What’s in This Profile?
What’s in This Profile?
This profile is designed to cover all the main aspects of Campaigners’ personality as
it affects different areas of their life, including Campaigners’ key strengths and
weaknesses, relationships, academic path, career and professional development, as
well as their communication and friend-making skills, parenting tips and advice, and
much, much more. It combines personality type theory with practical, real-world
advice from other people who share the Campaigner personality type.
Personality types have been the topic of many discussions, some of them dating back
to ancient times. It’s wise to draw from this source of knowledge and experience,
especially when unsure of how to handle a specific situation. This kind of knowledge
offers the power to control and understand oneself. As Aristotle said millennia ago,
“The hardest victory is the victory over self.” Consider this profile a plan for success.
“The Campaigner” (ENFP, -A/-T)
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
What’s in This Profile? ........................................................................................................ 1
Table of Contents ............................................................................................................... 2
The Puzzle of Personality .................................................................................................. 5
Five Personality Aspects ................................................................................................. 9
Mind: Introverted (I) vs. Extraverted (E) .................................................................... 9
Energy: Intuitive (N) vs. Observant (S) ..................................................................... 12
Nature: Thinking (T) vs. Feeling (F) ........................................................................... 15
Tactics: Judging (J) vs. Prospecting (P) ...................................................................... 17
Identity: Assertive (-A) vs. Turbulent (-T) ................................................................. 20
Type Groups .................................................................................................................. 21
Roles ........................................................................................................................... 22
Strategies ................................................................................................................... 30
Who Is “The Campaigner?” ........................................................................................... 39
Personal Growth .............................................................................................................. 43
Motivation and Development ...................................................................................... 44
Self-Esteem ................................................................................................................ 46
Self-Respect ............................................................................................................... 52
Self-Confidence.......................................................................................................... 58
Self-Evolution ............................................................................................................. 63
Self-Responsibility ..................................................................................................... 69
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Table of Contents
Conclusion ..................................................................................................................... 75
Friendships ....................................................................................................................... 77
Campaigner Friends by Role ........................................................................................ 80
Campaigner–Analyst Friendships ............................................................................ 80
Campaigner–Diplomat Friendships ......................................................................... 87
Campaigner–Sentinel Friendships ........................................................................... 94
Campaigner–Explorer Friendships ........................................................................ 101
Conclusion ................................................................................................................... 107
Romantic Relationships ................................................................................................. 109
Potential Role Pairings ............................................................................................... 112
Campaigner–Analyst Relationships ....................................................................... 113
Campaigner–Diplomat Relationships .................................................................... 121
Campaigner–Sentinel Relationships ...................................................................... 128
Campaigner–Explorer Relationships ..................................................................... 135
Conclusion ................................................................................................................... 142
Parenthood ..................................................................................................................... 144
Parenting for Each Stage of Development ............................................................... 150
Building Bonds (From Birth to Approximately 1 ½ Years) ................................... 151
Testing Boundaries (From Approximately 1 ½ to 3 Years) .................................. 157
Thirst for Knowledge (From Approximately 3 to 5 Years) ................................... 163
Creating Competence (From Approximately 5 to 12 Years) ............................... 169
Find Thyself (From Approximately 12 to 18 Years) .............................................. 175
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Table of Contents
Conclusion ................................................................................................................... 181
Academic Path ................................................................................................................ 182
How Campaigners Learn ........................................................................................... 184
Campaigners in High School...................................................................................... 190
Work or College? ......................................................................................................... 197
Campaigners in College ............................................................................................. 203
Lifelong Learning ........................................................................................................ 209
Conclusion ................................................................................................................... 214
Professional Development ............................................................................................ 216
Finding Opportunity ................................................................................................... 219
Jobs and General Skill Sets......................................................................................... 221
Challenging Career Qualities .................................................................................. 225
Career Alternatives.................................................................................................. 229
Workplace Cooperation Between Roles ................................................................... 233
Campaigner–Analyst Cooperation ......................................................................... 233
Campaigner–Diplomat Cooperation ..................................................................... 239
Campaigner–Sentinel Cooperation ....................................................................... 245
Campaigner–Explorer Cooperation ....................................................................... 250
Conclusion ................................................................................................................... 255
Final Words ..................................................................................................................... 257
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The Puzzle of Personality
The Puzzle of Personality
When they receive their personality test results on our website, most people’s first
question is, “What do these letters mean?” We are of course referring to those
mysterious acronyms – INTJ-A, for example, or ENFP-T. As you may have already
learned from the type descriptions or articles on the website, the five letters of these
acronyms each refer to a specific trait, with certain trait combinations forming
various types and type groups. But before we discuss those traits in depth, let’s
explore their historical foundations.
Since the dawn of time, humans have drawn up schematics to describe and
categorize our personalities. From the four temperaments of the ancient civilizations
to the latest advances in psychology, we have been driven to fit the variables and
complexities of human personality into well-defined models. Although we are still
some time away from being able to do that, the current models account for our most
important personality traits and can predict our behavior with a high degree of
accuracy.
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The Puzzle of Personality
Personality is just one of many factors that guide our behavior, however. Our actions
are also influenced by our environment, our experiences, and our individual goals.
This profile describes how people belonging to a specific personality type are likely to
behave. We will outline indicators and tendencies, however, not definitive guidelines
or answers. Significant differences can exist even among people who share a
personality type. The information in this profile is meant to inspire personal growth
and an improved understanding of yourself and your relationships – not to be taken
as gospel.
Our approach has its roots in two different philosophies. One dates back to the early
20th century and was the brainchild of Carl Gustav Jung, the father of analytical
psychology. Jung’s theory of psychological types is perhaps the most influential
creation in personality typology, and it has inspired many different theories. One of
Jung’s key contributions was the development of the concept of Introversion and
Extraversion – he theorized that each of us falls into one of these two categories,
either focusing on the internal world (Introvert) or the outside world (Extravert).
Besides Introversion and Extraversion, Jung coined the concept of so-called cognitive
functions, separated into Judging or Perceiving categories. According to Jung, each
person prefers one of these cognitive functions and may most naturally rely on it in
everyday situations.
In the 1920s, Jung’s theory was noticed by Katharine Cook Briggs, who later coauthored one of the most popular personality indicators used today, the MyersBriggs Type Indicator® (MBTI®). Briggs was a teacher with an avid interest in
personality typing, having developed her own type theory before learning of Jung’s
writings. Together with her daughter, Isabel Briggs Myers, they developed a
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The Puzzle of Personality
convenient way to describe the order of each person’s Jungian preferences – this is
how four-letter acronyms were born.
Of course, this is just a very simplified description of the Myers-Briggs theory.
Readers interested in learning more should read Gifts Differing: Understanding
Personality Type by Isabel Briggs Myers. As we define personality traits and types
differently in our model, we will not go deeper into Jungian concepts or related
theories in this profile.
Due to its simplicity and ease of use, the four-letter naming model is now shared by
a number of diverse theories and approaches, including Socionics, Keirsey
Temperament Sorter®, and Linda Berens’ Interaction Styles, among many others.
While the acronyms used by these theories may be identical or very similar, however,
their meanings do not always overlap. As a result, if you meet five people who say, “I
am an INFJ,” their understanding of what that means may vary significantly.
Regardless of its structure, any type-based theory will struggle to describe or
characterize people whose scores lie near the dividing line. A different way to look at
personalities is through the lens of a trait-based rather than a type-based model.
What do we mean by that? Instead of creating an arbitrary number of categories and
attempting to fit people within them, a trait-based model simply studies the degree
to which people exhibit certain traits.
You may have heard the term Ambivert, which is a perfect example in this case.
Ambiversion means that someone falls in the middle of the Introversion-Extraversion
scale, being neither too outgoing nor too withdrawn. Trait-based theories would
simply say that an Ambivert is moderately Extraverted or moderately Introverted and
leave it at that, without assigning a personality type.
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The Puzzle of Personality
A trait-based approach makes it easier to reliably measure correlations between
personality traits and other characteristics – for example, political attitudes. This is
why trait-based approaches dominate psychometric research, but that’s more or less
the only area where these approaches are dominant. Because they don’t offer types
or categorizations, trait-based theories don’t translate as well as type-based theories
into specific recommendations and takeaways. Assigned categories such as Extravert
or Introvert may be limiting, but they allow us to conceptualize human personality
and create theories about why we do what we do – something that a more
scientifically reliable but colorless statement, such as you are 37% Extraverted,
simply cannot do.
With our model, we’ve combined the best of both worlds. We use the acronym format
introduced by Myers-Briggs for its simplicity and convenience, with an extra letter to
accommodate five rather than four scales. However, unlike Myers-Briggs or other
theories based on the Jungian model, we have not incorporated Jungian concepts
such as cognitive functions, or their prioritization. Jungian concepts are very difficult
to measure and evaluate scientifically, so we’ve instead chosen to rework and
rebalance the dimensions of personality called the Big Five personality traits, a model
that is very popular in psychological and social research.
Our personality types are based on five independent spectrums, with all letters in
the type code (e.g. INFJ-A) referring to one of the two sides of the corresponding
spectrum. We’ll talk more about these concepts in the next chapter. This approach
has allowed us to achieve high test accuracy while also retaining the ability to define
and describe distinct personality types.
During the last few years, we have conducted more than 800 studies to uncover
trends and correlations between personality traits and various behaviors. Many of
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The Puzzle of Personality
these studies will be referenced in this profile, and additional information can be
found in our online Academy. Our goal is to give you access to our sources without
repeating ourselves or overwhelming you with information. If you are particularly
interested in a specific study or its statistical characteristics, please feel free to
contact us via our website, and we will do our best to provide additional information.
With that aside, let’s dig deeper into the five personality aspects!
Five Personality Aspects
Mind: Introverted (I) vs. Extraverted (E)
The distinction between Introverts and Extraverts may be the oldest notion in the
history of personality theories. It has long been observed that some people are
expressive and outgoing, while others are reserved, quiet, and more comfortable
alone. The first group recharges by engaging with the external world and
communicating with other people, whereas members of the second group are
energized by spending time alone and connecting with their own inner world.
We focus on these differences in our first scale, which we call Mind. This scale – which
is based on a person’s level of expressiveness and the degree to which he or she
seeks external stimulation – determines how we see and approach the outside world,
including people, objects, and activities. This scale correlates with a number of other
personality traits, such as willingness to volunteer, desire to engage in thrill-seeking
activities, and romantic assertiveness, to name just a few.
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The Puzzle of Personality
On one side of this scale, we have
Introverted individuals (the I letter in
the
type
acronym).
You
might
associate Introversion with being
private or withdrawn – or even
clumsy or antisocial – but our studies
show a far more complex picture.
Generally speaking, Introverts do
not seek or require much external stimulation. As you might expect, an Introvert
requires less communication with others than an Extravert would, but an Introvert’s
preference for less stimulation can also influence his or her hobbies, political
attitudes, and even eating or drinking habits. To give a practical example, our studies
have found that Introverts are less likely than Extraverts to enjoy coffee and energy
drinks.
But
what
Compared
about
Extraverts?
with
Introverts,
Extraverts are more interested in
engaging with the people, objects,
and environment around them. This
preference manifests itself in many
ways: Extraverts are less sensitive
than Introverts to noise, for example,
and they are likelier to wear bright and colorful clothes. Extraverts not only tolerate
external stimuli, however; they actually need these stimuli in order to support their
own energy.
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The Puzzle of Personality
Extraverts are often energetic and willing to take the lead, especially in social
situations. They enjoy pushing themselves to the limit and challenging themselves
and those around them. Unlike Introverts, who are more cautious in their approach,
Extraverts are likely to feel that they can handle life’s challenges without much
forethought. Whether that turns out to be true depends on many other
circumstances, but overall, Extraverts tend to be more proactive in experiencing –
and embracing – the world around them.
Worldwide, the three most Extraverted countries are Oman (61.66%), Yemen
(59.44%), and Saudi Arabia (58.95%). The most Introverted countries are Japan
(59.88%), Lithuania (55.85%), and Portugal (54.25%). In the United States, New York
(50.92%), Mississippi (50.87%), and Illinois (50.64%) top the list for Extraverts, while
West Virginia (53.62%), Alaska (53.6%), and Maine (53.41%) report the highest
percentages of Introverts. Interestingly, if the District of Columbia were included in
the comparisons, it would easily top the Extraverted list. In our study, the average
Extraversion score for the capital city’s 23,310 respondents was 53.06% – significantly
above New York, its closest competitor.
Campaigners are Extraverted – they tend feel recharged after spending time in the
company of other people, and consequently often have excellent social skills. As
Extraverts, Campaigners enjoy taking the lead and speaking their mind, often going
ahead and voicing their opinion as they develop it. People with this personality trait
tend to instinctively connect with others, regardless of their background or
personality, making them popular and well-liked in many circles.
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The Puzzle of Personality
Energy: Intuitive (N) vs. Observant (S)
Energy is the second scale in our model, and in our opinion it is the most important.
While the other four scales determine how you interact with the world (Mind), make
decisions (Nature), schedule your activities (Tactics), or react to external feedback
(Identity), the Energy scale actually determines how you see the world and what kind
of information you focus on.
All personality types can be divided into those that favor the Intuitive energy style
and those that favor the Observant energy style. Intuitive individuals tend to be
visionary, interested in ideas and abstractions, and attracted to novelty. Observant
individuals, on the other hand, prefer facts, concrete and observable things, and the
tried and true.
It is important to stress that this scale has nothing to do with how we absorb
information: Intuitive and Observant types use their five senses equally well. Instead,
this scale shows whether we focus on what is possible (making connections intuitively)
or what is real (observing the environment). If you are familiar with the Big Five
personality traits, you might recognize this scale as a reworking of the openness to
experience concept, with a focus on preference for (and tolerance of) novelty and
ambiguity.
Individuals with the Intuitive trait rely on their imaginations and think in terms of
ideas and possibilities. They dream, fantasize, and question why things happen the
way they do, always feeling slightly detached from the actual, concrete world.
Although they observe other people and events, their minds remain directed both
inwards and somewhere beyond – always questioning, wondering, and making
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The Puzzle of Personality
connections. When all is said and
done, Intuitive types believe in
novelty, in the open mind, and in
never-ending improvement.
In one 16Personalities study, we
asked people whether they wish
they had been born in the Age of
Discovery (roughly speaking, the 15th
through the 18th centuries). Our results showed that Intuitive types were much more
willing to give up the convenience, comfort, and predictability of modern life in
exchange for the excitement of exploration, distant civilizations, and the
undiscovered mysteries of the New World.
In contrast, individuals with the
Observant trait focus on the actual
world and things happening around
them. Preferring to see, touch, feel,
and experience, they are happy to
leave theories and possibilities to
others. They keep their feet on the
ground and focus on the present,
instead of wondering why or when something might happen. Consequently, people
with this trait tend to be better at dealing with facts, tools, and concrete objects as
opposed to brainstorming, theorizing about future events, or handling abstract
theories. Observant types are also significantly better at focusing on just one thing
at a time instead of juggling multiple activities.
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The Puzzle of Personality
The Energy scale influences communication style as well. Intuitive individuals talk
about ideas and have no difficulties with allusions or reading between the lines, while
Observant types focus on facts and practical matters. This is why Intuitive types may
find it challenging to understand someone with the Observant trait, and vice versa.
Intuitive types may think that Observant individuals are materialistic, unimaginative,
and simplistic, and Observant types may see their Intuitive conversation partner as
impractical, naïve, and absent-minded. These assumptions and biases can be quite
damaging, and it takes a mature person to get past them.
Geographically, the Middle East and Asia have the largest percentage of Observant
individuals, with 8 countries in the top 10 list. Saudi Arabia (71.94%), Oman (71.03%),
and Yemen (69.76%) have the top scores among Observant countries, while Nepal
(48.92%), Albania (48.51%) and Maldives (48.44%) top the Intuitive table.
In the United States, North Dakota (59.43%), Minnesota (59.23%), and Iowa (59.04%)
are the most Observant states. On the opposite side of the table, we have Nevada
(43.92%), Rhode Island (43.75%), and West Virginia (43.47%).
Campaigners are Intuitive individuals. This is why they are so good at seeing
possibilities and honoring different points of view. People with this personality type
spend more time engaging in various internal discussions than observing things
around them. Campaigners are not that concerned about what is happening; instead,
they focus on what might happen or why something has happened. Campaigners
hone this focus throughout their lives, which makes them passionate and insightful
thinkers.
Of course, every stick has two ends, and focus on novelty and change comes at a cost.
By directing their mental resources toward possibilities and the future, Campaigners
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The Puzzle of Personality
inevitably lose sight of what is happening around them. They may have difficulties
dealing with practical matters or data. If they aren’t paying attention, they may even
miss something right under their nose. Because the majority of the population has
the Observant trait, Campaigners may have difficulty finding a partner and
connecting with others.
Nature: Thinking (T) vs. Feeling (F)
The third scale, which we call Nature, determines how we make decisions and cope
with emotions. While we all have feelings, there are significant differences in how
different types react to them. This scale influences a number of areas of our lives,
particularly our interactions with other people.
People with the Thinking trait seek
logic and rational arguments, relying
on their head rather than their heart.
They do their best to safeguard,
manage, and conceal their emotions.
“Whatever
happens,
you
must
always keep a cool head” – this is the
motto of Thinking individuals. These
types are not cold-blooded or indifferent, however. People with the Thinking trait are
often just as emotional as those with the Feeling trait, but they subdue or override
their feelings with their rational logic.
In several of our studies, we analyzed the attitudes of different personality types
toward philanthropy and charitable causes. Thinking types are significantly less likely
to engage in charitable giving or to be touched by charities’ emotional appeals. Does
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The Puzzle of Personality
this mean that they are unwilling to help? Not necessarily. It turns out that Thinking
personalities don’t believe that giving money to charity is the best way to make a
difference. They may look for other ways to be of assistance – for example, investing
in education for the disadvantaged.
In contrast, people with the Feeling trait follow their hearts and care little about
hiding their emotions. From their perspective, we should not be afraid to listen to
our innermost feelings and share them with the world. These individuals tend to be
compassionate, sensitive, and highly emotional. They would rather cooperate than
compete, although they are not naïve or easily swayed.
In fact, people with the Feeling trait
are likely to fight tooth and nail for
their values and beliefs. For many
Feeling types, principles and ideals
are much more important than, say,
professional success. Although this
perspective might not seem rational,
Feeling types generally adhere to
their own highly individualized – and perfectly valid – logic.
Worldwide, Iran (51.91%), Georgia (50.74%), and Albania (48.94%) report highest
scores on the Thinking side of the scale. On the Feeling side, we have Singapore
(61.41%), Australia (60.1%), and New Zealand (59.98%).
In the U.S., northern states tend to be slightly more Feeling, but not significantly so.
One interesting example is the contrast between Utah and Nevada: two neighboring
states that are each first on opposite sides of the scale. In Utah, the average score is
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The Puzzle of Personality
61.19% on the Feeling side, well above Minnesota (59.61%) and Idaho (59.54%), which
take second and third place, respectively. Nevada, on the other hand, is the most
Thinker-heavy state in our study, with its 34,576 respondents getting an average
score of 42.99% on the Thinking side of the spectrum. While that still means Feeling
personality types outnumber Thinking types significantly, we rarely see such
differences between neighboring regions. Other top Thinking states include
Delaware (42.71%) and New Mexico (42.7%).
Campaigners have the Feeling trait – they trust and prioritize feelings, relying on
moral and ethical arguments, and doing everything they can to stay true to their
deeply held principles. People with this personality type are kind and sensitive,
always able to find something positive regardless of the circumstances. The Intuitive
and Feeling traits form the core of the Campaigners personality, making them very
insightful, idealistic and open-minded individuals, capable of amazing feats,
especially in fields related to morality, philosophy or diplomacy. However, they also
push Campaigners away from the majority of the population, sometimes making it
difficult for them to relate to other people, especially when it comes to accepting
what they see as egoism and self-interest.
Tactics: Judging (J) vs. Prospecting (P)
The Tactics scale determines how we approach planning and how we handle
available options. The implications reach well beyond our calendars, however. At its
core, this scale determines our attitudes toward certainty and structure in our lives.
People with the Judging trait do not like to keep their options open. They would rather
prepare five different contingency plans than wait for challenges to arise. These
individuals enjoy clarity and closure, always sticking to the plan rather than going
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The Puzzle of Personality
with the flow. It’s as if Judging types keep a mental checklist, and once a decision is
crossed off that list, it is not open to reassessment. This mentality applies as much
to grocery shopping as it does to life goals, like buying a house.
Individuals with the Judging trait
tend to have a strong work ethic,
putting
their
duties
and
responsibilities above all else. Our
research indicates that Judging types
are also strict when it comes to law
and order. Of course, this doesn’t
mean that Prospecting individuals
are lawbreakers, but if you see someone go out of his or her way to use a crosswalk,
that person is likely a Judging type.
In contrast, Prospecting individuals are flexible and relaxed when it comes to dealing
with both expected and unexpected challenges. They are always scanning for
opportunities and options, willing to jump at a moment’s notice. People with this trait
understand that life is full of possibilities, and they are reluctant to commit to
something that might prove an inferior option in the future. They also focus more on
what makes them happy than what
their
parents,
employers,
or
teachers expect. If a specific task is
not
particularly
important
or
interesting, a Prospecting individual
will always come up with something
better to do.
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The Puzzle of Personality
Looking at the geographical data, the global Judging-Prospecting chart has
interesting similarities with the Extraverted-Introverted one. While these scales do
not influence each other from a statistical perspective, many of the countries topping
the Extraverted-Introverted charts have correspondingly high Judging-Prospecting
scores. At the top of the Judging table we have Oman (58.05%), Yemen (57.78%), and
Kuwait (55.8%), while the most Prospecting countries are Japan (55.21%), Nepal
(53.74%), and Lithuania (53.62%).
The map of the United States, however, does not show significant overlaps between
these two scales. On the Judging side of the spectrum, we have South Carolina
(51.05%), Alabama (50.97%), and Tennessee (50.8%). On the other side, the most
Prospecting states are Alaska (51.2%), Vermont (50.86%), and West Virginia (50.76%).
Campaigners are Prospecting individuals, and look for different ways to complete
tasks or accomplish goals. Campaigners’ vast range of interests may lead to
unfinished projects or missed deadlines, but these types would rather risk
disappointing others than lock themselves into a position where existing
commitments would limit their freedom. Campaigners tend to be removed from the
real world, often paying far more attention to their latest mental exercise than to
clutter around the house or dishes piled in the sink. Prospecting types are relaxed
about their work or studies, refusing to get stressed about deadlines, templates, or
rules when they still have free time.
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Identity: Assertive (-A) vs. Turbulent (-T)
The last scale, Identity, affects all others, reflecting how confident we are in our
abilities and decisions. In a way, this scale acts as an internal sensor, reacting to the
input we get from our environments – for instance, success or failure, feedback from
others, or pressure caused by unexpected events. The Mind and Identity scales are
the alpha and the omega of our model, acting as an external shell that we wear in all
of our interactions with the outside world. Later, we will discuss the four possible
combinations of these traits, which we call “Strategies,” but in the meantime, let’s
take an in-depth look at the Identity
scale.
Assertive
individuals
are
self-
assured,
even-tempered,
and
resistant to stress. They refuse to
worry too much, and they don’t push
themselves too hard when it comes
to achieving goals. Similarly, they are
unlikely
to
spend
much
time
thinking about past actions or choices. According to Assertive types, what’s done is
done and there is little point in analyzing it. Not surprisingly, people with this trait are
generally satisfied with their lives, and they feel confident in their ability to handle
challenging and unexpected situations.
In contrast, Turbulent individuals are self-conscious and sensitive to stress. They
experience a wide range of emotions and tend to be success-driven, perfectionistic,
and eager to improve. Always feeling the need to do more, have more, and be more,
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The Puzzle of Personality
Turbulent types may forget how
exhausting this dissatisfaction can
be – both for themselves and for the
people around them.
While the Assertive variant may
seem more positive on the surface,
that is not necessarily the case.
Turbulent
individuals
are
more
willing than Assertive types to change jobs if they feel stuck in their current roles, and
they think deeply about the direction of their lives. Turbulent individuals may also
outperform Assertive types in certain instances, because they may care more about
the outcome. The willingness of Turbulent types to push themselves may ultimately
enable them to achieve their goals.
Worldwide, Japan is by far the most Turbulent country, with an average score of 57.48%
on the Turbulent side. Italy (53.8%) and Brunei (52.89%) come in second and third,
respectively. On the Assertive side of the spectrum, we have Uganda (57.91%),
Barbados (57.11%), and Nigeria (57.01%).
In the United States, there is a clear east-west divide, with the East Coast being
significantly more Turbulent. West Virginia (49.3%) takes the lead on the Turbulent
side, followed by Rhode Island (48.84%) and Maine (48.73%). The most Assertive
states are New Mexico (54.7%), Colorado (54.66%), and Hawaii (54.28%).
Type Groups
Now you know what each type consists of. But how do they fit together?
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Our system has two layers: the first (inner) one defines our Roles, the second (outer)
one, our Strategies.
Roles
The Role layer determines our goals, interests, and preferred activities. Each of the
four Roles covers a set of personality types that are very similar, and we will use these
groups later in this profile to draw contrasts and similarities between personalities.
They also serve to highlight the importance we have placed on the Energy trait. Each
personality type will share either the Observant or the Intuitive trait with all other
members of their group, as well as one other key trait. Campaigners belong to the
Diplomat Role group, along with three other personality types: Advocates, Mediators,
and Protagonists.
Analysts
Shared traits: Intuitive and Thinking
The personality types in the Analyst Role – Architects, Logicians, Commanders, and
Debaters – embrace rationality, excelling in intellectual and technological pursuits.
The Thinking trait makes Analysts exacting, and the Intuitive trait lets them apply
their minds to almost anything, with their imaginations aiding calculated, strategic
thinking, or seeing just how far the rabbit hole goes with a crazy scheme or thought
experiment.
These personalities are driven to understand and create, and have no problem
switching between speculative musing and frank, solutions-oriented approaches to
whatever problems are at hand. Broad, intelligent vision gives Analysts an ingenious
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air, but they can become overwhelmed and scattered if they don’t learn to hone
these abilities and use them to advance a worthwhile cause or project.
The biggest pitfall is that their intellect can give them a false sense of accomplishment.
They tend to prefer the world of ideas to the sober reality of follow-through, and by
assuming the role of critic instead of participant, Analysts sometimes risk being
functionally outpaced by those who simply sit down and do the work. They can earn
themselves the unsavory title of “armchair analysts” while those with more real-world
experience continue to create real results. Analyst personality types can lack a proper
respect for those of simpler vision and expression, whatever their background, and
it can hold them back.
Analysts value their intellect above all else, and it can be a challenge convincing them
it’s worth checking their many hypotheses with an experiment or proper evidence to
be sure. To many Analysts, if something makes sense in their minds, that’s as good
as proved, and a great deal faster. Analysts can be brilliant, but they’re still human;
under the influence of ego, these personality types can get in the habit of advancing
clever opinions instead of objective facts.
Analysts’ positive self-identity stems largely from their formidable drive to learn, and
their clever and sharply witty banter can make them excellent debate partners. Often
insatiable readers as well, Analysts can be found stockpiling books, questioning
teachers, and driving conversations in forums across the world wide web. These
types prefer their own processes and pace, and are energized by exercising their
minds on their own time.
Analysts are also relentless self-improvers. Once they’ve recognized a flaw, they
apply all of this cold rationality, honest reflection, imagination, and desire for results
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to make it right. Analysts’ forceful, imaginative vision, when trained and focused,
enables these personalities to conceive and accomplish things most thought
impossible.
Diplomats
Shared traits: Intuitive and Feeling
Diplomats – Advocates, Mediators, Protagonists, and Campaigners – tend to be warm,
caring, and generous individuals, shining in diplomacy and counselling. These
personality types promote cooperation and harmony, tolerating discord only as a
step towards positive change. Their perceptive abilities seemingly go deeper than the
traditional senses – it’s as if they have a full set of tuning forks in their hearts that can
resonate with people’s emotional states, and this empathetic sensitivity creates deep
connections with others.
This is not as mystical as it can seem. Diplomat personalities deeply value
understanding, and a lifetime of self-reflection grants them insights into others’
motivations that they might not even understand themselves. Diplomats can use this
to shape the way others feel, but it would be out of character for them to use this for
ill.
Diplomats’ people skills nurture friendship and healing with pure, genuine empathy.
Causing distress feels to them like wounding their own psyche, so they prefer to
gently nudge loved ones and strangers alike in a positive direction. Diplomats find
the ideals of humanism rewarding: kindness, understanding, altruism, and growth
warm them like a bonfire on a chilly autumn day. These personality types envision a
prismatic, kind world.
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The Intuitive trait plays a big part in this optimism, but it also makes Diplomats
sensitive to injustices that would jeopardize that ideal world. They can be aggressive
against forces they perceive as evil, and are capable of steely action when they feel
they have moral high ground. Diplomats’ sensitive emotions may flare to outright
combativeness if provoked; with self-righteous momentum and weighty ideals, these
personality types can steamroll others. If they let inspiration trump rationality
unchecked, they can sometimes go too far, damaging the very causes they hold dear,
however justified the outrage.
Tempering this passion with cold practicality is a challenge for Diplomats. They are
often reluctant to make and carry out tough decisions or plans lacking in empathy,
and often struggle with carrying out a plan at all. They find greater satisfaction in
abstract self-exploration and understanding the issues that affect those least able to
defend themselves than mundane accomplishments and day-to-day tasks.
Diplomats emphasize experience and understanding rather than calculable
achievement.
Among friends and family, Diplomat personalities can range from quietly caring to
brightly gregarious, so long as they can pursue the mutual exchange of thoughts and
feelings they value so highly. But they can overextend themselves in this more
personal aspect of their lives as well – emotionally, physically, or even financially.
Diplomats’ open hearts make them vulnerable when others aren’t as considerate,
though they wouldn’t have it any other way. Someone must trust first, and they will
almost always be the volunteer.
Diplomats embrace travel as readily as anyone – they like exploring other cultures
and people’s colorful ways. These personality types are creatively inclined, often
practicing artistic expression in diverse forms, and see magical beauty where others
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see the hum-drum of daily life. For a group with such progressive attitudes, they also
appreciate seeing things as they are, a pure expression of a way of thinking and being.
Diplomats can be passionately inspired by experiences: music, cuisine, theater,
nature, and anything else that goes beyond the obvious can rise to divine art in their
eyes.
Like a gardener planting in fertile earth, Diplomats seed the world around them with
progressive change and gentle beauty. Diplomats feel connected to forces they may
not fully understand, a deep sense of faith that may express itself, if not always
through traditional religion, as spiritual belief. Diplomats pursue things with an
underlying idealism and a sense of higher purpose; activism, spirituality, healing, the
arts, and charity are common interests for these personalities. They have a conviction
to serve a greater good, motivated by intangible rewards felt in the heart and soul.
Sentinels
Shared traits: Observant and Judging
Sentinels – Logisticians, Defenders, Executives, and Consuls – are cooperative and
practical. Their grounded approach helps them feel comfortable with who they are,
defining themselves not by individualism, but by character and competence. These
personality types seek order, security, and stability, and tend to work hard to
maintain the way of things, leading to a deserved reputation as the core of any group
or organization, from family to church to the office and the factory floor.
These types embrace teamwork, but expect the same performance and
respectability from others that they strive for themselves. Sentinels often dislike
strident nonconformity because they envision progress through collaboration and
hard work within a known set of rules – to let everyone do their own thing on a whim
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would be anarchy. Sentinels prefer proven methods and honest accomplishment to
self-indulgent exploration and esoteric ideas. Because these personalities are deeply
prudent, they also tend to be self-motivated, and rarely need external inspiration to
be productive.
Their grounded perspective leaves little room for random musings, but Sentinels are
not unimaginative. They experiment for anticipated gain rather than intellectual
thrills, and excel in making challenging situations work. Revolution does not appeal
to people from this Role, who tend to learn from the past and remain loyal to the
tested truths and traditions they were brought up with. Where some see fascinating
philosophy, Sentinels may see preposterousness: these personality types favor
practiced methodology over abstract theory.
Having authority allows Sentinels to practice their virtues. Effective in leadership
roles, these types motivate others by energetic example and feel satisfaction from
guiding a well-functioning group – they tend to make excellent teachers, managers,
and community officials, as well as parents and hosts. These personalities are
meticulous and traditional, excelling in logistical and administrative fields with clear
hierarchies and rules as well. Opting for successful completion whenever they can,
Sentinels can be controlling, but gladly compromise when needed to get things done.
Sentinels feel rewarded by shepherding others, and enjoy coordinating and sharing
fun social experiences with friends and family. They believe it is their responsibility
to give their families safe, happy lives that prepare them for the real world. An
appreciation of strong relationships allows them to share generously with those they
respect and love – these types feel bolstered by having reliable people in their lives,
and will do what they can to make sure they hold up their end of the bargain.
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Birthdays, dinner parties, and camping trips are delightful events under their
enthusiastic direction.
These personality types are happiest without drama, though their admirably
stubborn loyalty can certainly attract it if they feel they need to stand by a friend,
regardless of whether they’re in the right or wrong. Inconsistent people can test
Sentinels’ tolerance and provoke harsh judgement. Sentinels tend to prefer
predictability over novelty and familiar pleasures more than cutting-edge excitement.
It can be difficult for Sentinel personalities to accept people who lack their studious
ideals, but they often respond as engaged and caring mentors to those who wish to
grow in that direction.
Explorers
Shared traits: Observant and Prospecting
Explorers – Virtuosos, Adventurers, Entrepreneurs, and Entertainers – possess a selfreliant mix of enthusiasm, quick thinking, and ingenuity that can lead to impressive
personal and professional accomplishments. Comfortable with uncertainty and
minimally concerned with preparation, these personality types simply adapt and
overcome as events present themselves. Explorers’ flexibility helps them make snap
decisions in the moment, and they’re unlikely to dwell on the future or the past.
They aren’t obsessed with precise detail (unless they’re really in the zone, in which
case they can muster a level of precision and focus that would make a seasoned
engineer blush). Usually, they require workability rather than perfection. Explorer
personalities are utilitarian masters of diverse tools and techniques, ranging from
instruments and engines to the art of persuasion, and they distinguish themselves in
crises, crafts, and sales.
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This versatile decisiveness doesn’t mean commitment, however. Explorers can
change their minds with minimal regret or second-guessing. People in this Role
dislike monotony, and often feel tempted to stray from obligations in favor of
entertaining new things. They experiment with many interests and live and breathe
whatever they connect with – for a time. If these personality types sometimes leave
business unfinished, let clutter build up, or misplace important things, it’s because
they’ve moved on to something fresh.
Explorers enjoy being free of obligations, where they can indulge themselves or their
interests on their own time. An Explorer might design and build their own dream
house, enthralled with the process, but end up procrastinating on simple repairs
after a few years. They are highly motivated when steering themselves through
something interesting, but don’t like being restrained by anything “mandatory.”
Their relaxed, free-form attitude makes Explorer personalities socially dynamic as
well. They often seek out people and experiences that cater to their senses, finding
more pleasure in stimulation than planning. They happily approach appealing
strangers and interesting experiences, and when things get in the way of a good time,
they apply their ingenuity to getting around it. Explorers want to see what happens
next!
The same themes run through their friendships and families, though these
relationships have much more staying power than most other interests. Rather than
forcing relationships into or out of existence though, Explorers let things flow
naturally according to their desires. Compatible people simply become a part of their
lives. These personality types tend to be individualistic and freedom-loving, going
their own way with little regard for naysayers, but they do enjoy knowing that the
people they trust will be around in the end.
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Explorers are highly spontaneous, connecting with and adapting to their
environment in a way that is almost childlike in its wonder and sheer fun. It can be a
challenge for them to work for things with a distant or unexciting payoff, as they need
a sense of immediacy to feel truly engaged, but when they are passionate, Explorer
personalities can move heaven and earth.
Strategies
The Strategy layer reflects our preferred ways of doing things and achieving our goals.
There are four strategies: Confident Individualism, People Mastery, Constant
Improvement, and Social Engagement. Depending on their type variant,
Campaigners fall under either People Mastery (Assertive Campaigners) or Social
Engagement (Turbulent Campaigners).
Confident Individualism
Shared traits: Introverted and Assertive
Confident Individualists typically trust in themselves, and they often embrace
solitude to pursue their own interests rather than seeking out social activity.
Fascinated by personal projects, people following this Strategy often have an
impressive range of skills and interesting ideas. But projects are usually only pursued
for their own merit – Confident Individualists tend to feel that social displays and
bragging are time and energy wasted. These personality types are proud of who they
are, what they know, and what they can do, but they don’t feel the need to prove
themselves to others.
