The answer may depend on the particular temperament you’re born with.

Your temperament is the combination of your mental, physical and emotional traits—your natural predisposition. Temperament governs how people think and communicate. So, leaders need to recognize different temperaments to better communicate with and leverage the strengths of each type of person.

Four Keirsey temperaments

Keirsey is one type of assessment that is widely focused around temperaments. In our experience, it’s one of the best tools on the market to identify a person’s thinking pattern. Knowing this helps leaders refine their communication skills and leadership skills.

Keirsey organizes temperament into four types:

Guardians (about 40%-45% of the population) speak mostly of their duties and responsibilities

Value structure, rules, stability, resources, safe workplace.
Like to work within schedules, routines, protocols, and clearly
defined pathways to success.
Process-oriented and tend to want to know exactly what
needs to be done for a project to succeed.
Dependable, loyal, keep promises. Thrive on doing what it
takes to keep a project moving forward.

Artisans (about 30%-35% of the population) speak mostly about what they see right in front of them and about what they can get their hands on

Value freedom, spontaneity, decision-making, taking action.
Like work or tasks that offer immediate and visible results and impact.

Idealists (about 12%-20% of the population) speak mostly of what they hope for and imagine might be possible for people

Value authenticity, integrity, honesty, connection to others.
Seek meaningful interactions and enjoy getting to know others.
Are enthusiastic, encouraging, and committed.

Rationals (about 5%–10% of the population) speak mostly of what new projects intrigue them and what new solutions they envision

Value ingenuity, inventiveness, competence, autonomy.
Like to experiment with concepts and new ideas.
Always looking for new ways to be challenged.

Now, a quiz:
Based on these temperament characteristics, can you identify the temperament for these four groups of leaders? Each group represents one temperament.

See page 2 for the answer…