social styles

ok, so in class todayand yesterday we were talking about behavior styles or personality traits or something along those lines, i can't quite remember what they're called, and i didn't write them down. however our assignment is to assess ourselves and see where we land on the personality chart.

the first criteria is about responsiveness, between control and emote (definition: to express emotion especially in an excessive and theatrical manner). it's basically, do you let your emotions dicide things for you or do you think about things objectively. i don't think that i generally lean one way or the other. maybe i just don't know myself very well, but i think i'm pretty close to right in the middle of them.

the second criteria or whatever is about assertiveness, between asking and telling. it's basically do you tell people what you're doing or just simply talk to let people know that you're there, or are you a quiet person and don't really make yourself known or your opinion heard. i'm pretty sure that i fall farther on the side of asking or not really talking all that much.

now in the curriculum there was a cool little diagram with an x-axis and a y-axis. on the right side is "tell", the top "control", on the left "ask", and on the bottom "emote". now i know that i fall one side of asking, and i'm realy close to the middle of control and emote. i would have to say that i fall closer to the emote side of the diagram than the control side, which means that i'm called an "amiable" more than an "analytical". i have characteristics of both, but i think i have more of the amiables than analyticals.  the strengths of an amiable that i feel apply to me in the area of emotions are being calm, cool, and collected, being patient and well balanced, and i think i have a pretty consistent life. as a parent (even though i'm not a parent yet) i can't really tell how i'd be with children.......or children of my own. at work i think that i'm pretty competent and steady, i don't really mediate problems, but i don't actively try to make problems in fact i try to avoid conflict a lot, and i think that i'm pretty good under pressure. and as a friend i think i'm pretty easy to get along with, i don't talk a whole lot which i guess means i'm listening a lot, but sometimes i don't really listen, i just look like i might be (yes, mom i guess you're right), and i do have a lot of friends, but i don't have a lot of really GOOD friends. my weaknesses being an amiable person with emotions are that i can appear unenthusiastic, i can be indecisive about things mostly just because i really don't care one way or the other about most things, i suppose that i could be seen as self righteous sometimes which i suppose i can be at times. as a parent you i really don't know yet, but i do know that with my cubbies students i am pretty lax on discipline and my room is the loudest and probably the most unorganized, and i do think that i could look like i take life too casually. at work i suppose i'm not goal oriented i just do whatever job i'm told to do, i don't really like change, but i won't resist it mostly because other people know more than i do and i don't really speak up a whole lot either. as a friend i can see myself appearing uninvolved and indifferent to plans mostly because i don't care what we do and think that if anyone has strong opinions about them they should have there way, i can judge others unfairly, but i'm starting to try and correct that realizing that everyone has their own issues and who am i to look down on anyone, and YES, i can DEFINITELY be sarcastic and teasing AT TIMES.......just once in a while ;)

and when i'm interacting with other social styles i should try to speak up a bit more and if i disagree realize that that is ok and someone might miss out on something if i don't speak up, but i do have to learn how to offer my opinion graciously and not too forcefully.