Confident Individualists engage their internal inspiration instead of searching for
motivation outside themselves. They favor privacy, and aren’t particularly fond of
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interacting with society, whether in a strictly social sense or when embracing broader
societal goals. These personalities often favor substance over superficiality and
personal honesty over playing along, and prefer a utilitarian approach, even when
pursuing esoteric goals.
This utilitarianism also means that Confident Individualists are not easily drawn into
emotional drama. They hold their own opinions firmly, but tend to see little reason
to try to convince others. When drama does arise, these personality types express
their truth with little concern over whether they’ll cause friction or offense. Confident
Individualists tend to endorse self-reliance over cooperation, and are rarely
pressured into agreeing with or lending support to others unless they believe in the
cause.
This relaxed self-assurance means that Confident Individualists may not push their
boundaries. Their live-and-let-live attitude goes both ways: they don’t need to
convince others, and they tend to expect others to return the favor. While highly
capable, they can miss information and opportunities that challenge their views
because they simply don’t place much importance on factoring in others’ approval.
They can be tolerant in disagreement though, respecting others’ individualism just
as they respect their own.
When these personality types form friendships, they tend to be strong and honest.
Because these types don’t feel like they need other people’s approval, their loyalty
and affection is a deliberate expression of affection. Impressing a Confident
Individualist earns their respect and care, and these types make for dedicated,
passionate friends.
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Self-reliance is central for these types, and they handle difficult situations well
because they tend to be emotionally secure, bold, and resistant to stress. They rarely
seek leadership or the spotlight, but when they do find themselves in these positions,
these personalities lead by an example of self-determination and uncomplicated
honesty – they appreciate grace, class, and form, and rarely seek to impress by
appearances alone. When acting with knowledge and wisdom, Confident
Individualists can be noble pillars of strength.
People Mastery
Shared traits: Extraverted and Assertive
People Masters are highly stress-resistant, maintaining confidence through life’s
challenges, social pressures, and any questions of their capabilities. These
personality types seek social contact and have solid communication skills, feeling at
ease when relying on or directing other people. People Masters’ mantra is fearless
engagement – to be is to do. This is not a group known for its timid opinions or
idleness.
People Masters feel rewarded by stimulation and challenging experiences. They like
travelling to see things, people, and places, where they can experience a richer
understanding of the world around them. These personalities like sampling new
foods, lifestyles, and cultures; even things they don’t end up liking can be entertaining
excitement for them.
Sometimes, though, People Masters are too confident. Insulated against self-doubt
and the need to prove themselves, they don’t always test, or even consider, their own
limits or ambitions. They can slip into a pattern of endless fun and comfort-seeking,
rolling their eyes at those who press themselves towards more intimidating goals. At
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the other end of the spectrum, these personality types can just as easily ignore
sensible caution, putting themselves in extraordinary and dangerous situations,
confident they can find their way through.
Most fall somewhere in the middle, embracing healthy ambition and competition so
long as they play a meaningful part in social circles and leadership. Social interaction
plays a big part in People Masters’ happiness. While not dependent on people’s
approval for emotional security, they appreciate acclaim for their accomplishments
and bright personalities, and can be a touch showy from time to time. These types
are self-confident, but they are often lost without people to lead, laugh with, and love.
Their charisma, self-assurance and boisterousness can sometimes be trying qualities.
People Masters prefer cooperation, but have few qualms about dominating their
opposition to achieve their goals, boldly promoting themselves and using their social
skills to get ahead. This Strategy understands people’s needs, but can just as easily
use this as a weapon rather than a tool of compassion if they have their sights set on
something big.
People Masters can compromise when needed, but these personality types tend to
be better talkers than listeners. They can be very demanding, criticizing people’s
performance regardless of their feelings because they expect no less of themselves.
That said, these types are moderate in their disagreements because their ego and
confidence aren’t at stake the way they often are for Turbulent Strategies. People
Masters are not fond of grudges, content to let bygones be bygones. They are more
likely to be socially idealistic, with the intent of bringing people together to make
things happen – petty grievances just get in the way.
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People Masters’ charismatic virtues shine in social contexts, and these types have
little fear of rejection and a passion for inclusion. They prefer to take the lead, but
sharing the journey through other people’s eyes enhances their own enjoyment as
well. People Masters share in all aspects of people’s lives, making these personalities
strong, honest friends, parents, spouses, and colleagues, serving as wellsprings of
energy, joy, and mutual success.
Constant Improvement
Shared traits: Introverted and Turbulent
Constant Improvers are sensitive and contemplative individuals who enjoy having
their own space and freedom. They are often deep and creative individuals, though
often tense and more comfortable on their own than mixed up in the judgment of
the real world. With the two personality traits most representative of a sensitivity to
their environment – Introversion and Turbulence – they are reserved when dealing
with strangers or new situations, often turning inwards or focusing on peacekeeping
instead.
These personalities’ caution in the face of unfamiliar challenges can sometimes look
like a lack of motivation, but this is usually just self-doubt – Constant Improvers have
a strong drive, but it comes paired with a strong fear of failure. They invest a great
deal of their identity in their successes, and even a minor misstep or embarrassment
can be crushing.
The vigilance learned from a lifetime of ups and downs gives these personality types
a knack for sensing trouble. This is a strategic wariness that can be quite useful in
situations that need to balance risk and reward, whether a financial investment or a
romantic opportunity. Though they can seem frustratingly over-cautious to others,
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Constant Improvers would rather not face calamity, so they excel at avoiding it with
preventive insights.
Since they aren’t always comfortable with energetic exchanges with other people,
Constant Improvers often direct their attention elsewhere, striving to master hobbies,
careers, bodies of knowledge, or new means of self-expression. Their restless drive,
self-doubt, and solitary mentality can combine to create impressive, beautiful results.
High-achieving and perfectionistic, Constant Improvers generally try to do their best
in their endeavors, dedicating tremendous time and energy. These personalities can
put so much pressure on themselves that they diminish their own impressive
accomplishments by fixating on the slightest flaws or dismissing successes as luck
rather than skill or dedication.
Taken too far, this perfectionism can also drive endless rumination – an unhealthy
obsession with perfection will reveal flaws in the best plans, and Constant Improvers
often feel forced to abandon a course of action because something doesn’t line up
right. Whether working feverishly or picking at the threads of an idea though,
Constant Improvers can be intense about their goals, and progress towards internal
balance can lead them to amazing personal accomplishments.
Alongside their personal efforts, these personality types also care a great deal what
others think of them. This can be very useful, but they can take this to a fault: fixating
on others’ expectations can sour social efforts into awkwardness. Constant
Improvers are easily thrown off-balance by conflict, and may communicate timidly,
or not at all, for fear of hurting people’s feelings, provoking a confrontation, or
looking the fool.
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Sometimes it takes peer approval and active encouragement for this Strategy group
to recognize their own virtues. These personalities often benefit from friends and
colleagues patient enough to get to know them and who give them a chance to speak
their minds. When treated considerately, these types become devoted partners and
begin to reveal their kindness, insights, heartfelt support, and the complexities of
their approach to the world, from sometimes (oddly specific) plans for obscure
situations to starry-eyed ambitions.
Social Engagement
Shared traits: Extraverted and Turbulent
Those with the Social Engagement Strategy are an interesting group. In some ways,
Extraversion and Turbulence conflict with each other: Extraversion leads to risktolerance and boldness; Turbulence reflects self-doubt and sensitivity. Turbulence
also contributes to impulsivity, which Extraversion makes highly visible. This means
Social Engagers tend to do what comes naturally first and think about it later. In this
way, they are almost an exaggeration of their underlying personality types. This isn’t
a bad thing.
Social Engagers enthusiastically engage the external world, not content to live in their
minds, drawing emotional security from positive interactions. In business and among
loved ones, these types are usually the center of attention. Social Engagers meet the
needs of the crowd in social settings, but they sometimes hide their true selves to
impress other people. They appreciate social status, and often portray themselves
as the person they aspire to – usually a purer form of their personality type – in order
to achieve it.
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Social Engagers often experience stunning highs and lows as their Extraversion
pushes their Turbulent need for success into overdrive and their Turbulence creates
an immediate sense of regret, warranted or not. These personality types can be
surprisingly competitive, measuring themselves against peers and hoping others
notice their accomplishments, then retreat, suddenly becoming averse to conflict,
leading them to apologize for or avoid confrontations – even those that ended in
beneficial discussions.
These personalities may falter occasionally in their self-confidence, but ultimately
they are driven to improve and achieve. At the end of the day, they have no trouble
blowing off some steam and enjoying a much-needed break, either. Social Engagers
enthusiastically pursue stimulating and exciting experiences, especially with a group
of friends. They much prefer to dive into an experience than to sit down for a
reserved evaluation, though many will naturally regret their hot-headed lack of
planning down the road.
This push and pull between ambition and alarm, impulse and caution, highs and lows
can itself be quite stressful, but it’s all part of this Strategy’s charm. These personality
types are often restless in pursuit of their goals to improve their circumstances, but
show their passion by indulging their desires through some earned fun (and maybe
shopping for something impressive). Social Engagers work hard at their personal and
professional development, striving to meet all manner of stringent standards, but
they lead dynamic lives as well, filled with companionship, sharing adventures and
accomplishments with others whenever possible. Whatever direction they pull, they
are sure to pull the crowd with them.
While the Strategies are important, this series of e-books simply doesn’t have the
space to explore them properly. For now, we’ll focus on the inner core: The four Roles.
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Look to future updates to the series and our Academy to see this aspect explored
more fully.
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Who Is “The Campaigner?”
Campaigners possess a strong zest for living. They want to get the most they can out
of it. This book can guide them toward deeper self-understanding as an essential
part of striving to be all they hope to be.
Throughout this book, we discuss what Campaigners’ combined traits reveal about
their unique personality type. We examine their behaviors and focus on their
influence on personal growth, relationships, and academic and professional
development. The paragraphs in this section outline the topics we will explore more
deeply in later chapters to fulfill our goal of answering the question, “Who is the
Campaigner?”
However, these personality types describe real humans with different depths and
varieties of experience. Even though their personality styles have many features that
are uncannily similar, they’re still individuals with unique concerns. However, it’s their
shared characteristics that we’re exploring, so, for the rest of this profile, we’ll stick
with the name “Campaigner” in recognition of these commonalities.
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Personal Growth
Campaigners exude a positivity that affirms this personality type’s faith in humanity.
Though they might not linger long on any singular cause, the need to help others
strongly motivates them. Like all Diplomats, Campaigners carry a sense of mission
that usually involves making the world a better place by helping people explore their
potential for growth. Campaigners grow most when they feel they’ve been
instrumental in helping others grow.
Their gift for spontaneity and novel approaches can produce fresh directions.
However, they can also distract these types and cause them to lose focus. They
sometimes overlook mundane but important things in life. For these types, growing
may mean keeping their unique perspectives alive while also learning to discipline
themselves and commit to a single direction. When Campaigners connect such focus
to doing good for other people, they’re likely to take it more seriously.
It’s vital for this outgoing personality type to connect with people. These types are
imaginative, occasionally to the point of quirkiness. Their personal development may
include reconciling these two opposing characteristics by becoming part of a crowd
of people from whom they may be different. Learning to express themselves
genuinely, despite the valued opinions of others they respect, can be their key to
personal growth. Campaigners may eventually learn that winning favor by
pretending to be someone they’re not doesn’t work for them. Those who come to
this understanding recognize that authenticity is worth the risk.
Relating to Others
Campaigners believe in the power of social networks to change the world, and only
by cooperating with other people can they create outcomes that far outstrip those
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any one person might accomplish. Campaigners love nothing more than to connect
with someone new, whether it’s a business partner, a friendly acquaintance, or only
a name on a screen. Conflict is their kryptonite, however, and they tend to go to great
lengths to avoid even the slightest uneasy tension.
As friends, Campaigners can be witty, spontaneous, and loyal – almost to a fault.
Their intense empathy makes them companions who listen and try to understand
their chums. They care enough to be there when they’re needed. Their Extraverted
and Intuitive personality traits make them the perfect guides for exciting and
memorable outings with friends.
Campaigners in love can be among the most romantic of all the personality types.
The trappings of romance aren’t lost on their sensitive natures and their rich
appreciation for the symbolic. While not always the most organized of lovers, they
can make up the difference with the degree of love and compassion they bring to
their relationships.
When children come on the scene, Campaigners can almost match their energy and
enthusiasm. Children of Campaigner parents will likely never have to question their
father’s or mother’s love. The warmth and sense of wonder they bring to a household
is so genuine it’s almost childlike. Right and wrong are likely to be important topics
at their dinner table.
Academic and Professional Development
Campaigners in school are quick to pick up ideas and curious enough to stay
motivated in any learning environment. They learn best if they’re in a group
environment that keeps them on task and organized, and their friendly disposition is
likely to make them popular on campus – even if those around them think they’re
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unusual. As students, they’re likely to shine in classrooms that promote big ideas and
the humanities, and can be less impressive in subjects that demand attention to
details, like math or coding.
On the job, Campaigners view their work as more than just a way to earn money. It’s
a place of relationships and contributing for the greater good. They tend not to do
well where the work is too detailed, or they’re micromanaged; to thrive, they need a
little room to express themselves creatively and in their unique ways. Working with
people places them in their occupational sweet spot and helps makes their work
fulfilling.
On That Note…
This introduction has provided only an outline of Campaigners’ potential strengths
and weaknesses. In these chapters, we discuss these areas in much greater detail
and provide further information, as well as suggestions and resources for
improvement in each area. Understanding one’s personality type is valuable, and we
hope that this information proves useful.
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Personal Growth
Personal Growth
Spontaneous, perceptive, and intensely emotional, Campaigners make their
presence known everywhere despite being a relatively rare personality type. One of
the most likable and influential types, they inspire people, make friends everywhere
they go, promote harmony whenever they can, and aid victims of injustices and
calamity wherever they find them. These individuals make it look easy to balance
their intense inner drive with their careful approach.
Campaigners strive to achieve complete harmony between body and mind, and
between emotions and intellect. They’re driven by emotions more than intellectual
curiosity (although they need both to grow), and their sensitivity tends to expose
them to near-constant emotional stress. This can threaten their self-confidence and
potentially rob them of enthusiasm, inner strength, and their willingness to explore
new directions. But their sensitivity doesn’t just bring only dark results. With selfimprovement as a primary focus in their lives, they’re also likely to find their emotions
are a useful tool for discovering and building their strengths. In addition, their
sensitivity girds their great empathy, producing the caring people they are.
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Personal development is a primary motivator for this personality type. A scattershot
approach to life rarely brings the results they want, so, to grow and develop, they
may first have to master channeling their energy and passion toward specific goals.
Successful Campaigners learn that instead of limiting their life experiences, choosing
clear and precise targets can lift their creativity and spontaneity to more practical
places.
Motivation and Development
Campaigners find their incentives in life from five closely related, but distinct,
motivational components of personality that relate to their development. The first
three are self-assessments that Campaigners satisfy for their sense of fulfillment and
integrity – the fuel that launches personal growth. The final two involve strategies
that help them realize the first three.
Reflective Qualities
•
Self-esteem speaks to Campaigners’ sense of worth. These types find their
value in their compassionate attitudes and behaviors through their social
connections.
•
Self-respect speaks to how much Campaigners like themselves. They’re most
pleased with who they are when they act out of empathy to help others.
•
Self-confidence is the energy source that moves Campaigners forward in life.
This is based on how connected they feel to their values and ideals. For these
types, their true selves are their confident selves.
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Developmental Qualities
•
Self-evolution describes the process of personal growth that Campaigners
use to develop their potential. These are tactical action plans for satisfying the
motivations spelled out in the Reflective Qualities.
•
Self-responsibility is the ability to take charge of their decisions and
consequences without depending on others or merely accepting all that
happens as fate. Having a healthy sense of responsibility is the bedrock that
serves as the foundation for the growth in their lives.
The Balanced Life
In leading a balanced existence, Campaigners approach the different components of
their lives as interconnected paths in a continuing journey of growth. As trite as the
saying may be, development is a journey, not a destination, and it rarely occurs
overnight. Those who keep this in mind, create clear goals, and persist can become
more mature versions of themselves.
These individuals get the best results when they live in line with their values. For
these sensitive types to achieve true fulfillment they need to be true to their ideals
and embrace their true selves. Others may see personal growth as a private and
introspective matter. Not so Campaigners, who aren’t likely to found among navel
gazers cloistered silently away. These types are involved in their worlds, and don’t
separate their personal growth from their communities.
If the five elements that affect personal growth become lopsided, they can become
sources of overwhelming difficulty. Most often, such imbalances occur because
Campaigners fail to apply traits effectively, or allow them to overheat. For example,
the difference between self-confidence and brashness is moderation and a sense of
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security. When they’re confident, it naturally shows. When they try to mimic
confidence to fight off a sense of insecurity, it can come across as arrogance.
In these sections, we first examine Campaigners’ characteristics in their ideal and
developed form. When all work together in healthy ways, they lead fulfilling,
productive, and happy lives. These are the balanced expressions of their personality
traits.
Next, we describe the tendencies that emerge when Campaigners over-express or
under-express their traits. These represent departures from healthy, productive
responses to their self-assessment needs as described in the Reflective Qualities list.
These are unbalanced expressions of their personality traits.
Finally, we discuss how Campaigners can develop more well-rounded approaches to
their characteristics. We provide positive tips and actionable steps, to aid their
personal growth and to help them regain balance in their lives when needed.
Self-Esteem
Self-esteem measures Campaigners’ sense of their worth. While walking in their skins
and living their lives, what makes them valuable people? This question is one all
people ask, whether consciously or subconsciously. For Campaigners, the answer lies
in what degree they express their altruistic urges.
Balanced Self-Esteem
Building Connections and Seeking Purpose
When they combine their empathy with their outgoing nature, Campaigners discover
more than social value in connecting with other people. The contact they share is
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usually profound, and often even spiritual. These types find their purpose when they
allow their empathy to lead them to acts of compassion. Driven by their Intuitive and
Feeling traits, they look for opportunities to help others. Campaigners can focus on
individuals, but these social beings embrace as many as possible, sometimes all at
once.
Large-scale causes and enterprises create perfect opportunities for these individuals
to connect with others and express their passions. They often work in helping or
teaching professions, as these are ready-made groups with common interests.
There, they can express their compassion and embrace larger communities with little
need for them to be part of the organizing. Wherever they can help make the lives of
others better, these types can fulfill their sense of worth.
Genuine Interest in Others
Open-minded and ever optimistic, Campaigners thrive on discovering what makes
people tick, and they zoom past small talk for deeper, more intimate conversations.
Why chat about the weather when there’s new green technology that could slow
down global warming to discuss? However, such chats aren’t about Campaigner
dogmatism. They crave knowing what others believe. New, interesting ideas and
perspectives make their eyes light up.
Tolerant, egalitarian, and genuinely interested in other people, they can be excellent
counselors and advisers, helping those who struggle with life or just lack confidence.
Campaigners inspire and motivate those around them with ease. Their
determination to help others amazes everyone they meet, and positive feedback
fuels Campaigners’ motivation. Where other types might become tired boosting
others, Campaigners recharge and become invigorated by the good they do –
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providing a helping hand energizes them and boosts their self-esteem
simultaneously.
Unbalanced Self-Esteem
Missing the Mark
These types’ fondness for compassionately connecting as a way of bolstering their
self-esteem may have pitfalls if allowed untethered expression. Campaigners are
usually dead-on when assessing other people’s natures, but they can develop blind
spots if they’re trying too hard. While they’re Empathic and Intuitive, they can take
their personal insights into the motivations and behaviors of others too far.
Producing lavish conclusions based on their flashes of intuition can cause them to
miss the mark, leaving them entirely wrong. This can hurt both their credibility and
their effectiveness.
Some Campaigners lack the capacity to moderate their sense of authenticity, and
may feel obligated to speak the truth in its raw form, sometimes forgoing the
diplomatic approach for which they’re typically known. Although they may
sometimes speak “truths” people don’t want to hear, especially when conversations
touch on their listeners’ fears and insecurities, it’s not that they’re blunt or cruel.
Rather, they simply want to offer their best versions of the truth as they understand
them. When they present their insights as absolutes and discover they’re wrong, it
can compound the problem.
Because of their easy-going manner, people often expect Campaigners to reaffirm
their own beliefs instead of giving honest advice or criticism. If they miss the mark
with their assumed truths, others may see them as unreliable, or they may see
themselves that way. This might cause them to withdraw and lose connection to the
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crux of their self-esteem – compassionate interactions with others. What was
intended to build their self-esteem may, in the end, separate them from its source.
The Problem with Sainthood
All humans have limited capacities, and life needs balance. However, since
compassion markedly affects Campaigners’ sense of worth, they may take
expressions of their good-heartedness to extremes to prove they have value. When
this happens, no sacrifice is too much, and they can take on an unmanageable
number of opportunities to help others, ultimately overburdening themselves.
Sainthood has its attractions, but striving for the heights of altruistic excellence is
taxing – and risky. Burnout is a real danger for these types. Taking on other people’s
problems as their own with no objective distance, and without taking breaks, can
drain them. Mental, emotional, physical, or material martyrdom can limit the extent
Campaigners can help others.
Rebalancing Self-Esteem
Combining Heart and Mind
While Campaigners lead with their feelings, it’s essential they expand their comfort
zones by applying common sense and rationality, especially when dealing with
others. Most would agree that there’s not enough empathy in the world, and intuitive
flashes can be valuable. But there’s a place in the middle that honors their
wholesome impulses, and adopting or developing logic-based strategies for their
kindhearted interests can help Campaigner stay on a reasonable and sustainable
course.
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While these types can be prone to giving honest counsel, they must also be strategic
if they hope to help. Learning to blend their authenticity with some diplomacy and
respect for concrete facts can help them find balance and preserve healthy
connections that feed their sense of worth.
A sensible approach, based on rationality and reasonable detachment, can help
prevent the misunderstandings and complications that may arise from the
assumptions Campaigners sometimes make. Learning to balance relying on instinct
with taking the time to get the full details of a case takes practice and patience, but
doing so can create more respectful relationships. It may also help all involved gain
greater trust in Campaigners’ potentially formidable wisdom.
Those in need of balance in this area can try the following exercise.
•
Divide a piece of paper into three columns. Label them “Truth,” “Avoidance,”
and “Diplomacy.”
•
Describe some difficult truth and put it in the first column.
•
In the second column, describe different ways to avoid dealing with the truth.
Make it fun or even ridiculous.
•
In the third column, write five diplomatic things to say while dealing directly
with the truth in the first column.
•
Practice the exercise until it becomes second nature. Then, concentrate on
combining the first (Truth) and the third (Diplomacy) whenever delivering
opinions or insights.
The truth doesn’t have to be harsh. Being genuine doesn’t mean always pouring out
unedited information. If there are too many hurt feelings, or disillusioned friends and
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acquaintances, Campaigners can explore the difference between stating alienating,
raw truths and tactful sharing.
The Art of Self-Care
Individuals with the Campaigner personality type can conserve their energy if they
understand that they can both take and give in life without neglecting either. The
obvious antidote to burnout from self-sacrifice is self-care. Campaigners who
balance their need to be altruistic with managing their own health and well-being can
fortify their personal strengths. As a bonus, such balance fosters happiness. Self-care
means placing one’s own life requirements first – at least temporarily. Finding time
for nurturing the body, mind, and soul is essential for everyone, but especially for
benevolent Campaigners who are in danger of depleting themselves through their
generosity.
Self-care means getting enough sleep, eating well, cultivating personal relationships,
exercising, and having fun. Campaigners can use the following exercise to start with
fun.
•
Take a deep breath. (Breathing is always a great way to start self-care.)
•
Think back to some recreational activity relegated to the past – something that
hasn’t been done in the last five or more years. It should be something that
was fun, not something that was abandoned because it grew to be routine or
unpleasant in any way. Perhaps it’s bowling, karaoke, water skiing, or going to
a movie in the middle of the day.
•
Make a date to revisit the chosen carefree pastime of yesteryear. Invite
someone else if so inclined.
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•
Try letting the fun set the tone for a while after the activity. Use the memory
to lighten up when things get heavy.
Enjoyment is just the beginning, though. It’s vital for Campaigners to find time for
themselves, even if that calls for earmarking “me time” on their calendars. Eating,
sleeping, loving, living, and having fun aren’t only essential to a healthy life –
eventually, they can also contribute to a productive one.
Self-Respect
Campaigners with positive self-respect are simply people who like themselves. When
self-respect is strong, they have no fear of looking in the metaphorical mirror
because they like what they see. Individuals do more for the people they like and
treat them better. The same principle applies to self-respect. People who like
themselves are happier and more satisfied with their lives. They’re likely to care for
themselves better and make healthier choices for their lives.
Balanced Self-Respect
Principles Informing Deeds
Campaigners like themselves when they do good for others, but their sense of selfrespect comes from more than performing simple good deeds. These types live in a
world of ideas and theories filtered through their emotional decision-making
preferences. How they contribute stems more from a broader ideology than specific
charitable opportunities – although, for responsive Campaigners, the two tightly
intertwine. When they see someone in need, they’re likely to go with their empathy
and try to help. Consequently, they boost their self-respect.
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While they express their generous impulses reflexively, this doesn’t mean they don’t
base their expressions on solid principles and foundations. Helping a struggling
friend by delivering much-needed groceries is more than the practical act of feeding
someone for whom they care. It’s also a need to make the world a place where
nobody goes without, and when they feel they’ve contributed to that principle, they
like who they are.
Their personal approach might seem general and vague at times, but nobody should
ever confuse that with being “poorly-considered.” It’s well-founded in their values,
and they glean their self-respect from expressing those values.
Motivated by Empathy
Campaigners’ good works involve helping those they see in need, rather than seeking
out social causes. They’re more likely to respond in daily life than to create or join a
crusade, and they lead from their empathy more than from their sense of duty or an
organized mission. This often makes their expressions of compassion more personal
and “grassroots.” Their self-respect comes from lending a helping hand more than
joining a movement.
Giving bread to the hungry isn’t enough, however. Discovering why the poor can’t
access food for themselves is something Campaigners are likely to mull over – maybe
even obsess about. Their “big picture” thinking seeks to uncover the core of social
problems even as they take care of more immediate, individual concerns. However,
any outrage they feel is likely to remain in the realm of ideas and value statements.
While they may rail against society’s inequities, they prefer to respond to people
directly from their empathy rather than to reform a system.
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In practical terms, those who like themselves may have many strong opinions and
ideas about the world. Nonetheless, their self-respect isn’t likely to emerge primarily
from their notions of how society should work. Instead, the source is likely to be their
sense of how they respond to others.
Unbalanced Self-Respect
Impossible Standards
Since Campaigners’ idealism is so linked to their empathy and the compassionate
acts that provide them their self-respect, disillusionment can become a disruptor in
that potentially delicate balance. “Perfect” is their ideal – and yet there’s little in the
world without flaws. When their pristine principles fuel behaviors that lead to their
self-respect, disappointment on some level is likely to be a frequent occurrence. It’s
hard for even the most optimistic Campaigners to perform tasks they need for selfrespect if life chronically disenchants them and tells them they’ve missed the
impossibly perfect mark.
Their dreamy idealism can also hobble the relationships they need and desire.
Campaigners are certainly among the most gregarious and popular personality
types, but practical people may roll their eyes at the philosophies and wishes of these
dreamers. A cycle of defeat can form as their moral perfectionism pushes them to
help others who just can’t connect with such intense scrupulousness – potentially
rejecting their ideas as too unrealistic. Campaigners are sensitive “people who need
people,” but their principles can prevent them from fulfilling that essential part of
their lives. When they can’t connect in meaningful and caring ways, their self-respect
suffers.
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The Burden of Empathy
On the surface, being popular and empathic may seem enviable, but they can be a
particularly stressful burden when combined. Empathy extends beyond sympathy
and just feeling sorry or happy for someone – it dives in and shares the sadness or
joy experienced by others, and it’s a core part of Campaigners’ character. There’s
personal investment in empathy, and buying into one other person’s grief or
misfortune can be taxing. When multiplied by the sum of people in typical
Campaigners’ lives, and considering their caring and inviting natures, amassing
shared emotions can become enervating.
When these types carry excessive amounts of other people’s emotional baggage, the
results can quickly become negative. They are sensitive and less likely than most to
regulate more difficult emotions. The resulting stress can cause many difficulties by
influencing mood and behavior, and if the pressure becomes too much even
gregarious Campaigners may withdraw from the very interactions that bring them
self-respect.
Rebalancing Self-Respect
Celebrating an Imperfect World
While Campaigners do reach out to others in a big way, there’s still that Intuitive pull
to overthink things too much. Their closely-held ideals are foundational, and the goal
is to preserve them. However, fertile imaginations sometimes arrive at unrealistic
places and notions. To restore self-respect, these types need to act compassionately;
to realize these compassionate intentions, they must be grounded in the real world,
and tempered by common sense.
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Sometimes setting the idea of perfection aside means getting out of one’s head and
back into the material world, where blemishes and reality abound. Stepping away
from the theoretical and the ideal can restore Campaigners who lose themselves in
fantasy. Fortunately, these types are the most observant among the Diplomats, and
their curiosity supports engagement of the senses and connection to the present
moment.
Here is a list of suggestions that can help these types reconnect with the physical,
tangible world:
•
Meditation, mindful eating, and yoga all bring the gift of the here and now by
dealing with “what is” rather than “what should be.” Try one of them.
•
Playing a sport brings the gift of physicality, and the reality of competition and
challenges.
•
Dancing is a physical action that connects beautifully to the emotions.
•
Gardening is a physical, creative act that can even contribute to better
nutrition.
Approaching the world with something as finite as touch or smell can rebalance
Campaigners’ drive for self-respect by helping them reconnect with the imperfect
world to which we all belong. There’s a practical side to showing compassion, which
they can lose if their focus is too broad and idealistic. Grabbing hold of the gritty,
concrete world can help these dreamers restore balance.
Dropping the Baggage
There’s little danger of Campaigners ever becoming hard-hearted, but becoming
more measured in how they give their hearts and minds to the plights of others can
help balance their lives. Making wise choices helps them keep up their energy so they
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can direct it meaningfully. The Serenity prayer helps twelve-step program
participants approach life in a more even manner, but its wisdom exceeds any
program or religious doctrine. The prayer asks for three things: The serenity to accept
the things that can’t be changed, the courage to change the things that can, and the
wisdom to know the difference. Campaigners who relate to other people in similar
ways tend to manage their personal energy and emotional resources better.
Instead of investing in everything that pulls at their heartstrings, learning to prioritize
and commit to only that which they can change can help them find balance. This can
be challenging for optimistic, caring Campaigners, who want to see the potential for
growth and improvement in everyone and everything. However, learning that not
every problem has a solution – and not everybody can be saved – can help lift an
excessive burden from their shoulders. It’s possible to care deeply about someone
and still not be able to help them. When such distinctions are made, these types can
wisely perform the compassionate acts that their self-respect demands while not
burning out and leaving them useless to others.
Here are some steps Campaigners can take to practice accepting things that cannot
change:
•
For this exercise, dedicate a trash basket and place it in a conspicuous place.
Then, count out 12 index cards or small pieces of paper.
•
On each of the cards, write something that must be accepted about the plight
of someone who is close – something that can’t be changed. Take as much
time as needed to come up with twelve. It doesn’t have to be completed in one
session.
•
Then, scrunch the paper up and throw it in the wastebasket as a symbolic act.
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•
Don’t assume that this act will end empathetic feelings toward even those who
have problems that can’t be helped. Those feelings will remain – but, hopefully,
a more practical perspective will be gained as well.
Campaigners’ primary impulse tends to be to always help anyone in need, and that’s
unlikely to change. However, being more judicious in where to put their efforts can
make a difference in the quality of Campaigners’ lives.
Self-Confidence
Self-confidence is the internal impetus that gives people the emotional energy to
move forward. When Campaigners feel self-confident, it’s due to a certainty that
assures them they’re on the right side of the truth, according to their own standards.
Balanced Self-Confidence
Connected to Their True Selves
Campaigners’ confidence comes from feeling connected to their true selves. They
hate anything they regard as phony, and always strive to be as “real” as possible. To
be confident, people with this personality type must know they’re being true to who
they are. In their minds, once they make that connection, they have no problem
green-lighting the directions they want to pursue as correct paths.
Yet even confident Campaigners can question themselves along the way. Openminded and flexible in their thinking, they open themselves to alternatives and
course corrections. But this doesn’t necessarily spoil their sense of being who they
believe they are and doing what they believe they should. These types develop
confidence by aligning with their basic character, and that character informs the
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details of their lives. It’s not the other way around, as it for some types. Outward
details may change, but their self-confidence doesn’t come from circumstances. It
comes from their honest wish to match their actions with their values. They tend to
still feel confident even if they don’t always get the results they want.
Socially Authentic
While being and working with people is another energy source for Campaigners, they
aren’t willing to join with others at any cost. Such interactions must correspond
closely with their values, which they place above even their exuberant social
interests. When Campaigners are at their strongest, they know their social selves
match their values-based selves, and they can make the two selves work together
seamlessly.
Confident Campaigners are people of integrity, since their values are likely to reflect
the greatest good for others. It’s a safe “tell” if one is seeking to evaluate their
honesty.
Unbalanced Self-Confidence
Identity Confusion
When people with the Campaigner personality type lack confidence, it’s because they
doubt that they’re acting according to their personal values. Perhaps it’s partially
because their unrealistic perfectionism provides them a faulty measure of what that
means. Since their confidence hinges on staying true to their own identity, a sense
of doubt about who they are and what they stand for can cause them to succumb to
“identity panic.” If these types should suspect they hold flawed self-knowledge, they
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can lose confidence, which can lead to a vicious cycle of self-doubt – and self-fulfilling
prophecies.
When they lose touch with their core identity, Campaigners can lose the energy called
for to carry out the tasks that fulfill them. They may fall into a motivational paralysis.
Or, alternately, they may increase their activity, hoping that will help them restore
confidence in their self-definition. They may rationalize that if one acts like a good
person, one is then a good person inside. However, this reverse approach is likely to
be flimsy and hard for these types to maintain. Their confidence comes from
connecting to what’s within, not without.
Outsider Status
Since their Extraverted natures drive them so vigorously, Campaigners value the
energy they get from other people – it defines them as much as anything else. Yet
they still need confidence, which is the product of their authenticity, and preserving
authenticity can be challenging for these rare, sensitive types, who can feel as though
who they are isn’t “acceptable” or “normal.” It's difficult to blend their need for social
contact with their sometimes-quirky expressions of who they are. The social
Campaigner and the unorthodox Campaigner are both true expressions of the
Campaigner personality, but both expressions can sometimes compete, creating a
contradictory tension that leads to a crisis of confidence.
When this happens, they can feel they must choose between a conventional social
persona and an unconventional, creative one – think of a zany comic actor at a
conservative cocktail party. There are creative ways to make it work, but not all
settings allow such flexibility. Campaigners may have to forgive themselves some
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disingenuousness to navigate a specific social engagement. Unfortunately, this can
damage their self-confidence in the process, at least in that setting and for that time.
Rebalancing Self-Confidence
Removing Doubt by Accepting Weakness
“Know thyself” includes knowing one’s weaknesses, and, unsurprisingly, most
Campaigners know and understand their weaknesses, and how to address them
when necessary. Some might even say that “weakness” is a loaded word and a matter
of perspective – some people are better than others at certain things, but no one is
good at everything. Exploring their weaknesses can help these types realistically
anchor their sense of who they are.
Knowing their weaknesses doesn’t mean they should dedicate all their time and
energy to addressing them, however. The acceptance of imperfection can sometimes
bring more results than clinging to a misguided need to be perfect (or at least appear
perfect), and Campaigners often find balance when they can check their
perfectionistic tendencies.
The following exercise can be used as a small step toward restoring a clear
perspective on perfection:
•
Choose an activity that’s challenging but not overwhelming. It might involve
participating in a sport or artistic activity, doing a small, affordable home
repair... anything considered a challenge. (Make sure to pay attention to all
safety issues, and keep in mind that a good challenge is one that’s difficult, but
not impossible.)
•
Engage in the activity knowing that “good enough” is sometimes good enough.
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•
When finished, assess the activity. Was it perfect? Even if it wasn’t, was it a
worthy effort? Celebrate the flaws with a good laugh.
On the surface, being perfect may sound like the most responsible attitude to take.
However, nothing kills a sense of self-confidence faster for Campaigners than
thinking perfection is essential for being the people they are meant to be.
Being a Breath of Fresh Air
Campaigners may need to learn to walk on the balance beam that separates the
more conventional world from their imaginative one. The trick is being true to
themselves while honoring their social instincts. Nobody likes to feel like an outcast
– especially not Extraverts. However, Campaigners are a rare personality type, and
not everyone is likely to understand their unique worldview.
