Know yourself
Last week I had the unexpected pleasure of attending a workshop put on by man by the name of Rodney Corn. Rodney’s whole presentation wasn’t based entirely on the latest training techniques and tips, but instead, psychology. His essential theme was “know yourself ” and “know your client”.
I find that delving into what makes you tick helps you better interface with the rest of the world, and this was a topic I have spent some time exploring, so I listened intently. I currently read Gretchen Rubin’s happiness project blog, Sally Hogshead’s fascination advantage blog, and various and sundry other examiners of habits, personality strengths, and weaknesses.
For example recently, Gretchen Rubin talked about the habit of abstaining. How to her, completely not doing something – or – completely doing something wholeheartedly, was much easier then another habit that other people find themselves using: the habit of moderation.
I have beat myself up for years not really being very good at moderation and wondering why or what was wrong with me. Now I know, with great relief, that completely staying away from something is much easier than trying to do it moderately.
For instance: chocolate. My sweet boyfriend eats about two dozen chocolate chips after dinner almost every night. I honestly don’t know how he does it, and is satisfied with that. I would rather eat tons of them until I feel full, but that doesn’t work for me for a number of reasons, so instead I skip it entirely.
This also allows me to claim what I call “complimentary skill sets” with my sweet boyfriend. He is good at one thing, and I am good at other things. Moderation is not my strong suit.
Back to Rodney…
Rodney had us take the test below. Even better, he said, was to have someone who knows you fill it out for you. Have you seen this before? I had seen something like it, but not exactly this.
Get out your pen and pencil! Put a check mark next to the word that describes you most accurately.
Then add up your scores in this tally box. The question is: do you have a predominant trait that pops out and has a higher number than the others, or are you a blend, or are you half-and-half?
Are you a driver? Here are some of your classic personality traits:
Are you an analytic? Here are things that define you:
Are you expressive? Here are mannerisms and ways of being in your world:
Are you amiable? Here are characteristics you find traditionally with your people:
Now: why is this important?
At this point our presenter started acting out two sides of a role play situation and had us in stitches in the ridiculousness of it all.
Let’s say an amiable person hires a analytic personal trainer for a few sessions.
Amiable people tend to be vocally softer and slower, they like to focus on people, tell a story or two with open hands and in a relaxed, casual posture. Analytical people tend to also talk slowly, but they want to focus on the task at hand, and cite statistics and evidence with their hands closed in a much more rigid posture. What happens when these two people get together to work out?
The analytical person is ready to boom boom boom knock out some tasks with generally very traditional exercises. The amiable person says, “Hey let’s tell a story in between exercises …why are we counting? Can’t we just do this for time? How about we try that Bosu ball thinggy on one foot with a sandbag in the opposite hand?” 🙂
At this point in the workshop we were all on the ground laughing because we had all been there as trainers with our clients. One person is looking at the other person like they are complete aliens. Do you think this makes for a harmonious situation? I think not unless you recognize what is working for you and working for your client.
Can you see how knowing what makes you tick and how you roll is useful in a training situation? When you go to hire a trainer? On a date? With your banker? Talking to your neighbor?
Can you see how this is useful to know with-*gasp- all the relationships in your life?
Recently I received this feedback from one of the video blogs I do for Margaret Floyd Barry’s eatnakednow.com website every other Friday. (New one coming up this Friday!)
” I’ve been getting your updates and I really like the cooky lady with the fitness tips. “
This was before I did this workshop, and quite honestly I was taken aback. I spend a lot of time making sure I have colorful outfits, that the back drop is interesting and diverse from one video to the next, and of course the information is relevant to help people with their muscles. I find trainers doing exercises on a yoga mat in a gym incredibly dull. This isn’t the only feedback I have gotten from that venue, but at first I thought, “Wow, none of the rest of the stuff that I thought was important was getting through. It wasn’t informative? It wasn’t helpful?”
No, I was just kooky. 🙂
What I realize now is that person has a different social style than mine, and that is just fine. I also realize is that I do need to tailor my videos to appeal to the analytical people of the world, for instance, because that’s not my personality style naturally.
That’s going to take some work. ( I do love you engineers, don’t you worry! I didn’t know! I promise I didn’t know!)
In the meantime let us know if you have bumped into another personality style with success, and if not with success how did you resolve it? Did you even realize what was happening?
