weaknesses |
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Disorganized |
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Time Management |
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Impatient with Details |
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Overwhelming Others |
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Fears Rejection |
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Talks More than Listens |
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Misses Deadlines |
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Suggestions |
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Be More Accountable |
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Listen Well |
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Watch Details |
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Use Pace of Other Person |
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Be Firm |
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Assume Competence |
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Pace Yourself |
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High
"S" Tendencies
Behavioral Tendencies |
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Stable |
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Predictable |
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Cooperative |
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Thinks First |
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Meticulous |
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Team Player |
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Calming |
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Quiet |
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Potential Strengths |
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Best Listeners |
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Caring |
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Patient |
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Service-Oriented |
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Organized |
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Value to Team |
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Great Follow-Through |
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Family-Oriented |
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Dependable |
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Potential Weaknesses |
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Slower Decisions |
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Won't Rock the Boat |
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Resists Change |
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Needs Security |
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Not Consistent |
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Suggestions |
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Needs Direction |
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Don't Overload with Changes |
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High
"C" Tendencies
Behavioral Tendencies |
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Analytical |
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Accurate |
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Cautious |
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Meticulous |
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Conscientious |
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Perfectionist |
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Cool and Aloof |
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Potential Strengths |
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Quality Control |
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Great Negotiator |
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Adaptable |
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Problem-Solver |
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Logical |
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Precise |
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Good Planner |
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Thorough |
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Potential Weaknesses |
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Obsessed with Detail |
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Impersonal |
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Workaholic |
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Fears Discord & Confusion |
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Slow Decision-Maker |
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Suggestions |
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Open Up-Have More Fun |
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Listen Well |
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Accept Criticism |
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Use Pace of Other Person |
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Be More Sensitive to Others |
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Assume Competence |
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Listen Well |
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When
Negotiating with each type of personality, try to employ these strategies
Type "D" People
ü
Don't
argue with them
ü
Allow
them to vent strong negative emotions
ü
Recognize
their need for independence and esteem
ü
Probe
their flat assertions
ü
Show them
you're listening, Really Listening
ü
Be
factual and ready to give explicit details
ü
Be firm
but not bossy
ü
As a last
resort, make them face the facts themselves. Point out factual evidence that supports their misconception
Type "I" People
ü
Act
reassuringly toward them
ü
Avoid
moving in too fast, you must allow them to establish a trust platform with you
ü
Get them
involved with the topic through gentle probing; do not come on like a
know-it-all!
ü
Make
heavy use of probing pauses; don't talk too much
ü
Don't
exploit their submissiveness; they will shut down on you
ü
Guide
them gently but firmly through the conversation
ü
As a last
resort, make them aware that they are resisting the obvious, but do it
diplomatically
Type "C" People
ü
Know your
facts, these folks will cut you to little ribbons if you try to bull your way
through a conversation
ü
Be
organized, yet flexible in your presentation and conversation
ü
Know your
competition and use this knowledge
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Quantify
whenever possible
ü
Continually
check the understanding of your listener using summary statements
ü
Don't try
and razzle-dazzle with lavish benefits or logic
ü
Recognize
their needs for self-realization and independence
ü
Emphasize
innovative aspects of the idea you are trying to convey
When carrying on a conversation, take a few minutes and ask questions to give you insight into the persons style and personality. The following are some aspects of each of the personality types.
The Work History:
Dominance - Entrepreneur, commissioned sales, department manager, chief executive officer, president, upper level management
Influence - Commissioned sales, tour guide, public relations, human resources, performer
Steadiness - Counselor, personnel, bookkeeping, support services
Compliance - Engineer, scientific research technical support, accountant
Their Appearance
Dominance - Immaculate dresser. Standard 'dress for success' image. Conservative clothing yet geared to a powerful image, i.e., continental styling.
Influence - A little more flamboyant than the controller. If clothing in a 'dress for success' look, they will do something that conveys their personal message like a pink shirt/blouse rather than the standard white. In other modes of dress they may tend to be outrageous. Loud colors and prints are not uncommon.
Steadiness - Casual mode of dress. Lots of neutral colors and unobtrusive patterns in clothing. They don't want an attention getting statement with their clothes. They would prefer open collars/ dresses / casual slacks to ties / business suits.
Compliance - Very conservative mode of dress. Their conservative image is different from the controller. Theirs may tend to be conservative because it may be dated. Rarely would they wear a lot of color.
Their Educational
Background
Dominance - Business administration, economics, math major, political science or they may be the type with minimal education who taught themselves and came up by the "bootstraps".
Influence - Generally a liberal arts educations.
Steadiness - Liberal arts, social services, psychology.
Compliance - Science, engineering, any technical or detail intensive field.
Their Leisure Activities
Leisure activities usually revolve around an aggressiveness issue or you may prefer to call it competitiveness.
Dominance and Influence - They will tend to participate in team sports, particularly those they excel in. They will tend to be involved in politics and community organizations, often as the president. If not the president, their role will at least be highly visible.
Steadiness and Compliance - They prefer more individualized sports activities or at least small group sports. They would play golf and tennis purely for the enjoyment not necessarily to beat their opponent. They would enjoy activities such as reading and woodworking. They prefer to be by themselves in their leisure hours. If they participate in a team environment, they will be one of the background supporting members.
You
will find it useful when you pay attention to their body language:
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Looks
Up & to the Right |
Eyes
Unfocused, Usually Pupil
Dilation (Telling Truth) |
Looks
Up & to the Left |
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Looks
Horizontal Right |
Looks
Horizontal Left |
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Looks
Down & to the Right |
Telephone
Posture, Looks Down |
Looks
Down & to the Left |