The best solution can be for them to accept that, if their goal is to be genuine, being
true to themselves may not always win popularity contests. It’s like the saying, “If you
try to please everybody, you’re likely to end up pleasing nobody.” If they compromise
their sense of identity and allow their self-confidence to plummet, these types won’t
be pleased at all.
Discretion and judgment are valuable qualities. Everyone adapts for social reasons
occasionally, it’s just a matter of degree and learning when to measure behavior
against decorum or shared sensibilities. This may be something Campaigners must
cover while learning their life lessons. Then again, maybe their quirkiness is what the
world needs. English writer G. K. Chesterton, who is often referred to as the “prince
of paradox,” wrote, “Do not free a camel from the burden of his hump; you may be
freeing him from being a camel.”
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This can be helpful for Campaigners in taking the first step toward discovering and
owning their uniqueness:
•
List five things that make you different from most people you know.
•
Choose one of them and find some way to highlight it. For example, a lefthanded person might playfully refuse to use their right hand for a meal. They
may keep their right hand in their lap. They may explain it as a quirky
experiment.
•
Keep it light and fun.
•
Note the reactions of those involved. Are they critical? Who is laughing along
with the experiment? Who is rolling their eyes benignly? Are there any bad
reactions?
People who stand out for whatever reason learn that accepting themselves is a
necessary element for having a fulfilling life. Campaigners who revel in their
uniqueness are likely to be happier than those who are self-conscious. If they’re true
to themselves, they boost their confidence and are comfortable in their own skins.
Such confidence should make the reveling easier.
Self-Evolution
The term “self-evolution” describes a more purposeful effort of setting up individual
identity and direction. This involves tactics and strategies to fulfill self-esteem, selfconfidence, and self-respect needs. Campaigners not only enjoy the process, but find
meaning in the process itself, and see it as carrying the same important as the results.
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Balanced Self-Evolution
Constant Self-Improvement
Campaigners, as with most Diplomats, are interested in continued self-improvement.
Self-evolution goes beyond just self-improvement, however, focusing more on
developing individual values, goals, and purpose. Those successfully navigating the
process of self-evolution adhere to their core values, exploit their strengths and
weaknesses, and develop their life goals.
Campaigners define life as growth, and to achieve satisfaction, they must have some
sense that growth is constantly occurring. There are two ways to approach growth:
allow it to happen through a rough-and-tumble, trial-and-error course, or plan their
own evolution through ambition (no matter how benign) and deliberate experiences.
While everybody faces some of the first as life inevitably teaches its lessons, the
second is the stuff of self-evolution. Campaigners who control their own future
embrace the second through planning, training, and acting in ways that nurture their
growth.
Self-Development and the Community
As personal and sometimes introspective as self-evolution can be, Campaigners still
include other people in the process. Since they define themselves through their
social context, growth outside of other people’s company is difficult for these types.
They never stop being individuals with unique ways of expressing themselves, but
they must share their individuality for it to mean much to them.
When they grow, Campaigners involve people around them, tailoring their selfimprovement plans around their interactions with their communities. It makes sense
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to become the individuals they’re going to become within their natural habitat, the
social arena. While some may go off to quiet places to find themselves, Campaigners
are likely to look for themselves in the din of the crowd, and their self-evolution goals
typically reflect that.
Unbalanced Self-Evolution
Lack of Focus
Campaigners show enthusiasm and passion when they care about something, but
they can struggle with a lack of focus when they’re unable to align their passions or
pursuits with their personal values and goals. There’s always so much personal
growth they can accomplish that it may be hard to concentrate on just one thing. This
personality type is notorious for their attention to potentials and possibilities. While
this is an asset when forming ideas, it offers little help in forming commitments – and
deliberate personal development needs commitment.
An underlying lack of direction is likely to influence Campaigners to go with the flow,
making no effort to control their desires and ideas. Those who don’t manage their
own destiny can experience commitment issues in relationships, jobs, education, and
even fitting in among friends.
Overlooking Details and Strategies
Passionate and idealistic, Campaigners often direct all their attention toward larger
ideas, and they frequently missing small but significant details as a result. A great
and noble project can fail if no one checks the legal details, handles administrative
tasks, or manages the workload. The same principle can apply throughout the lives
of Campaigners when they fail to make grocery shopping lists or pay the bills. Self-
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improvement can easily become a fool’s errand if they neglect details critical to
success.
To guarantee they’ll successfully complete a project or goal, Campaigners need to
manage their tendency to be distracted. These types must make sure that their
minds always stay on track, especially if a phase of the process is relatively dull, or
else they risk losing sight of their goals. It’s not enough to assess a problem and to
empathize with its victims. Strategic solutions are also needed. Similarly, it’s not
enough to imagine how they might grow as individuals. Creating a detailed roadmap
to growth can make accomplishing it a lot more likely.
Rebalancing Self-Evolution
Maintaining Focus
Self-evolution needs self-control, and learning self-control takes practice. To keep
their focus, Campaigners must intentionally and purposefully figure out how to direct
their attention to a specific task without losing themselves to internal and external
distractions.
Campaigners are creative and almost constantly inspired, which can make focusing
on one task for an extended period difficult. To help, people with this personality
type can address the weaknesses described in the “Lack of Focus” section above,
especially their tendency to avoid commitments. Building plenty of time into the day
to let the mind wander can help them be more attentive when it’s needed. After all,
some of the greatest insights in human history came from wandering minds.
Knowing when to let the mind drift and when to focus is an important part of
fostering results in life. Setting breaks as priorities makes longer periods of focus
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easier to achieve. Developing the ability to think creatively, and to make detailed
plans from those creative ideas, ensures plenty of opportunities for Campaigners.
A good exercise to explore the balance between a productive wandering mind and
productive focus involves brainstorming and goal-setting as a two-step process. To
try this, Campaigners can follow these steps to plan their next day off in the following
fashion:
•
Write down no fewer than 15 things that can be done with the free hours
ahead. Don’t worry about how plausible they are at this stage, so long as they
are at least close to realistic. Fifteen is a lot, but brainstorming is all about
pushing the limits of the imagination.
•
From the 15, pick three that can be done during the next few hours. Choose
by any preferred criteria: Urgently needed, enjoyable activity, will make a
friend or partner happy, etc.
•
Break each of the three down three ways: What is needed to accomplish the
activity? What steps need to be taken? What will it look like when the activity is
successfully completed – how will that be measured?
•
Gather the supplies, manpower, or whatever is needed. Work through the
steps. Measure the results.
Campaigners who explore this exercise can experience two things: an opportunity to
enjoy their native imaginative and creative side, and the opportunity to develop a
detailed plan and see it through. The more these types adopt this rhythm, the more
likely they are to keep their balance when working through their self-evolution.
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Committing to Well-Considered Plans
Practical problems often require specific, detailed solutions. Campaigners interested
in personal development often recognize the need for making rational, logical
decisions, but treat rationality and a details-oriented approach as the opposite of
creativity and imagination. This thinking, although common, underrepresents the
capabilities of Campaigners.
Rather than thinking of rationality as the opposite of the way Campaigners think, it
can be more useful to think that adding strategic ideas can expand and extend their
imaginative, unique notions. Why squander a strength that they can use? Instead of
changing how they think to make them more like other types, developing their
imagination to widen its scope can be the key.
Here are some exercises that can be used for expanding imaginative thinking in this
way.
•
First, imagine each of the following scenarios as deeply and completely as
possible. Closing the eyes may help. Respond to the following four scenarios
in as imaginatively practical and detailed terms as possible. There’s no right
answer. Have fun with them.
o You’re on a beach. A tidal wave is visible on the horizon to the south. To
the north is a sheer cliff that extends for more than a mile in each
direction. How do you escape? You have only minutes to decide.
o A time traveler from the future appears and seems to know a lot about
you. He can’t give you advice or directions, but he can tell you one
predetermined fact about your life that can lead you on a path to an
outstanding future. It’s got to be just one fact. No opinions. No
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impressions. No advice. Just a concrete fact. How do you decide what to
ask?
o List five ways that you can affect the world by simply getting up
tomorrow.
o Think of three ways that the smartphone could bring about world
peace.
These are difficult scenarios – a couple of them border on impossible, and clearly
don’t provide enough information. Yet critical and strategic thinking aren’t just about
learning a technique that magically connects all the dots and leads to one right
solution. Such methods are unlikely to work with Campaigners, who like to create
their own paths, anyway. For them, critical thinking is about expanding what they
already own – their imaginations – to construct practical, specific solutions that can
contribute to their growth and creative goals.
Self-Responsibility
Self-responsibility is Campaigners’ ability to take charge of their decisions and results
without depending on others or accepting all that happens as fate. When they assign
their actions honestly, they can take credit and blame with integrity. They know what
they can control and what they can’t.
Balanced Self-Responsibility
Independent, but Not Alone
Self-responsibility sounds simplistic, but many people struggle to achieve this ideal.
Campaigners can develop healthy degrees of self-responsibility by functioning
independently, and following interests without relying on others’ opinions. Those
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who are responsible act on their values or conscience without feeling guilty or
probing to discover what others think before making their own decision. Taking
responsibility in these areas is essential because many of their self-esteem, selfrespect, and self-confidence issues depend on how they handle their values.
This doesn’t mean these social individuals prefer solitude; they can happily go with
the consensus of groups who honor their ethics. But part of Campaigners’ selfresponsibility is seeing how far they can go with others and still uphold their own
principles. When everything is in perspective, they understand that they alone are
responsible for their actions and attitudes.
Morally Proactive
Campaigners who practice self-responsibility know their core values and use them
to achieve their personal goals. Self-responsibility goes beyond self-understanding,
however – it means fulfilling their hopes and taking responsibility for their results,
both good and bad. For Campaigners to fulfill their other growth needs, it’s essential
that they take an active role in expressing their values and ideals.
It's not responsible to allow priorities to slide. It’s also not responsible to wander
aimlessly through life ignoring personally important issues. Campaigners see
faithfulness to their own concerns as a moral issue, and are likely to proactively fulfill
anything they regard as an obligation. These types consider it unacceptable to let
themselves and other people down, so they often step up to support the needs of
others.
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Unbalanced Self-Responsibility
Independence Lost
No matter what the personality type, self-responsibility demands some measure of
independence; it’s almost part of the definition. When Campaigners cling to their
values, they’re likely to take responsibility for living them independent of the view of
other people. However, the social parts of their lives are also important, and there
lies the potential for conflict. Should their convictions run counter to the opinions of
those they care about, hard choices can be necessary. These choices can be weighty
for this sensitive type, who depends so heavily on their connections to others.
Those Campaigners who question themselves and have difficulty with their selfesteem, self-confidence, or self-respect might rely on another source of energy and
approval: other people. Extraverts sometimes struggle with giving their intrinsic
motivations – motivations that come from within – proper weight against the
demands of extrinsic motivations that come from outside. It’s no different for
Campaigners, even with their focus on morals and values. Sometimes the urging of
the crowd is more compelling than the call of the conscience, especially when these
types are weakened or in a state of uncertainty.
Becoming Helpless
With all the effort they put in, the disconnect Campaigners experience between their
aspirations and their accomplishments can feel like failure. They can acquire a sense
that no matter what they do, they never gain traction. People in this dilemma may
soon ask, “Why bother?” Since Campaigners are so idealistic, their failures may not
even feel real – instead, they can come across as examples of the imperfection
common to all people. No matter the source of these frustrations, they can strip
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Campaigners of their sense of control – without which it’s reasonable for them to
conclude they also hold no responsibility.
If these types believe they have no control and nothing changes, they can conclude
there’s no point in trying to do anything. Because of the moral overtones of their lives
and their sensitivity, such abdication of responsibility, as they define it, may result in
full-blown moral crises for them. They may start to think of themselves as not just
helpless people but as bad helpless people, and negative self-talk can once again
gain a foothold.
Rebalancing Self-Responsibility
Forming Consensus
While independent decision-making is inextricably a part of accepting responsibility,
nothing is wrong with agreeing with others. However, sometimes others apply
pressure, or people lack the confidence to stand up for their own opinions. This can
be especially true for Campaigners who strongly need to connect with others,
perhaps even to where they need their approval. Giving in to ideas they disagree with
can lessen their sense of responsibility, and sometimes it’s necessary to stand up for
what they believe.
Sometimes, however, there’s a third choice between defiantly opposing others and
giving in to them that involves compromise and building a consensus. When people
are given a difficult choice, there are often ways to please everyone without
surrendering what is important. It may be possible that Campaigners in such
situations can act responsibly and give others what they want.
Here are some steps Campaigners can take toward forming this consensus:
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•
First, determine how decisions will be made. Will there be a single individual,
a group vote, or even drawing the choice out of hat filled with acceptable
choices? Laying this groundwork in the beginning is important.
•
Clearly define what is being decided. Be as specific as possible.
•
Develop the list of potential choices, their implications, and their
consequences. Campaigners are likely to want a discussion of values included
in this step. Discuss the aspects that are acceptable and unacceptable.
•
After each case is made, turn the topic over to the chosen decision-making
method.
•
There’s always a potential stalemate in any negotiation. At that point, consider
an arbiter or facilitator to help resolve it.
While this is a formal method of building a consensus and finding compromise,
Campaigners can apply the same principles informally. The important point to
remember is that, when they disagree with someone, it’s not always a binary choice
between “this way” and “that way.” Sometimes there’s a third way, and everybody is
pleased.
Helpless to Helpful
Abdicating self-responsibility because of a sense of helplessness can only be resolved
by regaining a sense of effectiveness. The best and most obvious way to beat
helplessness is to succeed. There are many ways in life to set individuals up for
success, but most combine a dedicated intent and an action plan. The intent can
come easily to Campaigners, and developing an action plan is a skill they can gain
with a little effort. While they learn, it may help if they partner with someone who has
developed action plans already or has a natural knack for getting things done. Such
people are likely to be in their vast network of friends and acquaintances. One of the
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best ways to learn is by doing, and such partnerships are likely to encourage
participation and lead to picking up helpful habits.
The following exercise can help, and will require some thought, a little planning, and
a measure of action.
•
Set a two-minute timer. Think of the nicest thing you can do for a specific
person. Stick to the timer and don’t overthink it. At the end of two minutes,
there should be a specific person and a specific nice thing to do for them.
•
Set a 10-minute timer and list the following things:
o What date and time will the nice thing be accomplished?
o What actions need to be taken to do the nice thing? By what date and
time will the actions be completed?
o What resources will be needed, if any? By what date and time will the
resources be gathered?
•
Follow the dictum, “Plan your work, and work your plan.” When the plan has
been accomplished, celebrate by doing something nice for yourself.
•
Repeat this exercise once a week for a month, or more if it resonates.
Campaigners who are discouraged can find that even the smallest success mitigates
a sense of helplessness – and small successes often lead to larger ones. Getting help
from someone who is good at organizing and motivating others is helpful, but,
ultimately, success comes through planning and action.
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Conclusion
The Adaptive Self
Campaigners are unique, open people who are most at home around others. Those
who exploit their strengths while expanding their comfort zones can discover that
personal growth is a balance of being true to themselves while adapting to the world
around them – and adapt they must, if they’re to keep social connections strong. The
balance is in not adapting so much that they lose their sense of self.
Campaigners all have their own spin on life, having adapted to their unique
circumstances. Some skillfully navigate personal growth most of the time; others,
some of the time; and still others may struggle. Like all people, they all waver
between those days filled with wonderful growth and those that lack, or even undo,
such experiences. None go through life in any perfect way, but growth and learning
are always choices for those who are willing. Hopefully, this section has provided
guidance or inspiration to bolster that willingness.
Spontaneity and Hard Work Simultaneously
While their values demand diligence and hard work, their natural impulses aren’t
always that disciplined. Growth for Campaigners means escaping the comfort zone
of instinct and stretching to include a sharper focus. With their imaginations, creating
or adopting techniques for more productive lives is well within their reach, but it does
take some commitment.
Personal growth can be a shared activity for this gregarious personality type, who is
energized by interacting with others. Networking with growth in mind can help them
reinforce the ideas discussed in this chapter while keeping them in the social
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environments they enjoy. Each step of growth can be a new area of exploration for
the rare, highly Extraverted Campaigner.
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Friendships
Though their dreams and ideas can be as lofty as the clouds, genuine friendship is
one of the most incredibly satisfying experiences Campaigners can experience.
Sharing their energy with treasured friends gives these types a chance to express the
core of their being, whether it’s imagination or action, and in a great friendship, they
find delight in unexpected reflections of their own potential. Friends reinforce
Campaigners’ direction in life, and may open new and amazing possibilities.
Open Minds
Campaigners may be the most adaptive personality type when it comes to friendship.
Their outgoing energy, matched with the open and curious Prospecting trait, helps
them reach out to all manner of people. Like all Diplomats, they have a core filled
with idealistic visions, but they’re more likely to enthusiastically embrace a wider
range of people than their Introverted or Judging cousins. These types are often able
to “speak the language” of other personality types when needed. Their curiosity often
has them seeking out new friends who are very different from themselves.
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Campaigners are also a bit more flexible in their style of relating to their friends.
These types can shift deftly from small talk to discussing grand ideas and find
something of value in both. They enjoy in-depth talks and exploring inventive
concepts, but embrace the social value of fun and lighthearted conversations as well.
There are some preferred criteria by which Campaigners choose their close friends,
however, and not all make it to their inner circle.
Seeking Deep Friendships
Friendship is an area where Campaigners are especially heartfelt. These types greatly
value trust, support, and authenticity. With their sense of idealism added to this
combination, the depth of their friendships becomes quite profound. Campaigners
are good at reading people, naturally making distance between themselves and
insincere individuals while investing in the lives of those they deem friends. Being
good at recognizing the feelings of others allows them to be very sensitive and
insightful.
Not all personality types can sustain the dynamic flow of concepts, topics, and highenergy banter that comes with Campaigner friendships. This doesn’t mean
Campaigners avoid anyone who doesn’t meet a specific standard; still, they’re more
at home with those who can keep up. They need friends in their lives who understand
their vision, and can perhaps go a little deeper into intellectual explorations.
When Campaigners Hang Out with Friends
Adventures of both the imagination and of the physical world draw these types.
Outgoing and active, they may base friendships on shared activities like hiking or
cultural interests. Whether this kind of comradeship also involves deep conversation
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depends entirely on the friends involved. A day hanging out with Campaigners could
mean many things – these types are highly flexible.
Experiences filled with warmth, connection, and discovery are likely to have
Campaigners’ full attention – at least for a time. People with this personality type
typically shift their attention without missing a beat, and can sit in the corner of a
club and talk about their beliefs, only to jump up and dance when the right song plays
– and as soon as the mood strikes them they’re ready to leave, whether it’s for
another club or for another experience altogether. Friends can call on Campaigners’
flexibility and grace to help them keep up with such potential pivots in interest. The
fun and excitement can be well worth everyone involved working to stay in sync.
Potential Pitfalls for Campaigners and Their Friends
Every friendship comes with challenges, and though Campaigners try to maintain
harmony and smooth over any wrinkles, there are no perfect relationships, and
everybody has something to learn. Problems within their friendships usually occur
when people are too insistent on their own way of doing things, especially when that
insistence turns into criticism of others.
Few are as willing to act out what their imaginations conjure up as Campaigners, and
their dreams and ideas can seem unrealistic to their friends. Other types might find
It hard to watch their Campaigner friends pursue a line of thinking or an activity that
seems to go nowhere, or to engage in risky behavior. When Campaigners indulge
their passion for novelty, excitement, and the intangible, more sedate thinkers may
find themselves extremely perplexed.
Campaigners are open individuals, but also tend to be vigorously true to themselves,
and they may disregard their friends’ concern nonchalantly. In fact, they can be quite
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condescending or even argumentative when friends don’t support their ideas.
Consequently, their friends might feel devalued, and Campaigners might miss out on
the balancing influence of outside perspectives.
Campaigner Friends by Role
Making Friendships Work – With Anyone
Compromise is a gift that says friendship is valuable enough to make sacrifices for.
With their adaptable energy and fertile imaginations, Campaigners can find ways to
mindfully give to their friends without diminishing their sense of authenticity. Their
flexibility and awareness allow them to form and sustain good friendships with
anyone they choose, regardless of personality type. The following sections examine
how Campaigners and those of each Role tend to relate to each other, and offer some
ideas for making these relationships shine even brighter.
Campaigner–Analyst Friendships
These friends tend to meet with their minds, typically holding distinctly different
values, priorities, and methods, but nonetheless catching each other’s interest
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through some mutual spark of mental agility. While they may argue, it’s often the
inspired creative sparring of innovators, where the two blend their ideas and play off
each other. If their friendship has a weakness, it’s that their stimulating
disagreements and glee in exploring the realm of possibility together may consume
them to distraction – or occasionally get out of hand. Despite this potential, these
friends benefit from challenging each other to expand their thinking, and they often
have fun in the process.
Balanced Campaigner–Analyst Friendships
Showing Each Other Truths from Different Angles
Campaigners and Analysts both share a fondness for abstract ideas, though they
tend to see them through very different lenses. Campaigners love to rhapsodize in
free verse about their hopes, while Analysts try to understand and explain things with
their unrelenting logic. They approach ideas from different perspectives, and where
Analysts put a practical and efficient spin on them, Campaigners add heart and soul.
If these friends stay open to each other’s views, they can complement each other
wonderfully.
Campaigners have grand visions for the future, but sometimes have trouble finding
a realistic direction, or may be unable to decide which one of the many paths holds
the most interest for them. Analysts can help Campaigners better connect their
dreams to reality by offering a rational examination of plausibility and helping them
see more detail – they’re all about deconstructing things and finding ways to make
them work better. They can be a valuable reference point that helps Campaigners
make their goals and dreams more feasible.
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In return, Campaigners can offer a connection to the less tangible – but fundamental
– human side of things that Analysts often lose sight of in their zeal to dissect
everything. Analysts aren’t as able to understand the emotions of others, and this
can easily make them feel disconnected on everything but an intellectual level.
Through their exemplary counsel, Campaigner friends can help them achieve a
better understanding of themselves and others. They see a humanistic side to every
potential, and happily open doors to help Analyst friends walk on that side of life.
When they respect and learn from each other, both these personality types’
approaches to life become more balanced.
Witty Fun
Serious matters aside, Campaigners’ and Analysts’ differences also serve as vast and
unending sources of enjoyment when these friends have fun together. Nearly any
experience, even modern culture itself, can be a playground for the banter of
Campaigners and Analysts as they tease out different aspects of their subject. These
two types joyfully embrace their mutual interests, and their conversations sparkle
with insight and opinions.
Friends like these can turn a conversation about what movie to watch into an
exploratory debate on human morality, so profuse are their views – neither can resist
sharing what they think about every little thing. When either of these friends delve
into a subject or activity loved by the other, leaving their own sphere of experience
to walk new ground, true excitement begins.
For Campaigners, this may mean sharing something subtle or personal, such as
music, art, or even a metaphysical interest like meditation or reiki, with their more
cynical Analyst companions. It can also mean serving as social ambassadors who
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assist overly-intellectual Analysts in expanding their circle of friends. Campaigners
can make something as simple as a night out on the town into a scintillating, joyful
experience for more socially reticent Analysts.
For Analysts, it can mean showing their ever-curious and adventurous Campaigner
friends the inner workings of one of their beloved hobbies, be it a favorite game,
book series, or project they’re developing. Campaigners have diverse, wandering
interests, and while they might not fully share Analysts’ chosen passions, they
certainly marvel at them – they’re thrilled to discover anything fun and new. For
Campaigner and Analyst pals, sharing everyday recreational experiences together
can be just as enjoyable as cavorting in the realm of the theoretical.
Unbalanced Campaigner–Analyst Friendships
Cutting Communication
Starkly rational Analysts and dreamy, compassionate Campaigners can balance each
other’s traits, but they can also experience some clashes. Analysts tend to be blunt
with their facts and opinions, and they frequently come across as harsh when they
logically dissect other people’s precious notions. For them, facts are straightforward
and best taken that way, and they rarely sugarcoat their truths. Campaigners don’t
always understand this raw rationality; when they perceive meanness from friends –
correctly or not – they’re sharply disappointed.
Cutting words can go both ways, though. Expressively attuned to feelings,
Campaigners can be easily dismayed if they feel their Analyst friends lack
understanding – they can even angrily lash out at perceived cynicism. Analysts may
be open to challenges from logic-based arguments, but they rarely respond well to
character criticism, emotional rationales, or heated outbursts. In fact, they can be
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deeply offended by such charged moments. When either of these types lets their
criticism or reactions go too far, they can easily hurt each other’s feelings.
Differences of the Heart
Campaigners crave heartfelt bonds with their friends, and want to freely exchange
understanding and care. They can be disappointed when Analyst friends offer tons
of advice to fix problems, yet seem resistant to discussing feelings – and are
awkwardly reluctant when such a need arises. Analysts often shy away from
troubling emotions to avoid feeling out of their depth. While this seeming lack of
support may be unintentional, it’s likely to be very hurtful and confusing for
Campaigners, as though their good friends are backing away in times of need.
Analysts’ tendency to be closed off to “softer” forms of connection can also limit the
experiences these friends share. Campaigners want to feel a significant, unspoken
connection. As things like music, art, and the beauty of the world itself speak to them
on a spiritual level, they want the Analyst friends by their side to hear it as well.
Analysts, for all their creative imagination, may simply not be as open to such
mystical intuition. Campaigners seek friends who can tread wild paths with them,
and Analysts may not be willing to suspend their disbelief enough to join in such
dalliances.
Rebalancing Campaigner–Analyst Friendships
Listening Fairly
Intuitive types’ mental flexibility equips them well to rebalance problems within their
friendships. If they’re willing to try to understand each other, these two types can
temper their thinking to appreciate the distinct ways they express themselves.
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Friendship should make participants feel larger, not smaller, and these friends must
give each other room to be who they are, including respecting their very different
communication styles. Analysts talk and think in straightforward ways, and
Campaigners like to connect warmly, but there’s no reason that these different styles
of interaction should cause offense or interfere with honest communication.
The key for both these mentally active types is to focus on the intent of each other’s
words more than the style. Their deeper meanings form the basis of their friendship,
and their very different manners shouldn’t change this. When Analysts are bluntly
dispassionate, Campaigners can look past the surface to find the real messages
they’re expressing. Analysts may seem cynical, but they’re likely chasing insightful
ideas that are important to them – and can ultimately make sense to Campaigners.
To help move past differences in communication styles, these friends can employ
some helpful techniques:
•
Listen carefully to the literal message the other is expressing.
•
Think about the meaning of their words without personal prejudices and
assumptions; what do they mean by their words? Campaigners can draw on
their empathy here to put themselves in their friend’s shoes.
•
Give each other a chance to explain statements and opinions before reacting.
•
When expressing criticism, explain why in a respectful way.
•
Give each other the respect to listen and respond to one other without
becoming angry.
•
Try to be permissive of each other’s styles of expression; there’s room for
differences.
•
Remember to base friendship on positives, and there’s no reason that conflicts
can’t simply be tossed aside in favor of fun – it’s a choice both types can make.
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Both Campaigners and Analysts tend to get carried away by their own imaginations,
but when they take time to truly listen to and explore the thoughts that matter to
each other, their different ways of saying things don’t seem to matter as much.
Investing in Friendship
These friends can rebalance how they share their emotions by allowing for each
other’s differences and clearly stating their needs. Analysts might not always shine
when Campaigners are seeking emotional connection, but they can nonetheless be
worthy companions in extraordinary experiences. Campaigners can put the
emotional and mystical into detailed terms, instead of expecting Analysts to
empathically know where they’re coming from. “I just felt like… you know?” likely
makes no sense to Analysts. Campaigners can also be clear when they’re just seeking
basic sympathy, as Analysts rarely pick up on such needs without prompting.
Campaigners may need to bluntly ask Analysts to put effort into the intangible
aspects of their friendships, explaining how deeply they matter and how to do so.
Being sympathetic, understanding, and open to abstract experiences goes a long way
toward making Campaigners happy – and Analysts can understand the value of such
efforts in their friendships. Campaigners can also be respectful when Analysts
approach their limits; time together doesn’t always have to be profound.
Realistic balance requires that both these types not demand too much from each
other. They can both use these steps:
•
Communicate needs clearly; there’s no shame in directly asking a friend for
support, guidance, or comforting company.
•
Use plain language.
•
Request dedicated time to talk together.
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•
Pick an environment both types of friends find comfortable – perhaps a stroll
somewhere private.
•
Talk honestly.
•
Specifically describe the point of upset, and ask for a response to it – “What do
you think?”
•
Listen respectfully.
•
Give verbal support. It’s OK to say, “I don’t fully get where you’re coming from,
but I’m here for you.”
•
After sharing personal or emotional conversations, engage in some favorite
down-to-earth pastimes together to balance the abstract and contemplative
with some tangible fun.
Hand-holding may not be Analysts’ specialty, but recognizing logical priorities is, and
good friendships are something they’re happy to invest in. Campaigners, in turn, can
take a moderate approach to emotional interactions with their Analyst friends,
recognizing that it’s not always fair to expect deep intimacy from their friendship.
Campaigner–Diplomat Friendships
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For Campaigners, having close friendships with fellow Diplomats can be like gazing
into a mirror, as their common approaches and temperament can be powerful
bonds. Diplomats exercise their imaginations and feelings extravagantly, enabling
these friends to share far more than mere words together. However, when they do
talk, they’re unlikely to run out of things to say. As their friendships progress, they
may even become so deep as to approach that of family, as these types tend to
welcome compatible people sincerely into their hearts and lives.
Balanced Campaigner–Diplomat Friendship
A Mental and Emotional Extension
Campaigners who befriend other Diplomats have the wonderful experience of
gaining a kind of extension of themselves. These friends share relatable experiences
and the benefit and wisdom of each other’s triumphs and tests. “I had the most
amazing thought the other day…” is often heard in Campaigner–Diplomat
friendships. In some sense, their honest, sincere friendships offer them a chance to
live two lives at once. As curious and adventure-seeking as they are, Campaigners
often take the lead in such friendships, opening exciting doors for their friends.
Likewise, Campaigner–Diplomat friends are ideally suited to care for each other in
times of trouble. Knowledge of each other’s temperament, combined with their
caring nature, make them each other’s ideal confidants, nurses, and emotional
rescuers, as the Rolling Stones put it. Each knows what the other needs and when
they need it. Sometimes they offer comfort, advice, and sympathy. At other times,
they may provide pointed yet loving feedback, pushing for growth even as they offer
support. When their friendships stay honest, they can easily last a lifetime.
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A Creative Bond
When it comes to pursuing creativity and fun together, Campaigners find that other
Diplomats make enthusiastic and inspiring friends. In fact, mutual interests may very
likely be the reason they meet in the first place, acting as the initial conduit to a more
encompassing relationship. Diplomats don’t merely “hang out,” they connect.
Campaigners strive to express insights in creative ways and explore the world around
them, and other Diplomats make ideal partners in such endeavors.
Campaigners also inspire Diplomat friends with their endless curiosity and love of
novelty. This potential comes from sharing core similarities that drive both types in
related, but not necessarily identical, directions. Such differences aren’t to be feared.
In fact, they can hold special benefits. By weaving together harmonious but separate
paths, Diplomat friends occasionally glimpse different points of view through each
other, stirring up profound insights because they’re so unique.
Diplomat friends with the Judging trait may bring a special gift to their friendship with
Campaigners to help deepen their creative endeavors. Campaigners live a lot more
off-the-cuff than many types, and while their flexibility and lack of conformity
undoubtedly pay off when the creative juices are flowing, it can also offer some
instability. Judging Diplomats who reach a trusted level of influence with
Campaigners can help them stay better aligned with their goals – and perhaps help
them meet them.
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Unbalanced Campaigner–Diplomat Friendships
Wrapped Up in Each Other
A key challenge for Campaigners and their Diplomat friends is likely to come from
the same source that fuels their bond – their similarity and their shared empathy.
Having friends who think the same way is reassuring and comfortable, but it can also
create a bubble that isolates them from useful feedback, contrasting opinions, and
unexpected knowledge. Campaigners, for all their social vigor and openness, aren’t
immune to this; they seek emotional harmony, and may decry anything that seems
to threaten their beliefs. Campaigner–Diplomat friends sometimes build mental
barriers around their friendships, waving aside unpleasant realities in favor of
bolstering one another’s feelings.
Such protective bubbles can block the corrective effects of fresh perspectives,
causing stagnation or even perpetuating harmful habits, even when the intention is
positive. By staunchly defending their friends’ every thought and feeling, these types
can unintentionally do each other a great disservice. Such friendships are like having
“yes men” (or women) as constant companions when sometimes the right answer is
“no.” The lure of having someone in their lives who thinks everything they do, say,
and feel is wonderful can dull even the famously open minds of Campaigners.
Unconscious Influence
Their intense emotional connection might also lead Campaigner and Diplomat pals
to unconsciously influence each other, though they’re not likely to pull the wool over
each other’s eyes in a calculated way. Nonetheless, if either of these types has an
agenda that doesn’t quite match the other’s, they may subtly guide them, innately
understanding exactly what kind of influence resonates with such friends. Just
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because this manipulation is unintended doesn’t mean it can’t be damaging,
especially when it’s in the guise of fun – the lure of which Campaigners are
particularly vulnerable.
Furthermore, Diplomats often accept influence from people they care about because
they trust them implicitly. In the extreme, they can even lapse into becoming “people
pleasers” in the face of pressure. With their bold energy, Campaigner friends can
easily fall into powerful positions, influencing their friends without even meaning to.
None of the parties involved may be aware of this unhealthy behavior existing in their
relationships. It’s just that both types are sincerely trying to do what they feel is best
without due consideration to the other’s interests.
Rebalancing Campaigner–Diplomat Friendships
Engaging Diversity in the Real World
Balancing their imaginative bubbles together with some shared real-world
experiences can make friendships between Campaigners and other Diplomats more
complete, and Campaigners are perfectly suited to take the lead in this. Expanding
their comfort zones leads these friends to discover fresh ideas and new activities,
something Campaigners thirst for. In closed systems, it can be hard to grow not only
as individuals but as friends. Learning to open their friendships to outside ideas and
perspectives can be enlightening.
One of the quickest ways to bring diversity into their shared social lives is for these
friends to mingle with very different types of people from diverse backgrounds who
challenge their views. Campaigners are immensely social, but they don’t necessarily
seek out those who can bring a dose of contrast into their lives. Pushing that
boundary with the company of trusted Diplomat friends can be an eye – and mind –
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opening experience. Exploring different ideas and points of view is meat and drink
to Campaigners, and while they don’t have to accept everything they discover, they
can certainly find grains of truth even in the most unlikely places.
Here are some steps these friends can take to freshen their social perspective:
•
Identify a social event around something unfamiliar, challenging, or even
slightly dubious – a strange bar, a class or seminar on a weird subject, or a
gathering for an unfamiliar cause are just a few bold ideas.
•
Schedule and engage in this event together.
•
Agree to set aside shared opinions for the duration and merely observe and
absorb.
•
Ask questions and try to learn as much as possible.
•
Be respectful to unfamiliar people and invite them into positive, constructive
exchanges.
•
Get contact information for people who are interesting, and who may become
friends.
•
Go somewhere afterward to discuss the experience together in full Intuitive
glory.
There’s nothing wrong with supporting each other with reassurance and agreement,
but if that’s the entire friendship, Campaigners and fellow Diplomats can’t reach their
full potential. Sometimes, coming closer requires shaking things up; Campaigners
are glad to do so if it’ll help a good friend.
Open Impetus
Campaigners don’t want to be manipulated, nor do their values allow them to feel
comfortable with manipulating other people. There’s a difference between
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persuading friends and pressuring them, and respecting feedback makes most of the
difference. Campaigners and other Diplomats can work on saying “no” to each other
in gentle but clear ways, and truly honoring each other’s best interests. These types
have great internal compasses, but their directions may not always align. Before
pushing for or agreeing to an agenda, they can ask themselves what feels right in
their hearts, and respect each other’s answers to that question.
It’s vital for these friends to be direct, rather than trying to guide each other through
subtle emotional engineering. When communication is heartfelt, it flows freely, and
any unconscious tendency to manipulate each other evaporates. Instead of pressure
or cajoling, true needs and concerns can shine through with simple, fair language.
There’s nothing wrong with trying to infect each other with motivation, energy, and
ideas, or even making requests, if both types are honest.
Here are some steps that can keep such communication above-board:
•
Before putting pressure on each other, consider whose interests will be
served.
•
Honestly assess personal reasons behind recommendations to friends.
•
Don’t shy away from personal motivations; share them honestly.
•
Be direct and truthful when giving advice, criticism, or trying to convince
friends.
•
Make it easy for friends to be open; listen fairly and kindly when they’re sharing
advice, direction, or preferences.
•
Thank each other for the care behind the words, even if agreement isn’t
mutual.
