FIERY RED ROSE MEETS GREEN SUCCULENT

How much you know about yourself can make or break you as a leader, team manager and an individual contributor. Some people call this emotional intelligence, some call it self-knowledge. It is THE most important thing to grow.

There are multiple effective ways to increase your self-knowledge over time and ways to grow towards your better self - being connected with yourself and to others. Among the ways to increase self-knowledge, i love the personality tests (the Myers-Briggs, 16 personalities, the DISQ, Insights Discovery) and the The Landmark Forum workshop.

I'm gonna give totally abstract personality types examples based on plants - not humans. Imagine in a room, there is a fiery red rose and in another, there is a green succulent. Both of these types are attractive in their own way and fashion. The rose can entice passions, a history rich in meaningful moments.

• The fiery red rose type of leader can be inspiring to his reports, still its stems are often armed with sharp prickles of which's intensity can arm your co-workers and peers. If this last sentence resonates with you, tag along.

• The green succulent can be appeasing, off the beaten paths, showcase the grit of how that species of flowers came into the world. It can also be exotic for those who have not been as exposed to this type.

Different Myers-Briggs Personality Type Working Together

"Since type provides a framework for understanding individual differences, and provides a dynamic model of individual development, it has found wide application in the many functions that compose an organization," Gordon Lawrence and Charles Martin, Building People, Building Programs (CAPT 2001).”

Life is made of multiple personality types which all add tremendous value to your team and to the workplace. It is important to understand who you are, what value do you add and how you can better serve your team. Yes - I said "Serve" - you reach your highest leadership levels when you move to a servant leadership model of engagement. Whichever type of leaders you are - this is valid for all types.

Going from "Me, me, me" to "How can I serve you? I am willing to do whatever it takes to make you better." The latter is harder to do.

What are you willing to sacrifice to be of service? To give it your all? Sacrifice your nights, your weekends, your sleep?

Your own leadership journey into this world

“I am the fiery red rose. I am also the green succulent.”

Are you willing to adopt a type of leadership that is unknown to you - going from a fiery rose to a green succulent or a bird of paradise? Being a leader gives you the opportunity to be heard in a way that is different and sometimes unknown to yourself.

Think about what working style you wish to try next - whether you pull from Myers-Briggs or 16 personalities it is a good exercise to try on for a day or a week to get to know what you are capable of.

With gratitude,

Katheline