According to researchers and scientists, our high level of cognition (and strategically placed thumbs and enlarged brain) is what sets us apart from much of the natural world. But although we all think, it turns out that we do not all think in the same way.
Research shows us that although we all follow the steps in the creative thought process, we exhibit different thinking preferences within the process. The revelation here is that people will choose to spend more time in one area over another. Some people, by nature, like to spend time analysing and clarifying the situation, others are more strategic or big picture thinkers who continually generate ideas, some will tirelessly focus on developing and perfecting a solution, and yet others are much more concerned with implementing the plan and moving to the next project.
Think of this as a kind of diversity - a diversity of the mind. In fact, two people with the same background, even siblings raised together, may approach problems in very different ways. When such differences exist, especially on working teams, there is potential for misunderstanding, frustration, judgment and conflict.
Understanding how we think and our preferences for approaching challenges can help us work and live our lives with a higher degree of satisfaction and success. To this end, psychologists have been working on tools, called self-assessments, for understanding our behaviour, and although no one measure can reflect the full complexity of human nature, the best of these measures can help us make sense of parts of ourselves and how we interact with the world.
Some self-assessments, such as the Magerison-McCann – Team Management Systems and Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), help sort out personalities - our own and those around us. For example, are we introverted or extroverted?
Other self-assessments, such as the DISCus Personal Behaviour Styles Indicator, help us become more aware of our behaviours. When we get things done, are we first concerned with tasks or people?
Given your preferences, you can understand why you and your co-worker might butt heads or, why some team members choose to spend more time in one area of the creative thought process than another.
According to scientists, our personalities are a mixture of genetics and individual experiences. We inherit a genetic predisposition, but the environment in which we are raised can modify our personality for better or worse. We need to understand our unique personality and our early experiences that helped forge it, and then we must train ourselves to become conscious of the ways our attitudes can help or, hurt us and others.
We need to be aware of the verbal and non-verbal messages our attitudes send, often without our thought or intention. Understanding the impact of our personalities on the people around us is critical.
“
Want to know more about Team or Individual profiling….email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or phone our office today.