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Rebalancing unconscious manipulation doesn’t require Campaigners or their
Diplomat friends to sublimate their own desires and motivations. They just need to
work on sharing them in clear, open ways rather than through subtle strategies. Both
types can appreciate a sense of relief when instinctive emotional pressure is replaced
with honest give and take.
Campaigner–Sentinel Friendships
Campaigners and Sentinels as friends are a study in contrasts that can create growth
for both. One thing they do have in common is a sense of responsibility to others.
For Campaigners, this comes from a sense of social idealism. For Sentinels, it
originates from a more practical place: these types focus on creating structure.
Sentinels are custodians of responsibilities who take their social and moral values
seriously. Campaigners respect this. While their impassioned diatribes and
imaginative ideas might make their Sentinel friends roll their eyes, both types
nonetheless share a desire to improve the world.
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Balanced Campaigner–Sentinel Friendships
Stabilizing Each Other
Campaigners benefit from the sense of stability Sentinels offer. While Sentinel
friends may not be able to make sure Campaigners pay their bills or renew their
drivers’ licenses on time, they can offer a responsible influence by way of example.
Campaigners are sometimes blown about by a steady procession of dreams and
ideas they have yet to realize, and their boisterous, poetic lack of focus can be
frustrating for themselves and the people who depend on them. Sentinel friends –
whose steadfastness can weather chaos with great forgiveness – can be grounding,
reassuring, and helpful. When the dust clears, Sentinels provide a steady hand to
help pick up the pieces and move forward when needed.
Considering how stable Sentinels are, it may seem counterintuitive, but Campaigners
can also provide a much-needed kind of support for such friends when trouble
strikes. Sentinels are easily distressed by sudden changes. Their comfortable rules
are easily upset when chaos intrudes into their lives. Campaigners offer the perfect
support in such situations – their confidence and empathy help Sentinels persevere
through unexpected challenges. Moreover, Campaigners are quick to step in and
lend their active imaginations and vigorous assistance to set things right. By
respectively being good at establishing order and good at adapting when that order
breaks down, these two types of friends prop each other up, no matter what
happens.
Cutting Loose Without Losing Control
Campaigners often seem like party animals compared to Sentinels, who tend to hold
rigid views and a need for predictability. Holding tight to such standards can be
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exhausting, and Campaigners can bring some needed fun into Sentinels’ lives by
showing them that dreaming beyond known boundaries can enhance life by
revealing possibilities. Campaigners have a way of drawing Sentinels into adventures
that allow them to loosen their inhibitions a little without losing who they are. They
protect their Sentinel friends’ feelings with immense compassion while also
encouraging them to step out of their rigid limits.
If Campaigners get carried away by their own enthusiasm for living – and they often
do – they can be sure that their Sentinel friends will let them know it. Having such an
outgoing and vigorous thirst for fun, discovery, and life itself, it’s easy for
Campaigners to get caught up in questionable pursuits that may end up being riskier
than they’re worth. Sentinel friends likely see this a mile away, and can suggest a few
prudent adjustments to their headlong trajectory. As these friendships deepen,
these two types learn to appreciate each other’s pace and way of engaging life
enough to let them influence their own, at least some of the time.
Unbalanced Campaigner–Sentinel Friendships
Differences in Engaging Activities
Often, these two types simply don’t understand each other’s attitudes, which can
seem foreign to the point of being unworkable. Even when these friends share strong
common interests, the different ways they pursue those interests are likely to be
tough to reconcile when spending time together. Campaigners’ spontaneous,
energetic approach to fun can seem like pure chaos to more reserved Sentinels, and
in turn, Campaigners might not understand their friends’ reluctance to dive
impulsively into every new idea and experience. If these pals can’t maintain cheerful
patience, the result is often frustration.
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Arguments over how to spend time and energy together are likely if either type
becomes too determined that they’re right and the other is wrong – and both tend
to be strong-willed in such matters. Campaigners can be passionate, and Sentinels
can be stubborn, neither wanting to give up their preferred style of doing things.
Sentinels can chidingly insist on Campaigners accepting timely and sensible planning,
while Campaigners can patronize Sentinels by insisting they “relax.” Such urgings can
go nowhere fast when these friends are unwilling to compromise.
Lack of Respect
For people of both types, their core differences can also become a problem when
they judge each other beyond simple disagreement. In ways they’d never say
outright, each of these types can fall into a habit of mentally devaluing the other in
disrespectful, and ultimately hurtful, ways. Whether it’s subtle sniping, joking
comments, or silently indicting each other with a pitying headshake, an inability or
unwillingness to understand each other damages their friendships. Triggers for this
kind of judgement may be as distinct as the friends themselves, and can come from
either side.
Campaigners care deeply about their friends, but their feelings and opinions run hot,
and they can get as easily fired up with outrage as they do joyful enthusiasm. If they
feel that Sentinels disapprove of them in any way, they’re easily offended and may
not let it go. Campaigners are all about engagement; respectful distance isn’t easy
for them, so they’ll pursue disagreements with vigor. Sentinels, however, are
extremely difficult to pry out of their point of view. They have solid reasons for their
convictions, and they can resent anyone who tries to change their mind. When they
feel justified in their judgement, they can be immovable.
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Disapproval and disrespect between these friends often center around the way they
live their own lives. At the extreme, Campaigners can see Sentinels as limited beings
who accept the mundane and resist change at every turn. Sentinels can, in turn,
unfairly see Campaigners as childishly deluded and unable to accept fundamental
priorities. When either of these types lets their judgement get out of control, it can
get ugly.
Rebalancing Campaigner–Sentinel Friendships
Mutual Engagement
Rebalancing these friends’ different approaches to activities requires a little
compromise and tolerance. Sentinel partners can learn to be more flexible when
their Campaigner friends want them to join in an inspired idea, and Campaigners, in
turn, can make sure Sentinels have an equal say in how they engage in the activity
together. Sometimes, Sentinels just need a moment to get their heads around an
idea before they proceed, and if they’re given that time, they’ll gladly follow
Campaigner friends toward fun.
Highly adaptable, Campaigners can use their go-with-the-flow energy to give
Sentinels leeway in planning out such activities together, or even helpfully dive in
ahead of time to get more information. It’s also appropriate for these friends to
spend time together sometimes without a schedule, adapting as they go with
respectful communication. Patience doesn’t always come easily to Campaigners, but
they can have better results with lightheartedness. They can lead with instant energy
and ideas and keep pace with their Sentinel friends.
Some steps to keep in mind that can help enable workable compromises include:
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•
Divide up the work: Campaigners can pitch fun ideas. Sentinels can head the
planning of these experiences.
•
Engage the experience together.
o Intentionally check in with each other occasionally: “How are we doing?
Are we having fun?”
•
Try and adapt to each other’s needs when spending time together.
o Campaigners remain flexible enough to cheerfully rethink activities
when Sentinels hit their limits.
o Sentinels can push themselves out of their comfort zones without
feeling trapped, knowing Campaigners will support their needs.
•
Communicate about what’s fun and what isn’t. There’s usually overlap
somewhere, and finding it can be a fun adventure where both friends can
voice their needs.
Both types of friends can take a step into each other’s timeframes now and then –
they each have a good approach, for certain things. When it comes to recreation,
Sentinels may find it an unexpected relief to let go of rigid control, and Campaigners
can appreciate the benefits of staying on schedule when it comes to important
matters.
Respecting Sovereignty
When judgement arises between Campaigners and Sentinels, restoring warmth and
camaraderie may require acknowledging the boundaries between their individual
lives and what they share together. Each type has the right to live as they see fit, and
need only be concerned with compromise when it comes to time together. What
seems like a limited existence to Campaigners may, in fact, bring great joy, prosperity,
and personal growth to Sentinels. What looks like idealistic chaos to Sentinels may
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be a life of satisfying accomplishment for Campaigners. Arguing over who’s right is a
fruitless endeavor when each type finds happiness differently.
Neither needs to accept the other’s ways for themselves, but it’s important that they
respect their friends’ preferences and avoid imposing their own choices onto others.
Conflicting styles only clash when they meet, and reasons for friction disappear when
these friends take care to bring positive aspects to each other’s lives. It’s also
important for Campaigner–Sentinel friends to quash any judgement with honest
communication before things get heated. There’s a big difference between
expressing critical concern for each other and ladling out judgement, and both types
should feel empowered to say when they feel that line has been crossed.
A simple exercise for Campaigners and Sentinels to ease judgement over their
differences is to overlay them with positives that recognize each other’s virtues, even
if they’re dissimilar. These helpful steps can help them to do this:
•
Independently, write 5–10 beneficial things that each friend brings to the
friendship (i.e., a great sense of humor, is always willing to drive, creates a
sense of caring, thinks of fun ideas for activities, is always reliable, keeps
shared secrets, gives good advice, buys coffee, cooks great food, solves
problems).
•
Watch for instances of these positive acts, adjusting the list as needed.
•
Show verbal appreciation for each instance.
•
Mention the feeling created by each positive act; keep it brief and casual.
These types each have some inescapable, marked core differences, but unless
they’re trying to live each other’s lives, there’s no reason they can’t enjoy deep and
happy friendship together where they share the positives and work through the rest.
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Caring for each other gives them a reason to compromise and to respect their need
to be themselves.
Campaigner–Explorer Friendships
Campaigners have some spontaneous, unrestrained instincts in common with
Explorers, so theirs are likely to be very enjoyable friendships, especially if they meet
through mutual interests or activities. Like Explorers, Campaigners love to go in nonconformist directions and are always flexible in their approach to life. They both
enjoy novelty and introducing new things to their worlds. They share a great desire
for personal freedom, although they may express it in different ways with different
motivations. These types are both free spirits with a lot to share and learn from each
other.
Balanced Campaigner–Explorer Friendships
Running Down a Dream
Both these types possess a kind of impulsivity that’s similar in some ways.
Campaigners can consider different paths in rapid-fire succession without needing
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to establish a single direction in which to go. Always opportunistic, Explorers are
looking for the next new and exciting thing. While their motivations may be uniquely
their own, each type’s dynamic may feel familiar to the other, and they’ll likely think
nothing of dropping what they’re doing to chase something exciting together. “Whim”
and “indulgence” may be the words of the day when these friends get together, with
their inspired ideas and down-to-earth curiosity blending into endless fun.
If Campaigners and Explorers have a lot in common, they can also tap into each
other’s preferred kinds of adventures to discover things they may not have otherwise
found. Campaigners think big, with grand dreams and ideas that tend to include
other people, and even society in general. Their idea of adventure may be eyeopening to Explorers more attuned to their personal interests and practices. In turn,
such intent personal goals can be like a microcosmic universe unto themselves, and
Campaigners marvel when Explorers enter those worlds with them.
Exploring New Perspectives
Mutual activities are just the beginning of discovery for these friends, as they likely
have fundamentally different ways of looking at things. Campaigners may find that
Explorer friends are good at pulling them out of their dream worlds to experience a
no less wonderous earthy side of reality. Where Campaigners might be fascinated
with art technique and history, Explorer friends might hand them a chainsaw and
invite them to carve a figure in a log, moving them from theory into a thrilling
experience. Explorers, on the other hand, may benefit from Campaigners’ lofty
attempts to understand everything; such future-oriented vision is often the first step
to finding a new passion in life.
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Campaigners also love to share their enthusiasm for social progress and
engagement. Explorer friends often focus on their own path, but the idealistic vigor
of Campaigners can help them connect to other people, opening new doors of
friendship and fun. Shared experiences can also reveal a deeper meaning, such as
the satisfaction gained from positive activism. While Explorers won’t want to have
lengthy discussions about ethics and morals, they can appreciate – and directly
benefit from – the compassionate example of Campaigners’ positive intent in the
world.
Unbalanced Campaigner–Explorer Friendships
Running Amok
Every coin has a flip side, and the flip side of unrestrained, enthusiastic liberty is often
a lack of responsibility. One of the dangers baked into Campaigner–Explorer
friendships is that neither type is likely to play the role of the grown-up in the room
when it comes to soberly attending to everyday necessities. Campaigners are intent
on doing the right thing but may be unable to muster much concern for mundane
practicalities (even if they fall into that category). Explorers likewise have a hard time
caring about something if it doesn’t feed their immediate interests. As friends, these
types may enable each other to pursue things that grab their attention, and mutually
ignore those that don’t.
Irresponsible behavior can also get between these friends. In their pursuit of good
times, things appointments and commitments to each other can fall by the wayside,
or simply be forgotten. While adaptability might make them cheerful partners in
crime, neither one appreciates it when the other’s carefree inconsistency turns
around to bite them. Whether it’s changing arrangements at the last minute, arriving
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late, or bungling preparations for mutual activities, even these flexible types struggle
to tolerate derailed plans when they happen so frequently. They’re likely to be
forgiving most of the time, but eventually, a letdown will come, and that one won’t
end easily.
Contrasting Personal Priorities
Campaigners often have high hopes, reflecting their own idea of what’s right and all
the amazing things they want to bring about in the world. Explorers tend to be more
enthused by tangible experiences that relate directly to their own lives, perhaps even
seeing Campaigners as absurdly idealistic. While Explorers tend to have a “to each
their own” attitude, Campaigners like to inspire everyone around them with the same
passion they have for the same things.
When Explorers are pushed too hard to care about things that seem distant and
unimportant to them, they can respond with disdain, having little love for pressure
or being told how they should think and act. Campaigners don’t fully understand the
extent of Explorers’ individualism, themselves believing strongly in universal human
ideals, and can take such disapproval as a rejection of their principles.
Whether it’s about moral codes, emotional connection, or broad idealism regarding
society, Campaigners can be hurt when Explorers don’t join in their enthusiasm. They
can even view such friends as being base or selfish for not sharing their ideals, even
if those friends simply want to maintain their own freedom. Campaigners want to be
a part of positive social progress, but challenging Explorers’ personal inclinations with
arguments of principle only leads to frustration for both.
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Rebalancing Campaigner–Explorer Friendships
A Scrupulous Respect
These two types may never be a highly moderating influence, but if they truly care
for one another, they can make sure they don’t enable harmful behavior. Neither
type wants to see the other’s life in shambles, and while they might lack the skills to
regulate each other, they can be a positive influence by offering their perspective and
caring oversight. These types can see consequences, but they usually don’t care to
rein in their fun long enough to talk about them soberly. However, learning to look
beyond the excitement of the moment can safeguard their friendship for years to
come.
Respect between these friends is partly a concern about each other’s risky choices,
but also a scrupulous way of treating each other. If there’s ever a good reason to
tighten up on self-discipline and consistency, it’s for the sake of good friends who are
sources of joy. It starts with communication: making a bold commitment to each
other, speaking when something seems dubious or troublesome, and discussing
conflicts between each other.
Each type must find their own source of willpower, and the following steps can help:
•
Think about each other’s choices and decisions as if from a parent’s or older
sibling’s perspective – imagine friends as loved ones to be cared for.
•
When something seems risky, take time to sit down and talk about it.
•
Learn from each other’s mistakes, and gently remind each other when
unproductive habits are likely to be repeated – and what was learned from
previous instances.
•
Don’t try and control each other’s behavior, just offer non-judgmental insight.
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•
Make statements mutual: “I wonder if we should be more careful…”
An inexhaustible well of care helps Campaigners’ muster maturity and moderation,
and once they view responsibility in the context of caring for their friends, they take
it seriously. When Explorers see that irresponsibility is interfering with their fun,
they’ll quickly adapt and do what’s needed to preserve their freedom and happiness.
Knowing When to Be Permissive
Campaigners often try to inspire people toward high-minded principles, while even
the most social of Explorers tend to focus on creating tangible benefits – personal or
mutual – as they enjoy and care for their friends. Neither should be made to feel
judged for this difference. It’s important for Campaigners to realize that not everyone
shares their lofty idealism, and it’s not fair to make their personal ideals seem
obligatory. Campaigners can use their empathy to see when Explorer friends simply
don’t share their interests, or may have something of a different nature to contribute
to the common good.
In turn, Explorers can tap into their famous curiosity and try something new.
Sometimes, the answer to, “Why would I bother doing that?” is the realization that
good friends are worth a little energy, and that fun is often a state of mind. Explorers
often have great success once they set their sights on something, and they can tune
into Campaigners’ enthusiasm and pitch in with their company. Such efforts can be
very meaningful to Campaigners and affirm their friendship.
Allowing each other their own direction in life, especially when it comes to perceived
societal obligations vs. personal priorities, is a necessary and fair manifestation of
respect in Campaigner–Explorer friendships. Ultimately, having a good time together
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is more important than doing everything together, so time apart is sometimes a good
option.
To help preserve a balance, both friends can use these tips:
•
Invite each other into personal priorities with cheerful enthusiasm – highlight
the possible fun and benefits with “we could” instead of “you should.”
•
Be open-minded about trying things the other cares about.
•
Give fun a chance to show itself before dismissing something as boring or
irrelevant.
•
When either friend declines to do something, be cheerfully understanding –
no need to ask for a reason.
•
Respect each other’s pursuit of personal priorities without judgement – good
friends don’t need to do everything together.
These two types often become friends through a mutual love of excitement and
exploration, and trying to push personal agendas can simply kill their fun. Instead,
their combined energy is better spent in areas of common interest, reveling in what
can be happily shared together as often as possible.
Conclusion
Social Nobility
We’ve discussed some pitfalls Campaigners may face in their friendships, but in truth,
this personality type is incredibly adept at creating and maintaining social
relationships when they choose to be. They can find something to appreciate in any
type, valuing people as individuals and reflexively extending them kindness and
warmth. When Campaigners meet worthy people and invest in deeper friendships,
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their bright, active imaginations, outgoing nature, and uninhibited inclinations give
them substantial charm which they share freely and honestly.
Given their highly adaptable and empathetic social abilities, any difficulties that
Campaigners face in friendships are likely of their own creation, at least partly. Like
all Intuitive types, they may become so blinded by their own expansive visions that
they lose touch with basic everyday factors, including other people’s perfectly natural
limits and differences. These types are so good at sharing their inspiration and
energy with others that when someone isn’t so easily caught up or influenced, they
may view it as a failure, or as if that person needs some caring cure for being who
they are.
However, when Campaigners grow enough to accept others as the unique kinds of
friend they are, they find themselves spending more time having fun with people –
and learning from them. When these types project the underlying tone of fun and
excitement that comes so naturally to them, they can enjoy the company of anyone:
studious, logical thinkers, reserved traditionalists, and self-assured gadabouts are all
equally charmed. Indeed, Campaigners have the potential to create fulfilling social
relationships that are limited only by their own choices.
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Romantic Relationships
Seeking a Deep Connection
Campaigner lovers have stars in their eyes. They’re romantic idealists who often
daydream about perfect relationships full of warmth and joy, where souls unite to
communicate their most profound truths. For people with this personality type,
looking for romantic partners or nurturing their existing relationships is often an
essential part of their lives –and one of their most appealing qualities – but it can set
them up for disappointment if other people can’t match their energetic love.
These Extraverted lovers offer their partners bright enthusiasm and joy, using their
vivid imaginations to come up with insightful ways to keep their romantic
relationships lively – a particularly useful quality when trying to make early dating
fun. Some of the other personality types may struggle a little to keep up with
Campaigners’ brilliant whimsy and spontaneity, especially when such potential
partners don’t know each other very well yet, but the novelty’s often thrilling.
These types engage deeply with ideals and beliefs, which can make things somewhat
challenging in relationships with personality types who think mainly in terms of nuts“The Campaigner” (ENFP, -A/-T)
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and-bolts living. If romantic candidates don’t share their fondness for fantastical,
abstract dimensions, Campaigners may lose interest – they want someone who will
at least listen happily. People with this type want to share in their partners’ dreams
with strong encouragement and excitement, and it’s only natural that they want their
lovers to reciprocate. However, because of Campaigners’ prominent Intuitive trait,
even perceived slights could create burdensome doubts in their relationships. Yet
the combination of the Intuition trait with the Feeling and Prospecting traits also
creates an unrivaled capacity for reconciliation.
Wide-Eyed Romantics
Campaigners possess a buoyancy of spirit; they can be very optimistic and accepting,
even in the face of unforeseen or tumultuous events. They appreciate new
experiences. They’re never afraid to embrace such transitions, and those in love with
them are also in for a lot of unexpected changes.
Campaigners’ views on romantic relationships may often be poetic, but they aren’t
always realistic, as their tendency to idealize their lovers can sometimes create
confusion between them and their partners. However, if Campaigners are mature
enough to recognize and address these tendencies, they can reap great rewards in
any relationship with their efforts toward personal growth. Even if their imaginations
get carried away now and then, these types treat their romantic partners to intimacy
that can transcend their problems.
A Need for Attention
Although they adapt wonderfully to many aspects of love, Campaigners desire ample
attention. This need can be rooted in many things – insecurity in their relationships,
unobtainable ideas of what relationships should be in their minds, oversensitivity,
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and more – any of which can leave them tossing and turning in their beds at night,
wondering, “Are my needs being met?” or, conversely, “Am I being too needy?”
When Campaigners love someone, they may find it hard to give that partner space,
often allowing neediness to blur healthy boundaries. Re-establishing those
boundaries can be a struggle. When their partners request some alone time,
Campaigners might view it as a personal affront. Because of their need for attention,
they find themselves, at best, harmlessly fishing for compliments, and at worst,
seeking attention as validation of their worth. They risk smothering their partners or
creating codependency, either of which can leave these types feeling frustrated and
cold when they’re warm and loving at heart.
Adapting to Love
Even though Campaigners sometimes lose perspective in their devotion to romantic
partners, they also find great joy in adapting to their significant others’ unique
presence in their lives. Love gives them a chance to experience a new perspective,
and a balanced version of “losing themselves” in their partner can be magical, as
Campaigners enter another world by engaging their beloved’s desires. When
Campaigners maintain their own perceptions and preferences as well, such
discovery together can be exciting and healthy.
Another wonderful facet of their ability to explore and adapt is that they open the
minds of stubborn or tradition-bound partners. Highly empathetic, Campaigners
aren’t likely to judge their loved ones, but through understanding and coaxing, they
can easily make people think twice about their habits, opening them to new ideas.
Campaigners’ imaginative curiosity can be inspiring, and partners immersed in daily
routine can find these types’ vibrant influence as freeing as a vacation.
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Potential Role Pairings
Unique Opportunities
Every personality type brings different things into romantic relationships, and
knowing a little about what to expect from the various Role groups can help
Campaigners get to know potential partners and build solid relationships. However,
it’s important to remember that people are infinitely unique regardless of their type,
and there are no perfect romantic matches, even on paper.
Any two people who fall in love may get along wonderfully or have a few problems –
in a healthy relationship, likely some of both. In the following section, we’ll provide
guidance on how Campaigners and other types can better understand each other,
as well as some of the more likely areas of conflict between them. Warm,
encouraging, and adaptable, Campaigners can find balanced love with any other
type.
Campaigners can also keep in mind how the issues raised in the Personal Growth
chapter may relate to their approach to love. A romantic relationship is an excellent
context to recognize unproductive or destructive habits and make improvements. A
balanced approach to self-love and self-respect helps Campaigners be happier
romantic partners.
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Campaigner–Analyst Relationships
Love between Campaigners and Analysts often grows from the way they balance
each other’s weaknesses and learn from each other’s strengths. Linked by the
Intuitive trait, both types can recognize the wonderful possibilities that the other
brings into their shared lives, and the potential intrigues them. Campaigners think in
terms of human connection, and Analysts in terms of rational processes. In each
other, these imaginative types find not only a whole new way of thinking, but also
new dimensions of themselves.
Balanced Campaigner–Analyst Relationships
Shared Imagination
Campaigners are known for inspired thinking, and it creates a great way to get to
know their Analyst partners. Both types thrive on creative discussions, from sharing
ideas about a product they’re developing to explaining the intricacies of a book
they’re writing. Analyst partners find imaginative processes thought-provoking yet
approachable, and they delight in assisting with brainstorming. Complex and
abstract ideas enthrall this pair, and as couples, they can spend endless hours
discussing philosophical topics or coming up with ideas.
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Relationships between Campaigners and Analysts can be incredibly rewarding, as
these individuals look at things from different yet somehow familiar perspectives.
When Campaigners explore topics in depth, they spend a significant amount of time
learning about them, through traditional resources as well as contemplation of the
intangible and potential parts of the subject. Analysts are often impressed by the
depth of perspective that their Campaigner partners gain by understanding with
their hearts as well as their minds.
Campaigners also have a capacity for treating everything as original. Whether its
people, ideas, or a math puzzle, they can approach it as though they’ve never seen it
before and dedicate a fresh look to things others would just make assumptions
about. This can easily earn the respect of Analysts, who sees flaws in their own
tendency to try to predict everything (a form of cynicism that can give mixed and
unsatisfying results).
Campaigners are no less impressed by Analysts’ ability to make decisions through
rational processes. Those who keep an open mind see the value in Analysts’ ability
to remain objective and critical, a detachment that Campaigners often find personally
challenging. They appreciate Analyst partners who anchor them by balancing their
fantastical take on life with a dose of blunt intellectuality. In turn, their Analyst
partners value Campaigners’ ability to take any subject to the next level of inspired
imagination.
Discovering New Abilities
Campaigners are likely to become lost in emotion, especially during upsetting events.
There are many moments in life when these types would be wise to step back,
detach, and think about what’s happening instead of being swept along by their
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feelings. Observing their thoughtful Analyst partners’ cool-headed example helps
them practice such skills during moments of heightened emotion. Having an Analyst
by their side as an example is a powerful reminder to Campaigners of the self-control
they can develop if they choose.
Besides learning emotional stability and openness from one another, these couples
can be profoundly helpful to each other’s growth in very real ways. One difference
between the two is the way they express emotions – and they can learn a lot from
each other here. Analysts have plenty of emotion, but they rarely place emphasis on
expression or developing understanding of their feelings, even deriding such efforts.
They often seem distant and clumsy with emotional matters. Campaigners are
perfectly suited to helping Analysts understand this side of themselves, providing an
example of being in touch with themselves.
The balance that these two types can bring each other translates directly into daily
life, not just abstract concepts of growth. Campaigners are pulled to share
wonderous personal expressions of creativity with the world, but the logistics of how
to successfully do so may be hard for them to master. Analyst partners can help them
fit all the little logical pieces together to reach those goals. Likewise, Analysts are likely
to struggle with friction in the social world, their tact and sensitivity often lacking.
When they bring their social problems to Campaigner companions, they receive
invaluable human insights that enable them to improve their other relationships.
Unbalanced Campaigner–Analyst Relationships
Silent Damage
Romantic gestures typically send messages of interest, but differences in how these
two types express themselves can lead to hurt feelings and missed connections.
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Unaccustomed to an emotional approach, Analysts may not understand the
importance of sweet little romantic tokens, or perform them with forced sincerity as
they try to match expectations. Campaigners are easily disappointed by inauthentic
efforts, reading much depth into even minor actions.
The clumsiness or absence of effort represents an obvious signal of disinterest in
Campaigners’ minds, even if the true explanation is Analysts’ emotional ignorance at
work. Campaigners tend to miss the unexpected ways Analysts do show their
affection, like contributing alternate explanations in conversation. Initial connections
can be tough when these lovers don’t take a balanced, understanding approach (like
explaining
their
expectations
and
gently
clarifying
their
stance
during
disagreements), and. Instead, decide to make assumptions.
Even the most caring Analysts are unlikely to proffer the generous emotional
interaction that Campaigners crave, instead investing in what they see as functional
contributions to the relationship. These efforts may not satisfy Campaigners’ need
for connection, and a real problem occurs when they stay silent about the shortfall.
Analysts can certainly learn to meet their partners’ needs, but they rarely do so
without prompting and guidance.
Analysts invest a lot of effort in prioritizing, but without their Campaigner partners
explicitly explaining their need for increased emotional intimacy, Analysts can feel
left in the dark. This deficit – caused by Campaigners’ decision not to guide Analysts,
and Analysts’ inclination toward emotional obliviousness – can grow intolerable, to
the point that Campaigners explode with emotion. Typical Analysts will simply feel
further confused.
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Out-of-Sync Priorities
When Campaigners and Analysts don’t respect each other’s priorities, ongoing and
increasing friction can result. The two don’t differ on any specific subject; it’s more a
matter of different criteria for decision-making and preferences about where they
put their energy. It’s likely that neither of these partner types are “wrong,” but this
can still become a problem when they don’t fairly balance their right to their own
pursuits with responsibility to mutual needs and concern for each other’s goals.
Campaigners often model their priorities in life around emotional connections and
indefinitely exploring the intangible, and they love to share these explorations with
their romantic partners. Just as important as exploring is having partners who
validate and support such explorations. As creative as they can be, though, Analysts
focus on systems, tactics, and rational processes. When they take this perspective
too far, they may dismiss all else, shutting down Campaigners’ lofty ideas and missing
the opportunity to expand their imaginations. Campaigners may not understand why
Analysts don’t place the same value on those things, and they can easily become hurt,
and even resentful.
What Campaigners may not understand is that Analysts’ critical analyses may not be
mere dismissiveness. When Analysts say, “That’s not realistic,” or, “How would you do
that?” their intent is to lend credence to their partners’ ideas and explore them in
their own way, which Campaigners can take badly. Constricting “the possible” into a
“system” can feel oppressive to Campaigners, even though both are open to an
honest exploration of the subject at hand. These types may not understand Analysts’
starkly different perspective – their seemingly critical reactions are usually signs of
interest and curiosity. Campaigners’ frustrations may be entirely misplaced, seeing
action and creating reaction but missing all-important intent.
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In romantic relationships, partners work toward shared goals. When couples made
up of these types sharply disagree on how to proceed, it’s hard to get anything done.
Over time, they both may lose their sense of balance and start to resent each other
for spending time, energy, and money on things that don’t seem “important.”
Rebalancing Campaigner–Analyst Relationships
Improving Communication
Campaigner–Analyst couples can smooth over potential conflicts, especially early in
their relationships, by working to understand their emotional differences. It takes
time and effort, but there’s little adequate substitute for this kind of understanding.
When both companions are respectful and encouraging, this process brings them
closer together.
Campaigners can help the Analysts they love to be more open with their feelings by
setting a positive example of openness, asking them to share, and being encouraging
when they do. Though Analysts may express some cynical thoughts, discussing
feelings together is a huge step toward balance. Campaigners can also avoid asking
for too much, too fast – Analysts have a right to privacy in their own heads, just like
anyone else.
An essential step for both types of partner is simply taking in what each other is
saying without immediate comment. Since Analysts are unlikely to naturally respond
with empathy, deliberate reflection allows them to develop appropriate responses
that support their partners’ needs and feelings. In turn, Campaigners can use such
contemplation to moderate the emotionality of their responses. When these couples
practice being emotionally perceptive toward not only themselves but each other,
they achieve a more complete form of intelligence that enhances their relationships.
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These partners can use the following reminders to help them navigate this area of
personal growth together:
•
Ask about each other’s thoughts and feelings daily, sharing honestly, but
simply – don’t overload each other with words.
•
Campaigners can specifically and directly ask for emotional support whenever
needed. For example, “When I’m sad, I like being listened to, and I like to be
hugged.”
•
Campaigners can see how their Analyst partners feel about spontaneously
events, like fancier-than-normal dinners or walks outside during sunset. Use
the time to talk about the highlights of each other’s week, including emotional
difficulties and personal triumphs.
•
Validate each other’s feelings by showing approval while listening quietly.
•
When together, focus on each other’s company and create an aura of
relaxation and interest. Keep this time as a free space where both types of
partner are comfortable and respected; plan to discuss complaints about each
other at another time.
In balanced romantic relationships, both partner types need verbal affirmations of
understanding and appreciation. Campaigners can take the lead by demonstrating
and encouraging non-judgmental emotional openness with their Analyst lovers. Even
if one type chooses not to share everything all the time, they’ll love knowing that the
other is always ready to listen with love.
Accepting Each Other’s Priorities
Campaigners and Analysts don’t need to fully understand or agree with each other’s
priorities in life, but in balanced romantic relationships, they do respect and actively
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support those distinct pursuits. However, for their lives together to be functional and
enjoyable, they must also agree on certain realities that affect them daily, such as
household chores, shared bills, and social or work obligations. It’s important that
these couples can handle these priorities before they pour their hearts into more
personal pursuits. Otherwise, they may find their freedom threatened by unfinished,
mounting responsibilities. Cooperation can quickly resolve that kind of dilemma –
these couples just need to work together.
When Campaigner–Analyst couples see their mutual priorities accomplished, they
can find it a lot easier to support each other’s personal pursuits. It’s also a wonderful
demonstration of love to participate in each other’s interests if they want the
company. Experiencing each other’s passions directly goes a long way toward
rebalancing differences – and there’s always the chance of discovering they share
one type of partners’ passion.
If Analysts are obsessed with some technology, they tend to be thrilled at the chance
to explain it to Campaigners, who, in turn, may appreciate seeing its inner workings
more clearly, tapping into their natural curiosity. Likewise, Campaigners may have
personal hobbies to share that Analysts may find interesting – from art, literature,
and music to their favorite games. Neither partner type should feel obligated or
pressured to spend their personal time on the other’s interests, but they benefit
greatly by at least trying them out. These couples can:
•
Discuss daily priorities with each other.
•
Identify and agree on matters that are of mutual benefit, and share the work.
•
Make things interesting by trying out different, new ideas to see what works
best.
•
Jump in if they have an inspiration for how to get something done best.
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•
Complete routine matters that are mutually important before moving on to
individual pursuits.
•
Invite each other into personal pursuits, and positively demonstrate their
appeal in front of each other.
•
Try to devote some time and energy to supporting each other’s personal
projects and goals,
especially if they
focus on development and
accomplishment.
The core appreciation that Campaigners and Analysts feel for each other as
individuals can be a source of motivation to balance their perspectives. Analysts may
not care about musicals and Campaigners might find engines boring, but if that’s
their partners’ taste, they can cheerfully support them.
Campaigner–Diplomat Relationships
Campaigners find a natural sense of connection with fellow Diplomats, often growing
close with them quickly. Even though they have some notable differences within their
Role group, Diplomats together as romantic couples have core commonalities that
form the basis of both strengths and weaknesses. If they have a fault, it can be caring
too much, along with the emotional drama that may sometimes bring. However,
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because they connect so well at the heart, Campaigners and other Diplomats in love
have an unsurpassed capacity to sustain each other for a lifetime.
Balanced Campaigner–Diplomat Relationships
Emotional Resonance
Because of their similar emotional filters for viewing life, harmony develops between
these types, with both partner types expressing their thoughts and feelings in open
and empathetic ways. This dynamic doesn’t always contribute to objective thought,
but these lovers do become deeply attuned to each other’s desires and needs, and
they’re usually quite enthusiastic about making each other happy. When partners
feel each other’s emotions so strongly, it’s only natural that they want to share as
much joy together as possible.
In love matches with other Diplomats, Campaigners may feel that someone finally
understands them – their intense emotional connection acts as a foundation to
enable other forms of communication. Both these partner types can share ideas,
opinions, and problems together, counting on those underlying bonds to help them
navigate differences and difficulties in their relationships. Sensitive, emotional
people may indeed be prone to some fiery fights, but when real love is present, they
can make it up to each other and be stronger for it. Despite perfectly normal rocky
spots now and then, Campaigner–Diplomat couples who invest in long-term
relationships find that they become essential parts of each other’s happiness.
A Pair of Dreamers
These companions form a bond that can support more than just their happiness
when they’re together – it also strengthens them as individuals following their own
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paths. People of similar or even identical personality types might have different
interests, passions, and goals for their lives, but something Campaigners and their
fellow Diplomats do share are highly active imaginations. They can marvel together
at ideas they come up with, and although these sweethearts might not always share
equal interest in everything, they support each other’s dreams.
Having supportive romantic partners is an excellent way for Campaigners to realize
their own goals – people with this personality type often struggle to follow projects
through to completion, even when they’re inspired. Diplomat partners chiming in
with happy energy can give them the push they need to move forward. These two
might even end up sharing some goals together, and when they decide to balance
their dreaming with a dose of realistic effort, they become partners in achievement
as well as love. Whether it’s saving up to go on a trip, founding a charity, or
redesigning their apartment, these couples can do anything they conceive when they
muster cooperative action together.
Unbalanced Campaigner–Diplomat Relationships
Emotional Burnout
As wonderful as strong, bonded emotions can be, maintaining such a deep
connection and constantly catering to each other’s feelings can become exhausting.
Campaigner–Diplomat couples who become too interdependent may lose their
individual emotional stability, and this lost sense of self can lead to Campaigners
feeling as though they’re not themselves when their lovers are gone, a dangerous
precipice to be on, indeed.
These couplings risk stifling each other with too many expectations. Passionate
desire for each other’s attention, reassurance, and company becomes unbalanced
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when it approaches addictive need – and that may grow overwhelming to
overburdened
partners
with
their
own
needs.
When
these
wonderfully
interconnected companions take their emotional exchanges too far, they can
become codependent in all the wrong ways.
