Recap: “People Are Weird” Seminar

If you missed last week’s “People Are Weird” seminar, here’s a brief recap.

While no one fits into just one type or group, there are four types of people we have/get to work with, pitch to and try to sell to:

1. Communicators: They’re emotional decision makers.
   
2. Commanders: They see the value in making what seem like risky decisions.
   
3. Calculators: The decisions they make must be logical.
   
4. Completers: They are sometimes held back from making decisions due to fear.

How do you peg someone?

1. Communicators: Extroverted, people-oriented, friendly, stylish, open, emotional/animated, socializes regardless of time, empathizes with others, popular and gung-ho.
   
2. Commanders: Commanding, bottom-line oriented, dominating, formal, impatient, emotional/direct, always pushed for time, about achievement, restless, quick/impulsive and fast.
   
3. Calculators: Non-nonsense, facts-oriented, assessing, conservative, closed, unemotional/reserved, values and manages time, about organization, selective, cool/distant, objective and controlled.
   
4. Completers: Laid-back, systems oriented, accepting, conforming, cautious, unemotional/low-key, respects time but not pushed, accepts others, about functions, willing, steady/reserved, slow/studied and steady.
   

Their hot-buttons, the things to avoid when communicating with them?

1. Communicators: Alienation.
   
2. Commanders: The feeling that they’re being taken advantage of.
   
3. Calculators: The fear of making a mistake.
   
4. Completers: Anything that seems like radical change.

So what do they want to hear?

1. Communicators: How they’re going to get the credit and look good. Ask them how to include others in the decision. Socialize with them and entertain them.
   
2. Commanders: Show them the benefits and throw in a high-profile reference. Ask them how they would do it and about their opinions.
   
3. Calculators: Stay focused on the facts, the details and the long-term benefits. Ask them how they would organize it and solve the problems.
   
4. Completers: Remove the risk, and don’t talk about change or new ideas. Ask them how they do their jobs and make it a no-pressure decision with a lot of time.
   

Okay, so that’s not a full synopsis of the hour-long session at Barley’s (we tried a downtown venue for a change of pace), but at least it’s some tip-of-the-iceberg insight into the different types of personalities we encounter each day in our communications professions.