Archive for March, 2010

Rational Thinking versus Hormones in the Movie Shall We Kiss

Wednesday, March 31st, 2010

For Green Rationals, there is a movie for you called Shall We Kiss – a French film that came out at the end of 2009. The three main characters display Rational temperaments – the husband is a pharmacist; the wife, a chemist; the wife’s lover, a math teacher.

The physical environment these folks provide for themselves is almost hysterically stereotypical. What could me more Green  than shelves filled with books and walls decorated with famous Rationals? The film’s background music is nearly exclusively classical, even for the love making. Decor is minimalist at best. The principal activity besides reading books – even in bed – is problem-solving dialogue.

The plot begins when the wife’s best guy friend asks her for some intimacy because he is lonely and needing affection. She obliges, not expecting that the kisses would lead to a passionate affair that has the lovers conclude that they should have been together from the beginning. What ensues is a highly structured but compassionate method of separating themselves from, respectively, a husband and a live-in girlfriend.

I don’t want to spoil the story, especially the side stories that accompany the main one. However, you the viewer get to see Rationals attempting to be, well, “rational” about an affair, about inevitable trouble that results, and the recognition that, yes, Greens have feelings too.

Sometimes I get the idea that many Rationals would rather not have to be in love – perhaps being more interested in a partnership for a more complete life rather than a hormonally activated and rather emotional relationship like that of gooey passionate couples of fiction and movies.

Keirsey temperament expert Stephen Montgomery has yet to complete and publish volume four of The Pygmalion Project – the last being a literary look at Rational temperament types in love and marriage. If the reason is a lack of literary sources, Mr. Montgomery, then perhaps you have found it in Shall We Kiss?

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How To Guess Your Prospect’s Personality Type

Thursday, March 18th, 2010

At lunch today my friend Dave said, “You know, you temperament gurus never tell us how to quickly assess the personality of our prospects.”

Well, I’m not one of those “other guys,” so I am revealing some hints to you below. As a disclaimer, however, I need to tell you that you might want to call me for some training so that you will have the competence to be an accurate and competent assessor of personality styles.

1. IDEALIST BLUES (15% of prospects)

a. Usually very approachable

b. Easy to talk to

c. Soft in their body language, relaxed

d. Friendly

e. Easy eye contact

f. Not usually wanting to get to bottom line

g. Welcoming small talk and social banter

 

2. GUARDIAN GOLDS (45% of prospects)

a. Usually very serious

b. Will want to process a single idea at length – longer than other Colors

c. Will ask many questions beginning with the word “but…”

d. Don’t like vagueness of any kind

e. Expect very concrete and clear answers

f. Very patient with details and will take as long as is required to get through them, and will demand that you be the same way

g. Don’t like a lot of surprises or too many alternatives fired at them at the same time

 

3. ARTISAN ORANGES (30% of prospects)

a. Usually don’t want to sit

b. Like to move around

c. Want bottom line immediately

d. May tell you exactly what they want from the outset

e. May tell you they want to decide quickly

f. Fierce negotiators, will fight for what they want

 

4. RATIONAL GREENS (10% of prospects)

a. Cool and calm, often emotionless

b. Will ask, “Who are you, what do you want, and how long will this take?”

c. Quickly want to see the research

d. Will turn off if you don’t have well researched answers

e. Can know more about the product than you do

f. Will turn off to emotional or subjective pitches.

Now the above lists are a down-and-dirty bird’s-eye view of assessing Colors. Here’s another secret: you will still find yourself in the right ballpark if you feel comfortable that you have guessed at least two dominant Colors. Speak to both Colors and watch your prospects’ interest rise in front of your eyes.

Also, sometimes you have zero time to make any assessments, so what to do? The answers is simple: Speak and write in all four colors. That is, cover the whole water front. Smarter yet, show up at the client’s venue with a team of folks representing the various Colors, then pass the ball to “personality type” who can best answer the questions coming at you. Pretty smart, huh?

I can promise. I can guarantee that once you get your ducks in a row with your Color-designed pitches, you will have fun, additional successful closes, and increased raving fans.

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Sales Professionals – Strengths and Weaknesses

Wednesday, March 10th, 2010

Just finished a brief workshop with Arizona Sales Professionals at their monthly meeting in Scottsdale, Arizona.

One of my handouts contained the folllowing brief overview of strengths and weaknesses of sales pros, based on temperament, i.e., on the Colors of Four Windows.

Idealist Blue sales strengths include the personal touch, easy appropachability, and they are great listeners and customer-support people. Weaknesses are they can be less competitive, have trouble saying no, and may not demand a signature when the customer has already agreed to buy.

Guardian Gold sales strengths include being well prepared, willing to do all homework necessary, and are patient with lengthy processing that many customers demand. Weaknesses include too much detail-orientation, over-seriousness, and may wear a customer down with too much information and processing.

Rational Green sales strengths encompass knowing the science behind the product, a willingness to do research for the customer, and the ability to satisfy the most discriminating customers. Weaknesses appear as apparent impatience, a disregard for small talk to the point of seeming cold and distant, and some Greens tend to talk over the customer’s head.

Artisan Orange sales strengths show high marks for negotiation and closing skills, quick tactical thinking, and a drive to compete and win. Weaknesses are Oranges can seem too intensely hard-sell, manipulative, as well as not serious enough or knowledgeable enough.

In the upper righthand corner of this blogsite, you can order and own a complete primer on Four Windows temperament styles. Click on “Buy the Four Colors E-Book”. This life-changing resource book can be saved and read on the computer or printed out for pennies. You will figure people out like never before and communicate with them masterfully. Even better, you will understand yourself more and help others to understand you as well.

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