One of the biggest problems with codependency is that it assumes too much – and
everyone has limits. When Campaigners or other Diplomats take their adoration too
far and idealistically view their partners as their prime source of emotional validation,
even minor flaws or missteps on their beloved’s part may seem shockingly
disappointing. Idolization of each other may be hard to avoid, especially when new
love is forming with a truly remarkable person, but if not balanced with a little
realism, it can set up an overreaction.
Campaigners and fellow Diplomats tend to be vulnerable to having their high hopes
dashed by reality, but when the source of that disappointment is the people they
love, the damage is likely to be more unpleasant than mere disappointment. Even
healthy relationships show their weaknesses at times, and blame is often the
unfortunate result.
Lofty Distractions
Campaigner–Diplomat couples have a troubling tendency to distract each other from
everyday realities. They often get lost in their worlds of ideas and possibilities, drifting
from one grand concept to another while ignoring immediate concerns. This can
produce wonderful creativity and insight, but it might not result in a stable life. If they
don’t take the time to live in the present and focus on simple realities, their
relationships can lack practical sensibility.
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Setting unrealistic goals isn’t always conducive to success, and lofty ambition often
comes at the expense of more basic, but necessary, duties. These couples can suffer
very unpleasant consequences when they get distracted and neglect practical
matters. By ignoring more basic aspects of life, they ultimately undermine their
future capacity to achieve their broader goals; after all, generosity implies having
something to give. A little planning can avoid all the little mishaps and mistakes that
otherwise add up, forcing these couples to spend hard-earned savings on late fees,
interest, and parking tickets instead their dreams.
Campaigner–Diplomat relationships risk more than just daily upkeep though; they
may develop grandiose plans that continually drain their resources, never quite work
out how they wanted, and eclipse much-needed pragmatic planning. The mere
striving may be satisfying, but at some point, couples can feel their lack of
pragmatism in very basic ways. Lives spent fighting injustice or painting portraits may
have tremendous moral and spiritual payoffs, but even the most idealistic couples
need a roof over their heads and enough money to take care of themselves in
retirement.
Rebalancing Campaigner–Diplomat Relationships
Individual Emotional Strength
When these couples seek emotional fulfillment in each other in unbalanced ways,
one way to rebalance is by working to develop their independence. One excellent
way to cultivate independence is to plan fun activities apart from each other, in
addition to the time they spend together. Whether it’s solitude or time spent with
friends and family, these romantic partners become better sources of strength for
each other when they’re strong on their own.
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Stepping back now and then doesn’t in any way diminish their powerful connection,
but it can ensure that they stay in touch with themselves. Space is essential for
authentic, personal thoughts and feelings to be affirmed without anyone else’s
energy in the mix. In balanced relationships, both partner types respect the need for
this space.
Once codependent relationships form, any measure of independence on the part of
their romantic partners can bring these types a crippling sense of abandonment.
That’s a challenging issue for Campaigners to navigate, but the best approach may
be to encourage their lovers to do things independently, lending all their natural
enthusiasm and encouragement to get them out the door while opting to stay
behind. This helps forestall their partners’ issues, minimizing unintended damage
there, while also helping Campaigners to normalize the idea of their partners doing
things without them.
Here are some steps that can help:
•
Find areas where you have different interests.
•
Take time to indulge your different interests, and allow partners to do the
same without interference.
•
Understand that a partner’s non-participation makes sense. If one person
loves to deep-sea fish, but the activity bores the other, it makes perfect sense
for the latter to sit the activity out.
•
Take time alone to focus on personal thoughts and emotions.
•
Balance time spent together and time socializing with others.
•
Gently decline to participate in each other’s negative emotions.
•
Project supportive, positive feelings in the face of each other’s upset.
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There’s no magic bullet to prevent or resolve strong negative emotions, but
underlying care for each other can see these couples through conflicts. Practicing
emotional individuality when times are good can give these companions some
valuable strength to maintain their senses of self when times get rough.
Balancing Dreams with Responsibility
To achieve balance between grand hopes and necessary realities, Campaigner–
Diplomat couples must learn to engage in the present moment while still honoring
their expansive, creative tendencies. One way to do this is to find time to participate
in hands-on activities on a regular basis together. Working on a home improvement
project, shopping for groceries, and being social with others are great ways for these
lovers to enjoy the moment yet still enjoy each other’s inspired company. Having
grand dreams is good, but putting energy into practical activities together ensures
that they don’t end up living with their heads always in the clouds. This balance helps
prepare them to deal realistically with more serious matters.
When less-pleasant responsibilities come knocking, Campaigners and their beloved
Diplomats can roll up their sleeves, put on some music, and try to make the work as
fun as possible. Whether it’s fixing a leak, cleaning a room, or saving enough money
for bills, both benefit from companionship and help – working together with a
cheerful attitude creates momentum.
The will to accomplish responsibilities takes more than just instructions, but these
steps can bolster these couples’ commitment to getting things done:
•
Make time every week to complete minor, in-the-moment pursuits together.
•
Have a verbal brainstorming session to discuss daily chores that are being
overlooked, and agree to cooperate on getting them done.
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•
Pick a chore a day and make it a permanent part of your weekly schedule.
•
Keep a list of necessary chores and errands, then share execution of the listed
items.
•
Don’t put anything off. Do the chores as soon as possible, together or
independently.
•
Keep track of completed tasks to boost morale.
For types so likely to get lost in their own imaginations, it’s very important to take
action. Whether planning a simple camping trip, designing and building a garden, or
sweeping the floors, Campaigner–Diplomat couples can push themselves to move
past the hoping and dreaming phase and get to work on their goals.
Campaigner–Sentinel Relationships
Campaigner–Sentinel relationships often bring about a kind of consistent support
that makes both types feel secure and very well cared for. Campaigners’ closely-held
value of harmony with those close to them combines with Sentinels’ sense of
stability, creating a love that fulfills both partners’ needs very well. They may have
radically different approaches to life and internal motivations, but both types place
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tremendous emphasis on having deep and trusting love in their lives, and this
appreciation opens them up to learning from each other’s differences.
Balanced Campaigner–Sentinel Relationships
A Foundation of Mutual Benefit
Sentinels and Campaigners share outlooks that can enable great relationships. Both
types sincerely want what’s best for people – Sentinels create stability and continuity,
and Campaigners foster kindness and emotional support. These couples place great
emphasis on their values, and although they may have different approaches when
promoting their ideals, their underlying desire for harmony is a lifelong practice.
Balanced Sentinel–Campaigner romantic partnerships combine their somewhat
distinct values and are based on mutual support, something that love easily brings
out in both types.
One of the best things in balanced Campaigner–Sentinel relationships is how they
compensate for each other’s behaviors. Sentinels can be an enormously grounding
influence on sometimes flighty, unrealistic Campaigners, providing them with a
stable perspective that helps them focus. Campaigners provide their Sentinel lovers
with deep understanding and empathy, as well as a needed dose of inspiration and
excitement. Campaigners’ rich sense of fantasy and exuberant adventurousness can
help Sentinels break out of their reserved shells and realize their own potential.
When willing to appreciate each other’s strengths, these two types can learn much
about who they are and who they can become.
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Building a Rich Life Together
Campaigners aren’t known for pursuing stability, but as they grow and experience
life, they realize the difference between freedom and chaos. Just as a painter needs
an easel and a musician needs an instrument, Campaigners need the necessary
tools, knowledge, and resources to achieve their idealistic, creative visions. Sentinel
partners are perfectly suited to helping them establish the underlying structures
necessary to pursue their ideas and goals. Sentinels are usually practical, industrious,
and sensible, and Campaigners need this kind of influence to move their lives
forward.
Sentinels thrive on predictability, but even the most sensible goals can feel hollow
without warmth and companionship – Campaigners offer their romantic partners
lush, heartfelt devotion. Sentinels’ efforts to keep their lives in order attain deeper
meaning when the love of Campaigners enters their lives like a ray of sunshine; they
can depend on having love at their side. Though they don’t bring the same things to
a shared life, these two types build a more complete life by embracing each other’s
differences and giving generously of their own virtues.
Unbalanced Campaigner–Sentinel Relationships
Frustration with Follow-Through
Romantic relationships don’t always go as planned with these two types. At first,
Campaigners may impress Sentinels with their idealism, as their focus on social
values likely appeals to Sentinels’ sense of what is right and fair. However,
Campaigners may find themselves at a loss once Sentinel partners begin to tire of
their seeming inability to complete a project. They can become frustrated once
Sentinels begin to question how practical their ideas are, and whether they’ll ever be
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able to finish anything. Campaigners who don’t balance their imaginations with
pragmatism may find their Sentinel companions dismissing their flexible, optimistic
visions as impractical. When Sentinels let their frustration get out of hand, they may
very likely hurt Campaigners with their criticism, especially because there may be
some truth in it.
Frustration goes both ways, though. As Sentinels become weary of Campaigners
“jumping around” from idea to idea, Campaigners’ patience wears thin with Sentinels’
risk aversion. The word “boring” may even come to mind. Sentinels can appear rigid
to Campaigners, as though they suffer from a lack of vision or ability to change. When
Sentinels cling to desire for predictability, Campaigners may tire of the nuts and bolts
of always mapping out the future with little room for spontaneity or opportunity.
Even worse, Sentinels who place too much emphasis on consistency can make their
Campaigner lovers feel trapped or suppressed, as though they cannot fully exercise
their curiosity and creativity – things that are essential to their joy.
Different Timetables for Living
Campaigners and Sentinels have potentially incompatible ways of engaging
experiences. Typical Sentinels come up with a detailed schedule that they stick to
dutifully, with everything in its place and on time. In contrast, Campaigners prefer
making things up as they go along, comfortable abandoning something once their
interest wanes, and taking a very relaxed and flexible approach to engagement in the
first place – things can happen “whenever.” These two types can get on each other’s
nerves, especially because their different approaches affect so many common
aspects of life, like meeting for dates.
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Misunderstandings and irritation abound when these partner types feel their needs
or perspectives are being overlooked. Campaigners may feel controlled when their
Sentinel partners pressure them to solidify or stick to their timetables, and Sentinels
may assume that Campaigners are unreliable when they refuse to do so. However,
both types may be unaware that Campaigners’ impulsiveness comes from a
willingness to embrace the risk of the unknown, whereas Sentinels’ need for stability
and predictability comes from a genuine fear of the unknown. There’s obviously great
value in balancing planning with adapting, but when these types refuse to move
toward such a combination, disagreements about which approach is correct can turn
toxic.
Rebalancing Campaigner–Sentinel Relationships
Accomplishing Things Together
With a sense of appreciation in mind, Campaigners can apply themselves to
accomplishing things that matter to both them and their loved ones – acting with the
same creative spirit that drives their imaginations. Sentinels can keep an eye on
practical matters that Campaigners might normally let slide, while also being more
flexible and open to trying fresh ideas and pursuits together. This doesn’t mean that
Campaigners expect Sentinels to keep things in order by themselves, but rather that
they both balance unconventional ideas with sensible action.
Sentinels respect those who follow through on their intentions, and they’re
impressed when Campaigners show a willingness to roll up their sleeves and get to
work. This respect extends beyond practical or routine matters and into personal
interests as well. Just as Sentinels appreciate their Campaigner sweethearts’
participation in everyday responsibilities, they also see the value in working on their
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creative dreams – and they offer their help. Laundry and finances are important, but
for Campaigners, life is pointless without being able to dream their dreams. However,
they can rebalance this point of view with pragmatism to support and compromise
with their Sentinel partners. Some basic steps can help:
•
Propose an action.
•
With the action in mind, work together to establish a goal (creating a weekly
budget, for example).
•
Campaigners can seek out ways to improve a task, whereas Sentinels can
gently remind Campaigners about the main purpose of said task. This way, the
task can be completed both innovatively and efficiently, giving both types
peace of mind and mutual satisfaction.
•
Both types should work at communicating to manage any frustration or
impatience that may occur.
A strong commitment to each other can serve as an underlying reason for each of
these romantic partners to be supportive. Creative imagination and stable
convention need not be at odds if Campaigner–Sentinel partners are willing to share
their time and energy on that which matters to the other.
The Best of Both
Rebalancing everyday scheduling means both partner types should have their way
some of the time. Campaigners can learn to be more pragmatic, recognizing that
their partners’ risk aversion comes from a fear of the what-if rather than personal
distaste toward the Campaigner personality itself. Sentinel partners can learn to be
more spontaneous, even if that means occasionally relaxing a schedule –or even
going without a schedule. They can also recognize the importance of respecting their
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beloved Campaigners’ freedom and their right to change their minds. Experiencing
love and joy together gives Sentinels motivation to be patient and accepting, and
given how concerned Campaigners are, they’re unlikely to push their Sentinel
partners too far out of their comfort zones.
In fact, Campaigners can use their go-with-the-flow attitude to their romantic
partners’ benefit, letting Sentinels organize and direct the plans and activities that
are important to them, especially those that are time-sensitive. There’s nothing
wrong with keeping a tidy schedule much of the time, and Campaigners benefit from
increased structure in their lives. They can simply relax and let Sentinels handle the
schedule, ensuring that they’re ready to participate when needed and knowing that
just as they revel in – and deserve – their wild and free moments, so do Sentinels
deserve the satisfaction of things being on time.
Some steps to keep in mind that can help enable workable compromises:
•
Campaigners can come up with fun ideas, and their Sentinel partners can plan
the experiences, so that both types can find enjoyment.
•
If Campaigners want to propose “wild” activities like scuba diving or rock
climbing, they can gradually ease their Sentinel lovers in with more tame
activities like scuba classes or an hour at the local bouldering gym.
•
Engage in unscheduled time together to explore in a moment-to-moment
context – perhaps fairs or other free-form events of mutual interest.
The trick is to allow the time to be free-flowing, with very loose plans. Consider two
hours on a Sunday dedicated to doing whatever the couple may please – planting in
the garden, going to a friend’s house for tea, or simply sitting together and watching
a movie.
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Both partner types can take a step into each other’s timeframes now and then – they
each have a good approach for certain things. When it comes to recreation, Sentinels
may find unexpected relief when they let go of rigid control, and Campaigners can
appreciate the benefits of staying on schedule when it comes to important matters.
Campaigner–Explorer Relationships
The Campaigner–Explorer pairing offers both partner types many adventures, and
their differences combine in interesting and exciting ways. Campaigners have heads
full of creative dreams, and Explorers tend to like hands-on ideas and activities; they
may alternate between baffling or inspiring each other. Campaigners’ imaginations
might not leap at the more material challenges that appeal to Explorers, who, in turn,
may become bored by imaginative talk of the intangible, but love itself expands the
horizons of both partner types as they introduce each other to new things.
Balanced Campaigner–Explorer Relationships
Exploring Reality Together
On their own, Campaigners tend to get lost in their imagination, but with Explorers
by their sides, they quickly find themselves drawn out of their heads and into the
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world. Unusual concepts appeal to both types, and when deep imagination becomes
the launchpad for engagement, both can uncover new dimensions. When it comes
to creativity and ingenuity, these significant others serve as unique sources of
inspiration for each other – Campaigners providing a principled, highly imaginative
perspective, and Explorers getting excited to put ideas into a real-world context to
see how they work.
Together, these types take an interest in exploring everything: they’re always looking
for what’s new and exciting, and they appreciate each other’s way of engaging the
world. Explorer partners tend to share Campaigners’ wonderful sense of curiosity,
and they also carry that curiosity forward into action, trying to understand new things
in their minds and through practice. It’s very likely that this pairing will result in lots
of fun and adventure together, not only making initial dating easier, but keeping
things fresh as they progress deeper into loving relationships.
Freedom Together
Another quality that Campaigners and Explorers share is a love of freedom. To be
happy, Campaigners need to feel as though they can dream and create without
restraint; likewise, Explorers want to walk their own paths by engaging pursuits that
are important to them. Although they may have different targets and approaches,
these couples share an essential desire to follow their hearts and minds wherever
they may lead. When love grows between them, they support each other’s liberty and
passion. They know the importance of their own freedom, so it makes sense to both
types that their romantic partners also want the freedom to explore; it’s normal to
them. Whereas some types might feel compelled to impose structure or restrictions,
these lovers likely just say, “Go for it, babe!”
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If loving something means setting it free, then Campaigner–Explorer couples can
truly find empowering love together, cheering each other on as they embrace their
dreams and goals. When a connection built from mutual respect for their differences
ties them together, Campaigners can happily grant their Explorer companions the
time and space they need to master whatever they set their sights on. In turn,
Explorers are unlikely to deny Campaigners their grandest hopes and ideas – though
they might encourage them to act rather than just dream. These couples don’t hold
each other to rigid standards or convention by any means. Both are willing to adapt
to new things all the time, even seeking them out by preference. When balanced in
their support of each other’s interests, Campaigners and Explorers in love can find
endless happy adventures together.
Unbalanced Campaigner–Explorer Relationships
Why Don’t You Understand Me?
Despite their shared curiosity and adaptability, Campaigners and Explorers have
some significant differences when it comes to imagination versus practicality.
Campaigners who take their imagination too far can essentially end up living in a
world of self-affirmed realities, where what’s correct is based mainly on their own
internal vision, unendingly obsessing over concepts without ever bringing them into
the real world. This can make even the most flexible and permissive Explorer lovers
shake their heads in vexed wonderment.
Explorers may lose patience with Campaigners who often wax too poetically for their
liking; in turn, Campaigners may see Explorers as limited in their ability to accept
intangible truths. Explorers specialize in real-world experimentation – they actively
practice fitting things together, their ingenuity based heavily on adapting to feedback
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from their environment. When something doesn’t turn out the way they had hoped,
they let go and try a different approach.
Campaigners, on the other hand, look to the infinite to see how intangible things
might fit together, and they can become blinded by possibility despite contrary
feedback from the outside world. When something doesn’t go as they’d hoped, they
adapt their perceptions to maintain the vision in their heads, fixing the discrepancy
in the realm of the unactionable to avoid having to test it in the real world.
When these approaches interact, they’re likely to cause friction. Campaigners may
wonder why Explorers are so dismissive of the things that are important to them,
whereas Explorers might worry that Campaigners just take things too seriously.
These beliefs are likely to cause great hurt in each partner type, leading to
arguments, dislike, and eventual apathy. The fundamental communication issue
between them requires these significant others learn how each other thinks, and
then decide to understand each other during disagreements.
Shifting Sands
These sweethearts usually share enthusiasm for all that’s new and unknown, but
their willingness to dive headlong into change may result in shared risk. Although
they share abundant love and joy, even those things can be threatened if their lives
become too chaotic or fail to meet their basic needs. Prosperity, long-term success,
and the achievement of dreams often require steady commitment and efforts that
don’t immediately pay off. These couples’ love of newness and change may distract
them from less thrilling (but no less important and rewarding) investments in
themselves and their future. They’re often gleefully willing to shirk responsibilities.
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Whether failing to decide on an area of study, switching jobs too often, or simply
frittering away their time and money on passing pleasures together, Campaigners
and Explorers are by their very nature in danger of building a future on shifting sands
rather than a solid foundation. For most people, who don’t possess great wealth, this
can be a pernicious problem. If these types let their novelty-seeking get out of hand,
they may not stick to the same goals for very long. This may be fine in discretionary
personal pursuits, but it can set them back in matters of long-term development
which are important to creating happy, successfully shared lives.
Rebalancing Campaigner–Explorer Relationships
Being Flexible With Each Other
Reconciling differences between airy, conceptual idealism and hands-on practicality
is a needed step for these couples to achieve balance. Luckily for Campaigners and
Explorers, their mutual willingness to try new things offers them a clear path to
accepting – if not always understanding – each other’s styles. With a little tolerance,
these two types can see the value in their different methods: Campaigners can see
how well Explorers figure things out by direct engagement, and Explorers can see
how deeply insightful Campaigners are using only their minds.
A combination of unbounded imagination and practical experimentation is probably
a superior approach to either method alone; therefore, with open minds, these
couples can find a balance that allows them to operate together with amazing results.
One of the biggest steps for these lovers is to realize that they each have priorities,
and none is necessarily wrong. Campaigners can work to respect Explorers’ focus on
tangible accomplishments – they have every right to work on what matters to them.
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For their part in rebalancing, Explorers might consider applying their masterful
abilities to helping their Campaigner partners evolve some of their high-minded
ideas into reality – at least, the ones that can be translated into reality. Of course,
Explorers can’t be expected to merely occupy an intangible realm, so when
Campaigners ask their partners to join in, they must also be ready for action.
Here are some ideas to create balance in this area:
•
Show each other how you make your own methods work.
•
Try out the other’s approach, preferably during an activity that’s of interest to
both types and can be done together; shared experiences create
understanding.
•
Campaigners:
o Identify your own thought processes.
o Communicate them in a bare-bones fashion to your partner (no
philosophical waxing).
•
Together, do a joint activity that directly translates Campaigners’ idealistic
beliefs into something tangible that Explorers can see. Take volunteering, for
example. Campaigners can talk about the idea of helping others and why it’s
important, then both types can volunteer together. The gratitude of those who
receive that help will resonate with Explorers.
These types can tap into their love of novelty and explore each other’s methods. The
simplest way is just to join each other in personal pursuits with an open heart and
mind – neither partner type needs to convert, but they can both experiment with
different perspectives and methods.
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Building a Foundation
Communication and cooperation are vital to rebalancing these couples’ potential to
meander through life. Matters of responsibility must be taken care of together
willingly if they want to achieve meaningful long-term goals. Learning to regularly
communicate about topics that are difficult or uninteresting is a sign of both personal
maturity and a mature relationship. Even if these romantic partners are happily
tolerant of disorder or prefer keeping their options open, talking through a budget,
housekeeping, and meal planning are essential steps to keep their homes and
relationships running smoothly.
Campaigner–Explorer couples tend to especially dislike boring responsibilities, which
poses a great challenge. Although they can find happiness living outside convention,
they do need to be responsible enough to recognize what will make them happy and
secure in the long run. If this means more attention and effort toward work, saving,
or daily chores, then they need to get serious about those things. In realistic terms,
this means agreeing to dedicate some time every week working on their responsible
goals together. They can find it easier to practice being disciplined when they view it
as an expansion of their desires – these goals are for their own benefit.
To help with goal-setting and engagement, these couples can:
•
Discuss and decide on a few long-term goals that are important to both. What
is the goal? Why is it important? What resources will it require?
•
Define to each other what success would look like. Define how completion will
be measured.
•
Consider whether the goal is achievable – don’t be afraid to ask trustworthy
people with related experience for their opinions and advice.
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•
Decide on and commit to a schedule of when to work on the goal together.
•
Work on the goal together with positive attitudes and encouragement toward
each other.
•
Stick to the plan as much as possible, and adjust only if necessary.
With a little shared focus and effort, Campaigner–Explorer couples can translate their
desires into real-world results that keep them happy far into the future, not just in
the moment. By working together, there’s no reason they can’t create some stability
as well as live spontaneous, light-hearted lives together.
Conclusion
Staying True to Their Hearts
Campaigners have a sensitive core that often makes it challenging for them to uphold
their boundaries, especially when it comes to critical social endeavors like romance.
No other type is more sweet, thoughtful, and responsive to other people’s influence,
and that very receptiveness grants them many advantages in love. People with this
personality type are deeply empathetic and open-hearted, and when they love
someone, they not only welcome them into their lives, but also are willing to accept
and revere them as they are. Campaigners can forge rewarding romantic
relationships with any type, and when they meet someone who truly appreciates and
respects them in return, balanced love knows no limits.
If there’s any cautionary theme for Campaigners in love, it’s not to lose themselves
unreservedly in their adoration of their partners. These types so readily give of
themselves that they may forgo their happiness as individuals while they’re in
relationships. Loving partners will give Campaigners what they need, either
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supporting them actively or just giving them time for themselves, but these types
must do their part by communicating their needs. Conforming to their partners can
create great closeness, but love only grows so much in an echo chamber – those who
truly love Campaigners want to see them honestly, experience all that they are, and
revel in their uniqueness. Campaigners can contribute by making their needs clear
to their lovers, and by describing how to meet those needs.
When Campaigners share themselves without shame, they may be surprised at how
attractive they are to other people. Their ability to care for others on an emotional
level, their insightful imaginations, and their love of novelty and spontaneity make
them very appealing to all types of potential partners. Accepting themselves and
their own wonderful qualities is a powerful step toward meeting their own goals of
personal growth, as well as finding true love.
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Parenthood
Inspirational Attitudes
Campaigners approach life with boundless energy and enthusiasm, an attitude that
young children often share. Parents with this personality type wear their hearts on
their sleeves and their emotions on their faces, making it easy for their children to
understand whether their latest actions have won them favor or earned disapproval.
Though the latter might pain a child, even obvious disappointment is perhaps
preferable to figuring out the more inscrutable emotions presented by other
personality types.
The rose-tinted world in which Campaigners live and thrive may strike some as only
a matter of perception, but their eternal enthusiasm and ebullience often find
reciprocation in even the stoniest of hearts. These types don’t dwell on the negative,
and disputes between parents and children are resolved as quickly as possible,
becoming distant memories as soon as some new activity has seized their
imagination.
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Always Accessible
Though Campaigner parents often have extremely involved social schedules, they
likely always have time to listen to their children on matters great and small. With a
direct yet comforting tone, Campaigners get to the source of their kids’ troubles with
speed and thoroughness that make them the envy of those who find their progeny
to be less than forthcoming. These parents can establish a rapport with their children
that’s enjoyable yet profound, a bond that puts their offspring at ease even when
discussing life’s most sensitive problems.
Indeed, it’s this very openness – a marked lack of calculation and guile – that
facilitates free and easy communication between Campaigner parents and their
children. By trusting their parents’ emotional transparency, their children can learn
to be more emotionally available as well. Campaigners rarely act as mere sounding
boards, however, and can provide compassionate yet appropriate guidance,
shepherding their children through hardships.
Fun-Loving and Connected
Having fun, cutting loose, and enjoying time with others – especially their children –
is something Campaigner parents embrace. Where many mothers and fathers may
feel pressured to perform their parenting duties in a particular way, confident
Campaigners have little fear bucking the system. Having fun as a family is more
important than a pristinely organized pantry, and meaningful conversations take
precedence over parent-teacher association meetings.
These types find happiness only when others can share in it, and it's perhaps this
trait more than any other that children of Campaigner parents benefit from most.
Campaigners are expansive, not exclusionary, and search for ways to ensure that
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everyone can take part in activities. Children with similarly excitable demeanors are
quick to embrace their Campaigner parents’ most outlandish ideas. These types are
careful not to ignore shy kids, either, and find ways to connect with them that won’t
spook their more Introverted children’s spirits. Their connected ebullience can
become impulsivity, however, and that skill can take a back seat to Campaigners’
desire for flexibility instead of structure.
Unstructured
Campaigner parents who view structure as an unnecessary restraint often have a
hard time understanding the value of consistency and routine, as they instead prize
openness and adaptability. However, for youngsters who are only beginning to grasp
the complexities of the world around them, rules and schedules provide a comforting
predictability to the otherwise unfamiliar chaos of life.
Inexperienced Campaigner parents are especially prone to believing that “whenever”
bedtimes for toddlers – and a lack of set curfews for teens – are ways of freeing their
children from the artificial restrictions they tend to rebel against. However, these
types quickly learn that where they see freedom, children see chaos that breeds
frustration and confusion. As they become older and more accustomed to a lack of
structure and accountability, kids quickly learn they can use this inconsistency to
their advantage. Children can become adept at out-arguing and manipulating their
Campaigner parents into letting them have their way, which can prove especially
dangerous as they get older.
No Time for Downtime
Though not exactly hedonistic, Campaigners can certainly act as though life were one
big party, a characteristic that, while often endearing, can sometimes grow tiresome
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for both themselves and those around them. This is particularly true for Campaigner
parents who have children with more Introverted dispositions. Though these moms
and dads shine when chaperoning field trips, coaching soccer games, or
orchestrating mass sleep-overs (where little sleep is to be had), they often fail to
make time for everyone to rest and recharge.
Those who tend to equate serenity with boredom struggle with those aspects of
parenthood that demand a lower-key approach. New Campaigner moms or dads, so
excited to show off their bundles of joy to friends, family, and even strangers passing
by on the street, might feel uncomfortably tethered to their home by their infants’
need for a peaceful place to nap. When unable to reign in their impulsive desire for
busyness, Campaigner parents can have as much difficulty as their children with
homework or other tasks that call more for silence than celebration.
Overly Sensitive
Their sensitivity and focus on morality mean that things other personality types
would shrug off may hurt Campaigners deeply. Few things could be more hurtful to
this exceptionally sensitive personality type than seeing their sincere beliefs about
what is noble challenged by their children. In such circumstances, these parents
might blame themselves for being unable to instill the right values in their children,
and they may try to fix that by resorting to emotional pleas and even unintentional
manipulation.
Parents with this personality type should be especially careful during their children’s
adolescent years. Teenagers often rebel against their parents’ authority, and
Campaigners shouldn’t immediately assume that their kids are actively fighting their
beliefs or ignoring all their teachings. Otherwise, these types can feel deeply hurt,
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and try to focus all their efforts on mitigating damage and strengthening their
relationship with their children – which may provoke even stronger pushback.
Creating Structure and Rhythm
Perhaps one of the most beneficial things Campaigner parents can do to build
meaningful balance in their parenting style is to incorporate structure and rhythm in
their kids’ daily lives. Such creative types may balk at the idea of structure, equating
that word with boredom and conformity. But the truth is, when used correctly,
structure can provide more freedom to create and connect with their children. The
adage, “In limits, there is freedom,” holds true for children of all personality types
who rely on their parents to set safe boundaries they can count on as they explore
their world.
A daily rhythm is structured yet flexible, providing the consistency that children of all
ages need while also allowing for spontaneity and time to stop and smell the
proverbial roses. Unlike a strict schedule where every activity is planned down to the
minute, a rhythm helps to create a natural routine that adjusts as needed. Kids
benefit from this type of structure because it helps them to feel safe – to know that
their needs are met, and they’re adequately being cared for. For Campaigner parents,
a daily rhythm can help them carve out time to get things done and have some time
to engage in their own meaningful activities. Often, just knowing that there’s
flexibility built into their daily rhythm can stave off any fears of feeling too constricted
and confined by their responsibilities – a win-win for both parents and children!
Enjoying the Silence
Every day need not be extraordinary – or, at least, not in the sense of parades and
fireworks. Campaigner parents who attempt to pack in as many activities as humanly
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possible may find less fulfillment than those who give themselves and their children
some time to relax and reflect. After all, fun is an experience best understood
through contrast. A day at the beach becomes more exceptional after spending the
rest of the week in a windowless office. Even these Extraverted parents need time to
process the flood of precious memories that they’ve spent every waking moment
attempting to make.
Parenting imposes new demands on time, and Campaigners who become parents
should realize that a “night out” or a “weekend away” may not always be the remedy
for a harried life. A quiet family dinner, followed by an evening where everyone curls
up with a book, can be as refreshing and necessary as the post-race breather a
runner takes.
Being Emotionally Honest
Those with this personality type may have a hard time employing some of the
punitive measures other parents rely on – even listening to a toddler wail through a
three-minute-long time-out can be as much a punishment for Campaigner parents
as their children. But these types have their own method of discipline, though they
employ it with such subtlety that they may not even realize they’re using it. When
Campaigners are genuinely hurt by their kids’ misbehavior, they may find themselves
failing to discipline their children at all, shrugging off their behavior as something
that they can’t (or won’t) attempt to control.
“Love withdrawal” is a powerful tool that especially frustrated Campaigners may
employ for correcting behavior, but it can have the terrible consequence of making
children feel as though their parents’ love is conditional, even transactional. Instead
of love being something that just exists as an eternal bond between parents and
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children, love becomes a reward for being “good.” Campaigner parents should, of
course, be honest about their feelings with their children. If they’re disappointed, sad,
or angry, they should be free to say so. But kids must also be reassured that these
moments of tension are transient, while their parents’ love is forever.
Parenting for Each Stage of Development
Each stage of a child’s growth presents both unique challenges and exciting
milestones. Learning how to navigate these stages can seem daunting, but the
opportunity to build healthy attachments and create meaningful memories makes it
worth the struggle.
Renowned psychologist Erik Erikson proposed a theory of psychosocial development
that identified eight stages, five of which take place between birth and 18 years of
age. It’s important to remember that these stages aren’t set in stone, and the ages
listed for each stage are approximate. Children develop at their own pace and meet
each milestone in their own time. Whatever the stage of development, growth never
stops.
The following paragraphs discuss what to expect at each stage of development, as
well as how the strengths and weaknesses of the Campaigner personality type can
affect their parenting at each stage. Suggestions are also offered on how to help
Campaigners turn an unbalanced approach around.
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Building Bonds (From Birth to Approximately 1 ½
Years)
According to Erikson, the stages of infancy and early childhood last from birth until
approximately three years of age. Children in these stages are very dependent on
their parents to meet their needs. This is also when the bonds of attachment are
created by meeting their babies’ needs, developing trusting relationships, and
promoting autonomy.
The priority for infants in the journey to attachment is having their basic needs met.
Attentive and affectionate parents – especially those who engage in consistent
physical contact such as snuggling or transporting their children in baby carriers on
their bodies – develop trusting, hopeful relationships with their infants and are likely
to have very little difficulty building comfortable attachments. When their needs are
met, babies learn to trust that their Campaigner parents provide for them. If parents
are inconsistent in providing for their infants’ needs, they likely have difficulty
creating positive, trusting parent-child attachment.
Balanced Infant Bonding
Building Loving Bonds
From the moment their children are born, Campaigners throw all their energy into
making sure their babies’ needs are met, physically, spiritually, and emotionally.
Building trusting, loving bonds with their infants comes naturally to individuals with
this personality type. Infants need affection that goes beyond just daily care. They
crave the physical connection that their parents provide through cuddling, rocking,
speaking softly, and making eye contact. Their parents’ loving smiles do more than
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just entertain their infants – they create primal connections that inspire the trust they
need to foster positive relationships.
In addition to affection and compassion, dedication is necessary for building trusting
relationships with infants. Campaigner parents are quite possibly the most
passionate of all the personality types, and there’s very little that they’re more
passionate about than their children. The infancy stage is a marathon, not a sprint,
and working through the ups and downs of caring for babies utterly dependent upon
their parents is daunting. Passion breeds the dedication Campaigners need to build
bonds with their children during this overwhelming yet magical stage.
Open to Anything
While structure and schedules are important during the infancy stage, flexibility and
the ability to quickly adapt to their changing needs are just as important. Midnight
feedings, spontaneous crying fits, and unexpected diaper disasters are just a few of
the ways babies refuse to adhere to a schedule. Thankfully, Campaigners tend to be
exceptionally flexible, thrive in unpredictability, and find it relatively easy to readjust
their expectations when situations change.
Caring for infants is exhausting. However, Campaigner parents certainly appreciate
the many new experiences this stage provides – and they’re more than energetic
enough to keep up with their infants’ often-changing needs. Nothing bores them
more than a strict, redundant schedule day in and day out, and they certainly won’t
have to worry about that with new babies. While not all interruptions to their
schedules are pleasant, they’re enough to keep Campaigner parents on their toes
and prevent boredom.
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Unbalanced Infant Bonding
Taking On Too Much
Many new parents experience a great deal of pressure to maintain their pre-infant
lifestyle after their children are born. When Campaigners parents become too
focused on living up to the unrealistic expectations placed by either themselves or
others, they can find themselves taking on more than they can handle. These types
are often used to a full plate of activities and obligations even before children come
into the picture, and both newbies and veterans alike can attempt to play the role of
“super parents” by jumping back into work right away, or obsessing about keeping
up with a busy social calendar. When Campaigners cave in to pressure to be
everything to everyone, they end up overtaxing themselves physically, mentally,
spiritually, and emotionally.
Being parents who can “do it all” may feel gratifying, initially, but it can have some
significant consequences for those with very young children. When Campaigner
parents are overly focused on attending every social gathering (“Sure, I can host
Friendsgiving this year! I can totally fit that in between work, book club, and my
intramural hockey team practice!”) and maintaining every other aspect of their busy
lifestyles, they can sacrifice opportunities to bond with their infants. Babies are only
babies for a short time, so cutting back on external obligations may be necessary for
Campaigners to build the strongest attachments possible with their children.
From Daydreams to Diaper Detail
Many Campaigners have a very idealized vision of what it’s like to parent infants.
Visions of baby-and-me yoga classes and cooing over a smiling infant splashing in
the tub are inevitably doused by the reality of all-night crying sessions and mountains
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of dirty diapers. This wakeup call can be especially shocking to those dreamy
Campaigners who were unprepared for the enormity of the responsibility now
before them.
