In your surroundings, nearly every person has his or her own way of doing things.Some people are outgoing, some enjoy keeping to themselves and others prefer a little of both.In fact, we can classify people into four basic personality types or behavioral styles.
Look around your office and see if you can see any of these people.We'll call the first person Dave.Dave likes immediate results and tends not to listen to details before making decisions.He acts quickly and often cuts people off mid-sentence.Then there's Stan.Stan is very predictable and patient.He's loyal to the organization and listens attentively.Or how about Ingrid? Ingrid is optimistic and looks for the best in everyone.She enjoys conversations, networking events and spreading her influence.She has recently bought a fitness center.She discovered that when the center is empty, she goes crazy.She likes to have people around her all of the time and can't stand the quiet of the afternoon.Finally, we have Catherine.Catherine is interested in accuracy and details.She enjoys working alone and prefers to use diplomacy(外交)to solve conflicts rather than action.
Each of them demonstrates one of the four primary behavioral styles.These are dominance(支配型), influence, steadiness and conscientiousness(思维清醒型).Dominant people are direct and decisive; they like accepting challenges, taking action, and getting immediate results.Influential people are optimistic and outgoing; they prefer to participate in teams, share ideas, and entertain others.Steady people are sympathetic and cooperative; they like working behind the scenes and being good listeners.Conscientious people are concerned and correct; they like planning ahead, employing systematic approaches and checking and re-checking for accuracy.
Let's take Dave for example.He fits into the Dominance behavioral style.Dave likes to make quick decisions and solve problems, but he sometimes has trouble understanding that people need people and, as such, finds it hard to identify with the group.We need people like Dave because he moves things forward.To be most effective, Dave needs people who can handle the details he often ignores.
So which personality style is the best? Which is most effective? The answer is that each of us is effective in dealing with different people, problems, situations and careers; we each have our own style.
(1)
Who fits into the Steadiness behavioral style?
[ ]
A.
Dave
B.
Stan
C.
Ingrid
D.
Catherine
(2)
If you’re a dominant person, you need ________ to help deal with the details you usually
ignore.
[ ]
A.
a direct and decisive person
B.
an influential person
C.
a steady person
D.
a considerate person
(3)
If a person often encourages you to open up and communicate, he/she most probably fits into ________.
[ ]
A.
the Dominance behavioral style
B.
the Influence behavioral style
C.
the Steadiness behavioral style
D.
the Conscientiousness behavioral style
(4)
It can be inferred from the passage that ________.
[ ]
A.
people with different personalities are more likely to be successful
B.
asking different people for advice can help to avoid conflict within a group
C.
each behavioral style has its own advantages and disadvantages
D.
we can choose our own personality style as we like
(5)
The main purpose of the text is to ________.
[ ]
A.
introduce four people's personalities
B.
show how to find out your own personality style
C.
list the benefits of knowing one's behavioral style