You've probably heard about the four personality types.  I remember them best by comparing them to animals.  The lion (a gitter-done, type A, “sure I'll chair that committee”); the golden retriever (very compassionate and patient – “tell me how you're doing” and they really do care); the beaver (they actually use all the features on their iPad, are time sensitive (and expect others to be!), are great accountants and engineers); and the otter (loves fun and do their best to make work fun if they can, they are creative, high maintenance and they drive the other three nuts much of the time).

 

It's not rocket science to figure out what personality type a person is, just work with them for a day and it will be obvious.  But I've found it isn't all that helpful to be able to identify the different personality types (and most of us have two dominate traits and two less-dominate traits).  What matters is having healthy relationships that are productive and effective!  Here's the kicker – no matter what type we are, we have to be willing to learn and grow as we relate to others.

 

What follows is a sure fire (?) formula for better relationships:

 

You LIONS – slow down a little, tap the creative juices of the otters and the

genuine caring of the golden retrievers and don't be threatened by

the beavers – they're good at details and it's likely you need them!

 

You BEAVERS – thanks for being great with details, numbers, analysis, and tech

stuff, but lighten up – a little fun isn't going to hurt you!

 

You GOLDEN RETRIEVERS – your natural sense of nurturing is so helpful in any

family, business, or organization – you send the

birthday and anniversary cards;  you're a great

listener (while the otters love to talk) – but please

loosen up a little!  Don't get your feelings hurt by the

lion and don't look down your nose at the otter and

wish they would get serious (they can't).

 

You OTTERS – our parties wouldn't get planned without you (lions love the party

but stink at organizing them), you're the folks who say “we are

having balloons, ice cream, and cake and NO, we are NOT using

plain white paper plates and napkins – but please settle down and

be on time for the meetings and stop making fun of the beavers for

being so picky about everything.

 

I'm an otter with golden retriever as my second in command.  I can be a lion, but only when someone backs me into a corner.  I hire great people to do the tech stuff and balance the books AND I love adding “COLOR” to their meetings!

 

Blessings!

 

 

Pastor Mark