Their dreams of basking in the magical moments of infancy are eventually met with
the reality that they aren’t only responsible for emotionally providing for their
children, but that they must be able to meet their practical needs as well. This level
of security and stability can seem like elusive concepts to any new parent, but
inexperienced Campaigner parents can find this adjustment especially tricky.
Rebalancing Infant Bonding
Lightening the Load
As mentioned above, the infant stage is short-lived, making the window for building
strong bonds between parents and children relatively small. Rather than trying to
maintain a stressfully hectic lifestyle, Campaigner parents can use this stage to focus
on attachment between themselves and their infants, laying a strong foundation for
their future relationships with their children. Parties and play dates will always be
there, but special moments like those magical first smiles when playing peek-a-boo,
or watching their babies crawl for the first time, only happen once. Missing those
meaningful moments to attend an office party or to host a public forum on city park
amenities can ultimately lead to regret for both parents and children.
It may be a challenge for Campaigners to switch modes from “always-on-the-go” to
prioritizing their parent-child relationship, but this dramatic change doesn’t have to
be permanent. The extra time spent bonding with their infants leads to healthy,
happy parent-child attachments where children trust their parents love and support
them. Once they build that trust, Campaigners can work to find a new balance
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between meeting external obligations, personal needs, and their children’s needs as
well.
One method Campaigner parents can use to ensure that they’re focusing on their
primary needs (taking care of themselves and their children) is to ask themselves the
following questions:
•
Is this activity/event improving my life or my child’s life?
•
Does the thought of engaging in this activity/going to this event cause me
stress, or make me feel guilty?
•
Can this event/activity be rescheduled, or does it reoccur regularly?
•
What will I be missing if I attend this activity/evening? What will I be missing if
I don’t?
Answering these questions honestly can allow Campaigner parents to determine
whether the activity or event in question is worth sacrificing time with their children
during this stage. These types need connection with others and to feel as though
they’re helping to make the world a better place – and they can still have those things
while being parents. Finding a balance between bonding with their babies and
continuing to engage in meaningful activities in their lives can take some trial and
error, but the long-term results of striking that balance are well worth it for these
parents and their children.
Finding Beauty in the Midst of Frustration
It’s easy to see the beauty in those moments where a baby is sleeping peacefully or
smiling lovingly at their parent. However, beauty can seem absent in those moments
where that infant won’t stop crying, or when the laundry is piled up so high, it
resembles a geological formation. Most people would advise Campaigners to just
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“deal with it,” because parenthood is hard and not always lovely and magical. These
types of reality check can only further frustrate already disenchanted Campaigners.
A more effective (and enjoyable) approach to this particular problem is to purposely
look for the beauty in even the most tedious moments.
Wabi-sabi is a Japanese concept that can be summarized as “finding beauty in
imperfection.” Think of a handmade coffee mug, with its lack of symmetry and minor
faults – part of the appeal of this item is that it is imperfect and has its own character
and uniqueness. By adopting this approach, rather than focusing on the stresses of
keeping their homes clean or dealing with crabby babies, Campaigners can embrace
these difficult moments and find the beauty within them.
The following steps can help develop a meditation or gratitude practice when dealing
with the less exciting parts of parenthood:
•
Choose a mantra that promotes peace or gratitude, such as, “I am thankful for
this day,” or, “Today I choose happiness.”
•
Repeat this mantra when doing any tasks that seem tedious or frustrating, like
rocking the baby back to sleep in the middle of the night… for the third time.
•
Practice countering negative thoughts, such as, “I’m going to lose my damn
mind if I have to change another dirty diaper,” into a positive statement, such
as, “I am grateful for this opportunity to spend time with my child.”
Parenting is really hard – often the hardest thing that any person can possibly do.
And it’s often discouraging, especially during those years where children are unable
(and sometimes unwilling) to express gratitude or reciprocate affection. Rather than
succumbing to disappointment when their dreams of parenthood don’t match
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reality, Campaigners can embrace this opportunity for what it is – a chance to
experience an incredibly beautiful and fulfilling relationship.
Testing Boundaries (From Approximately 1 ½ to 3
Years)
Once they’re mobile, young children become very interested in exploring their
environment with their senses. Crawling, walking, grabbing items, putting things in
their mouths, and verbal communication are just a few of the ways that toddlers
learn about the world around them.
During this stage, Campaigner parents must provide a safe harbor for their children
while still allowing them to experience and explore their surroundings. Toddlers who
can test boundaries while still receiving parental support and encouragement
develop a sense of autonomy. Those who are overly restricted, criticized, or made to
feel guilty for their desire to test boundaries ultimately experience a sense of shame,
and may suffer from feelings of incompetence or low self-worth. These feelings can
last throughout their lives and may ultimately jeopardize their ability to achieve goals
and develop positive character traits such as reliability or confidence.
Balanced Toddler Bonding
Trustworthy and Compassionate
Extremely supportive, Campaigners are a compassionate “home base” for their
children during this stage. Their engagement and determination to meet their
toddlers’ needs ensure their children never feel abandoned, ignored, or unloved.
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Even though children at this age are incredibly independent, they still want
trustworthy caregivers, and Campaigners don’t disappoint.
Their energetic compassion is especially useful during the trying toddler stage. While
these years can certainly be challenging, confident Campaigner parents take great
joy in promoting their children’s curiosity and independence while still maintaining a
safe environment. They take pleasure in helping their little ones learn how to pick
out their own clothes and dress themselves, and eagerly support their children’s
natural creativity and self-expression. Helping their kids learn to become creative,
compassionate, and self-reliant is one of the Campaigner parents’ greatest joys.
Empathetically Understanding
If Campaigners relate with greater ease than most to children – toddlers included –
it’s because they see the world through the same fresh eyes, and appreciate how
sincerely and authentically children interact with the world around them. Few
parents are as playful and energetic as these types, and this certainly comes in handy
when dealing with the boundless energy that accompanies children at this stage.
This ability to understand their toddlers’ intentions is especially beneficial when
dealing with less-than-desirable behaviors. Toddlers have a natural desire to test
boundaries, and this can be incredibly frustrating when parents take their seemingly
negative
behaviors
personally.
Campaigner
parents,
with
their
empathic
understanding, can see the underlying reasons for angry outbursts and temper
tantrums. Rather than yelling, “What’s wrong with you, why are you throwing a fit?”
Campaigners are much more likely to provide a loving explanation and a
compassionate reaction, such as, “You must be tired, its naptime. Let’s go cuddle for
a while and read a story so you can calm down before you go to sleep.” There’s little
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room for shaming or guilt-inducing reactions when these parents can tap into their
inherent empathy.
Unbalanced Toddler Bonding
Highly Reactive
As much as they want to encourage their children’s growth and independence,
Campaigner parents who fall victim to their fears (“Am I ruining my child? Is he/she
hurt? Does this temper tantrum at the grocery store mean my child is going to
become a psychopath?”) can find themselves constantly overreacting. Campaigners
are a naturally emotional personality type – they feel every feeling deeply – and when
their emotions take charge, it can be difficult to bring them under control. When
parenting toddlers (who are also known to let their emotions rule the show, but for
very different reasons), reactive or emotional responses can cause confusion and
prevent healthy exploration.
Hovering parents who panic every time their children put rocks near their mouths or
waves hello at strangers are more likely to instill fear and co-dependency than to
provide protection.
Toddlers need a calm, intentional home base to develop
independence, and fearful or reactive parents can create an unstable foundation for
the exploration necessary to achieve this independence. Campaigner parents can
often shroud their less-than-effective behaviors in the cloak of being involved or
engaged, but if they fail to acknowledge the consequences of their reactivity, they
can do both their children and themselves a great disservice.
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Too Permissive
Toddlers are professional boundary pushers, and Campaigners just want everyone
to get along and have fun. If their emotions run high, like when they’re enduring
constant battles and temper tantrums, they may find themselves caving into their
toddlers’ demands for screen time or extra snacks. Even the mere idea of their
children’s unhappiness can cause existential crises for overwhelmed Campaigner
parents. Less experienced parents of this personality type are prone to a lack of
structure, which risks depriving their children of the support and consistency they
need to truly thrive at this stage.
Having fun is certainly a noble goal, but when permissive parents consistently give in
to their children’s demands, they’re telling their toddlers that holding out long
enough eventually gets them whatever they want. Beyond giving into their demands,
permissive parents often fail to consistently enforce rules or consequences for
unacceptable behavior. While they may believe they’re giving their children freedom
and friendship rather than restrictive rules, Campaigner parents who fail to uphold
necessary boundaries can set their children up for potential behavior issues, a lack
of follow-through, and poor decision-making skills.
Rebalancing Toddler Bonding
Practicing Loving Redirection
Pushing boundaries and defiant behavior are hallmarks of this stage, and while they
can be extraordinarily frustrating and even fear-inducing, they’re a necessary part of
developing autonomy. It’s easy to respond irrationally in these trying circumstances,
but it’s not only unproductive – it can often exacerbate the situation. Campaigner
parents must take time to understand that their toddlers are establishing autonomy,
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not becoming pint-sized criminals. Once they change their mindset and embrace
understanding instead of fear, these parents will have an easier time providing the
guidance and support that their toddlers truly need.
Approaching the toddler stage as one of learning and exploration can help
Campaigner parents put their needs into a more balanced perspective and help to
prevent negative or irrational, reactionary responses. The following is an example of
how to approach a potentially frustrating experience (leaving the park) in a proactive
rather than reactive way:
•
When arriving at the park, Campaigners should let their toddlers know how
long they will be there.
•
Start the countdown at least 15 minutes before leaving.
o Announce the time left in five-minute increments. (“We are leaving in 15
minutes.” “Ten minutes left before we leave.” “Ok, five minutes left.”)
o Make sure that toddlers hear the warnings – make eye contact with
them when possible.
•
Start walking calmly toward the toddlers when there’s about one minute left.
o Avoid the temptation to rush or leave quickly if at all possible – the more
positive the experience, the more likely toddlers are to leave willingly in
the future. (“Okay, kiddo, one more time down the slide! Go, go! Yay!”)
This process allows children to complete any activities they want and ensures that
they understand their parents’ expectations. It also provides Campaigners with a way
to prevent temper tantrums before they happen, rather than reacting to these
outbursts emotionally.
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Supporting with Structure and Discipline
There’s nothing inherently wrong with Campaigners wanting their children to like
them, or in promoting freedom and independence from a young age. When harmony
and independence take priority over their children’s need for structure and
discipline, however, it can cause problems for the whole family. Toddlers are
incapable of fully understanding the consequences of their behavior, especially when
their parents fail to explain or enforce household rules. Thankfully, it’s possible for
these types to maintain loving bonds with their children while still providing the
boundaries necessary to make sure they’re safe and well-behaved.
Perhaps the most important thing for Campaigner parents to understand is that
restricting their children’s freedom when they’re young teaches them how to be
responsible handling the freedoms that come with growing older. Kids who have
never had to regulate their behavior or be accountable for their actions are more
likely to engage in risky behaviors and take advantage of their freedom in dangerous
ways. Those who gradually earn their independence, on the other hand, tend to
develop greater self-control and a much better understanding of the potential
consequences of their behavior, since they’ve been disciplined in the past.
The following are several steps that Campaigner parents can take to provide the
structure and discipline that their toddlers both need and desire to set them up for
the most successful future possible:
•
Make sure household expectations and rules are well known to all members
of the family.
•
Be consistent in enforcing rules, and make sure that children know the
consequences of breaking these rules.
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•
Reward positive behaviors with special privileges or treats of some kind.
•
Remember not to take tantrums personally – outbursts are usually caused by
being overwhelmed, tired, or hungry, and are not personal attacks on parents.
Knowing this allows Campaigner parents to approach these situations calmly
rather than reactively.
•
Don’t give up – enlist a spouse, partner, family member, or close friend to be
an “accountability partner” and to assist when situations
become
overwhelming.
Children who are aware of what is expected from them at a young age are less likely
to struggle with temper tantrums than children who receive conflicting information
or inconsistent discipline. Making an effort to set up clear, consistent guidelines with
them up front can pay off exponentially in the long run.
Thirst for Knowledge (From Approximately 3 to 5
Years)
The preschool years, from approximately three to five years of age, are a prime time
for brain development, and children at this stage accumulate knowledge at an
extraordinary rate. Kids absorb information like sponges through constant activity
and a seemingly infinite range of questions. Learning at this stage takes place
through play, especially the unstructured kind, and lots of social interaction with
family and peers. Creativity is also exercised extensively through imaginary play and
make-believe games and stories.
To master this stage, children must be given the opportunity to not only make some
of their own decisions, but also be allowed to initiate activities, ask questions – and
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receive answers – and lead others in exploration play. Those who aren’t given these
opportunities, or are made to feel as though their constant questions or childish
make-believe games are annoying, can experience feelings of guilt, frustration, and
a lack of competence. Consequently, they may suffer from poor self-control or a lack
of initiative.
Balanced Preschool Relationships
Natural Teachers
As promoters of lifelong learning themselves, Campaigner parents tend to genuinely
look forward to inspiring their children to enjoy learning as well. They happily answer
their preschoolers’ seemingly ceaseless stream of questions, and take great pleasure
in finding creative ways to engage their children in learning opportunities. From trips
to the library to impromptu nature “classes” while walking in the park, these parents
tend to take any chance they can to engage with and inspire their preschoolers.
Seeking out educational opportunities isn’t the only form of teaching that
Campaigners engage in – modeling morals and values for their children from a young
age is just as important to them as any other form of learning. These parents teach
their children to not only respect others, but also appreciate their differences.
Compassion is a defining characteristic of Campaigners, and they go out of their way,
quite literally, to model this behavior for their kids – these types would pull their car
over to help a wounded animal, even while running late to school. Preschoolers can
not only witness their parents’ actions, but can also be involved in helping in ageappropriate ways with caring for any living thing that needs their help.
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Emotionally Engaged
Life with their preschoolers isn’t only about learning or “teachable moments.”
Emotional engagement is both one of Campaigners’ greatest strengths and their
number one priority as parents, both in terms of building strong bonds with their
children and in teaching them how to develop their emotional intelligence. Selfcontrol, empathy, and interpersonal relationships (especially with peers) are all
beginning to develop, and children at this stage must have guidance to develop these
skills properly.
Emotional intelligence is best learned through modeling, and this is where
Campaigner parents can truly shine. Few types engage with others as quickly and
authentically as Campaigners. They’re full of love and compassion for others and
instinctually model these concepts to their children. Imaginary play is an especially
useful outlet for practicing these skills. Something as simple as playing a game of
“house” with their children can be a perfect opportunity for these parents to both
model healthy relationships and lovingly redirect less-than-desirable behaviors. Not
only do they pass on their emotional wisdom, parents who engage in this type of play
with their preschoolers enhance their emotional bonds as well.
Unbalanced Preschool Relationships
Exceedingly Ambitious
The preschool years bring a new level of energy as children become more interested
in making sense of the world around them. Kids at this stage are more mobile and
opinionated than ever, which can try the patience of even the most devoted parents.
Parenting is an exhausting endeavor for even the most energetic individuals, and this
stage can be especially draining with constant questions and unceasing motion.
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Campaigners rarely struggle to maintain the energy necessary to keep up with their
children. However, they tend to overestimate how much they’re able to do in addition
to caring for their preschoolers.
Parents who fall into the trap of busyness are especially likely to become overworked
and overwhelmed during this stage. Just keeping up with housework, jobs, and the
multiple needs of everyone in the household can be exhausting. Life at this stage
becomes even more challenging when moms and dads also run their children from
preschool to play dates to swimming lessons and karate class. Parents in today’s
society may also feel burdened by the need to make every birthday party and family
vacation worthy of posting on social media. Perfect parenting in the digital age can
quickly take a toll on Campaigners, who would much prefer to focus on the
meaningful aspects of life over the marketable content.
Struggling with Schedules
The same issues that can lead to stress for Campaigner parents are often the root
cause of the schedule-anxiety that they’re apt to succumb to during this stage. The
preschool years often bring with them an exponential increase in activities and
external expectations. Preschool classes, play dates, birthday parties, and
community events geared toward children appear in excess as parents are expected
to become more interested in educating and entertaining their children outside of
the home. For Campaigners, who abhor schedules and struggle with making plans
and being on time, this stage can truly test their limits.
As Prospecting types, Campaigners prefer freedom over itineraries. This laid-back
mentality can spiral into irresponsible behaviors, especially for less mature
Campaigners, resulting in late arrivals when bringing the kids to classes or play dates.
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Running behind schedule, forgetting appointments and playdates, and always trying
to squeeze in “one more errand” can cause constant stress and frustration. These
parents shouldn’t assume that frequent unreliability is sustainable: failing to organize
their lives, for the sake of both their sanity and their children’s upbringing, can lead
to constant chaos.
Rebalancing Preschool Relationships
Adjusting Expectations
Rather than letting their ambition drive them to the brink of burnout, Campaigner
parents must learn to say “no” to endless play dates and nature classes, and say “yes”
to taking much-needed breaks whenever necessary. Children benefit more from
healthy, happy parents than Internet-inspired birthday parties, pony rides, or goody
bags worthy of the Oscars.
While Campaigner parents may initially feel some guilt for not living up to societal
expectations – or even their own perfectionism – they can ultimately feel liberated
from unnecessary obligations. Their natural tendency is to live their lives based on
their values, not society’s expectations, and they must find their way back to what is
truly important to them and how they want to raise their children. It’s also important
for these types to find ways to take care of themselves while parenting their
preschoolers.
Some ideas for bringing balance into this busy stage can include:
•
Limiting activities such as play dates, sports, art classes, etc., to just a couple
of days a week rather than every day.
•
Resisting the temptation to make sure that every event or activity is social-
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media worthy.
•
Scheduling regular breaks – parent date nights, drinks with friends, or solo
walks in nature – anything that’s recharging and refreshing.
•
Spending quality time with their preschoolers with no agenda or expectations.
Striving for Sanity
There’s nothing quite like parenthood to make Campaigners aware of some of their
own flaws. Scheduling, organization, and details, in general, can elude many parents
with this personality type, and it’s important for their sanity (and the sanity of those
around them) to figure out how to deal with these issues once children enter the
picture. While words like “structure” and “planning” can sound like torture to those
who thrive on flexibility, they can find that building a daily rhythm into their lives
provides them with more freedom.
Many Campaigners, especially those who are parents, fail to take the time they need
to recharge their own batteries. Even with their boundless energy, these types can
easily become overwhelmed, especially when shuttling ever-more-energetic
preschoolers around all day. A daily rhythm can provide the structure necessary to
meet everyone’s needs and accomplish tasks. It can also create a sense of control,
providing Campaigner parents with a reprieve from feelings of chaos that are a
source of stress and distraction.
The following tips can help Campaigners create a daily rhythm that helps them to
find sanity in the bedlam of parenthood:
•
First, and most importantly, determine daily priorities that must be
accommodated every day – such as alone time, family time, exercise, or time
for engaging in hobbies.
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•
Utilize scheduling tools to help organize these priorities – an online calendar,
a bullet journal, a day planner, or even a large family calendar hanging in the
kitchen or family room.
•
When creating a schedule for the day, make sure to include periods of time
with nothing scheduled – this allows for flexibility.
•
Figure out a schedule or rhythm that works best for the family, and commit to
following that rhythm for at least 28 days so that it evolves into a habit.
Creating Competence (From Approximately 5 to 12
Years)
The early school years are an important period of skill development for young
children. Not only are they still constantly absorbing new information, but they’re
also working on becoming proficient in increasingly complex areas, from
relationships to mathematics to athletics. Children who are both challenged and
supported in these areas flourish in both their abilities as well as their selfconfidence.
If they don’t receive consistent support, kids at this stage can begin to feel inferior to
their peers, and are less likely to develop long-term goals or work toward achieving
them. On the other hand, if they aren’t sufficiently challenged, children in this stage
can begin to feel overly-confident in themselves and their abilities. Those who are
treated as “overly precious” may end up lacking modesty and compassion toward
others and can have difficulty coping with the inevitable failures that they will face
throughout their lives.
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Balanced School-Age Relationships
Passionate and Encouraging
Often avid learners themselves, Campaigners tend to encourage their children to
pursue their education with energy and curiosity. But passing spelling tests and
memorizing multiplication tables aren’t as important to these parents as having
children who are creative and compassionate. If they feel their kids aren’t receiving
a truly holistic education, Campaigner parents tend to explore as many alternative
options as possible to help them achieve their full potential. These options can range
from meeting with teachers, setting up tutors, filling in their curriculum with
extracurricular activities like volunteering or Boy or Girls Scout meetings, or even
considering options like charter schools or homeschooling.
Their empathic nature helps Campaigners to quickly realize when their children may
be struggling, allowing them to step in and offer their support before the situation
gets too serious. Encouragement, one of their greatest strengths, extends beyond
academics, with support for their sons’ and daughters’ social and personal
development as well. Knowing the challenges that their children face, these parents
provide them with the necessary tools, such as determination and creative problemsolving skills, to help them deal with difficult peers or frustrating fights with friends.
Humanistic Mentors
The school-age years are a time of intense learning, not just academically but
emotionally, spiritually, and socially as well. Mature Campaigners excel at modeling
the skills needed to be compassionate, considerate, and motivated individuals. Yes,
children need to learn mathematics and writing, but if their education fails to
incorporate human elements like spiritual and emotional needs, they can ultimately
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end up confused and unfulfilled. Campaigners tend to go out of their way to ensure
that their kids find meaning in everything they do. They often encourage them to
pursue passions that focus on innovation and creativity over the rote memorization
that’s often expected at this stage.
At a stage in life when children are constantly being told what to do and are
conforming to strict schedules, innovation and creativity often become neglected or
viewed as unnecessary. Imaginative Campaigner parents encourage their children to
incorporate their unique ideas and perspectives into both their academic and
personal lives. They try to inspire them to integrate their passions and causes into
these areas as well – from science projects focused on solving global warming issues,
to participating in community volunteer days. When it comes to supporting their kids’
passions at this stage, few types are as effective as Campaigners.
Unbalanced School-Age Relationships
Unorganized and Unfocused
While they’re often very motivated to assist their children with their educational
pursuits, Campaigner parents who have yet to master their own “study skills” are
likely to have trouble helping their sons and daughters to develop theirs. These
parents’ amiable, go-with-the-flow nature runs counter to the structure and
responsibility needed to succeed in an educational setting. They may throw the best
birthday parties, but when it comes to helping their children sit down and work on
long, complicated lessons, Campaigners often find themselves struggling.
The school years lay the foundation for developing both competence and personal
responsibility. Teachers and classmates may have a significant amount of interaction
and influence on children during the school day, but if these skills aren’t modeled in
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the home as well, they won’t stick. Campaigner parents who are continuously
running late, are always trying to squeeze in an additional errand, and never seem
to know how much money is in the checking account are only modeling
disorganization and chaos.
Inappropriately Optimistic
Campaigners’ unbridled optimism can cause issues for their children at this stage if
it isn’t properly balanced with their kids’ needs and abilities. School-aged children
certainly benefit from being concerned about protecting the environment and
practicing compassion toward all living things. However, they also need parents who
can help them address some of the daily practical issues they may face. From a
school crush that isn’t reciprocated to the trauma of a friend’s betrayal – children at
this age need parents who can help them deal with personal issues.
When they constantly focus on the bigger picture, Campaigner parents can fail to
validate their children’s feelings on “smaller” issues, and their children can become
less likely to seek their help or support in the future. They’re also failing to teach
children to cope with inevitable defeats or struggles by avoiding them and directing
their attention to something else instead. Sure, the world isn’t going to end if their
children don’t make the basketball team, but that can feel catastrophic to kids at this
stage. To them, everything that happens to them is a big deal. Campaigner parents
who don’t recognize this, and don’t help their children put things into perspective in
a realistic way, can struggle to maintain a close relationship with them.
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Rebalancing School-Age Relationships
Finding Focus
Campaigners have difficulties with organization and structure due to a lack of focus,
mostly because they’re busy All. Of. The. Time. It’s difficult to focus on any one thing
when their attention is being pulled in a multitude of directions – which is basically
the definition of parenthood. All hope isn’t lost, however, because even the most
distracted Campaigners can improve their focus and help their children to develop
the skills necessary to be organized and productive individuals.
Many techniques can be used to improve focus, but it’s often the simple ones that
are the most effective. Specifically, a regular mindful breathing practice can be used
to help Campaigners achieve a calm, centered state of mind that helps to improve
their focus. Practicing this skill not only improves their ability to assist their children
with school work, but they also model the skills that their children need to be
successful in school and life.
The following simple steps can help Campaigners and their children (it’s never too
early to start!) to improve their mental focus:
•
Begin by focusing on breathing – slow, deep breaths.
•
Notice when thoughts start to creep up.
•
Acknowledge each though, without dwelling, and simply let it go.
•
Return focus to the breath, focusing on each inhale and exhale.
•
Repeat twice per day or whenever the mind is feeling especially distracted.
Focus is a valuable skill, especially with the incessant distractions posed by today’s
pocket-sized technologies. Meeting goals and self-improvement require focus,
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whether it’s concentrating while studying for an exam or avoiding distractions while
finishing a presentation for work. Proficiency in anything during any stage of life
takes concentration. Campaigner parents who help their children develop this skill
during this stage can set them up for successful and productive futures.
Meeting Them Where They Are
Attentive and compassionate, Campaigners really do excel at supporting their
children and providing them with copious amounts of affection. When they become
too caught up in the big picture, however, these parents may find themselves
ignoring the details of their children’s experiences. Kids at this stage want to be heard
and understood, and to have their experiences validated. Campaigners are more
than capable of providing the unconditional love and acceptance their children need,
and can use these skills to hone in on what they truly need to feel understood.
Campaigners who are prone to fixating on the “big picture” can benefit from focusing
on what their children are dealing with right now. Here are some ideas for engaging
with their children in the “here and now” these parents can try:
•
Acknowledge their frustrations, fears, or disappointments by using phrasing
such as, “I really see how frustrated you get when…” or, “I understand your fear
of…”
•
Have a parent/child date once every week with the intention of spending time
listening to their trials and tribulations without trying to redirect them to
consider a more positive potential. Sometimes the situations suck, so let kids
acknowledge that they suck without trying to sugar-coat them.
•
Campaigners should make sure to listen, make eye contact, and express
interest whenever their children are speaking to them – making sure not to
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daydream or stare at a screen.
Find Thyself (From Approximately 12 to 18 Years)
Adolescence is the transition from childhood to adulthood, where teens focus on
developing their own distinct sense of identity. This transitional period centers
around their sense of what their roles are in their relationships with themselves,
others, and society in general. To determine their roles, children in this stage begin
the all-important process of identifying their personal values and beliefs. Future
educational and career goals are made, and relationships are developed based on
how they align with these values and beliefs, making this a pivotal, foundational stage
for the rest of their lives.
Balanced Adolescent Relationships
Promoting Positive Values
During this stage of identity development, adolescents need the support and
understanding of their parents more than ever. Campaigner parents tend to
encourage their adolescent children’s growth by promoting such positive values as
responsibility, compassion, and honesty, while providing them with the freedom to
explore these values in their own way. Campaigners have been through this period
of growth themselves, and understand the importance of encouraging their children
in their personal development without attempting to take over this process for them.
Regardless of the struggles that both parents and teens may face during this
tumultuous time, Campaigners likely undoubtedly remain steadfast in their devotion
to their children. Their dedication to the promotion of their positive values, as well
as their compassion toward their children, provide a solid foundation for both
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themselves and their adolescents. This foundation allows identity-seeking children
to venture further into self-discovery while still feeling a sense of support and love.
Authentic and Committed
Adolescence is a tumultuous stage for most children, as they attempt to determine
who they are and who they want to be. These discoveries are often made through
trial and error, which means that many mistakes are made. Campaigner parents are
extraordinarily authentic, and their honesty and unwavering commitment are
indispensable during this stage. Honesty is necessary to help children learn from
their mistakes – adolescents who skip class needs to know the potential
consequences of this behavior before it’s too late. Campaigner parents’ steadfast
commitment can provide their teenagers with the confidence to communicate with
them, even when the topics are uncomfortable.
If these parents can maintain their kind, understanding, minimal judgment, and
authentic communication when their adolescents come to them with something truly
serious – getting pregnant, getting suspended or expelled, or milder stuff like a rough
breakup – they can establish themselves as true sources of stability and wisdom for
life when their children need them most. Perhaps more importantly, Campaigner
parents who embody these traits are more likely to have children who are competent
in these areas as well. Authentic communication and commitment amid difficulties
may not be skills an employer asks for, but they are some of the most meaningful
and useful skills adolescents can learn for their future relationships.
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Unbalanced Adolescent Relationships
Failing to Create Boundaries
The process of personal discovery is a favorite topic for many Campaigners, who
gladly pass their passion for growth on to their adolescent children. This is all fine
and good, until they prioritize the promotion of independence over establishing or
enforcing healthy boundaries for their teens. Permitting inappropriate behavior for
the sake of “finding themselves” isn’t only unwise, it’s downright dangerous.
Campaigner parents who avoid setting and enforcing boundaries because they’re
afraid of infringing on their children’s autonomy can be setting them up for failure.
Forgoing curfews for their teenagers because they want to respect their
independence is essentially encouraging nefarious activities such as drinking, doing
drugs, participating in vandalism, or having sex. Even the most mature adolescents
inevitably make poor choices if they’re consistently exposed to tempting situations.
Further, teenagers who are never given proper boundaries or consistent
expectations can lack the skills to create such boundaries or expectations for
themselves or their own children in the future – further perpetuating this damaging
cycle.
Difficulty Detaching
The adolescent stage requires that children become more independent from their
parents, making critical life choices on their own and relying less on Mom or Dad for
basic support. Campaigner parents can struggle with feelings of rejection if they
believe their kids no longer need them or desire their affection. They may also find
themselves mourning the end of childhood, remembering that sweet kindergartener
they walked into class on the first day of school.
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If they become too absorbed by a sense of loss at this stage, Campaigners can slip
into existential crises of sorts, pining for days gone by rather than looking forward to
the opportunities that lie ahead for both themselves and their kids. Conversely, they
may find themselves holding on too tight to their growing children, becoming overlyinvolved in their lives, and stunting their development by creating co-dependence or
causing them to push away with even greater force.
Additionally, for some Campaigners, parenthood is their “purpose,” and being
parents is the most important part of their identities. If they fail to maintain or
nurture other parts of their identities throughout their children’s younger years,
these parents may fervently hold on to their roles as primary caregivers. If parenting
has prevented them from maintaining friendships, pursuing meaningful hobbies, or
engaging in work that they enjoy, they may feel lost and lonely as their children
inevitably begin to spend more time away from home. They may begin to experience
bitterness, a deep sense of loss, and even a sense of panic about the uncertainty of
their own futures.
Rebalancing Adolescent Relationships
Creating Responsible Boundaries
Boundaries are necessary for children of all ages to gain skills and confidence in a
safe and understanding environment. Campaigner parents aren’t doing their
adolescent children any favors by allowing them to explore the world without
guidelines or discipline. The dangers of this permissive approach are much more
prominent than any potential benefits. While enforcing rules and restricting
behaviors goes against their live-and-let-live nature, it’s important that they learn to
appreciate and value these skills for the safety and security that they provide.
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At this stage, the adolescent brain–specifically the pre-frontal cortex, which is
responsible for future planning – isn’t fully developed, so teens are unable to fully
realize the potential consequences of their actions. Fortunately, parents are there to
fill the role of precautionary planner for their teenagers. Campaigner parents are
responsible for creating necessary boundaries for their children, from curfews to
consequences for inappropriate behaviors. Teens who are failing one of their classes
may need to be restricted from certain activities or screen time until their behavior
or grades improve. Likewise, adolescents who have been spending time with
troublesome peers may need strictly enforced curfews. Campaigners may chafe at
these types of restrictions, but they’re ultimately responsible for providing the
structure and security their adolescent children are unable to provide for
themselves.
The following “four Cs” can be used to help Campaigner parents enforce effective
boundaries with their children:
•
First and foremost, make sure that boundaries and expectations are clear –
there’s much less confusion or room for interpretation when they’re spoken
about frequently, or even written down somewhere prominent.
•
Be consistent. Address all issues immediately and, for the love of all things
holy, follow through with any consequences that have been previously
threatened.
•
Try to use creative solutions for punishment beyond just grounding or taking
away privileges. Consider having teens write a one-page report about the
importance of upholding their commitments, or participating in a “community
service” project like raking leaves or helping to clean out the garage.
•
Stay calm – or at least as calm as possible. Reacting to negative behaviors
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when feelings are raw is more likely to escalate the situation than improve it.
Take a few minutes to engage in deep breathing or punch a pillow, whatever
is necessary to diffuse angry emotions before discussing punishments.
Learning to Let Go
Learning to let go as parents doesn’t mean no longer being parents. Rather, it means
re-evaluating and readjusting what their parental roles are for this particular stage
of life. Instead of feeling rejected when their children exert their newfound
independence, Campaigner parents can learn to celebrate the progress and new
milestones that their adolescents have achieved.
The “parent-as-primary-identity” stance can be especially strong for individuals with
this personality type, making the “letting go” process trickier to navigate. Not only are
their children attempting to develop their own personal identity, but Campaigner
parents are completely redefining what their “parent-of-an-older-child identity” will
look like. Maintaining a strong bond without being overly involved in their teens’
growth requires walking a fine line, but Campaigners who work toward achieving this
balance can find this stage richly rewarding. As with other stages, modeling is often
the best form of “teaching” their children, and, in this instance, this approach will help
both form (or re-form) their unique identities.
The following practices can help Campaigner parents to model personal growth
techniques for their adolescent children in a healthy, independent way:
•
Discover (or rediscover) a spiritual or meditative practice that encourages
finding meaning or purpose.
•
Explore an artistic hobby such as writing, painting, photography, or sewing
– practice a skill and enjoy the benefits of some creative healing and
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inspiration.
•
Take this opportunity to engage in some self-reflection through journaling
or even guided counseling, to better understand who you are, and whom
you’d like to become.
Conclusion
Campaigners have their own unique strengths – enthusiasm, friendliness, and
curiosity – and weaknesses that they need to leverage to build positive, proactive
relationships with their children. There’s tremendous potential for personal
development that takes place when they become parents, and Campaigners can gain
a much deeper understanding of themselves and others if they use this opportunity
to do so.
Keep in mind that the advice provided above is based on general growth stages for
children, and basic strengths and weaknesses that many Campaigners share. All
children are different, and parents are the best judges of what their children need.
The advice above should be used in a way that works best for each family without
adding additional stress, frustration, or burden. For special situations, such as
behavioral or medical issues, it’s best to consult with a professional pediatrician or
pediatric psychologist to come up with a plan that works best for everyone involved.
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Academic Path
Campaigners’ academic experiences can alter the course of their lives. As with any
other personality type, their schooling positively or negatively affects their selfesteem, steers their career choices, and influences the development of their
personalities. By understanding how their gifts and weaknesses translate into a
classroom setting, Campaigners can equip themselves to gain not only deep learning
but also personal enrichment and growth from their time in school.
Although these types are relatively rare, their genuine openness offers teachers and
classmates insight into their inner lives – often sparing them the “outsider” status
that other uncommon types may endure. Adaptable and optimistic, Campaigners
can make themselves at home even in one-size-fits-all academic programs. They
easily find their place in the classroom dynamic, connecting with kindred spirits and
delighting in the subjects that interest them.
Of course, smooth integration into the classroom doesn’t guarantee academic
success or fulfillment. As they navigate their schooling, Campaigners do well to watch
out for common pitfalls and look for opportunities to expand their strengths.
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Individuals with this personality type who embrace their unique style while learning
to work within structured educational programs can enjoy academic careers that
aren’t only intellectually gratifying, but also personally meaningful.
Intuitive Learners
Thanks to their Intuitive and Feeling traits, Campaigners absorb ideas like sponges.
Learning can feel almost automatic to them, as they don’t need to fixate on details
or agonize over course material to grasp concepts. At times, they may seem several
steps ahead of their classmates when it comes to absorbing new material and
understanding its significance. In their active, imaginative minds, connections and
insights arise almost spontaneously. This can present a problem if teachers expect
them to “show their work” and document every step of their thought process.
Big-picture ideas and areas for exploration tend to fascinate Campaigners – from art
therapy to Zeno’s paradox – leaving comparatively less room for details and discrete
information. For them, memorizing dates, chemical equations, or aspects of human
anatomy can’t compare to the thrill of encountering a masterwork or the satisfaction
of creating something new. As a result, they may neglect or deride learning that
requires them to memorize cut-and-dried facts and figures. They may even forget
the material as soon as the teacher no longer expects them to repeat it for a test or
quiz. Alas, nearly every endeavor requires some attention to the nitty-gritty. No one
wants a doctor who doesn’t know the difference between the pancreas and the
patella.
