Building Better Bonds. Employees, Co-Workers, Customers, & Friends

Almost everyone knows the Golden Rule. "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you", meaning you want to treat others the way you would want to be treated. But in the service industry, where you are the owner, employee or even the co-worker; sometimes we need to take it to the next level to maintain a positive relationship and create bonds we can build on to keep customers and a positive work environment. Taking this lesson to the next level is knowing the Platinum Rule. "Do unto others as they want done to them." It's meaning should be clear, treat others the way they want to be treated and you will always have positive results. Not to be confused that by giving everyone what they want this will make them happy. But if you understand behavioral patterns, you can talk the talk to anyone you meet. Satisfying unhappy customers, relating information to co-workers, building bridges between staff members and creating a healthier communications network throughout your family.

The first thing you must do when you want to become that bridge that builds better bonds is to understand the different behavior types and how, no matter the personalities, you can apply the Platinum Rule. The personalities have been split between 4 types represented by birds and we will refer to them as such throughout the Blog. The Dove - Relationship Oriented  The Owl - Detailed Oriented  The Eagle - Results Oriented  and The Peacock - Social Oriented. First you need to understand you can be more than one of these types. How that is dictated is your situation. Are you at home, Are you the boss/leader, Are you the customer, and last Are you the server? Second you must look at how supporting and direct you are to figure out your personality type.  Are you too supporting to others or self reliant? Are you direct or indirect? Depending on the stage and adding it to the situation will determine your personality type, and the personality type of the person you are interacting with. Let's break down the different types so you can see what best fits you and how you can use this knowledge to your advantage to build bonds with others.

The Dove

Doves are not confrontational. They would prefer to settle any issue quietly and do not like to apply blame on anyone. This person will usually submit to stress instead of being involved in any additional problems. Getting this person to open up or to feel more comfortable would be to give personal reassurance. They like a slow pace for comfort and security in anything they do or request.

The Owl

Owls, even if they know they are right, will withdraw from stress.Owls, like Doves prefer a slow pace because they tend to be very detailed oriented. Studying, note taking, and looking at all possibilities are their strong suits. An Owl will deal with facts and charts and when dealing with them it's best to not only supple the answer, but like in math, they want you to show your work.

The Eagle

Eagles want it right and they want it right now. Eagles are take charge and want to be in command and even in control of their own outcome. This person would prefer to dictate their needs and move on to something else, because they know their request will be handled post haste. Once they give an order they do not want to visit the same situation again. Eagles live a fast paced live style and it's best to be prepared to take orders and deliver solutions when dealing with them.

The Peacock

Peacocks will disregard stress, since it's not important and can be revisited at anytime. They will work hard and be the best boss or employee, when they receive the credit they deserve for the work they have done or are working on. They are fast paced and love to show off who they are. Peacocks thrive off of interaction and will pay more attention to a conversation or instructions when you acknowledge them in any positive light first.

So how do you relate this information to building bonds? Well once you realize who you are and who you are dealing with you adjust your personality, not change it but be like a salesman and be who you need to be for that moment, by being the opposite for the person you are interacting with. i.e. If you are dealing with a Dove, it's best to be the Owl, someone who is also slow paced but can be detailed oriented and solve issues using detailed facts. If you are dealing with a Peacock, become the Eagle, just as fast paced, direct and to the point. If your not talking about the Peacock it's best to state your business and be on your way. These combinations can be changed and used in many different ways based on the situation. The best thing to remember is their is no one personality that is better than the others. Sometimes you need to be the aggressor and sometimes you have to learn when to submit.

By understanding different personality types you will be able to converse with others better and build bonds with those you need to interact with.  So which personality type are you most of the time? Leave a comment below. Most of the time I am a Dove, but I have alot of Eagle and Peacock in me too.

This research is based on +Dr.Tony Alessandra's work in Relationship Strategies How to identify and communicate with different behavioral styles. Thanks for reading another post by +Latisha McDougal of +May We Help You