3 STYLE One thing you can be sure of you're different from everyone else. Unless you have an identical twin, you look different from everyone else. You Are Unique Being Natural 16 More importantly, you act differently. You think, talk, listen, and learn differently. You like a different collection of foods, flowers, animals, places, and music than anyone else. You have a different collection of friends and colleagues and relatives. You like to do a different set of things at work and at home and when you're out having a good time than anyone else. You relate differently. You communicate differently. You make up your mind differently. You tend to be Outgoing or you're more on the reserved side. You're thoughtful or impulsive. You look at the world in a very down-to-carth, “just give me the facts” ‘way, of you are intuitive and like to think about all the possibilities of how things ‘might be. You have a whole set of preferences that are yours and yours alone. In short, you are a unique individual. There's no one on the planet exactly like you. ‘There never was and never will be. ‘These individual differences make you special. They define your unique way of functioning in the world, and they allow you to make a unique contribution in the world. This set of preferences or patterns is “naturally” yours. When you are the way you prefer to be and act the way you prefer to act, you are being natural. Your behavior ‘and your actions feel natural to you. To be natural means to be true to your own aware. This natural way of yours can be approximately described by a set of characteristic preferences, Takon together, these preferences define your “peychological type.” Each type relates to the world differently. This manner of relating to the world is called your “style.” No type or style is better than any other, as each has its own pattern of strengths and weaknesses. Though specific types tend to be drawn to Certain careers, research has shown that all types and styles can be found in all careers.Discovering Your Work Type ‘This inventory is designed to allow you to discover your preferred type or natural preferences in dealing with both your inner and outer worlds when you are at work. ‘While the Mycrs-Briggs Type Indicator® (a registered trademark of Consulting Psychologists Press, Inc.) is 2 validated instrument that provides your overall psychological type across all of your life's activities, the exercise that you will do below is oriented specificelly toward your working life. Itis most important that ‘you answer the questions according to the way you really behave in the work Situations described. Avoid thinking about the way you 2isb you behaved, or think ‘you aught to act, or think: your boss would like you to act. Think always, “This is the way I actually behave—this is how I think, ar act, or decide, or choose in this situation.” Answer the questions as honestly and as objectively as possible, The closer you come to the truth about how you actually behave, the more useful the information will be to you. Circle the letter) or (b) for the option that most accurately describes how you usually act, think, or feel. 1. My bestideas at work come from (@) an interchange of ideas and sharing with others. (b) quiet thought on my own. 2. When Irun a meeting, Tam usually (@) disciplined about following my prepared agenda. (&) flexible and open to whatever comes up. 3. When handling a subordinate’s development, I am most likely to (@) discuss a problem I have with his or her behavior. (b)_ dislike telling him or her unpleasant things. 4. [prefer the place where I work to be (@) structured with clear rules and regulations. ©) more open-ended and laisser-feire Twould rather have a supervisor with whom I have (@) alotof day-by-day interaction. (b)_ only infrequent interaction. 6. I prefer meetings where most time is spent on. (@)_ the application of the ideas disonssed. (B) the ideas themselves. a 7. Ipreler a work environment where (@) frequent differences of opinion breed interesting discussions and ideas. (b) conflict is reduced by avoiding discussions about differences of opinion. 8. I prefer projects at work (a) to be well-defined and planned out. (b) wallow for flexible interpretation. 718 9. T prefer to spend my lunch hour (a) eating with a group. (©) eating alone or with one close colleague. 10. 22. 33. If my boss gives me a difficult task, T usually (@)_ collect as much information as possible before starting. (b) dive inand rely on my ability to work things out Tina performance appraisal I prefer my boss to write that lam (@) intelligent and reasonable. (b) warm and personable. Tprefer to (@) plan my workday carefully in advance. (©) let the day progress and see how things turn out. Tmore often prefer to keep my office door (@) open. @) closed i 1s. 16. 17. 1B. 1. 20. 21. ‘When a new idea flashes into my mind, I usually (@) like to testit carefully before I get excited, (b) get excited and want to follow through quickly. Ina team meeting, I prefer to emphasize (@)_ an analytical discassion of the facts. (®) 2 discussion of the values involved. Tprefer a job in which the rewards are (@)_scen clearly in regular periods. (©) stretched out over long periods of time. Tress for work (@) so that other people notice and admire my clothing. (©). ina way that blends in with the norm. When I solve problems, Tam more likely to (@) give most weight to the facts in front of me. (©) explore the fall range of possibilities. TFT have to confront colleagues or subordinates, Tam usually (@) interested in moking sure I give them the facts accurately. (b) more interested in making sure I don’t hurt their feelings. T would rather have a boss who (@) provides a lot of structure and organization. (b)_ leaves me to do things however they work best for me. prefer most of my jobs at work to be (@)__a continuing series of short tasks. (©) long projects on which I can concentrate my efforts.