Kate Ward - Personality Style at Work: The Secret to Working with (Almost) Anyone

Writing a book feels like a solitary endeavor when youre sitting in front of a computer for hours at a time and days on end. However, the reality is that publishing a book is a group effort. In my case, there are two people at the top of my list to thank for their help: Martin Delahoussaye and Mark Morrow. Simply put, without Martin, the VP of publishing at HRDQ, this book wouldnt have been written. Martin helped shape the vision of the book and was an invaluable resource in checking content accuracy as it related to the HRDQ Personality Style Model. As my development editor, Mark always delivered his edits with a healthy dose of encouragement. This book is stronger for his input. Thanks.

Martin, Mark, and I are a trio of Considerates, so as you would expect from this style, the process of working with them was positive and free from conflict. I highly recommend working with Considerates on any project requiring feedback, as it will be offered with genuine support and encouragement!

I also want to thank the team at McGraw-Hill for its attention to detail and its dedication to producing the highest-quality work.

And finally, I want to thank my familymy husband, Bill, and my sons, Eric and Ben. They left me alone when I needed to be left alone, and they gave me hugs when I needed a boost. And to my extended family and friends who willingly (or unwillingly) listened to me talk about the book at lengththanks for your patience and support.

At this point, you probably have a good idea of your personality style. The quick self-assessment that follows provides a tool to enable you to definitively identify your personality style. In addition to completing the assessment in the book, you can, for a small fee, take a comprehensive version of the assessment at www.personalitystyleatwork.com . You will receive a style-specific, customized report thats full of tips and techniques that you can use to make the most of your style. Whichever method you choose to use to identify your personality style, I hope you will take advantage of the additional resources offered at www.personalitystyleatwork.com .

The self-assessment consists of 18 pairs of adjectives. For each pair, you will have a total of 5 points to divide between the two adjectives. Distribute the points based on how much each adjective describes you. Heres an example:

If you feel that action-oriented describes you completely and animated not at all, then you would assign 5 points to action-oriented and 0 points to animated. If you feel that action-oriented describes you somewhat, but animated describes you more, then you would assign 1 or 2 points to action-oriented and 3 or 4 points to animated. You can use any combination that adds up to 5 points, but do not use fractions. If you feel that both adjectives describe you equally, decide which adjective describes you just a bit more; you cannot divide the points equally.

Transfer your numbers into the appropriate column. For example:

1. a. Action-Oriented

b. Animated

The number you assigned to 1. a. goes in the Direct column, and the number you assigned to 1. b. goes in the Spirited column. Continuing, the number you assigned to 2. a. goes in the Systematic column, and the number you assigned to 2. b. goes in the Considerate column.

After you have filled in your numbers in their respective columns, add up the numbers in each column. The totals for all four columns should add up to 90. The column with the highest total score is your dominant personality style.

Your Dominant Personality Style:

Your personality sheds light on everything you dothe way you interact with others, perform as a team member, spend your free time, and lead employees. You name it. And before you can make meaningful improvements in your performance, you must first discover what makes you, well, undeniably you. As I mentioned at the beginning of the book, there are countless theories, models, and books about personality style. I wanted to share information that is simple yet useful. Thats why I chose the HRDQ Style Model as the backbone of this book.

The result of years of expert research and development and proven theory, the HRDQ Style Model is the formula that thousands of individuals have relied upon not only to understand what makes them tick, but to understand those around them as well. The model takes the complexity of personality and boils it down into four simple, memorable words: Direct, Spirited, Considerate, and Systematic. The meaning behind these terms is the key to unlocking what drives human behavior. And as a seasoned author and training consultantnot to mention parent, friend, and spouseI speak from experience when I say that Ive tapped into this model more times than I can count.

For more than three decades, HRDQ has been a trusted developer of experiential learning resources that help to develop great people skills. Whether you are a frontline employee, a high-ranking executive, or just someone who is inspired to learn and grow as an individual, its resources are guaranteed to initiate lasting change and improvement. The HRDQ Style Model is no exception, and Im excited that HRDQ has allowed me to share it with you.

So if you want to become better skilled at communicating with others, leading cross-functional teams, clinching lucrative deals, or building a healthy rapport with others, getting to know the HRDQ Style Model is the first step you should take. There isnt an easier, more powerful way to understand the impact your personality style has on your life, both personal and professional. You can learn more about HRDQ at www.hrdq.com .

With more than 20 years of experience, Kate Ward has an impressive track record in training development. She began her career as a manager of curriculum development for CareerTrack, where she authored programs, supervised a team of instructional designers, and facilitated training. She also served as the senior instructional designer at TreeLine Training, responsible for leading the development of the core skills curriculum library. Kate is currently running her own company, working to create innovative training solutions for todays business needs.

For more than 30 years, HRDQ has been a trusted developer and publisher of experiential learning resources that help to improve the performance of individuals, teams, and organizations. It offers a wide range of research-based training materials including assessments, games, customizable programs, and e-learning workshops on todays most in-demand soft-skills topics such as leadership, communication, coaching, and team building.

At the core of every product is the HRDQ Experiential Learning Model, a powerful formula that combines a mixture of organizational theory and proven facilitation methods with a high level of interaction and an appreciation for adult learning styles to make learning stick. From frontline employees to senior-level executives and everyone in between, HRDQs training solutions are guaranteed to initiate lasting change and generate a return on investment.