Tool Box
Issue No. 9 - February/March 2003
Making Webpages and Emails Appeal to the 4 Personality Types
by Lee Hopkins
You probably know this already, but there are generally held to be four basic personality types, which I call: Extrovert, Amiable, Analytical and Pragmatic.
Let’s take a moment to consider each of them in the workplace.
Extrovert: someone who probably has a messy desk; who leaves projects 75% completed then gets distracted by new, ‘more exciting’ projects; someone who communicates their ideas with enthusiasm and charm; makes instant decisions; hates ‘paperwork’ and the ‘dull routines’ of life, such as filling in order forms, checking bank statements, etc.; is usually ‘fashionably late’ to meetings, events and parties (and they love entertaining clients!); always has interesting screen savers.
Amiable: someone who is the ‘peacemaker’ in the office; is always striving for a ‘win-win’ in everything in life; someone who probably isn’t terribly ambitious and striving, but is very happy to support and encourage others who are; someone who cannot say “No” very easily and so are probably on every committee going (whether they actually want to be or not); is more likely to make a decision on the spot if only to stop you ‘hassling’ them, otherwise will take weeks to make a decision (if at all, as they prefer others to make the decision for them); like to know what others are doing (in case they themselves are doing something inappropriate or foolish).
Analytical: ‘GadgetMan’ - has multiple PDAs in case one fails; has several computers for the same reason; adores punctuality; when they tell you they recently bought something they won't round the number up but will tell you to the exact dollar and cent how much they paid; loves playing with spreadsheets, charts and projections; will never make a decision on the spot; will buy a car based on fuel economy, servicing costs, resell value, depreciation and other factors, never ‘bec...
