Creating Extraordinary Characters –– Part VII
The DISC personality tests are a help in corporate cultures, whether they be families, companies, or non-profit organizations. We’ve been looking at these as a tool to help build character natures, dispositions, and temperment. This time, we look at the “C” for Conscientiousness. What personality tool do you use to determine your character’s personality? Click to Tweet #amwriting #characters
People with the C style place an emphasis on working conscientiously within existing circumstances to ensure quality and accuracy. A person with a C style is motivated by opportunities to gain knowledge, showing their expertise, and quality work. They prioritize their work, ensuring accuracy, maintaining stability, and challenging assumptions. Careful, cautious, systematic, diplomatic, accurate and tactful characterize people that are high C.
Generally, they may be limited by being overcritical, overanalyzing and isolating themselves. Sounds like an introvert to me, and writers, especially. Fear of criticism and being wrong is part of this personality. Yep, this is a writer. They also value quality and accuracy. I could also add “fear of rejection” as part of this personality.
Their goals, especially in their work include: unique accomplishments (they want to be recognized); correctness (they need it to be perfect); stability (they may not like surprises or a lot of ups and down); predictable accomplishments (they want to have reachable goals and be well able to meet them); and personal growth (even though they like stability, they want to have a chance to improve themselves.
Will need to expend more energy to: let go of and delegate tasks, if they’re a leader. They need to learn to compromise for the good of the team. That’s a difficult thing for this personality. Join in social events and celebrations. Like I said, they’re introverts. And, they need to develop the ability to make quick decisions. This is hard for the high C because of their desperate to be right. Heaven forbid they make a wrong decision.
When communicating with the C style individual, focus on facts and details; minimize “pep talk” or emotional language; be patient, persistent and diplomatic. Absolutely. The first character that comes to mind here is Murray Bozinsky from the classic TV show of the 1980s “Riptide.” Because he was a computer nerd, “Boz, as he was sometimes called, was quite shy, especially around beautiful women, which, because he bunked with two hunks, he was around pretty young women all the time. He eventually got a little less shy around them.
McGee or Palmer from NCIS might also fit this personality, or possibly Bud from JAG.
What do you think? Leave a comment and let me know. People who are high C, are introverts and possibly perfectionists. Click to Tweet #amwriting #characters
Donna L.H. Smith 