Personality Plus At Work（The End）(节选)

Nonfiction: Personality Plus At Work:
How to Work Successfully with Anyone(2)
Author: Florence Littauer and Rose Sweet

***** From The Book Jacket(ZT) *****

No matter where you work, you're going to have co-workers
you get along with and those you could get along without.
But did you know that you hold the key to working well
with all of your co-workers? It comes from discovering how
to harness the power of personality.

For 25 years, Florence Littauer's bestselling "Personality
Plus" has been required reading for employees of major
companies. Now, "Personality Plus at Work" shows you how to
work successfully with anyone by paying attention to basic
personality differences. It shows you what happens when
personalities are ignored, how each personality can lead,
and how to combine different personalities to maintain a
vital and harmonious workplace.

Whether you manage a department, work on a job site, or
volunteer at your child's school, the insights found in
this book will revolutionize your relationships on the
job.






CHAPTER ONE
Where Do the Personalities Come From?

As I (Florence) held up a copy of "Time" magazine from July 3, 2000,
I opened the class by reading them the story of how two teams of
geneticists had completed the discovery of every inherited trait in
the human body. "After more than a decade of dreaming, planning, and
heroic number crunching," I read from the article, "both groups have
deciphered essentially all the 3.1 billion biochemical 'letters' of
human DNA, the coded instructions for building and operating a fully
functional human."

I explained that among those identified traits, such as eye color,
hair texture, body shape, and size of nose, was also personality. We
come into this world with our own little nature, our own pattern of
behavior, and our own natural reactions to people. We may be
introverts or extroverts--or a combination of both--just as we may
be tall or short or somewhere in between.

"If you have gray eyes and you want them to be blue," I said, "you
can buy contact lenses in several colors, but when you take out the
lenses your eyes are still gray. If you want your dark hair to be
blonde, you can bleach it. But when the new growth comes out,
it's your natural color--brown."

I continued. "The same is true of your inherited personality.
Outside influences like social environment, family dynamics, age,
maturity level, or even birth order may have shaped it--making your
'brown' personality appear 'blonde' but at the root of it all is
always your true temperament.

"We come into this world with our own little nature, our own pattern
of behavior, and our own natural reactions to people."

"Parents who know this handle their children according to their
individual birth personality. If they treat all their children the
same, some will flourish, some will rebel, and some will give up
trying to please Mother. We'd be aghast at the thought of trying to
dye our two-year-old's hair, but we might think nothing of trying to
change her personality to make her be like her older sister.

"As I deal with people's adult personality problems--many of which
show up at work--I often find that their parents wanted them to be a
different type than what they are, often asking their children, What
is the matter with you? Why are you so difficult? or even Why can't
you be like your brother?"

Dr. Hastings sighed audibly when I said this, and added, "Just what
my 'mother' told me."

Rose and I again exchanged glances, knowing that over the next few
weeks we were sure to discover some of the personal stories of this
group. But right now we had a lot of material to cover, so I went
on.

"Children who grow up somehow thinking they are a disappointment to
their parents may spend their life looking for someone who will like
them as they are. And if they don't find a place where their
personality is appreciated, they will experience problems."

When we study the personalities, we'll understand why we are not all
alike. We will see how each of us can make a unique contribution to
the world--and learn to appreciate the contributions of others.


Source of the Funny Names

"Let's take a short break and when we come back, let's look at a
little history. Medical history," I said. At this, Dr. Charles
Everett Hastings III seemed to perk up a little.

When everyone returned, I shared about Hippocrates, a Greek
philosopher and physician who lived about 400 BC and experienced
difficulty with his patients. Some of them did what he recommended,
and some did not. He wondered why. What made some patients compliant
while others were so much more difficult? His questions led him to
begin the first known study of personalities. He examined the body
fluids in his patients and came up with four categories, now known
as the classic "temperaments."

After I explained this, I moved to the chart we had on the wall
behind the lectern and said, "Enough with history; now for a quick
vocabulary lesson." I shared the basic definitions of the four
personalities:


"Sanguine" (from red, hot blood) is a person who is lively,
fun-loving, optimistic, popular, and an enthralling storyteller.
This person can also be self-focused and forgetful.

"Choleric" (from yellow bile) is a person who loves to be in charge
and wants control. This person may also be self-centered, impatient
with others, bossy, and quick to anger.

"Melancholy" (from black bile) is a person who sees the details, is
introspective, and desires perfection. This person tends to be
easily depressed, pessimistic, and often doesn't enjoy social
gatherings that involve making conversation with people he or she
doesn't know or may not like.

"Phlegmatic" (from phlegm) is a low-key, easy going, and agreeable
person who likes to relax and may appear to others to be lazy. This
person is a steady worker and is best at giving strong support to
others but isn't naturally goal-oriented or extremely driven to
achieve.


According to the "Encyclopedia Britannica," in psychology,
"temperament" is the aspect of personality concerned with emotional
dispositions and reactions and their "speed" and "intensity."

Speed

Cholerics and Sanguines move "quickly."
Melancholies and Phlegmatics move more "deliberately."

Intensity

Cholerics and Melancholies are "intense" and "deep." Phlegmatics and
Sanguines are "easygoing" and "light."

*****TABLE OF CONTENTS *****

1. Where Do the Personalities Come From?
2. You're Born with Your Personality
3. The Emotional Needs of Personalities
4. Personality Nuances

5. Personalities in Pairs
6. Popular Personality: Sanguine
7. Powerful Personality: Choleric
8. Perfect Personality: Melancholy

9. Peaceful Personality: Phlegmatic
10. Personalities in Spousal Partnerships
11. Personalities in Multilevel Marketing
12. Personalities in Real Estate

13. Personalities in Food Services
14. Personalities in Health Services
15. Personalities in Retail/Office
16. Personalities in Ministry

***** About The Author (ZT)*****

Florence Littauer is the bestselling author of more than 40 books,
including "Personality Plus," which has sold more than 1.5 million
copies and has been translated into 30 languages. She speaks
internationally at seminars and retreats and is the president of
CLASS Speakers, Inc. She lives in Nevada.

Rose Sweet is a popular speaker and the author of five books and a
contributor to many more. She lives in California.