Know Thyself

If you are wracking you brain wondering how to deal with people better, improve your client conversion rate or manage employee and co-worker relationship better, try understanding the reason behind the way people act. One of the best ways of individual analysis involves understanding temperament.


Understanding temperament is key in helping you learn to deal with clients and employees. It also helps you to judge suitability for any undertaking such as a job or a business venture. When you understand what temperament you are, it is easy to know your strengths which you can play up and then find employees or partners that complement your weaknesses.

The four temperaments are in no way an absolute way of analyzing people but rather a guideline.

See below a brief description of the four temperaments. Most of us have a double combination of one that is dominant and another supporting temperament which sometimes helps to cancel out the weaknesses of the dominant temperament. To learn more about yourself ask your closest friends to go through the checklist below with you.


The Choleric
If you are a choleric, you are a dynamic, self-motivated leader who can set your sights on a target and relentlessly pursue it until success is achieved. You are a strong-willed individual who makes decisions quickly and decisively, and who readily and easily grasps difficult concepts and strategies. Learning comes quickly to you, and you like to take action immediately. You think logically and pragmatically, and are sometimes accused of "rolling over" people once you have set a plan in motion. You do not readily reveal deep emotions—except anger.
Other characteristics: stubborn, domineering, and dictatorial. You demand loyalty from your friends, and thrive when you are in control.

The Phlegmatic
You possess a dry wit and a steady, amicable demeanor. You are dependable, polite, and even-tempered. You feel more comfortable in a small group of friends or even spending a quiet evening relaxing at home. You are never flashy, belligerent, or self-aggrandizing. You would rather take the blame (even unjustly) than stir up controversy or pick a fight. On the job, you seek neither power nor the limelight, but work steadily, patiently, and methodically. You are reliable, patient, and methodical on the job, and can work alone, or with the most difficult of personalities. You will prefer job security, working within a structured organization, but can also be a leader of great character and service.

The Sanguine
If you are a sanguine, then you are most likely the life of the party. You are funny and relish the limelight. You are affectionate, enjoy social activities, and make friends easily. You are imaginative and creative, and are often the one who enthusiastically promotes new ideas on the job. People call you vivacious, generous, and light-hearted. You wear your emotions on your sleeve, but you are always quick to “forgive and forget.” You probably struggle with follow-through, are chronically late, and tend to be forgetful. As quickly as you discover a new hobby or pursuit, you can also lose interest--when it ceases to be engaging or fun.

The Melancholic
Time alone is vital for this reflective, introspective temperament. A perfectionist at home and on the job, the melancholic is likely the one with the perfectly organized closet and kitchen, the tidy desk-top. You long for a deep soul mate yet are mistrustful and disappointed. In relationships, the melancholic tends to be slow to initiate, cautious, hyper-critical, and pessimistic--yet, once committed, they are unwaveringly loyal and self-sacrificing.


(source: www.catholicmatch.com see website for more information)