More than once I’ve heard people use their personality type as an excuse for bad behavior. “I’m a Driver, that’s what we do” or “I can’t help it, I’m a thinker, not a doer.”

To this I say WRONG! I don’t believe in excuses at all, particularly those that justify the continuance of bad behavior. This is especially bad when it comes from people who have been trained in our Face Values program or other “read and connect” type programs that help people flex and connect with those who are different.

The overall objective is to be able to flex into those colors or personality types that are not primary for you. This is the mark of the truly successful. Some people have it easier than others because they are more of a natural blend of types. It’s easy for me to flex from Analytical to Expressive, because I have a lot of Expressive in my blend. Not so easy to go into Amiable, but that doesn’t stop me from getting there. I’ve developed a couple of “state change” routines that put me into the mindset of a different personality type. If I want to go into Amiable, for example, I change my voice to the voice I use to talk to my pets. This vocal change resets my brain and I am able to communicate in Amiable mode.

We were working on a piece on charisma the other day and it dawned on me that charisma is really just the ability to fluidly move in and out of different styles so that you connect with everyone. Think about people you know who you consider charismatic. Are they strongly one color – all Driver, all Thinker, all Expressive? Not likely.

Barack Obama is a great example of charisma and of someone who naturally flexes. Next chance you get, watch him. If you’re familiar with face values, watch how his face changes and moves through the different “states.” Listen to the sound of his voice, his tone and pace. He is soft spoken, yet powerful.

The best video example is when he was on the Oprah show. If you get a chance to watch that, I’d highly recommend it. I couldn’t find a copy of that on the web, but here’s another good choice – Barack on the Charlie Rose Show.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5456752353400414374?

P.S. This is not a political endorsement, it is merely an example of a blended, flexible demeanor.