The Human Element
Campaigners, like all Diplomats, look for the human angle in what they study. Given
their emotional attunement and delight in human connection, this interest in people
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and interpersonal dynamics is hardly surprising. These types enjoy the humanities –
philosophy, literature, religion, art, music, history, and language – and the social
sciences. They can also find meaning in the sciences, mathematics, and engineering,
provided they recognize how these pursuits can help humankind.
This drive for human connection extends to their extracurricular interests as well. In
their free time, Campaigners might feel compelled to volunteer at a food bank, join
a writing club, form a band, or explore a range of activities that allow for meaningful
interactions with others. Whatever they do, they find fulfillment in forging
friendships, collaborations, and relationships.
These students may wonder how important it is to learn material that seems
irrelevant to their interests and the human experience at large. They take issue with
benchmarks set for the sake of standardization, and can become annoyed when
required to take numerous tests that detract from the joy of spontaneous learning.
Their aversion to the mundane may lead Campaigners to avoid, and perhaps
discount, topics that don’t fall within their current realm of interest.
How Campaigners Learn
Students with this personality type can shine academically, leveraging their natural
enthusiasm and curiosity alongside their interpersonal savvy. Given too much
leeway, however, these abilities can lead Campaigners away from a well-rounded
academic path.
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Balanced Learning Habits
Skirting the Comfort Zone
Even more than some other types, Campaigners have their favorite subjects. They
might lose themselves in poetry or dive into philosophy. Music or art might make
their hearts beat a little faster. The potential of the sciences to help humanity can
inspire grand dreams. This is natural, and these types shouldn’t neglect or secondguess their passions, whatever they may be.
However, well-rounded Campaigners recognize that a balanced curriculum draws
them beyond their comfort zone. They apply their trademark curiosity even toward
subjects that don’t come naturally to them, realizing that inspiration often lurks in
unexpected places. Those who care about social justice may find that learning
chemistry enhances their understanding of environmental issues, for example, and
artistically-inclined Campaigners may find inspiration in images of the solar system,
fractals, or even engineering diagrams.
Without discounting their natural inclinations, Campaigners who keep their minds
open to a range of subjects can glean insight and inspiration in every classroom.
Along the way, they can cultivate new skills and solid study habits, as well as the
willingness to stick with pursuits that don’t feel fun or easy – an essential life skill.
Deconstructing the Intuitive
Creativity, emotional attunement, and spontaneity form the basis of Campaigners’
learning style, not nitty-gritty details. As a result, academic environments that reward
rote memorization or adherence to structure can frustrate them or make them feel
inadequate. When watching other classmates easily memorize the stages of cell
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division or nail the format of the five-paragraph essay, they may wonder why their
brains just don’t seem wired to excel in that way.
Fortunately, Campaigners who take a balanced approach to learning can thrive even
in detail-oriented, highly structured academic environments. For these types, the
secret is to integrate structure and awareness of details into their Intuitive, bigpicture learning style. On a fundamental level, this entails allowing themselves extra
study time (and perhaps devising some handy mnemonics) to prepare for
memorization-heavy tests.
Unbalanced Learning Habits
Skipping the Fundamentals
Creativity and discovery – Campaigners’ lifeblood – may be outweighed by rote
memorization or seemingly boring basics when they’re learning the fundamentals of
a subject. Just as someone needs to learn their times tables before they can
revolutionize space travel, nearly every worthwhile academic pursuit entails some
form of “dues paying.” Campaigners may find these fundamentals tedious, and
without sufficient self-restraint, they often skip forward to what they consider the
good stuff. Who wants to practice scales when you can start tinkering away at
“Rhapsody in Blue,” right?
Alas, this mindset can stall Campaigners well short of their full potential. If they
pursue their grand interests before mastering the essentials, they inevitably reach a
stage where their skills don’t support their visions. Imagine an aspiring portrait artist
who hasn’t practiced perspective, or a photographer who doesn’t understand white
balance. Despite their natural talents, people who put in the mundane daily work of
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honing their skills and mastering these elemental principles can inevitably overtake
these Campaigners.
Relying on Intuition
Thanks to their strong communication skills and Intuitive insights, Campaigners may
get through their early years of schooling without having to push themselves.
Eventually, however, they find that natural precociousness doesn’t guarantee
success. Long-term academic growth takes diligence and consistency – two skills they
must work to develop.
If they don’t develop these skills and their grades drop, they might blame their innate
ability, faulting themselves for not being creative or quick-minded enough. However,
the culprit is often their study habits, such as last-minute cramming, procrastination,
or neglecting to study altogether. Another pitfall that can hold back Campaigners is
an unconscious desire not to outperform (or “leave behind”) their friends or fellow
classmates. Unless they address these patterns, they can prevent these types from
bringing their natural motivation and enthusiasm to the table.
Rebalancing Learning Habits
Learning to Love
Campaigners can find something nice to say about nearly anyone – and genuinely
believe it. They consider everyone inherently interesting and worthwhile, which is
one reason they can find delight in just about any social setting. With practice, these
individuals can harness this inherent positivity and curiosity in their academic
pursuits and develop an appreciation for just about any subject or course of study.
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To do this, they may need to pull back the lens and consider the broader context of
what they’re learning. For these types, memorizing the geography of a region may be
a drag – until they learn about the history of that region and how those boundaries
were formed, disputed, and reshaped over time. Perhaps learning calculus seems
pointless, but an appreciation of its profound resonance – specifically, that calculus
is the mathematics of measuring change – infuses the subject with new meaning.
This often involves going beyond what they learn in the classroom, but ever-curious
Campaigners are well suited to this type of extracurricular exploration. To help with
this, they can try the following:
•
Write a list of questions that can be used to appreciate a (hypothetical) new
acquaintance and see that person’s intrinsic value. For example, “What has this
person been through? What contributions do they make to the world? What
matters to them and why?”
•
Once these questions have been written down, extrapolate theme questions
and apply them to academic subjects. For example, “What is the history of this
subject or this field of study? How does it benefit people? How does it interact
with the world at large?”
•
Do some self-motivated research to answer these questions, with the goal of
cultivating curiosity about the subject and better grasping its relevance as a
field.
By seeking out the broader context of what they’re studying, Campaigners can
connect to the true significance of what they’re learning. This mindset can provide
them with both motivation and inspiration – even as they tackle material that doesn’t
come easily to them.
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Developing a Growth Mindset
As Oprah Winfrey said, “Failing is another stepping stone to greatness.” Alas, many
individuals become disheartened by failure and assume that either they’re naturally
adept at something, or they’re not. In place of this “fixed mindset,” psychologist Carol
Dweck suggests that we adopt a “growth mindset,” one that focuses on improvement
and effort.
Many Campaigners fall prey to a fixed mindset. If their Intuitive trait doesn’t enable
them to excel at something quickly, they can label themselves as not “gifted” in that
area. This can lead to an aversion to taking risks and a reluctance to put in a strong
effort. Campaigners may feel anxiety at the mere idea of trying their hardest, fearing
that it still won’t be good enough, and don’t put as much effort into their schoolwork
– or even their interests – as they could. They might also fall into black-or-white
thinking, believing that doing their “best” would mean something unsustainable and
unrealistic, such as studying instead of sleeping for days on end.
Here are some steps Campaigners can take to break this self-defeating pattern:
•
Consider a skill they resign themselves to being “bad” at. To start, this can be
something relatively minor, such as juggling or memorizing poetry.
•
Write out a realistic description of what their “best efforts” would entail in this
endeavor. Could they dedicate an extra half hour per day to developing this
skill?
•
Discuss the plan with a trusted friend or mentor, asking for ideas and
feedback.
•
Ask an instructor, counselor, friend, or parent for help implementing the plan
and sticking with it.
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•
Repeat the process with a skill they assume they’re “naturally good” at.
•
Accept lessons that occur from the experiment.
If they learn to focus on efforts rather than outcomes, Campaigners can grow
exponentially within their academic careers – and discover their true potential.
Campaigners in High School
In high school, Campaigners begin to see the world as a place that holds meaning
and takes dreams seriously. Their curiosity energizes them, particularly in subjects
that they find personally meaningful. Also, their desire to maintain harmony
motivates them to please their parents and teachers by doing well. That said, these
types may lose interest when faced with a course that seems mundane or too
dependent on minute details. All bets are off if they can’t connect personally with a
“dry” subject – or if their social lives dominate their free time at the expense of
studying.
Balanced High School Learning
High Concept
Campaigner students love to find deeper meaning, and they push themselves to
advance their understanding of abstract concepts – from ethical dilemmas to Freud’s
model of the psyche. As a result, when a curriculum requires abstract thought or
intellectual creativity, they’re in their element. This type of curriculum first emerges
at the high school level, where the ability to conduct independent analyses and think
critically becomes as crucial as finding the correct answer to a question.
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Developmentally speaking, conceptualization is a new and novel tool in Campaigners’
high school backpacks, and they’re thrilled when this intellectual toy finally clicks on.
Although they may have been making Intuitive connections since childhood, it now
feels as though such thoughts are set free. For Campaigners, the ability to evaluate
and engage with concepts isn’t only a skill they value, but also a treasured aspect of
their identity. They take pride in the way big ideas from philosophy, the arts, or
history speak directly to their hearts.
When Campaigners falter in a subject that seems too prosaic or fact-laden, their
capacity for grasping big ideas can help them catch up with their peers. They may
understand where a lesson is going, or even pick up on subtle connections between
different subjects – for example, the influence of 19th- and 20th-century American
history on the development of jazz. As a result, conceptual thinking allows these
types to appreciate big ideas and enjoy a sense of cosmic interconnectedness –
perhaps their two favorite aspects of learning.
Their Own Way
Campaigners need not fear their curiosity. In fact, their enthusiasm and natural
wonder are strengths. In environments where structure and standardization are
preferred, Campaigners who take a balanced approach find a way to guide their
curiosity in practical ways – channeling it into essays, extra-credit project, or
independent studies, for example – rather than letting it be squashed.
In high school, Campaigners do well to develop points that they can look forward to
amid a long day of subjects that may not be their favorites. They can eat their lunch
with friends in the art room, for example. Or, they might spend their after-school
hours on extracurricular activities that combine their love of socializing with their
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favorite topics, whether that means orchestra, French club, a modern dance class, or
something else entirely. If they follow their curiosity and incorporate their personal
interests into their daily lives, Campaigners can find the necessities of required
coursework more bearable.
Unbalanced High School Learning
Uneven Attention to Subjects
When a subject truly appeals to them, these types lose their hearts to it. They dive
right in, at times becoming so absorbed that they leave little time and attention for
subjects they find less interesting. They might devote hours to a filmmaking project
– recruiting actors, running scenes, reworking the lighting, shooting and editing the
video, creating music, perhaps even reading interview after interview with
contemporary directors – only to realize that they’ve completely forgotten to study
for tomorrow’s chemistry test.
There’s something beautiful about losing track of time as individuals do something
they enjoy and excel at – a state that psychologists call flow. That said, Campaigners
can sell themselves short when they neglect subjects that don’t especially appeal to
them. Beyond risking lower grades, they can lose opportunities to develop healthy
self-discipline, enhance their self-esteem, and grow into well-rounded individuals.
Everyone has their favorite and least favorite subjects (as well as subjects they find
difficult), but unless these students manage distractions and work toward their full
potential across a range of courses, they can miss out on key chances to grow and
develop.
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Underperforming
Given their preference for the big picture over the nitty-gritty, Campaigners can
engage deeply with a subject but still not develop a command of the details and
basics that show up on tests. These types might understand the social forces and
international alliances that led up to World War I, but struggle to remember whose
assassination triggered the start of combat. Even though they’ve studied and
interacted with the subject in their way, it can prove difficult for them to do well on
tests that prioritize memorization, or assignments that require adherence to a predetermined structure, such as a five-paragraph essay.
Alternatively, some Campaigners may underperform in school because they –
whether unconsciously or consciously – don’t feel comfortable doing better than
others. With their empathy in overdrive, these Campaigners might put all their effort
into helping friends with coursework, or the examples of friends who don’t study may
sway them. In the process, Campaigners can inevitably compromise their academic
growth.
Although these types might not fret too much about external markers of success like
grades, Campaigners who underperform can miss out on opportunities that they
would otherwise enjoy. For example, they may lose the opportunity to take advanced
courses in a field they love, collaborate with mentors whom they admire,
communicate their ideas to a broader audience, or subsequently pursue avenues of
higher education that appeal to them.
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Rebalancing High School Learning
Hocus Focus
Campaigner students’ passion for certain subjects can be wonderful, but problems
arise when they neglect other topics entirely. High school requires students to study
a range of courses, and Campaigners risk limiting their future options – such as
certain careers or areas of higher education – if they don’t cultivate focus and direct
it toward courses that don’t feel immediately rewarding.
When they struggle to maintain this focus, they can find it helpful to have a
conversation with teachers, tutors, or loved ones about ways to connect their
coursework to the things they love. For example, musically inclined Campaigners
may find themselves more motivated in math class if they’ve taken time outside of
school to read about the mathematics of music and sound. It’s worth noting that the
high school “learning experience” includes extracurricular activities as well. For these
Extraverts, joining after-school clubs – particularly in areas that don’t come easily to
them – can make a huge difference, creating social connections that help them
appreciate and connect with these subjects.
Whether they join such clubs or not, Campaigners often find outside help to be
especially useful. Counselors and trusted adults can help these types figure out how
to allocate their study time, follow through on their ideas, set realistic goals, and stick
with assignments that they find tedious or difficult. Meanwhile, peers and friends can
help them find ways to enjoy working on their least favorite subjects, whether this
means going to the library together to get work done, or going out for pizza after a
big study session.
To assess their current habits, Campaigners can do the following exercise:
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•
Sketch a circle or wheel on a sheet of paper.
•
For each subject, draw a spoke in the wheel and label it accordingly. For
example, math would have its own spoke, as would literature, music, science,
and so on.
•
Make each spoke’s length proportionate to how good they feel about their
performance in that subject. Note that “performance” shouldn’t only reflect
grades, but also intellectual engagement, timely completion of assignments
(rather than procrastination or cramming), and full use of individual talents. If
an individual performs better in math than in literature, they can make the
math spoke longer than the literature spoke.
•
All individuals come with unique strengths and interests, so the goal isn’t a
perfectly balanced wheel. That said, short spokes need to be addressed.
Campaigners should bring this exercise to a mentor, parent, or peer and
discuss specific strategies for lengthening these spokes. These strategies
might include working with a tutor or committing a certain block of time each
week to studying for a given subject.
•
Ask the adult or peer to check in on a weekly or bi-weekly basis and provide
accountability.
•
Approach friends and ask for support in maintaining good study habits. This
might entail joining an after-school club or activity, or it could be as simple as
setting aside time on a regular basis to do homework or study together.
We only get to do high school once (thank goodness). By evaluating their academic
path with clear eyes and enlisting the help they need, Campaigners can use these
four years to create balanced, uniquely enriching experiences.
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Demonstrating Knowledge
Campaigners want to innovate and create. That said, they often need to operate
within academic frameworks that don’t cater to their interests or learning styles. As
a result, they may wonder why their classmates seem to have an easier time with
memorization, multiple-choice exams, timed tests, or highly structured assignments.
To improve in a healthy, positive manner, Campaigner students can reserve extra
time and effort in studying for subjects and styles of testing that don’t come naturally
to them. They can also find ways to make pre-determined academic structures work
for them. When it comes to structures like the five-paragraph essay, well-rounded
Campaigners can still allow their imagination and intuition to run wild – why waste
one of their greatest assets? – but they don’t stop there. Instead, they return to their
initial output and backtrack, deconstructing it into details, facts, and fundamentals.
To do so, Campaigners can try the following exercise:
•
Write the essay as they naturally would, even if this means dashing it off with
little or no planning. They can indulge their creativity, delight in making
unexpected connections, and have fun with it.
•
Accept that it will take time to revise the end result into a cohesive, effective
structure that meets the teacher’s expectations.
•
Go back and note the anatomy of the essay, reverse-engineering an outline.
Assess this outline for inconsistencies, imbalances, or any need for
rearrangement. Check the assignment or essay prompt to ensure that the
specifications are met.
•
Revise the essay accordingly.
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By deconstructing their spontaneous answers, Campaigners can clarify their own
process and better retain knowledge. This awareness provides them invaluable
information for learning more efficiently and thoroughly in the future.
Work or College?
The question of whether to attend college is important. For some, higher education
is a natural move that requires little forethought. For many others, the decision is
decidedly less automatic. The prohibitively high cost of higher education in some
places can cause people to question whether it’s a worthwhile investment. So-called
“gap years” are becoming a popular option, allowing students time to earn money,
gain life experience, or attend to family needs before attending university.
While all students must examine their motives for going to college, Campaigners
especially benefit from deep reflection on this issue. Seeking meaning and
authenticity in all they do, they can experience regret and dissatisfaction if they feel
they’ve veered from the path that’s best for them.
Balanced Decision-Making
Spotting Alternatives
Campaigners won’t settle for a higher education experience that’s merely a steppingstone to a steady job. Whether they attend college or go directly into the workforce,
their goal is to choose a path that enhances their lives and helps them grow into their
best selves. That said, those who take a balanced approach to choosing college or
work take practicality into consideration. Good intentions, after all, won’t pay the
bills.
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With their unconventional thinking, options that break the stereotypical college-orworkplace binary can hold an appeal. They might travel the world, apprentice with a
skilled craftsperson or laborer to learn a trade, work in a quasi-academic setting, join
a foreign aid organization, or try a slew of different part-time jobs. Campaigners can
make their own path, rather than settling for the status quo or going along with what
everyone else seems to be doing.
Understanding Their Reasons
Although they’re acutely sensitive to pressure from friends and family, these selfaware individuals recognize that whether to attend college is a decision only they can
make. Other types might be happy to go along with others’ expectations – whether
that means getting a degree or following in the career footsteps of their parents –
but Campaigners need to follow their hearts to feel fulfilled.
Even if they move straight to the workforce, they won’t be happy unless they feel a
sense of purpose. Whatever their position, these types yearn to connect with people
and make a difference. If they can’t find this sense of purpose, they may decide to
pursue a degree after all, as college can be a chance to explore ideas and discover
new vistas while hunting for a career trajectory that truly fits. These Campaigners
choose higher education or work with their eyes open, rather than doing it by default.
Unbalanced Decision-Making
On a Whim
Campaigners’ Prospecting trait enables them to enjoy a plethora of diverse passions,
and their Intuitive trait constantly reminds them that the world is even bigger and
more fascinating than they realize. They may hardly be able to keep track of the
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things they find interesting – art, music, environmentalism, social justice, travel,
world cuisine, meditation, yoga, health, and so on.
As a result, it can be difficult for these types to choose a path. Should they go to
college to study counseling, or live and work on an organic farm? Or, maybe they’d
be better off working in a coffee shop by day and playing with a jazz band by night.
These competing ideas can ping-pong back and forth in their minds, leading to
confusion rather than clarity.
When Campaigners become scattered rather than empowered by their many
dreams and desires, they may abdicate their decisions to the wishes of others or to
fleeting feelings that they interpret as signs from fate. Rather than collecting facts,
asking questions of people who have pursued various paths, or reflecting on their
options in an organized, proactive way, these types may put an end to the exhausting
range of options by deciding almost on a whim. Although they may luck out and make
decisions that serve them well in the long run, there’s also the risk that they’ll regret
their choices, having dived in too hastily to avoid feelings of true responsibility.
Taking Other Opinions
To some extent, everyone cares about the opinions of parents, friends, loved ones,
or other admired mentors, but this is especially true of Campaigners. Social energy
and human connection soothe their souls, and they may feel heartbroken at the
mere idea of displeasing a loved one or alienating themselves from someone who
matters to them. Although they aren’t afraid to forge their own paths, their decision
to attend college or work can be determined by the opinions of others – whether in
the form of a parent with strong expectations, or a group of friends who want to stick
together.
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In the short term, these types might feel good about pleasing their loved ones by
going along with their wishes, but in the long run, they can set themselves up for an
unfulfilling, passive way of life. “To thine own self be true” is more than a cliché for
Campaigners; it’s a necessity. If they don’t take responsibility for their decisions and
listen to the longings of their own hearts, their sense of self-esteem and self-efficacy
can erode.
Rebalancing Decision-Making
Due Diligence
Decision-making can be overwhelming to Campaigners, who see the value in many
possible options when it comes to choosing work, college, or an alternative to these
choices. As a result, they may make decisions impulsively or accede to others’ wishes.
To move past the discomfort of personal responsibility for their choices, they may
even be tempted to entrust their futures to a coin toss, imagined signs from the
universe, or – in cases of true extremity – a Magic 8-Ball.
However, they may be surprised at how much fun it is to thoroughly and responsibly
investigate their options. After all, finding out more about potential paths involves
many of these types’ favorite things: exploration, imagination, and conversations
with new and interesting people.
To find the fun in balanced decision-making, Campaigners can try the following:
•
Look for socially engaging ways to learn about potential options. Ask college
admissions offices for the opportunity to stay overnight with a current student
and attend classes with them. Set up shadowing opportunities or
informational interviews with people whose jobs seem fascinating. Reach out
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to college professors in areas of interest and ask for a brief phone call or a
chat over a cup of coffee. These efforts can illuminate the day-to-day reality of
these paths and whether they’re a good fit for what Campaigners want in their
lives.
•
Before meeting or speaking with these people, prepare a list of thoughtful
questions. These questions should cover how these people got to where they
are, what they consider rewarding or frustrating about their daily lives, and
what someone needs to do to succeed in their area.
•
Take notes afterward, and consult these as part of the decision-making
process.
By doing their due diligence in this way, Campaigners can get a realistic sense of their
options, forge new connections, and set themselves up for a more balanced decisionmaking process.
Going Their Own Way
To escape the pernicious influence of people-pleasing, these types must take enough
alone time to distinguish between what they want and what others want. Making the
decisions that suit them best is the highest form of authenticity in this matter. This
insight alone can motivate Campaigners to break past others’ expectations and make
their own choices.
If they go against their loved ones’ wishes, Campaigners should prepare to support
themselves emotionally. They can achieve this by spending time with kindred spirits
– for example, friends who offer unconditional support and acceptance. It also
requires establishing kind but clear boundaries with people who aren’t
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unconditionally supportive. Although it can feel painful, it may be necessary to say, “I
hear you, but I need to make this decision for myself.”
To decide on their own terms, Campaigners can consider the following questions:
“What would give my life the most meaning now? Am I aiming to make someone else
happy, or am I truly seeking the right thing for myself?” The answers may be complex,
requiring significant reflection and perhaps even some grief. After all, letting go of
other people’s dreams is a kind of loss. That said, the objective is to avoid doing
something simply as an act of pleasing others. This doesn’t entail blind rebellion, but
it does require Campaigners to be faithful to their values and aspirations. Otherwise,
they’re unlikely to benefit from college, work, or whichever alternative they choose.
Here’s an exercise that can help:
•
Answer the following questions with one- to two-sentence responses,
remaining as clear and concise as possible.
o When have you felt most engaged and enthusiastic – whether regarding
work, academics, or a passion project?
o Which people in your life do you worry about disappointing or letting
down if you don’t listen to their advice or accede to their wishes?
•
Return to the notes from the “Due Diligence” section. What did these meetings
reveal? Consider whether any of these people mentioned disappointing loved
ones in the decisions they made, or whether they said they regretted listening
to others’ opinions above their own.
•
Meet with a trusted friend, guidance counselor, teacher, or mentor to discuss
these insights. Ideally, speak with someone you can trust to present a
balanced argument about whether to attend college or join the workforce. This
may mean getting more than one opinion.
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When Campaigners learn to distinguish their own hopes and dreams from the
expectations of their loved ones, the decision between college and full-time
employment – or some alternative – can become much clearer.
Campaigners in College
Many Campaigners feel at home in the halls of higher education. College can be
replete with opportunities for these students to exercise their creativity and powerful
imaginations, as many institutions actively welcome the “What if?” perspective that
all Diplomats cherish. Moreover, the college experience often enables these
Extraverts to socialize with a more diverse group of people than they encountered at
home. As a result, the shift from high school to college ratchets up many
Campaigners’ excitement about school and learning.
Because universities generally have broader course offerings than high schools do,
Campaigner college students can finally embark on subjects of interest that weren’t
offered in high school. That said, they may need to work hard to develop critical
thinking skills, rigor regarding details, and consistent study habits. College is more
than learning things: it’s learning how to learn.
Balanced Approach to College
Beyond the Comfort Zone
Campaigners love fresh starts, and they can embrace college as an opportunity to
chart untested waters. They tend to relish the opportunity to join new social groups,
try different extracurricular activities, and explore new academic tracks. Given their
passion and enthusiasm, they can generally find plenty to enjoy about these novel
experiences.
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Universities offer electives and opportunities for specialization, which means that
these types can delve more deeply into the subjects that fascinate them. Those who
take full advantage of their universities’ offerings also venture beyond their comfort
zones and try a full array of courses. They can approach these subjects with their
trademark openness and curiosity, searching for insights into human nature in even
the unlikeliest places.
The Full Experience
Some people view college as a straightforward investment, aiming only for a “payoff”
in the form of a high-paying job after graduation. Like anyone, Campaigners must
figure out how to support themselves, but they recognize that college is about much
more than increasing their employability. Gregarious and openhearted, they view
their college years as a time to build relationships, explore new passions, and grow
and mature in every respect.
These types tend to thoroughly enjoy what their schools have to offer, both inside
and outside the classroom. From the outside, they may seem to inhabit a whirlwind
of activity: club meetings, rehearsals, parties, open-mic nights, lively dinners with
friends – and, of course, classes. At the same time, they’re likely to take on only what
they can manage without compromising their health, their mental well-being, or their
academic performance. The result is that they leave college with not only a degree,
but also a broadened worldview, deep relationships, and meaningful life
experiences.
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Unbalanced Approach to College
Oops… I Did It Again
Campaigners might look to college as an escape from the things they disliked about
high school. Alas, the same issues that Campaigners faced in high school can arise
even in the ivory towers of academia. As in high school, these types might be tempted
to shortchange their efforts whenever they feel internal resistance to courses,
assignments, or instructors. When they do this, however, they’re only shortchanging
themselves.
Half-heartedness is rarely comfortable or sustainable for Campaigner students. Even
if their minimal efforts get them a “good enough” grade, they have the self-awareness
to recognize that they could have done more. They may even feel a bit like phonies
for not putting their best feet forward, and the idea that they’ve wasted their time
(not to mention their tuition money) may haunt them.
Yet this awareness might not be enough to change their behavior. Guilt and shame
can have a stultifying effect on these types, locking them into unproductive patterns
because it’s too painful for them to look at their behavior in the clear-eyed way that’s
necessary to make changes. Unless they accept that they haven’t been doing their
best, they won’t be able to reframe their approach and muster the motivation
needed to get the most from their college experience.
Running from Conflict
Principled and idealistic, Campaigners live by their values. Sure, they might not push
their worldview on others, but they tend to hold fast to opinions that make sense to
their Intuition. These opinions include the importance of harmony, agreement, and
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finding common ground. Although admirable, this mindset can conflict with their
desire for authentic self-expression. So, what do Campaigner college students do
when they disagree with a professor, or even feel offended by something said by an
instructor or classmate?
To stave off internal anxiety and unease, Campaigners can shy away from facing
these situations head-on. They can retreat into their own headspace, never fully
engaging with (or opposing) ideas or opinions that challenge their worldviews.
Alternatively, they might quietly harbor resentment that eventually erupts in
unhelpful ways – for example, an impassioned but poorly thought-out argument with
a professor.
Rebalancing Their Approach to College
Learning from Everything
As in high school, Campaigners may need to set aside time to reflect on the value
inherent even to subjects that seem dull or difficult. Given the increased maturity
they bring to college, these types can take this way of thinking one step further,
seeking opportunities for personal development and growth in these courses and
assignments. For example, the detail-orientation and memorization that a more
strictly defined course requires can help Campaigners become better at tolerating
and dealing with the mundane – a key component of mindfulness.
With this mindset, many worthwhile things can happen. First, Campaigner students
can gain the discipline that provides much-needed balance to their free-form way of
thinking. They can learn the value of being stricter with themselves when it comes to
life’s more insistent details. Moreover, they can view the hours spent in such classes
as valuable rather than a useless and artificial waste of time. With time, their
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perception of the class may chance from tragically hollow to authentically
worthwhile.
To enhance this process, Campaigners can try the following exercise:
•
Identify a subject that doesn’t feel particularly interesting or worthwhile. Meet
with someone who is majoring in that subject or pursuing a related career.
•
Ask questions:
o Why would someone become a pathologist, or a geographer, or a
marine biologist?
o What’s special or meaningful about these subjects?
o What challenges do these fields address, and how can they benefit
humankind?
•
Take notes based on these conversations, and review them as a reminder of
the value inherent in these courses and subjects.
Through this investigation and inquiry, Campaigners might just discover new
passions of their own.
Healthy Disagreement
As part of their college experience, Campaigners must learn that the diversity of their
classmates and instructors – which, in their heart of hearts, these types cherish –
comes with the potential for disagreement or even offense. In collegiate settings,
professors and students may voice controversial opinions or clash over hot-button
topics. This is inherently uncomfortable for students with this personality type, as it
brings their values of personal authenticity and communal harmony into conflict.
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Learning to productively and proactively cope with these situations is an important
step in Campaigners’ personal growth. By acknowledging that differences of opinion
exist – and that these differences matter – these types can open themselves to
healthy curiosity about other viewpoints without abandoning their own personal
values, or creating a time-bomb of unvoiced resentment. Fortunately, Campaigners’
empathy and consideration tend to equip them to facilitate productive dialogues
around controversial or divisive issues.
Here’s how they can put these traits to productive use:
•
Initiate conversations with people whose viewpoints differ. Begin by listening
and asking questions, and aim to find out how they arrived at this perspective,
why it matters to them, and why they think the world needs to hear this
opinion.
•
Follow up by voicing personal thoughts and allowing others to ask questions
in turn. If interrupted or disrespected, say (in a neutral tone), “I’ve just listened
to your point of view. How about I take a moment to contribute my own?” Be
willing to experience internal discomfort, but leave the room if the
conversation becomes abusive or unsafe in any way. Campaigners may also
wish to end the conversation if they struggle to contain feelings of anger or
blame, as sharing these in the heat of the moment can be counterproductive.
•
If possible, steer the conversation toward finding common ground. That said,
accept that there may be irreconcilable aspects of these differing points of
view.
•
End the conversation on a note of appreciating the diversity of thought and
the opportunity for free expression.
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By opening the door for reciprocal, respectful conversation, Campaigners can do a
world of good in their universities. In addition, they can open their own minds and
increase their skills when it comes to managing conflict in healthy ways.
Lifelong Learning
Lifelong learning – just those words can set Campaigners’ minds ablaze. These types
are likely to delight in uncovering new terrain, turning the entire world into their
classroom. Something as simple as a nature walk or a dance class can spark a new
passion in Campaigners. Whether or not they return to a formal academic setting,
people with this personality type keep their minds – and their hearts – open for their
entire lives, finding opportunities to learn wherever they look.
Balanced Lifelong Learning
Beginner’s Mind
The prospect of learning something new excites Campaigners. They tend to embody
the Zen attitude of the “beginner’s mind,” tackling pursuits with a sense of openness
and wonder. Like anyone, they enjoy being good at what they do, but they’re
relatively comfortable with venturing into the unknown, whether that means planting
their first organic garden or training to become a hotline volunteer.
Campaigners’ idealism can lead them to underestimate the difficulty of their ideas,
and they can be discouraged to find that their new endeavor requires significantly
more effort and time than they’d expected. That said, Campaigners who take a
balanced approach can recognize failure and drudgery as intrinsic to the learning
process. They might wish they could speak fluent Japanese after their first lesson, but
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trial and error are what create the messy, untidy substrate in which true learning
grows. As Buddhist teacher Thich Nhat Hahn said, “No mud, no lotus.”
Listen to Your Heart
Other personality types might take a strictly utilitarian approach to lifelong learning,
only bothering to study subjects that will earn them a raise or a promotion at work.
Campaigners, on the other hand, are likely to follow their hearts. Their multitude of
interests, whether beekeeping or badminton or bass guitar, might seem like “wastes
of time” to some people, but these types know that learning experiences enrich their
lives and provide opportunities for personal development. Plus, they’re just fun!
Moreover, Campaigners often apply their studies in ways that help others. They
might sign up for a yoga teacher training program with the goal of offering stress
relief and serenity to their community, or they might take night classes in Arabic in
the hopes of becoming an interpreter for refugees. Although these experiences
might not offer significant financial gain, these individuals can seize the opportunity
to enrich their inner landscape, improve others’ lives, and enjoy themselves – all at
the same time.
Unbalanced Lifelong Learning
This and That… and That… and That…
When asked what they’d most like to learn, Campaigners often have a slew of replies
at the ready: “Organic gardening!” “Bartending!” “Russian!” “How to play the harp!”
This enthusiasm is among their greatest strengths, but if not matched by consistency,
healthy self-discipline, and the willingness to stick with difficult pursuits, it won’t get
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them anywhere. Even worse, a series of “failed” experiences can cause these
sensitive types to lose their enthusiasm for learning.
Most Campaigners find it easier to start something than finish it. There’s nothing
inherently wrong with this trait – in fact, it’s what makes them such creative
visionaries in the first place. However, if they don’t push past the internal resistance
that arises whenever projects become difficult, they can flit from one area of learning
to another, embracing a succession of expensive, short-lived hobbies. After years or
decades, they may look back and realize that they’ve learned very little.
Hobby or Profession?
Falling in love with new subjects and pursuits tends to give Campaigners an
intellectual head rush. In the throes of their newfound passion, they might decide to
go all in –
buying professional-grade equipment, signing up for lessons with
expensive teachers, registering for conferences and retreats, and so on. On the most
impulsive end of the spectrum, they might decide that “following their hearts” means
leaving their jobs to practice these new endeavors professionally.
As they say in the equestrian world, “Whoa, there.” Falling in love may feel good, but
it clouds objectivity, a stodgy but necessary consideration. If Campaigners don’t take
time to ensure that they truly love new subjects before making big decisions, they
can set themselves up for disappointment. Moreover, they can be quite hard on
themselves if they don’t follow through, making this a recipe for damaged selfesteem as well as lightened wallets.
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Rebalancing Lifelong Learning
A Fair Shot
Campaigners may fear that a dose of realism will kill all their dreams – including their
learning goals. As a result, they can avoid overthinking opportunities before they
jump in. On the plus side, this attitude generates a tremendous willingness to try new
things and take on initiatives with intangible benefits. For example, learning
American Sign Language won’t yield a pay increase for most Campaigners, but it can
enable them to communicate with a new group of people. Alas, if these types don’t
stick with what they start, they can set themselves up for short-lived and potentially
frustrating experiments rather than sustainable endeavors.
From graduate school to tuba lessons, many ventures become difficult or challenging
once the initial excitement wears off. At this point, Campaigners may experience
inner resistance. However, by tackling and working through these challenges,
Campaigners can deepen their enjoyment and find more gratification in their
learning experiences. To stick with these new pursuits even when they don’t come
easily, Campaigners can try the following:
•
Set up an informal “support network” of friends, classmates, or peers.
Establish a regular time to hang out and discuss challenges and personal
progress. For example, a group of aspiring writers might meet at a coffee shop
every week to share how their work is going, talk through issues, and bask in
the inspiration that comes from one another’s company.
•
Ask one more of these people to become “accountability partners.” Send each
other progress updates on a pre-determined basis, and if possible, set aside
time to work, rehearse, read, or study alongside each other.
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•
If appropriate, develop meaningful relationships with mentors and
instructors. Chat with them after class, take them out for lunch or coffee, and
ask for their advice, support, and guidance on issues that arise.
By building social support into their learning experiences, Campaigners can equip
themselves to stick with the activities they love even when the going gets hard. In
many cases, this results in more meaningful – and pleasurable – experiences.
Harnessing Enthusiasm
For many Campaigners, new learning experiences can trigger a “honeymoon phase,”
during which they can’t imagine doing anything but their newfound passions. By
contrast, the workaday world may seem especially lackluster – especially if what
they’re learning has nothing to do with their professions. These types love to live
wholeheartedly, and during this phase, the grand gestures of buying expensive
equipment, committing to pricey instruction, or even quitting their jobs to “pursue
their dreams” may be especially tempting. Sure, it can be liberating to leave a job in
favor of something that feels more exciting, and sometimes an aspiring
photographer really does need to invest in a better camera. At other times, however,
grand gestures can lead to grand regrets.
Campaigners can make empowering rather than irresponsible decisions by noticing
when their natural exuberance veers into impulsiveness. Do they think they can’t
write their novel unless they get an advanced degree, buy the best computer and
software, and sign up for a writing retreat on a Greek island? Do they believe they
won’t be a “real” jazz pianist, a painter, or a motivational speaker unless they give up
their jobs to pursue these passions? By questioning these assumptions, Campaigners
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can open their minds to realistic, sustainable ideas for incorporating learning into
their lives. Here are some steps they can take to keep their impulsiveness in check:
•
Brainstorm ways to reduce the financial costs of a learning experience. Is it
possible to borrow gear from a friend instead of buying everything new? Are
there volunteer positions that offer hands-on experience and instruction?
