If you define someone’s personality as a characteristic pattern of thinking, feeling and behaving then real change is possible. Imagine someone who daydreams more than the average person and your company does not require a Director of Daydreaming. You need that person to be tuned into your customers’ needs and to complete projects on a timely basis. How can you go about changing their behaviour? One of the first things you can do is ensure they understand themselves a little better. I use the Attentional and Interpersonal Style (TAIS) Inventory and invariably people prone to being caught up in their thoughts agree that their dominant Attentional Style is Conceptual/Analytical. They may also be distracted by their own thoughts and their ability to stay focused on a project is a weakness for them. In many cases, they had not really thought about it this way before and they are typically open to hearing more.
They may need tools or tactics to improve. I might suggest that this person utilizes a daily list and updates it every night and follows it every day. Often they say they already do this but they may not prioritize the list; or really stick with the routine; or have someone follow up on their progress. When the ‘daydreamer’ starts to become the ‘producer,’ the way they view themselves and the way they are perceived by others changes. It’s not a complete personality change but it’s a significant shift and it can positively impact their quality of life along with the business.
