7. A PLEASING PERSONALITY.

By Apostle Ricardo Butler Napoleon Hill in his book Think and Grow Rich says this about A Pleasing Personality,

7. A PLEASING PERSONALITY. No slovenly, careless person can become a successful leader. Leadership calls for respect. Followers will not respect a leaderwho does not grade high on all of the factors of a Pleasing Personality.

I think many of you who are business or ministry leaders out there or who work in some kind of HR (Human Resources) capacity already know what I am going to talk about right? You are right! You guessed it! I am going to talk about .

Personality Types and Temperaments

4 Temperament Personality Types

This has been an interesting study (more like a journey) in the last few years to understand fully how these work. I know most work places and churches (orministries) have used personality/temperament tests for recruiting and hiring. Dont get me wrong; I still use them! But I have gotten to the point now after a few days of conversation and hanging around people long enough I can figure them out real quick. So I am pretty good at hitting that nail on the head.

I want to try something different with this lesson on temperament types then what I usually teach. I want to do a compare and contrast on the personality types of leadersand their extremes. The normal extreme of a personality type is the opposite temperament type. For example, if you are an expressive the opposite would be ananalytical and vice verse. The opposite of a driver (non-people person bossy type) is an amiable (lovey-dovey people person). Do you get the point? Well instead of being normal, I am going to go the extreme if you get my point. So I am going to show the extreme of what and expressive looks like as a bad leader as well as a driver, analytical, and amiable.

I dont know about you, but I personally like to start from the one that I am least like to the one that I am the most. So we are going to go in this order:

Analytical Driver Amiable Expressive

And I am going to start with a good, for example driver, then end with a bad driver type of leader.

Pleasing Analytical

What does a pleasing analytical look like? Thats a very good question. When I visualize a good analytical I see a person who is a very detailed person. They are the type of person who is ready and willing to double no triple check everything, especially paper work or some kind of tasks to make sure its done right and that all parties benefit.

They keep areas all organized. They are great planners! I am extremely weak in this area. Im the type that will get to page 2 of a 10-page paper of something very boring and my mind goes blank. I cant do it. I will not last long trying to be an analytical! I have to force myself to finish things out completely.

I have an analytical friend who I work with in ministry and we fellowship a lot. The greatest way that she expresses her personality type is that she is a researcher of character. I mean she evaluates everybody that comes into my life. Shes like a detective. Shes very protective of all that I do and wants me to succeed. She is looking for anything that can hinder that. She is the white glove type that you see in those military boot camps. So when you are around me, you better be clean, because she will find dirt. Then again, she finds dirt on everybody. Ive just predetermined what kind of dirt that I am willing to let slide, deal with, and help to overcome that dirt later on. But overall I love her for her God-given personality.

These are the pleasing analytical types. They are the leaders that will make sure accounting numbers are correct. They are the proofreaders types. Excuse me Ricardo, but you misspelled this word. It should be here instead of hear.

Moses Receiving the law

A good example that I always use of a pleasinganalytical is Moses. He was all about structure and order concerning the construction of the Tabernacle of God. I mean everything had to be just right. If God said, Three inches, nothing more, nothing less thats what Moses did!

The Scriptures say this about Moses,

According to all that I [God] show thee[Moses], AFTER THE PATTERN of thetabernacle, and THE PATTERN of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye [ALL of you] make it. And look that thou make themAFTER THEIR PATTERN, which was showed thee in the mount. (Exodus 25:9 & 40).

Moses was a detailer and thats a good and pleasing thing to a team, especially if you work in an industry that is hazardous and safety is very important. A good place to also have a pleasing analytical type is the US Army. Attention to detail is a common slogan around these folks. Somebody can get killed if attention to detail is neglected. So we need good analytical leaders AND followers out there to carry out to the finish orders or plans of action.

Not So Pleasing Analytical Everybody dislikes a perfectionist. Well I wont say everybody, but they can get very bossy and begin to act like Hitler. Thats what an analytical leader is like. Everything has to be so right that they pressure the team in all things and if its not right they will tell their people to do it again or they will do it themselves.

Then we have the other extreme analytical on the other end of the spectrum. They are the types who wont start working until everything is perfect. I dont know which one I could deal with more. The perfectionist analytical who wants everything right the first time or the abdicating analytical who wont get started because the conditions or season in their own mind is not right.

Solomon said in Ecclesiastes,

He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap. (Ecclesiastes 11:4).

I love The Message Bibles paraphrase of this verse! It says,

If you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done.(Ecclesiastes 11:4). Im primarily an expressive so waiting for perfection conditions is not what I do. The Apostle Paul says to,

Preach the [WHOLE] Word; be instant in season [Gk: opportunely:--conveniently, in season, when the conditions are perfect], out of season [Gk: inopportunely:--out of season, when the conditions are NOT perfect] (2nd Timothy 4:2).

As a citizen of the Kingdom of God, I dont have to be moved by what the world is moved by. Im part of a whole different economy. I am fruitful and blessed even in the drought seasons.

An example of a not so pleasing analytical is Moses!

I used Moses again, because before God sent Him to Egypt to go get Gods people, he came up with a million (well not a million) ways to convince God why His plans wouldnt work. He thought the timing wasnt right, but God, the Ultimate Leader, knew before hand that the time was right and that Moses was the man for the job. And thats howMoses matured into a pleasing analytical.

Pleasing Driver Truthfully I dont think a driver can be pleasing! Im just kidding all your drivers out there. I do know a driver who though is bossy is a real people person. He says he was not easy at it in the beginning. But he puts forth the effort to be a people person though he is a bossydriver/get-it-done type. His name is Dave Ramsey!

