SAMPLES / GIFTS - Styles Theory Comparison White Paper

Interacting in cooperation with others is a fundamental part of life, and it's a critical ingredient for families, friendships, school activities, and work and social environments. Practically every aspect of your life is an opportunity for collaboration.

Collaboration is at the core of participating in community—whether that community is your family, workplace, friends, or other groups of people.

Yet collaboration can be very challenging because we must deal with people who see things differently than we do and have different strengths and weaknesses. ...click to learn more about the role that Your Perceptual Style plays in your approach to Collaboration.

Personal relationships can be the most challenging relationships – but you already know that! From a special someone, life partner, or spouse, to parents, children, siblings, grandparents and extended family, these are the people who form the inner circle of our lives, the people we love.

We expect more from our personal relationships than our friendships or work relationships because the emotional bonds are stronger and are built on shared experience that grow over time. These are the people we look to for love, understanding, trust, loyalty, respect, kindness, forgiveness, shared values, companionship, affection, attention, sympathy, encouragement, acceptance. That’s a lot of pressure to put on a relationship! It’s no wonder these relationships need extra attention and commitment.

One fascinating aspect of personal relationships many people overlook is related to Perceptual Style. It’s very likely your loved ones won’t share the same Perceptual Style you do. ...click to learn more about the role that Your Perceptual Style plays in your relationships.

We all want to be understood. So, we search for the right words and the right tone to convey our message. We often fail to recognize that each of us has a built-in communication filter and because of that filter, what we mean isn't always what others hear and vice versa.

Disconnects in communication happen to all of us. It’s not because we’re not smart enough, and it’s not because other people aren’t smart enough. It’s not because you aren’t listening or trying to connect. It’s because the words you choose, the meaning you intend, and the triggers you hear are influenced by your Perceptual Style.

Words are a code we put on our thoughts and ideas in order to communicate our intention and meaning to others. The code you use daily to speak, write, and listen is highly dependent on how you perceive the world. ...click to learn more about the role that Your Perceptual Style plays in your communications.

Change is constant; it's part of your daily life. There are changes in the weather, the economy, relationships, work situations, etc. Just living each day and aging brings change.

Some changes are surprises, some changes you initiate, and some changes just feel inevitable. That's why adaptability is a critical life skill.

Adaptability is defined as the ability to adjust to new conditions or circumstances. Tapping into your strengths related to your adaptability can mean the difference between excessive worry and stress versus dealing with changes on your terms.

Embracing your adaptability strengths will help you choose work environments, relationships, and social situations where you will thrive and avoid those that will drag you down. ...click to learn more about the role that Your Perceptual Style plays in your view of change.

You would think that human beings, given their hard-wiring to seek community, would have found a solution to interpersonal conflict eons ago. No such luck. In fact, interpersonal conflict is a natural outcome of human interaction. People see the world differently, have different values and expectations, and don't always share the same goals or options.

It's helpful to keep in mind that everyone wants to belong and be valued, and no one wants to be disliked. If you can start from the assumption that other people mean well and don't intend to irritate or insult you, it's easier to realize they just don't see the situation the same way you do (most likely, they have a different Perceptual Style).

When you keep this concept in mind, it takes some of the stings out of disconnects. It's not personal; it's a different perspective.

Some conflict in your life is inevitable. Whether the conflicts are minor or severe, you possess natural skills to help you deal effectively with opposition and disagreement. ...click to learn more about the role that Your Perceptual Style plays in your approach to conflict.

The essence of Leadership is defined as inspiring and guiding a group of people to achieve a common goal. At the core, leadership combines art and science to attract followers, point out a direction, then guide and influence your followers to achieve objectives.

Many will try to sell you on the idea that effective leadership is a one-size-fits-all proposition. Or that if you're not naturally outgoing or authoritative or visionary, you can't be an effective leader. It's just not true. Real leadership success happens from the inside out - using your natural strengths to guide and inspire others to great achievement.

Everyone has the capacity to be an effective, even exceptional, leader. There’s not just one set of traits or behaviors that guarantee success. There is YOUR way to be a leader, built on your natural strengths. ...click to learn more about the role that Your Perceptual Style plays in your approach to Leadership.

Learning as an adult is a different experience than when you are a child. The primary driver of that difference is that adult learning is much more self-directed.

There are three general learning Methods: Visual (pictures, graphs, written word), Auditory (stories, songs, discussions), and Kinesthetic (experiential, activities, role-playing).

Because of your Perceptual Style, you respond to all three learning methods but prefer a unique combination of the learning methods to maximize your knowledge and growth. ...click to learn more about the role that Your Perceptual Style plays in your learning preferences.

Persuasion is the act of convincing others to agree with your point of view, adopt a particular perspective, or take a course of action you suggest. It's the process of presenting information and reasons that motivate or change someone else's thinking.

Just like the word "sales", we think of persuasion as positive when the intentions and results are positive for both parties and negative when the intentions are manipulative and the results aren't in the other person’s best interest.

These skills help you interact effectively with others at home and work. Imagine what planning a family vacation would be like if you didn't have persuasion skills! ...click to learn more about the role that Your Perceptual Style plays in your approach to sales.

In its simplest form, self-motivation is the ability to get yourself to do something. It creates personal enthusiasm and inspiration to take action.

Self-Motivation is the catalyst for goals you make for yourself. Self-motivation creates your desire to accomplish your goals, establishes your commitment to action, and helps you overcome your fears of the unknown or failing.

Self-Motivation is a critical life skill because it keeps you putting one foot in front of the other every day. Self-motivation is what spurs you to action for both what you want to do and what you need to do. ...click to learn more about the role that Your Perceptual Style plays on your motivation.