We know that SOCIAL STYLE is largely independent of Versatility. I say “largely” independent because there is a positive relationship between Responsiveness and Feedback; on average, Emote Responsive people have higher Feedback scores on our Profile. Feedback is the component of Versatility that indicates how effectively a person communicates in one-on-one situations. You lucky Amiable and Expressive folks.
But even though they are statistically independent, it still stands to reason that people display certain aspects of Versatility in Style-related ways, at least partly. Does an Analytical person show her Versatility in exactly the same way as an Amiable person?
Here are some thoughts on how Style might affect how people show Versatility, specifically Competence. These are excerpts from TRACOM’s guide “Achieving Higher Versatility”. We would be interested to hear your own observations or insights on this topic.
Style and Competence
Competence is an evaluation of how well you help others achieve their work-related goals. It includes such factors as your dependability, flexibility, optimism, ability to help solve problems, and perseverance in challenging circumstances.
Because Driving Style people achieve their need for results through taking action, some of the behaviors that lead to Competence might seem like a natural for them. For example, they might often be perceived as dependable since they like to get things done quickly, and as persistent since they drive toward goals. These individuals usually don’t show optimism through exciting speeches or a cheerful presence. Rather, their optimism comes across as confidence that things will turn out all right and that positive outcomes will happen through taking a course of action. In terms of flexibility, some Driving Style people tend to see changes as challenges that should be met head on. They may actually be faster to respond to changes than is comfortable for people of other Styles. As natural risk-takers, these people generally are not afraid of new ideas. They may generate their own ideas and solutions or, if practicing their listening skills, will take the time to solicit others’ ideas and work with them.
Expressive Style people have a natural orientation toward spontaneity, so they might display flexibility to new circumstances and adaptability to change more readily than some others. Their creativity will sometimes show itself through generating ideas, especially since they are generally big-picture thinkers. When feeling optimistic, these individuals will show it through their enthusiasm and outward energy. Expressive Style people are not as influenced by time constraints as some of the other Styles, so they may display dependability somewhat differently. This is not to say that they are incapable of taking responsibility for their work or for meeting deadlines; people of all Styles do these things. They may have different understandings of time frames and what others’ expectations are.
Amiable Style individuals are focused on relationships, and this can often come across in how they display Competence behaviors. For example, they might persevere through problems by involving others and focusing on working as a team, rather than trying to tackle every problem on their own. When feeling hopeful about things, they will generally be cheerful toward co-workers and display energy around work activities. Their personal creativity is also often most apparent when it involves some form of group activity. For example, an Amiable Style person might develop a new process that eases the workloads of fellow team members, as well as herself. The desire to please others is strong for these people, and to the extent that they agree with decisions and processes, they will display their reliability by meeting their responsibilities and deadlines.
Analytical Style individuals tend to be somewhat reserved, and this can come across in their Competence behaviors. Rather than being very vocal and obvious in their actions, they will sometimes show their perseverance by quietly moving forward and working through problems, often by themselves. When change occurs, they will generally want to find some assurance that the change is positive before committing themselves. Rapid transitions from one situation to another can be challenging for them. When coming up with new ideas or solutions to problems, they will often want time alone to think before offering their input to the larger group. Because they tend to be emotionally controlled, their displays of optimism might not be as forthright as they are for people of other Styles. In fact, their enthusiasm might be so subdued that others don’t realize that they are actually excited.
