Curbing Employee Dissatisfaction:
3 Steps to De-stressing Your Workplace and Beyond
By Cyndy Bolton
You've been there…the supervisor is requesting the report that was due yesterday. You've been on your feet all day. Mom is in the midst of being transferred to the nursing home and the day care just called with news that Cameron has a fever of 104. What about ME?
I've been there too. We all have those borderline insane moments that overwhelm us. When the stress factor goes up, our ability to deal with it goes down. In times such as these we find ourselves less and less likely to focus. For those of us who have a high level of professional responsibility, simple daily life tasks can be a challenge when we are juggling issues of a greater priority. We need help in organizing the amount of high level priorities.
Enter a tool known as Personality Dimensions. It is described from their website as being "based on leading-edge research into human motivation and behaviour and helps to explain what motivates behaviour in people with different personalities or temperaments. This interactive human relations and communications process enhances the basic values of self-esteem, dignity and self-worth." In simpler terms, it helps us to understand where we fit in with others and how they fit in with us.
- Learn. With a visual introduction into who you are, you will discover what influences and preferences appeal to you. You will also begin to understand more about yourself and those around you.
- Assess. Assessment = Awareness. Throughout the assessment process, you will be able to understand yourself in relation to your circle of influence. A clearer view of how peers relate to you will be more evident. Are you stimulated by doing or acting? How about your work team, are they actors, or doers? Are you a shy person? Are you shy only in certain specific environments?
- Practice. Apply the Principles. In a Personality Dimensions workshop, you will begin to see where you are affected by personalities with characteristics similar and unlike your own. Learning how different dynamics work together will aid in the ability to perform better. Increases in productivity are especially appreciated by all members of the team.
To illustrate, after I attended my first workshop, I took a sort of inventory of all of the people who were closest to me. By simply applying the colour-coded philosophies and their characteristics, I began to understand why I interact differently with certain people. The reasons that I avoided some personalities, and sought other types became more obvious. Questions I had asked myself about my self-esteem became answered, or reaffirmed. I understood why it was difficult to ask my boss for a raise, and why I didn't always agree on certain issues with certain family members. I softened towards the personalities that I did not understand, and drew closer to the ones that I did.
Personality Dimensions also works very well in teams who are struggling with conflict. It is traditionally introduced in groups of no more than 30 in order to maintain a personable style of delivery. Clients vary from groups of teens to corporate boardroom members, to health care providers. The application of a Personality Dimensions workshop can effectively reduce stress levels in the workplace.
On a personal note, nothing is more rewarding than seeing people have their "A-ha" moment when they realize that all of us have strengths and see the potential to improve our understanding of each other. We are a made up of a combination of preferences from intellectual-seekers to risk-takers. Diversity in personality traits is reinforced, and truer understanding of what makes us different is underscored.
After attending a workshop and receiving your assessment results, I personally guarantee that you will see dynamics in a different light. If it's patience that you need to improve, you will be able to empathize so that your communication skills appear better developed. Being able to anticipate what your boss will say as you ask for that raise will help you be less stresses on evaluation day.
Not only will you be able to improve your workplace relationships, but by applying the Personality Dimensions principles to all aspects of your life, arms you with the great skill of understanding.