Holiday Shopping for the Four Personality Styles

I know there are some of you who have not yet completed your shopping, and may be completely stumped about what to give your loved ones. Here’s some great advice – make it all about them! Really watching and listening to the person you are buying for and making the gift something that is meaningful for them. We tend to choose gifts that we think may be meaningful to others –  hence the new tradition of ‘re-gifting’. Each of the four personality styles has preferences.

Check out the FUN tips below for giving the right gift.

Our very knowledgeable Green Personality Style will love any gift that furthers their knowledge and competence. Greens are not into possessions or ‘things’. Avoid fluffy slippers, kitschy Christmas sweaters and gaudy jewellery. Knick knacks will find themselves in the next garage sale. Greens have a unique sense of humour, so tickets to a comedy show would work, as would a trip to an interesting place with lots of history. A magazine subscription to something that interests them, such as science, nature, how to go ‘green’. Avoid packaging; it’s likely that our Greens are totally serious about going ‘Green’. Greens love ideas and concepts, a trip to the museum would be most welcome.

The core need for our Gold Personality Style is belonging, tradition and responsibility. Think about practicality and how the gift will help the Gold personality type carry out their responsibilities or honour a family tradition. Do not be extravagant and ensure that the gift is of high quality they love trusted brand names. Some gift ideas – a planner for the New Year, a new briefcase to replace the old worn one, a labeller – Golds are very organized, or an alarm clock to ensure that the Gold is always on time. Gold personality types will appreciate that you put some thought behind the gift. As long as you are happy they are happy.

Woo Hoo! The Orange Personality Style is motivated by freedom and impact. Don’t fence me in! Just like Tigger – Oranges bounce. Orange Personality types are all about the senses. Think about gifts that relate to the senses, perfume, music, art work, fine wine or chocolate, a soft sweater. Oranges also like variety and fun, so look for something they can use in their leisure time. Plan a spa day and go with them – make sure there is lots of variety and choice. How about an adventure weekend like white water rafting or horseback riding? Even if you get it wrong, oranges won’t care, they get over it easily – they’ll just bounce back.

Meaning and Significance – that’s the key to a Blue Personality Style’s heart. The Blue temperament has a core need for unique identity, meaning and significance. Their talents are as caregivers, facilitators and mentors. They value harmony and cooperation. People of the blue temperament will not really care about material things. You will really impress a blue if you wrote a poem about them, or, knit something special for them (even if it does look a bit wonky). Blues are often found in the Self Help section of the book store – careful though – they may already have all of them! Try a wall plaque that has a motivational saying, or a day out that pampers them, blues so often are caring for others. No matter what you give a blue, it will be treasured and appreciated. Blues are relationship centred; any gift that treasures your relationship with them will be welcomed.

By Irene Anderson

How Do You React to Change?

The parable in the little book “Who Moved My Cheese” is all about how we react to change – or don’t react to it – and what the consequences can be.

“Old Beliefs Do Not Lead You to New Cheese”

Does everything you do turn out the way you planned? Not likely… You can spend countless hours and money marketing and networking and maybe things are not percolating along the way you want. Ask yourself – am I making the same assumptions, am I doing the same things? or – am I sourcing out new cheese?

“Having Cheese Makes You Happy”

Of course it does – we all want success, we deserve it right? We worked hard! What happens when the cheese is gone? We ask – how did that happen? It’s not fair! We tend to blame.

“The Quicker You Let Go Of Old Cheese, The Sooner You Find New Cheese.”

Move on…that’s right – get on with the adventure – step out of your comfort zone. When I try a new service or workshop out – sometimes it doesn’t fly – so, I go back – turn it on its head and re-think. Usually, I end up on a completely different path from the one I intended, but that’s OK – keep your eyes and ears open for new adventures, partnerships and opportunities. It will all work out.

“Move With The Cheese And Enjoy It!”

Sniff - out the situation and see change coming.
Scurry – get into and stay in action immediately.
Hem - don’t be Hem – staying where you are will not work.
Haw - Haw did not believe in himself and followed Hem. Step out of your fear – be bold.

I hope this little parable will help you to Sniff and Scurry your way to success.

How to Transition When you Hit Your Wall

I recently listened to a podcast about transition and ‘Hitting the Wall’ – wow in that less than 2 minute blurb, a million thoughts started to go through my head. Transition is ubiquitous – in other words life is always throwing stuff at us that pushes us into transition – nothing is static or same especially in these challenging times. I don’t know about you, but almost every friend or acquaintance I have has been touched by layoffs, downsizing, outsourcing bankruptcy or just plain bad bosses, they now find themselves in middle age having to look for alternate employment – and in many cases settle for what we used to call “McJobs”.

 
What does it feel like to be a long term employee who just heard that they have lost their job? Many have worked hard for over 25 years- that’s a lifetime with friends who have become family – that’s hard to give up, what a crushing blow! In some cases folks get escorted out of the building by security guards – how humiliating! I know how heartbroken they must feel. I myself remember a similar closure at the  company I worked for  where one of my team – a woman with over 25 years at this company left with her belongings in a green garbage bag. I will never forget that image; I will never forget the tears and the heartbreak.

What does this do for your confidence?