Imagine being able to solve the mystery of human behavior – those actions that drive how others perceive and react to us. Imagine knowing what gets in the way of developing positive and productive relationships. Imagine doing this by using things that are very familiar to us. Hmmm, you say.
Stop for just a moment. Draw or mentally picture five shapes – Box, Circle, Squiggle, Triangle and Rectangle. Now rank them from one (1) to five (5), 1 being the most appealing to you and 5 being the least.
Got it? Believe it or not, you have just identified your behavioral style; that is, how you think, feel, act, relate and come across to others! .How, you ask?
The shapes you chose and the order in which you chose them is based on the premise that our attraction to objects in our environment is based on our brain function. For example, if you chose the box, triangle or rectangle, you are left-brained, tend to be logical and sequential in your thinking, and are task-oriented. You make decisions based on information and data. Boxes tend to be organized, persevering, analytical and prefer working alone. Triangles tend to be decisive, ambitious, competitive and prefer to be in charge. Rectangles are in transition and are experiencing growth.
If you chose the circle or squiggle, you are right-brained, tend to be non-systematic in your thinking, prefer relationships over tasks and make decisions based on gut-feelings. Circles are known to be friendly and are good listeners and communicators. Squiggles are usually creative, animated and expressive.
So, what do I do with this information, you ask? Once we are aware of our style and the styles of others, we can then “flex” our style to:
• complement and supplement the styles of others
• be a more effective leader
• help our teams be more successful, and
• improve selling and customer service skills
This system, which uses shapes to represent behavioral styles, is known as Psycho-Geometrics® and was developed by Dr. Susan Dellinger more than30 years ago. Cynthia Rogers is President of Rogers & Associates, a Training consulting firm. To learn more about Psycho-Geometrics® or for more information about the products and services offered by Rogers & Associates, please contact Cynthia Rogers at CRogersAssoc@aol.com or (847) 223-5914.