Type B Personality

  1. Honesty.   Everyone understands this to mean to tell the truth.  What people often overlook is that this expression involves the interrelationship between people. 

Take the example of someone who finds a diamond ring in the street, picks it up, and takes it to the police station.  There is no interrelationship or bond between people in that action.  Returning the ring would describe a noble act, but it is not what is included in the honesty trait because there is no interrelationship between people. 

A better example would be two girls remaining friends during good and bad times.  One friend announces that she is engaged. But the other friend saw her fiancé making out with someone else.  About Type B Personality Traits, honesty would require that she tell her friend what she saw (trust), withhold any judgment (fairness), and then stand beside her for comfort.  That means telling the truth is not the only issue in honesty.

Another example would be where one person asks another to hold an heirloom ring while they leave the state on a business trip.  The person accepts the task.  A few days later, that person loses the ring. They end up finding another that looks exactly like the one lost.  It may be the same ring.  When the owner returns, the person holding the ring tells the owner what happened. 

Both of these examples have interrelationships and elements of trust and fairness.

There are many ways to assess if someone is honest.  But beware.  You may be wrong, mainly when done in haste. Here are some examples:

a. Does the falsity of what is said determine whether something is honest?  No, not entirely.  This is the biggest mistake people make.  A person can say something false but still be honest.  This point is so vital that it is worth repeating:

— A person can say something false but still be honest.  

Honesty deals with what someone believes to be accurate and not what the facts prove.  Facts may play a part, but they do not create the beliefs.  That is on you.   A friend may hear something from another and believe it to be true.  If they repeat the information, they can still be honest even when false.   You must ask about the source of information. 

How often have you concluded that someone was dishonest because the facts did not back them up?   That would mean that during the middle ages, the vast majority of the people were dishonest because they thought the earth was the center of the Universe.   That would be in error.  Those people were not dishonest; they were only misinformed.

b. Does honesty include saying something nice to manipulate someone? Nope.  But it is important to determine dishonest intent. 

c. Is showing up late and missing deadlines dishonest? This is evidence of dishonesty but does not define it.  To connect the action, one must ask, “Why are you always late?”  You might discover that your parties and deadlines are intentionally set earlier than intended. 

d. Is the phrase Action Speak Louder than Words important in determining honesty? This is the gold standard in determining honesty and its flip-side dishonesty. 

Think of a playground teeter-totter.  The statements sit on one end, and the actions sit on the other.  When the actions do not support the statements, the teeter-totter tips and broadcasts the mismatch.

But there is a downside.  Most people puff the statements, and applying a blanket rule could result in a loss of friendships. 

The B Types have wisely learned how to manage any mismatch by forgiving minor discrepancies and ignoring those that are not important.  

2. Control Power.  All personality types use power and control to accomplish a result.  But B-types use and enjoy different aspects.  For example, most Type B personalities receive more satisfaction out of the interrelations (aka the “chase”) rather than from acquiring something (aka the “win”).  The win is important, but mainly to gain more chases. 

A racehorse runs down the track, determined to beat the other horses.  The horse does not realize when they cross the finish line, so the win is unimportant.  The thrill is beating the brown and white filly next to her.

In this sense, the Type B person can be highly competitive while enjoying the interactions.  You can spot the B-Type person by observing their enthusiasm and enjoyment before the win. 

a. Rapport Power.  Type B Personalities are usually exceptional salespersons.  The power comes from a desire to influence the buyers to “like them” instead of selling a product.  Creating this type of bond encourages repeat business. 

And this is much more profitable to the company than a single sale. Hence, companies often seek out salespeople having the B-type trait. 

A person may initially acquire insurance based on the price, but they renew with the company because of a friendship with the insurance agent.  If an insurance company requires its agents to take a personality test, you now know why.  They are looking for the B-Types in your answers.

b. Sexual power.  Type B salespeople use sexual prowess in almost every initial meeting.  It is used to keep the buyer from running away.  It is the old “foot-in-the-door” maneuver.  A friendship cannot begin without getting a chance to give your name.  Training seminars teach that the average salesperson has less than ten seconds to establish an initial interest.

c. Communication power should be renamed “Type B” power.  They observe nuances that are invisible to most people.  The eye contact, muscle tension, a glance, arm position, how far the lips are parted, and a list of other manifestations.  They observe all of these features and tailor their words and content to play into or sway the direction of the conversation. 

A memorized script would be spotted in a few seconds, so the salesperson must be flexible with the responses.  Flexibility is challenging for most people, but it’s child’s play for Type B personalities.  This is one of the reasons they are successful attorneys.  They know how to ask questions to nudge witnesses in a certain direction.  

3. Easy Going.  As used here, easygoing means not easily stressed. Some say it means laid back.  That’s misleading.  It is more accurate to say that they have mastered managing stress during conversations.  These skills require training, experience, and intelligence.  

High energy and easygoing are not inconsistent expressions.   

The highest energy person known in the entertainment world was Robin Williams.  Yet he was also easygoing.  Rather than getting stressed when a restaurant had no available seating, he would insist on waiting his turn like everyone else.  Sometimes he would grab a white napkin and roam around the restaurant, taking orders to the delight of the patrons and owners.  

4. Enthusiasm.  Type B personalities are highly enthusiastic about activities that involve other people. Many words define enthusiasm, and each one provides a slightly different flavor.  Can you imagine a musician without passion, a leader without charisma, or an artist without creativity?  This is why most musicians, leaders, and artists are B-types. 

When invited to a party, a Type B person enjoys meeting new people.  Many strive to become the “life of the party,” resulting in invitations to an expanding list of more parties.  To avoid the impression that B-types are only party animals, look a little deeper and consider how many business contacts are made at a party. 

Garth Brooks went to Nashville to be discovered.  He was among thousands of talented artists trying to make their mark.  He lasted one day before returning home.  But he bumped into a record producer while performing at a party.  He became one of the most prominent money-making artists of all time.  This is the value of a chance meeting. 

This example illustrates why enthusiasm has been classified as an extrinsic trait.  There is often a little stress that tags along. 

5. Humor. Humor from others is used to reduce stress in all personality types.  But what about the personality type that produces comedy? 

When viewed in that direction, Type B individuals dominate the area.  Every school, business, geographic region, etc., has people who enjoy making other people laugh. 

Will Rogers was a Cherokee Indian from Oklahoma. He was an actor, vaudeville performer, cowboy, newspaper columnist, politician, and the most admired and quoted humorist in America.  In 1928, he ran for president on the “Anti-Bunk” party.  He pledged that, if elected, he would resign the next day.  Herbert Hoover won the election, and this Oklahoma man resigned the next day.  This was during tough times when the nation needed some humor.  He is discussed in one of the inspiring stories of Oklahoma. 

6. Spontaneous.  This is the inclination to do things without premeditation in an open, natural, or uninhibited manner. People living in a regimented, safe bubble are repulsed by and enticed by such actions.  The repulsion occurs when the spontaneous event is happening and is fed by the terror of not knowing what may come next.  The enticement comes from the feeling of exhilaration after the event is over. 

The flat part of a roller coaster is not as enjoyable as the free-fall drop, as evidenced by photos of riders’ faces at the two locations.

Life would be dull without a generous sprinkling of B-types throughout the populous.