Dave Ramsey's EntreLeadership

I just finished reading hisEntreLeadership book and it was so good that I am actually reading it again, but this time taking notes. He is a pure driver! But he is a pleasing driver! As I was reading his book, there were certain parts of the book where I was like, Man, I do not want to work for this guy and get on his bad side. And there were other parts of the book where I was like, I want to be like that with my team.

I believe he is one of the rare drivers Ive ever heard of who balances tough and tender and firm and fair. Go read the book. You will understand that while he is hardcore, he als o lets his team know intentionally that he loves them.

A good example of a pleasing driver is Noah. And the reason why was because he did not back down in his mission to tell the world the hard truth about Gods coming wrath for their ungodliness, but at the same time he still cared enough to warn them of that wrath to come. Hes my hero!

Not So Pleasing Driver A not so pleasing driver is probably the worst of all of the leaders I am talking about today. This guy is pure Pharaoh!

You ask this boss for help and he just makes the work harder. Ive had a boss like this. This person cusses at the employees and is so mean. It is unbearable! Not too many people stayed working for that company too long. It was like Hells Kitchen in there. And for those that dont know I am actually a cook by trade. So this was literally like Chef Ramseys Hells Kitchen! Youve got to be a strong person to sit under this type of leadership. Youve got to be someone like Joseph or Daniel. They can do it. I can do it too. I just view them as an object of Gods love to bless. Sometimes its hard but its not impossible to them who believe says the Scriptures (see Matthew 17:20).

Pleasing Amiable

This type of personality is by default just pleasing, perhaps even over pleasing. A think a lot of pastors fall into this trap. They are so tender with their flocks that the thought of church discipline scares them to death. Confrontation to an amiable is like life threatening to them.

These people are touchy feeling, ready to help, and full of compassion for others. They just love people! My God! It almost makes me sick how nice they are. Im just kidding! I know a lot of elder ladies in the church are amiable. I love these types. They give my kids candy! And from the outside looking in, it hard to stay mad at these type of people.

If they see you on the side of the road with a flat tire they will help out. They will push the car to the side of the road if they have too. They might even stick around until you get help, put you in a hotel room if you from out of town, and come back and check on you the next day and pay the bill before you get up. They are Good Samaritans! Yea thats what they are; Good Samaritans! I cant think of any other character from the Bible so we will use the Good Samaritan. I believe Abraham was a pleasing amiablealso.

Not So Pleasing Amiable This next one might be a tough pill to swallow for all your church folks. But I believe Jesus is a not so pleasing amiable. And the reason why is that while He was very loving to all those who needed healing or whatever from God, though He still didnt bend to the public either.

He was not a people pleaser at all. He says it all through the Gospels; that He came to do the will of the Father and to please Him. But then again, isnt that what He came to show us, how to please (love God first) and love people (be amiable)?

Well we need to take note of that. Even Paul took this approach in His ministry when he said,

For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. (Galatians 1:10).

He also showed how much he loved people too.

But as we [Paul, Silas, and Timothy--see Phil. 1:1] were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; NOT as pleasing men, but[PLEASING] God, which trieth our hearts. For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye [ALL of you] know, nor a cloke of covetousness; God is witness: nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when we[Paul, Silas, and Timothy] might have been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ. But we were GENTLE among you, even as a nurse CHERISHETH her children: so being AFFECTIONATELY DESIROUS of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel [of the Kingdom] of God only, but also our own souls [our very own lives], because ye [all of you] were DEAR unto us [Paul, Silas, and Timothy]. (1st Thessalonians 2:4-8). Paul had a good balance that we all need to learn. Paul was a great leader and he tried to relate to all temperament and operate in all temperaments to all people that he might lead some to the Lord.

And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; to them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made ALL THINGS TO ALL MEN, that I might by all means save some. And this I do for the gospels sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you. (1st Corinthians 9:20-23).

Pleasing Expressive This is my primary temperament! I am expressive to the bones. Everybody loves theexpressive, except maybe some analytical types (because they can get a little jealous of their care-free spirits to go out and accomplish things) and other expressivetypes (because they can get a little competitive).

The expressive is a party type. They are always full of new ideas. They love challenges. They are risk takers. A lot of them are very creative by nature. They cant sit down for too long, they need action in their lives. A good example in the Scriptures is King David.

David and Mighty men

That guy was something else wasnt he? I mean, taking on Goliath with a sling and a stone. He was out there warring with the Philistines under the command of Saul, when Saul tried to have him killed. David was a show off! He was like, Saul, youve got to give me a harder challenge then that! Then he dances in the street after bring the Ark back! That was classic! Hes an expressive! That means we EXPRESS ourselves openly with our feelings. We cried hard, we laugh hard, and we are angry hard.

Not So Pleasing Expressive How about a not so pleasing expressive? A not so expressive leader expresses themselves in destructive ways. Absalom is a prime example. Man, he just couldnt get it under control. They are undisciplined and too competitive to the point where a fight will break out.

Its not a good idea to be around a not so pleasing expressive, they are creative destroyers! They will literally imagine a hundred and one ways on how to get even with an enemy. Trust me you do not want that kind of person on your team, or even that type of leader over your team.

Conclusion

So in conclusion, these are the types of personalities and some of their extremes. There could be much, MUCH more said about this topic. And you can find different names for all of these four types all over the internet. Have fun with it and give them your own names for your organization if you want.

You know what? I think I might do that for my ministry and business. We are going to call them something else and personalize it for our own culture!

Next time, we will come back with part 8. SYMPATHY AND UNDERSTANDING.

Did you know that the Five Fold Ministry each falls into a common temperamental type too? I mean their can be a four different types of a pastor as far as personality types, but there is a common temperament that falls in each of the Five Fold. If you are called to be an Evangelist, you can sign up for our free Energetic Evangelistcourse, where I will be teaching on this next month!