Archive for the ‘Careers’ Category

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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Hiring Questions That Reveal Personality

Tuesday, December 8th, 2009

 

Many of my workshop participants ask for another copy of INTERVIEW QUESTIONS FOR HIRING. Here it is today in the blog for everybody. When you are familiar with the basic strengths, values, and needs of each color, you will hear them scream out at you when job candidates answer the questions.

 

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS FOR HIRING

 

1.    Looking back over the last few years of your life, what is it about your performance that your bosses and colleagues most appreciate about you?

 

2.    Describe your ideal boss.

 

3.    What are your workplace strengths that you are most proud of?

 

4.    How do you like to be treated by your co-workers?

 

5.    Especially with regard to co-workers, what behaviors cause you the most stress and frustration?

 

6.    Describe your “ideal work environment”?

 

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Psychographer — what’s THAT?

Sunday, September 27th, 2009

 

If you look up “psychography,” you’ll find everything from studying personalities for marketing purposes to channeling the words of spirits through your own writing. I understand that marketers have used the term psychographics for years, along with demographics, etc.

 

I have brazenly adopted and adapted the word psychographer for the work I do in Four Windows. Psychographics, as seen through Four Windows, is applying the proven research and laws of psychology to real-life interaction – especially to work teams and to the customers they are supposed to serve.

 

I dream that one day mainstream dictionaries will include the following definition of psychographer: Psychographer. [sai ka’ grə fər] A personality analyst; a psychological advisor specializing in personality typing that enables the understanding of self and others, peak group performance, communication improvement, etc.

 

This is a science. The applied sciences of the last 50 years have demonstrated that commonly known truths about all people can help an average team move toward excellence. This research especially enables people to communicate respectfully and clearly.

 

The tools are simple to use. Some people are surprised to find out that formerly complex studies are now straightforwardly understandable tools for just about everybody – from top management types to field people who may not spend much time reading at all. Four Windows is such a set of tools.

 

More importantly, it turns out everybody can be a functional and successful user of this technology for everyday purposes. Psychography is all about resolving conflict, clearing the air, making friends, relieving stress, and getting on with life and business on smoother roadways instead of barrier-laden dusty paths.

 

At networking meetings, I’ve had a great deal of trouble trying to come up with an “elevator speech” — that 30-second presentation that hopefully demonstrates what one does in terms of the listener’s own needs. So now, the opening line is, “I’m a psychographer.” You gotta love it.

 

Here’s the 30-second infomercial: Hi, I’m Jack Dermody and I am a psychographer!! I help you answer questions like, “What do my customers need to hear so they will buy my product?” “How do I hire the right employees and vendors?” “Why can’t my people communicate?” “Why don’t my people understand me?” “How can I get my people to get along?”

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