Together, we are Nintendo (DS).
Wednesday, April 15, 2009 at 1:07PM Yesterday I had to attend a customer service training session at work (this was to help us better respond to students over the phone and online). Basically, it involved learning more about our own working personalities and the other possible personalities and the inherent conflicts between them.
I scored pretty much in what they called the grey area, meaning that I do a fairly good job of adapting to whatever type of "customer" I'm dealing with. The test had four aspects overall: D (Dominance), I (Influence), S (Steadiness), and C (Conscientiousness). My one aspect that was higher than all the rest (and the only one above the grey line) was D, surprise surprise.
"D" people like (err, need) to be in control, getting immediate results, accepting challenges, taking authority, managing trouble, and solving problem. Yes, yes, and yes - sign me up! Everything the session leader said about "D" folks, I couldn't believe how eerily accurate it was. She even said that when we are faced with someone who is complaining that they don't enjoy what they have to do or they aren't happy, the "D" response is, "So what? I don't care if you're happy. Just DO IT!" which, I hate to admit, are direct words that have come out of my mouth. But it's true: I don't see what happiness has to do with many tasks; you just DO them because they need to be done.
The group D's find the most annoying are the I's; they are all about making a favorable impression, creating a motivational environment, being entertaining, generating enthusiasm, participating in groups, and viewing people and situations with optimism. Ugh, shoot me. It was nice, though, to sit at a table full of "Ds" and know that I wasn't alone or weird for finding these traits annoying. The "S" people like consistency, have patience, help others, are loyal, and are good listeners. This is my husband. The more she talked about this group and how they deal with the other groups (especially us Ds), the more I understood our home dynamic. More on that in a second.
The "C" folks are fact people - they like directness, aren't emotional, think analytically, and use a systematic approach to nearly anything. My husband is probably an Sc (High S, some C). So, together, we are DS (like my Nintendo DS, the best gift he's ever given me). What got me, really, is the description of the sort of person each group needs in order to be effective. I (as a D) need others who: weigh pros and cons, calculate risks, use caution, structure a predictable environment, research facts, deliberate before deciding, and recognize the needs of others. Folks, you have just read an exact description of how my hubby functions in our marriage. That is exactly a big part of what he brings to the table. I trust him to do all the research and fact-checking because it's not something I like to be bothered with (a total D trait, apparently). Now, for an S person to be more effective, he needs others who: react quickly to unexpected change, stretch toward the challenges of accepted tasks, become involved in more than one thing, are self-promoting, apply pressure on others, work comfortably in an unpredictable environment, help prioritize work, and are flexible in work procedures. Now, that is not me exactly, but quite a lot of it is. I also fit a lot of what the "C" person needs and the hubby meets a lot of "C" qualities, which is what makes me think he's a good bit of both.
This workshop was, again, for work... but for me, it felt like a great marriage counseling session. I shared all of this with the hubby when he got home from work and we laughed about just how true it all is. We're going to see if we can find this test for him to take online somewhere so we can get a more accurate reading on where he falls (since I'm really just guessing based on yesterday's seminar). I think this was such a great, fun, and useful tool. It's really empowering to learn what traits of yours are not uncommon (i.e. you shouldn't feel bad about them because you're not the only one) but also how to manage those traits in personal and business relationships in order to create a workable environment.
Reader Comments (4)
If you do find that test online please post the website on your blog so I can try it for Dave and me.
I just took this assessment like 3 weeks ago! I'm an S!
I don't have it in front of me, but I'll get back to you with the details - what a strange coincidence!
That's really interesting. I like you "S" folks!
I also took this at a seminar and I happen to be an "S"! You are surrounded with us! =)