Personality2

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The Personality in Action!

Once we have explored our personality type and have found descriptions that we identify with, we have to take action towards our transformation if we want to free ourselves from limiting behaviors created by our type. Information alone is not enough to trigger inner shifts. In fact, information can reinforce beliefs of a type, boxing us in it even more.

In order to really create behavioral shifts on a personality level we need to create a space of observation, a state of consciousness where neutrality prevails, so we can see our personality in action. Then we need to bring unconditional love to the process in order to understand why we are behaving the way we are, to understand our inner motives and beliefs, so we can let go of them without fear of losing our identity.

The whole idea of inner work, at least the way it is done within the Conscious Path system, is to bring us closer to our true nature, closer to our Essence. And in order to achieve that, we have to bypass our personality as we recognize when it is hindering our development. Let’s take a look at some examples.

Frank is a salesperson motivated by achievement. He is upbeat and a source of inspiration to others in the sales team through his performance, cooperation and driven style. But when Frank went through a divorce, he changed. He became an individualist, overly dependent on recognition, which caused him to sabotage team efforts in order to be in the spotlight. He cut corners and burned bridges to achieve his quota. His selfish behavior led to workaholism, unethical attitudes, poor health and denial of family responsibilities.

Through a coaching intervention, Frank raised awareness towards what was causing his shadow behaviors to take over and how they were affecting his life and his coworkers’. He recognized his inner motivations for achievement and could let go of the fear associated with failure. With the support of his team, he slowed his pace down and had a chance to get in touch with his feelings about his divorce. By mapping out his core values, he could let go of the need to compare himself to others and became more authentic. And after a few months adjusting to his new family roles, he could bring his best self back, much to the delight of his team.

Ego driven behaviors become more present when one is under stress.

Claudia, who is a fashion designer for a large department store, is very creative in her approach to develop themes for a new season’s collection. She draws on nostalgia and beauty from contemporary periods in history, always evoking aesthetically pleasing exotic designs. She makes sure that every person on her team feels special about their contribution to the creative process, and they all go the extra mile to meet tight deadlines. Her designs, when chosen by management, have experienced a higher than usual success rate for the company.

But when another designer’s approach is chosen by management, Claudia changes. She feels personally rejected and becomes moody and temperamental, making her team feel uneasy when brainstorming new concepts. Her self-sabotaging process starts when she feels that the company has mediocre standards and the way to raise them is by following her vision of beauty. She withdraws, becoming self-absorbed, perceiving everyone to be mundane and distasteful. Her melancholy actually isolates her from her team and also from new ideas. She only gets energized when she creates drama on any new approach with her team.

In the end, everyone loses. If management was able to see her response as “personality related”, her boss could discuss with Claudia the possibility of a coaching intervention in order to get her best self back.

What about Mark and Robert? Robert’s type drives him to work methodically and decisively and he also makes sure to exercise his power and control. His partner Mark likes to work creatively with little follow-through, focusing on fun and exciting possibilities.

While Mark can be very charming and appealing he can also be very frustrating to work with especially for those who need a clear agenda and structure to perform. And while Robert can stand by staff and is very resilient, he is not the best listener nor the most tactful person, which can create resentments from his directs, undermining teamwork. Robert is a person who will do everything in his power to avoid being perceived as weak and dependent, which motivates him to be overly strong and self-reliant. When under stress, Robert can be very bossy, aggressive and confrontational.

If Robert is your boss, rest assured he will value you being straightforward with him, confident and with no pretense. This type doesn’t like timidity or bullying. If your boss happens to be Mark, well, his type likes spontaneity, lightheartedness and optimism. But when under stress, his behaviors may lead him into not completing projects and overcommitting himself to promises that he won’t fulfill. These behaviors could be triggered by an unconscious fear of being bored, of being limited and confined by tasks and people.

So, by understanding the beliefs and motivations of different types we can adapt our style to better communicate with others, matching them in their perspective and skillfully finding a common denominator. This process in itself can help us get “out of our own way”, or the ways of our tendencies.

And when that happens, we grow because we can see how others see the world, which increases our compassion for them as well. Now, imagine this happening in our most intimate relationships. Can you see the unparalleled level of togetherness and bliss that we could achieve with our loved one?

Apart from seeing typology systems as descriptions of behaviors and motivations, and working with them on an analytical level, the Conscious Path framework also sees types as energy patterns, as in a quantum system. This is a very powerful way to work with personality because once we understand and see each type as energy patterns, we can dissolve the frozen energy that might be holding us back, opening up new pathways for growth.

We can do this through observation and intention, shifting the type’s patterns. This in turn creates new neural pathways in the brain and the release of neurotransmitters for a new way of being. Then, by holding intention and new behaviors that are supported by a new brain chemistry, we bring synergy to our levels of consciousness. When this happens, our Essence becomes more present in our daily lives. And what a joy this state of consciousness is!

The transformation of blocked energy into fluid movement through observation and intention frees the spirit to embrace the best of all types. It leads us into a new level of communication and compassion with ourselves and others. This empowering transformation leads one to a new growth period of greater productivity and resonance with self and team members.

If you have read the articles on Beliefs and Values you know that you can map out your belief system and its manifestation. And if you have done the focusing exercise, you know you can shift your state of consciousness to a neutral perspective in order to observe your tendencies and their influence on your psyche. And let’s not forget what a good diet and exercise program can do to your bio-chemistry and behaviors.

Welcome to Core Interactions Theory. Freedom at last!