This week we’re talking about the four personality types that you’ll find in your organization. To find out more background, go back and check out episode 22.
So far this week we’ve covered Lions, Otters and Beavers.
Today, we come to our last group… the Retrievers.
I don’t want any of them to feel sad that they were last. It wasn’t anything personal.
Retrievers are the natural feelers of the group.
They have a pulse on not only their own feelings but also the feelings of others.
They are a great barometer to your organizational culture and values, helping you to know if what you’re trying to instill is actually happening.
Retrievers almost have a special sense of these things. They can pick up when someone doesn’t feel valued, when a message is confusing or maybe belittling.
They perceive when someone isn’t being truthful or has an idea that they’d like to share but are afraid to.
They are excellent listeners. They truly value others deeply and it shows in how they interact with their co-workers.
The value that Retrievers bring is a little bit harder to see but it is critical because they shine the light on what others can’t see naturally.
And they’re pretty honest. Just ask them if what you said came across the way that you meant it and they’ll shoot straight with you.
So, their weaknesses.
As you can see, Retrievers and Lions are essentially polar opposites.
Their struggles usually come in the areas of asserting themselves, being decisive and not overthinking.
They can tend to let others roll right over them because they often may just assume that the other person is right.
And because they are such strong feelers, they can also tend to have feelings hurt more easily, though they may not show it.
Retrievers in your organization might be a little bit harder to spot. They are sometimes the quieter ones and will just put their heads down and serve or do their thing because they don’t like to bring attention to themselves.
But when you can identify them, take full advantage of their thoughts and views on the organization, initiatives, values, culture and more. They perceive far more than you know.
Tomorrow, we’re going to wrap up the week with an overview and some examples of how all four might work together well.
Thanks for listening to today’s episode. I’d love hear from you about today’s topic or just in general. You can shoot me an email at shawn@shawnwashburn.com or head to shawnwashburn.com/contact and you’ll find links to connect with me on social media as well.
