PeopleSmart in Business eBook - The Platinum Rule

52
Three: How Will You Know One When You Meet One?
When you put together the two aspects that determine behavioral
style, you have a combined rating of high Directness/low Openness.
Th ese two classifi cations tell you that the client is a Dominant Director.
One more time
You conduct a seminar that begins at 8:30 a.m., following an 8:00 coff ee
and doughnut session. When you arrive at 7:45, the fi rst participant is already
seated in the room, pad and pencils neatly lying in front of her. She
says nothing until you approach. Th en she politely shakes hands. She is totally
noncommittal. You ask a few questions and receive polite, short answers.
Around 8:15, with several other people in the room, a person stops
hesitantly at the door and soft ly asks, “Excuse me. Is this the training
seminar for salespeople?” When he hears, “yes,” he breathes a sigh,
walks in, takes a cup of coff ee, and mentions how interesting he hopes
the seminar will be, saying it really could be helpful in business and at
home. He asks a few questions, listening intently to other’s remarks.
He expresses some concern for role-playing in front of a group.
At this moment, another participant strides in, loudly asking, “Hey,
is this the sales seminar?” Upon hearing, “yes,” this person dramatizes
relief and asks where the coff ee is, explaining that he can’t function
without caff eine. He has overheard the role-playing comments and
leaps in on the conversation to say how he likes doing those things.
He follows this with a tale of how he embarrassed himself in the last
role-play session he attended.
Which style is the fi rst person? Th e second? Th e last?
Th e fi rst person’s apparent disinterest in conversation and restrained
gestures identify her as Indirect. Th is narrows the possible choices to
either a Steady Relater or Cautious Th inker. She is also clearly in control
of her emotions and the setting—Guarded, as opposed to Open.
Another name for an Indirect/Guarded person is a Cautious Th inker.