•
If it’s necessary to work with an instructor, school, or institution, call and ask
whether they offer work-study options. For example, many yoga studios offer
free classes to people who are willing to check in other students and sweep
the room after class.
•
Ask instructors or mentors for advice on balancing the requirements of a new
undertaking with the demands of daily life. Can photo shoots be scheduled for
weekends or days off?
•
If considering a new profession or side-gig, ask instructors or mentors for
advice on the marketability of this activity. Is it realistic to expect this endeavor
to pay the bills?
If they sidestep all-or-nothing thinking, Campaigners can harness their enthusiasm
and enjoy the honeymoon phase – and all the phases that come after it – rather than
letting their initial excitement drag them off course.
Conclusion
Oh, The Places You’ll Go!
Campaigners don’t need classrooms to learn. They can gain insights into history from
conversations with elderly relatives, find inspiration in interactions with creative
friends, or pick up the fundamentals of existential philosophy over cups of tea with
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a neighbor. That said, we all find ourselves in formal academic settings at some point
during our lives. Through awareness of their strengths as well as their
counterproductive tendencies, Campaigner students can set themselves up for
learning experiences that enrich their minds, open their hearts, strengthen their
resolve, and bolster their self-esteem.
To venture beyond their intellectual comfort zones, these types can seek out the
good in seemingly unglamorous subjects with the same curiosity and openness they
bring to new acquaintances. To revive their motivation, they can cultivate
relationships with mentors or instructors who provide accountability and coach them
on sustainable, consistent study habits. And, to move past their preconceptions
about what they’re “good” or “bad” at, they can develop a growth mindset, priding
themselves not on their grades but on their willingness to do their best.
If they manage these objectives, these types bring creativity and positive energy to
their assignments, inspiring their classmates (and perhaps even their instructors)
without even realizing it. Even better, they can set themselves up for a lifetime of
learning and personal growth. By using their learning experiences to develop their
intellects and expand their spirits, Campaigners can find ever more delight in the
people and places around them – and envision ever-brighter futures.
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Professional Development
This chapter explores what can help make Campaigners successful in professional
arenas, and give some guidance on potential career paths. Considering how
outwardly-focused their energy is and how much emphasis these types places on the
importance of humanity, work for them is likely to become more than just a way to
put food on the table. At the very least, they’ll adapt to the workplace with charm,
practicing their highest beliefs and virtues within the confines of any job role. They
may even find a job that is itself an extension of their heartfelt ideals, allowing their
inner qualities to shine.
We’ll first start by looking at the various ways Campaigners approach their working
life, including both their strengths and their occasional challenges. Next, we’ll see
how these types can turn their bright energy toward getting the job they want,
followed by a look at just some of the fields that may be a good match for them. To
help them make wise decisions as they explore their professional potential, we’ll also
talk about some facets of the Campaigner personality that make certain work
avenues challenging for these types. We’ll even touch on some potential alternative
career opportunities Campaigners may find exciting.
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The final sections offer a detailed look at how Campaigners relate to each of the four
personality type Role groups on the job, including specific advice on dealing with
some likely issues arising from their differences and similarities. We hope such
insight into everyday work interactions, troubleshooting, correcting blind spots, and
creating dynamic partnerships helps make any job a successful pleasure.
Engaged Careers
Campaigners have strong beliefs and are devoted to causes they hold dear, and
these traits support them in their careers. Their keen awareness allows them to
understand complex events and other people’s feelings, making for secure
professional relationships. These types excel at diplomacy, striving for harmony by
helping people cooperate through innovative ideas. They’re fascinated by ethical
matters, hidden meanings, and newness, and express these qualities with a bright
touch.
Soaring ideas and lively engagement make them wells of inspiration and creativity
on the job. While capable of great zeal when inspired, Campaigners dislike routine
tasks, impersonal work, and analyzing and organizing details. To be happy, these
types need creative and social roles where they can pursue personal inspiration and
interaction with others. This isn’t to say they can’t master detailed, technical abilities,
but that they prefer to connect such efforts to humanistic goals.
Inspired Vision
Campaigners can achieve great happiness in anything that allows them to combine
their values, creative interests, and social relationships. Teaching and social work are
prominent examples, but individuals with this personality type shine in surprisingly
diverse professional roles. Campaigners make excellent salespeople, offering
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customers unparalleled trustworthiness and care. However, they’re often unhappy
with rote jobs they feel don’t provide enough moral and intellectual stimulation –
their thirst for progress, understanding, and exploration can verge on unquenchable.
Unfortunately, these qualities aren’t often the currency of the business world. Plenty
of roles underutilize their skills, leaving them feeling isolated, restless, and hungry
for change. To find their greatest professional happiness, these types are more
comfortable exploring their interests rather than settling for an early career decision.
They advance quickly when motivated by desire, so following their instincts – while
being mindful not to toss aside opportunities that require a more in-depth look in
the process – can ultimately lead to a profession to which they’re willing to commit.
Distracting Imagination
Campaigners sometimes have a tough time when things go slowly, predictably, or
when tight restrictions are necessary. They’re excited to see what comes next, but
may not enjoy waiting for outcomes they’ve set in motion. These types struggle with
job tasks or roles requiring long-term composure rather than sheer imagination and
energy. In cases where such drive can gain traction, Campaigners can achieve
stunning results, but otherwise, they may just spin their wheels.
Campaigners also fare poorly in situations where a strict procedure is the norm, as
they thrive through flexible experimentation and may overthink things while trying
to make the right decision. Add some pressure from superiors, and Campaigners
may find themselves making rushed decisions that lack precision or realism. For a
type so capable of clever innovation when allowed a loose rein, any such constraints
are frustrating and can interfere with their success.
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Empathy and Energy in the Workplace
Regardless of their challenges, Campaigners’ friendly concern makes them seem like
a soothing balm to coworkers. Always offering support, understanding, and a
cooperative attitude, they like to set everyone up for success. While these types might
not always shine in detail management, they can contribute their understanding of
diverse elements to the big picture. No matter what business they’re in, Campaigners
add cheerful inspiration into otherwise sterile workday processes.
Their warmth strengthens more than the mood in the workplace – it increases
productivity as well. Rather than seeking acclaim as competitive individuals,
Campaigners want to elevate and energize people to stride forward together. They
often act as inspiring examples by boldly engaging challenges. These types can trust
themselves when making career decisions – when Campaigners feel able to connect
and share inspiration with others in their work environment, they’re usually in the
right place.
Finding Opportunity
Making the Connection
Campaigners can embrace their strengths in the job-hunting stage as well as on the
job. Since they’re able to network with friends and acquaintances, they usually have
little difficulty finding prospective employers and getting their feet in the door, as
their passion is visible and persuasive on its own. Campaigners can be very
convincing, whether crafting introductory e-mails; making those first phone calls; or
visiting employers in person, where they can get a close read on companies and their
needs.
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Even when applying for jobs without customer or colleague-facing duties, “excellent
people skills” have become such an inseparable part of job requirements that
displaying such abilities in an interview is a must. Luckily, Campaigners can
demonstrate these skills in word and deed to distinguish themselves from other
candidates. It’s essential that they recognize that all good things come to those who
wait, and some careful, patient diplomacy is often required to make those first
significant steps to start their careers.
Relating Outside Interests
Campaigners can turn their beloved interests into real-life projects that appeal to
employers, sharing their accomplishments as self-promotion. Whether through
innovative competitions or volunteer projects, building an online presence through
creative media, or taking part in local social issues –letting their private passions
shine through on their resumes makes Campaigners more attractive as candidates.
Outside interests also give a lot of bonding room in interviews. Answering a question
like, “Describe a situation where you used your problem-solving skills,” is much, much
easier when chatting about vibrant, compelling personal experiences. Campaigners
can confidently use their interests to the full extent when promoting themselves in
interviews – after all, skills are worth more when people know about them.
Preparing for the Interview
Charismatic enthusiasm alone won’t suffice when convincing companies that they’re
the right candidates. These types sometimes overlook detailed facts, focusing
instead on expressing their ideas and values. While this approach may work in some
situations, it’s also important to clearly communicate to employers, directly or
indirectly, the concrete benefits of hiring them. Campaigners should also expect to
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answer many templated questions, and clever answers aren’t always what these
checklists seek.
Another consideration for this highly idealistic personality type is how much their
personal opinions harmonize with a prospective company’s needs and goals –
Campaigners can speak with that in mind. While passions that relate specifically to
the job are assets to be shared, other personal stances can be kept private, especially
on controversial issues. Not every worthy employer is trying to change the world – or
is comfortable hiring revolutionary truth-seekers.
Jobs and General Skill Sets
The fields discussed below are favorable options for Campaigners, but by no means
should they limit their decision to what we cover – these suggestions are meant to
get thoughtful wheels turning. This personality type can find inspiration in unlikely
places, and always keep an open mind about their future. The careers mentioned
below relate to their strengths, but it’s important for Campaigners to consider, “What
job will engage my heart and allow me to build on my ideas for myself and the world?”
as well as how their strengths can help them get hired in the first place.
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Healthcare
Whether it’s traditional medicine, psychology, chiropractic therapy, or something
more mystical, healthcare speaks to Campaigners’ empathy toward others and
desire to make a difference in the world. These types gravitate toward healthy living
and self-discovery, both of which are hallmarks of such jobs. They enjoy helping
others gain insight into, and control over, their lives, and work toward a better future.
Healthcare jobs have the additional benefit of allowing these highly social and upbeat
individuals to work with clients or patients directly, brightening days and spreading
smiles. Campaigners also excel in healthcare-related administrative jobs and
leadership roles when those positions leave room for human connection, and not
just paperwork.
Education
Teaching and working with students suits Campaigners well, as do higher faculty
positions where they can fight for progress and lead by example. With younger
students, they’re imaginative and connected, using their Intuitive trait and creativity
to share in their youthful excitement. They get the attention of older students with
their irreverence and appreciation for loose structure, especially with their flexibility
and willingness and find what’s effective in the classroom. With adult learners, they
have a sense of empathy for each person’s story, and the camaraderie they foster in
their classrooms makes education the personal experience that it should be.
Campaigners intuitively treat their students as individuals with unique needs,
advocating for their success from the heart. They find constant contact with students
and colleagues throughout the day invigorating, and enjoy the interaction as well as
the sense that they’re changing lives for the better. Campaigners also make
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wonderful religious or spiritual instructors, encouraging compassion and love for
humanity within their belief systems. Such roles allow Campaigners to combine their
desire for personal connections with making a positive difference.
Public / Social Work
Campaigners’ idealism and fondness for social engagement make them well-suited
to public service in general, particularly social work. Human need is a powerful
motivator for this emotionally attuned personality type, and opportunities to lend a
helping hand come in such roles as social worker, non-profit worker, or community
organizer. Even library positions offer chances to directly interact with people in
educational, progressive ways.
The boldest of Campaigners may find that their vision and sincerity make them
compelling, effective political leaders in the public sector. While their staffs handle
technical details, Campaigners can turn their social appeal and personal zeal toward
positively changing the world. Or, Campaigners could consider serving humanity in
front-line roles with private social aid organizations. Their desire to be personally
involved in making the world better knows few boundaries.
Service Work
Making a positive difference in others’ lives, or even just their day, is fun for these
types, so workplaces that allow them to practice their charms on the public can lead
them to success. Campaigners are assets to retail and service businesses, creating
loyal, appreciative client bases. In fact, lower-pressure service jobs are a good fit for
Campaigners while they’re searching for a career, continuing their education, or
simply dedicating time to personal pursuits. For example, serving coffee can pay the
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bills and leave room for writing novels, earning degrees, or spending time with their
friends and families.
Service professionals who genuinely connect with customers bring about smiles and
profits, so jobs like retail clerk, bartender, or tour guide allow Campaigners to earn
good money while enjoying rewarding relationships. The hospitality industry also
gives them a straightforward way to build careers that brighten the lives of others. If
they pursue their passion fully, Campaigner chefs can become radiant, creative
centerpieces to restaurants small and large. The luxury hotel industry pays people
very well to ensure that guests receive a personal touch, making these positions
potentially very satisfying for Campaigners.
Creative / Arts
It can be challenging to turn artistic talent into a paycheck, but this shouldn’t
discourage Campaigners from pursuing careers related to their artistic talents. To
the contrary, they can aggressively dive into their art and rely on their social energy
to draw attention to their creations. When seeking a primary career in art,
Campaigners may find greater success with specific training or education. Having
credentials on paper can open many doors and give these types the chance to show
what they can do creatively.
Campaigners can also consider taking on second jobs to supplement their artistic
careers. Many artistic roles can be pursued as side/evening/weekend endeavors,
giving these types a chance to share their work and chase opportunities. Joining a
local acting company or performing music at local fairs are tried-and-true ways for
Campaigners to share their artistic gifts. Connecting with other professional or
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amateur artists in their community, and sharing their expansive, natural excitement
and charisma, can lead to many golden opportunities.
Social Activism
Campaigners thrive when they feel they’re telling some larger truth or helping society
progress. As an example, while others might pursue a career in law for the thrill of
argument or the challenge of problem-solving, Campaigners are more likely to use
the law to give support rather than punishment and find great satisfaction in
protecting those in need. Defense attorney or consumer advocate lawyer are
examples of inspiring paths for Campaigners interested in a law career. However,
any position where personal inspiration and interpersonal skill can be used to
achieve social justice might appeal to Campaigners.
Careers that allow Campaigners to share truths and bring people together make
them happy, and social activism through any job role is highly suited to this
personality type. Government or nongovernmental organizations (NGO) positions,
diplomacy work, working on political campaigns, and journalism are also excellent
ways for Campaigners to foster harmony and understanding in the world
professionally. Whether publishing exposés on corruption, bringing conflicting
parties to a negotiating table, or spreading awareness of important political issues,
Campaigners are never bored when they take the world’s problems into their caring
hands.
Challenging Career Qualities
Some professional situations may be less suitable or comfortable for Campaigners,
forming potential roadblocks to success and happiness. Of course, they shouldn’t
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discount any career merely on its face value, as when these adaptable individuals put
their minds to it, they can do anything. They can, however, objectively evaluate
specific jobs against their own needs, values, and limits. Questions are essential to
good decision-making. To aid this investigation, let’s look at some career aspects and
circumstances that are unlikely to suit Campaigners.
Idealistic Frustration
Campaigners prefer harmony over conflict, and progress over stagnation. However,
they can lose their patience when people don’t share their idealistic values, and can
become upset by what they perceive as ignorance, malfeasance, or the violation of
important principles. Seemingly immoral practices by management can turn
Campaigners into rebels who tend to reject any profit-minded rationalizations that
corporations present for such acts. Their outspoken revolutionary spirit, however
noble, can cause problems in any modern workplace that prizes conformity and
obedience.
This isn’t to say that these types should stifle their morals and vision, but finding roles
that offer adequate compensation and support their values and freedom of
expression may be a lengthy pursuit – and the pursuit is no guarantee of a job.
Forcing themselves to tolerate unhappiness at length isn’t a good solution, either, as
such repression saps Campaigners’ objectivity, creativity, and energy, leaving them
disaffected on the job.
Even in respectable workplaces, these individuals often have dreams and ambitions
so grand that they may be difficult for others to understand. In their battle to assert
ideals over reality’s roadblocks, they may find little support from a majority more
grounded in convention. Many others may view them as unrealistic dreamers,
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questioning the way they spend their energy. In workplaces that rebuke their
inspiration with conventional thinking, the sense of being an outsider can be
unbearable for Campaigners.
Repetitive or Impersonal Work
People with this personality type love their work to have a personal touch, and they
see most problems in terms of their human elements and social benefits. Any job
revolving around something rather than someone, such as assembly-line style work,
data entry jobs, and purely technical tasks can leave Campaigners unfulfilled, so it’s
essential that these positions feel purposeful and personal. This doesn’t mean that
they can’t excel at highly technical or data-intensive jobs that feature creative goals.
Engineering is a case in point, as Campaigners can handle complex data involved in
creative, unique expressions, such as the chance to design or craft things.
Driving any intensive, repetitive, or detailed work with a grand goal makes
Campaigners blossom. Likewise, if a purposeful connection to positive outcomes
exists, they can find fulfillment in otherwise unattractive work, no matter how boring.
Campaigners might not make the happiest ditch-diggers, but they might gladly dig
endless tree-planting holes to help restore the environment. It’s all about context and
meaning for this idealistic personality type.
Loose Principles or Cold Values
Campaigners struggle in industries without social responsibility, or if they sense their
work might be taking advantage of others. Businesses revolving around vices or
opportunism, such as casinos, may leave these types feeling guilty. Even work like
investing and money management may strike them as disreputable if the institutions
aren’t completely honest. For example, Campaigners might comfortably sell products
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that make people healthier or happier, such as cruelty-free cosmetics or herbal
supplements, but might feel conflicted over selling used cars with unknown service
records.
Even in lucrative roles in large companies, Campaigners need to believe that
corporate values align with their integrity and generosity to feel totally comfortable
in their work. Unfortunately, this makes it unlikely that Campaigners can devote their
hearts and souls fully to many profit-driven companies, though they may still find
acceptable careers in them.
Isolation on the Job
Like many Extraverts, Campaigners can become bored or lonely in isolated job roles.
Such social types need the opportunity to share ideas and cooperation, and if it
doesn’t happen at work, they can become dissatisfied. They may perform reasonably
well on their own, but are far more energized by some degree of social integration,
especially working in teams.
Some jobs may require extended periods of solitude, and if Campaigners find
themselves drawn to such roles for some higher purpose, they can balance the
unpleasant isolation of these positions with appropriate social engagement during
their personal time. Socializing with coworkers outside of work creates a sense of
mutual energy, even if the work itself doesn’t bring them together.
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Career Alternatives
Self-Employment
Independent Minds
People don’t need typical jobs to live comfortably if they can handle the unknown as
well as Campaigners. Many find the notion of self-employment quite scary, but we
live in an age of possibilities, and Campaigners know this as well as any other
personality type. As imaginative individuals, their ability to innovate, dream, and
connect with people can open many doors. Working independently may be a
satisfying and viable option for them, as they have no trouble promoting what they
love. These types enjoy freedom, creativity, and active days, and being self-employed
gives them excellent opportunities to find these things while still earning a living.
Unfortunately, trying to start a business without a solid plan can lead to frustration,
heartache, and an empty wallet. Campaigners may have some aversion to the rules
of the corporate world, and become frustrated with regulatory tedium and
restriction. However, finding a worthwhile cause and turning it into an ethical
business idea can be incredibly rewarding for these types, enough to justify a little
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stress. The keys to success include a good idea that speaks to others and strong
relationships with vendors and clients. Campaigners’ empathy and enthusiasm serve
them well in these areas.
Joining Forces
When considering any self-employed path, these individuals must be willing to
experiment and fail along the way. Because of their ability to work well with others,
one excellent way for Campaigners to go into business for themselves with less risk
is a small partnership with one or more compatible individuals. Campaigners can
share liabilities and benefits, parleying their social skills and creativity into trusting
relationships with their partners as well as clients/customers.
It’s important for them to keep a close eye on details, however, as business associates
appreciate charm and ingenuity, but they expect punctuality and effective followthrough. Campaigners should consider getting help from other personality types to
handle tedious but critical details such as accounting, planning, and organization.
Outsourcing those duties allows Campaigners to focus on the social and creative side
of their work.
Anything is Possible
Once they’re organized and prepared, anything that combines Campaigners’ passion
with their skill or knowledge could become a small business. Always creative, they
might find profit from any number of diverse talents – tailor, woodworker, stylist, or
design consultant are just a few examples.
Building on another primary trait, Campaigners could heal others while selfemployed in roles such as chiropractors, marriage counselors, and psychological or
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physical therapists – all necessary positions that mix their gifts for empathy with
healing skills. Nutritionist, massage therapist, and personal trainer are also related
job roles that offer self-employed Campaigners opportunities to help others work
toward health and healing.
Hobbies: Creative Refuge, Future Potential
One possible way for Campaigners to find satisfaction apart from their work life is to
transform personal hobbies into paying work. An outlet for creative energy can help
them deal with job frustration until they can make a career change. While this is an
excellent idea for any personality type, it’s especially satisfying for Campaigners, and
may ultimately lead toward self-employment, as discussed above.
When they find themselves in mentally unrewarding jobs, the chance to do
something exciting and inspiring without the constraint of authority feels wonderful.
Others quickly notice the products of personal passions, and Campaigners’ hobbies
may garner them unexpected acclaim. The benefits of developing their hobbies may
be personal at first, but considering the social skills that Campaigners possess,
sharing their work can quickly become profitable.
Professional Volunteer
Living a Dream
A daring and inspiring para-career option for Campaigners is that of professional
volunteer – making income second to loftier goals of changing the world. While
financial prosperity is usually off the table, unparalleled personal satisfaction and
growth can take their place. If supported by income from other endeavors, or even
willing partners, Campaigners who devote themselves entirely to conscientious
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social progress can move mountains. This is also a role that these types can transition
into later in life, bringing skill sets from previous occupations into the non-profit
world with expertise and vigor.
Experienced or educated Campaigners can find a need for their abilities and
knowledge regardless of their background, especially if they’re willing to travel –
anyone from welders and carpenters to teachers and gardeners can make a
difference. The least developed countries are deeply hungry for compassion,
dedication, and boots on the ground. Any skills and knowledge can be of use when
driven by a desire to help. Resumes of abilities with passionate cover letters can allow
them to enter many different organizations as volunteers, and if they can accept
potentially austere material lives, the rewards to their souls can be endless.
Act Locally
There are many volunteer opportunities for Campaigners at home as well, in
promotion or fundraising roles with idealistic organizations ranging from grassroots
political groups to charities. Distinguishing themselves with their dedication and
proficiency may even lead to long-term, paying positions for Campaigners. If large
organizations are unappealing, small groups, or even individual action, can be very
meaningful. Something as basic as tutoring young children in reading and math can
be done by almost anyone with warmth, patience, and a high school education, and
can make an incredible difference.
Campaigners can find a path of volunteerism as dramatic as spending a year abroad
as volunteer aid workers, or as simple as sitting in their kitchens making phone calls
to grocery stores to organize food bank donations. Regardless of the scale or
complexity, a commitment to volunteerism may be one of the best ways for
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Campaigners to satisfy their desire to create harmony and healing in the world. They
can do this while keeping their day jobs, or plunge into the deep end and devote their
time entirely to helping others.
Workplace Cooperation Between Roles
It’s useful to have something in common when forming relationships in the
workplace, but Campaigners can achieve a connection even when they don’t share
similar backgrounds or traits with coworkers. Their tool is empathy, as conversations
that include mutual understanding tend to be much more productive than those that
proceed only with assumptions and personal perspectives. This section covers
workplace pairings between Campaigners and all four Roles, including brief
overviews of potential synergies and obstacles.
Campaigner–Analyst Cooperation
Both Campaigners and Analysts prefer to advance the “big picture” rather than fiddle
with mundane facilitation details. Both can absorb knowledge almost subconsciously
and then incorporate it into a larger constellation of meaning, often connecting
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things in profound ways. This similarity in style and shared love for creative thought
give these types ample opportunity to combine their talents.
Balanced Campaigner–Analyst Cooperation
Complementary Counterpoints
Campaigners live in a world of values and empathy. Analysts are more comfortable
with systems and logic, but they often include ethical rules. Campaigners can
broaden Analyst coworkers’ perspectives by offering them a foundation of human
connection. Analysts sometimes allow efficiency to trump empathy, but Campaigners
provide “soul” to any systems that Analysts devise, and help bring out their humanity
in the workplace.
However, an organization founded only on the values of creativity and harmony has
the potential to lose sight of the unpleasant factors and considerations necessary to
any business. Rational analysis is an essential ingredient needed for any organization
to grow and prosper, and Campaigners can rely on Analysts to provide a critical
counterpoint to their potentially fatal optimism. If running an organization together
is like captaining a ship, then Campaigners can chart optimistic courses – while
Analysts spot hidden icebergs.
Brain Storms
As Intuitive types, Campaigners and Analysts can both get a little “windy,” always
talking about their ideas for the future. Put them together in a work environment,
especially one where they share tasks and duties, and they’ll brew a veritable storm
of creativity together. While both are prone to playing in the realm of theory, job
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requirements can prompt them to try out their ideas together in the real world,
leading to discovery and accomplishment.
What makes this duo so exciting is that they don’t think the same – Analysts process
any shared ideas through a rational filter that looks at possible functionality, and
Campaigners are extremely perceptive of how ideas can relate to and affect people.
Evaluating these unique areas is invaluable, as functionality is crucial for any plan,
and ensuring compatibility with its human components is necessary for its
implementation. Whether it’s revising a customer service policy, designing a website,
or creating a sales presentation, the Campaigner–Analyst a visionary team can take
the world by storm.
Unbalanced Campaigner–Analyst Cooperation
Frustrated Collaborations
While Campaigners and Analysts can work together in complementary ways, their
differing traits also create points of contention when they lose patience or refuse to
compromise. Both are creative, but they may not have equal fondness for
engineering the technical aspects of plans, methods, and practices. Analysts can see
Campaigners’ focus as emphasizing hope rather than mechanics. In turn,
Campaigners can regard Analysts as cynical and pedantic.
Analysts tend to search for optimized approaches, while Campaigners focus on
idealistic outcomes. Campaigners may point excitedly to the expected success on the
horizon, while Analysts point to endless potential pitfalls or relentlessly explore
details. This isn’t to say that Analysts are the more responsible parties – they can
become so obsessed with a plan’s intricacies that they stall any progress
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Campaigners create with their energy. Habit, and lack of cooperation, can turn this
potentially dynamic duo into a frustrated odd couple.
Appalled
These types also go about negotiation, argument, and reconciliation in different
ways. Campaigners value friendly relations as much as anything else, but may be
disappointed by Analysts’ unabashedly blunt, dispassionate relationship style. Facts
can often sway and compel Analysts to change their behavior toward others, but
feelings rarely can. Campaigners’ approach from the opposite direction, with their
concern for relationships shaping their behavior, sometimes regardless of logic.
Analysts might criticize an underperforming coworker, pointing out their flaws in a
rational manner but completely disregarding their feelings. Campaigners are far
more likely to put that person’s feelings first, avoiding direct criticism and instead
offering support to help them improve. Analysts are often brusque with people, and
Campaigners can easily become combative if such attitudes strike them as mean.
When communication devolves into mutual criticism and irritation, these coworkers
might never understand each other’s great value.
Rebalancing Campaigner–Analyst Cooperation
Offering an Open Mind
Campaigners can create mutually beneficial cooperation with Analysts by asking
them for their input and perhaps even using it when appropriate. Analysts love to
share their witty opinions and ideas, and appreciate that someone cares what they
think. Campaigners can explore Analysts’ logical view of work processes, and practice
incorporating a little of that type’s mechanical insights into their methods.
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This questioning approach can also be useful when Campaigners perceive a block in
progress or a misunderstanding. They can ask Analysts where the disconnect lies,
and how they might prevent similar problems together in the future. An empathetic
attempt at compromise is natural for Campaigners, and adding direct, clear
communication appeals to Analysts.
When working with Analysts, Campaigners can use these tips:
•
Ask for opinions and ideas on an issue.
•
Listen to the response with an open mind.
•
Respond evenly and calmly – try to connect cheerfully.
•
Ask, “How can we move forward on this?”
•
Reach compromises in terms of what will best achieve work-related goals.
•
Choose forgiveness – focus on progress instead of blame.
Analysts often brace for conflict, so when they find friendly tolerance and interest
instead, they’ll reflect Campaigners’ open, positive example, which helps foster a
more productive and pleasant workplace.
Communicating Effects
Campaigners can keep in mind that Analysts are often unintentionally chilly: these
types might ignore friendly gestures out of concern for efficiency. Once Campaigners
realize this, they can forgive obtuseness and work with that tendency to create good
relations. One way to engage Analysts’ logic is by discussing how social investment
affects other people, and how that, in turn, boosts productivity, efficiency, and even
standing among peers. Analysts who feel great regard for coworkers, but are blind
to emotional issues, appreciate an informed perspective.
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Campaigners should not chastise or condescend (either can irritate Analysts), but can
offer friendly insight into how words and deeds provoke emotional responses in
others. Analysts may decry such things as “silly,” but Campaigners can nonetheless
show that they’re an undeniable reality that can be “optimized.” It’s up to Analysts
whether they’ll try, but Campaigners can certainly share their wise example – and,
of course, clarity about how they wish Analysts to treat them.
Here are some steps to ease interpersonal friction with Analysts:
•
Any time an Analyst acts inconsiderately:
o Ask to speak to them privately for a moment.
o State that feelings are a fact in the workplace.
o Calmly explain how their words or actions “could be” objectionable.
o Offer to help resolve any underlying frustration or discontent on their
part.
o Respectfully point out how a shift in tone might be more efficient for
everyone. Strike a friendly and supportive tone, without accusation: “It
might be easier if…”
o Know when to back off if Analysts aren’t interested in help.
Campaigners can become valued social links between Analysts and other employees
– translators who add to workplace harmony. With their insight and care, they can
easily bring out the best in Analysts, especially when they start by expressing concern
and care for their happiness and well-being.
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Campaigner–Diplomat Cooperation
Campaigners and other Diplomats have the advantage of speaking the same
language; they’re visionaries focused on growth, humanity, and exploring
experiences. When working together, their discussions may sometimes wander in
ways that strike other types as impractical, but they can be the first steps to
marvelous creative progress.
Balanced Campaigner–Diplomat Cooperation
Meaningful Inspirations
Campaigners often find delightful work partners among other Diplomats who enjoy
discussing more abstract matters. Others may talk about the nuts and bolts of an
organization, but Diplomats speak to one another about creating harmony and
growth within the workday. These types each focus on details only when they help
them make a point about a larger principle or ideal. While they may appear overly
idealistic to other types, Campaigners and other Diplomats agree among themselves
that there’s always a better way and a better world possible.
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Conversations between these types lean toward the future or creative ideas, as
convention holds no interest for either of them. In fact, they may find one another a
relief from the tedium they experience at work – or with some other personality
types. They each discuss ideas as something purposeful and relevant. Metaphors
and symbolic language serve as shorthand for Campaigners, and they appreciate
other Diplomats’ understanding of their use. On a day-to-day basis, they can boost
each other’s energy on the job.
Progress in the Workplace
Campaigners and other Diplomats quickly target any injustice or unfairness in
business and may form strong alliances around such matters. Positive change
inspires these types, and they understand each other when such problems arise.
Campaigners and other Diplomats agree that a cold, calculating business willing to
sacrifice or mistreat people to meet its goals needs to be fixed, and are fast partners
in such efforts.
This can not only help these types create a better workplace for themselves and
others, but it can also drive progress for the entire company if they make their ideas
heard together. When Campaigners and other Diplomats feel compelled to push for
change within the workplace, they can not only reinforce each other, but also offer
their unique views to help balance each other’s personal motivations. Passion and
objectivity rarely align, so coworkers with similar spirit and values can become
valuable checks and balances.
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Unbalanced Campaigner–Diplomat Cooperation
Echo Chamber Aspirations
Campaigners and other Diplomats have no trouble understanding each other.
However, without the benefit of insight from those who think differently, they may
become too immersed in their style of thinking, habits, and shared perspectives. Two
such idealistic, creative types may counterproductively focus on grand ideas instead
of practical action. Frankly, these two types may never bring each other down to
earth even in crucial moments. To prevent this in business and life, it’s vital to have
diverse people around to provide different viewpoints and skill sets.
Too many Diplomats brainstorming in one room may produce too many guiding
principles and too little tactical planning. All this idealistic discussion can lead to
gridlock, especially as Campaigners and other Diplomats struggle to make hard,
practical decisions. Even when every rational argument justifies something
unpleasant, Diplomats may sidestep rationality to reach a potentially ineffective plan
with which they’re more comfortable. This also complicates matters when these
idealistic types disagree – they can find it very hard to reach pragmatic compromises.
Getting Off Track
Campaigners working alongside other Diplomats may let distraction set in when the
job calls for focused action. Endless inspired discussions can do as much harm as
good, and both personality types can struggle to stay in the reality of the situation,
especially when work becomes repetitious or routine. They see each other’s
company as a refuge of imagination, and this can take their attention away from tasks
and responsibilities that don’t offer as much enjoyment.
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Even if Campaigners and fellow Diplomats don’t lose sight of their work objectives,
they can lead each other off course, as they’re both more eager to infuse
responsibilities and duties with meaning and joy than simply complete them. In their
desire to breathe inspiration into everything they do, these types may raise the
eyebrows of management, especially if their innovations are spontaneous rather
than requested. It can be hard enough for Campaigners to buckle down efficiently
when called for, but with other bright, imaginative Diplomats nearby, it can become
almost impossible.
Rebalancing Campaigner–Diplomat Cooperation
Grounding Together
Campaigners working with other Diplomats can diversify and ground their thinking
by tapping into other people’s fresh perspectives and creativity. Sharing ideas back
and forth inspires all parties, and these Intuitive types can then take time together to
mull over what they’ve learned from other sources. Campaigners and other
Diplomats can both benefit from some considered reflection to balance out their
fevered speculation, especially when they’re searching for a realistic perspective or
method.
Campaigners and other Diplomat types can also take care to maintain hands-on
efforts when working together toward any goal, and remind each other to set and
meet achievable steps along the way. Instead of mentally leaping forward to an
assumed outcome, they can talk and walk these steps together, taking the time to
complete each stage and contribute thoughtful review.
The following steps can help ground Campaigners and other Diplomats as they work
together:
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•
When devising a goal or method, include outside sources of input (colleagues,
Internet research).
•
Take time to consider contrasting input together, and stay open-minded.
•
Compare plans to existing policies to ensure compliance.
•
Break plans down into individual steps that are achievable within realistic
timeframes.
•
Put the plan into action together.
•
Complete each step fully.
•
Review and adjust future steps based on what’s learned.
•
Congratulate each other for every accomplished phase.
•
Keep each other on track until it’s done.
The key for these types is to set goals they can achieve by incorporating the realistic
views of others, and then prove their capability by finishing them. As they master this
process together, their shared goals can grow larger and more imaginative.
Supporting Each Other’s Focus
Being supportive is deeply important to Campaigners, and other Diplomats know this
perhaps better than anybody. With their fine-tuned emotional awareness, Diplomats
can be fonts of morale for each other in the workplace, giving each other the energy
to tackle the most challenging projects. However, sometimes the best form of
support is to allow each other to focus on a task without interruption, as social
interaction can easily distract either type.
Campaigners and other Diplomats can actively focus each other on their obligations.
In realistic terms, this means recognizing when their attention has wandered, and
gently reminding each other of the intended effort in the moment. Resisting the urge
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to jump into different subjects in the middle of a task is a great start, as either of
these types can avoid being the seed of distraction for their coworkers. Support at
work means enabling work to get done – they can leave anything else for personal
time.
Here are some tips Campaigners and other Diplomats can use to help avoid
distracting each other:
•
If the impulse to interact surfaces, consider these questions before taking
coworkers’ attention away from their current tasks:
o Are they busy?
o Will the interruption distract them?
o Is the interruption necessary?
o Is the interruption even work-related?
•
Instead of interrupting, consider:
o Sending an e-mail with any work-related requests.
o Waiting until they’re obviously between tasks.
o Holding thoughts and ideas until appropriate break times.
o Making plans after work to discuss personal matters.
•
When coworkers show (or bring) distraction, indulge them for a friendly
moment, and then:
o Subtly ask if they’re done with their tasks: “Weren’t you working on ___?”
o Hint at the importance of completing them: “Cool! I know that’s
important to get ___ done.”
It’s good to maintain cheerful interaction on the job, but for easily distracted types
like Campaigners, it’s important to self-impose some reasonable limits, especially
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when it comes to respecting Diplomat coworkers’ focus. Once they meet the
deadline, there’s plenty of time to celebrate ideas and accomplishments.
Campaigner–Sentinel Cooperation
Both Campaigners and Sentinels like to see ideal outcomes, and have much to talk
about when it comes to the usefulness of the human element in the workplace. While
Campaigners focus more on ideological matters involving compassion, Sentinels’
interests lie in sensible efficiency and taking care of others on a practical level. Both
these personality types find satisfaction and self-respect in creating smooth social
environments, so there’s common ground for them to bond – and get things done.
Balanced Campaigner–Sentinel Cooperation
Adding Different Essentials
When these two personality types communicate and cooperate fully, they
complement each other’s skills nicely. Campaigners’ empathetic understanding of
people helps Sentinels negotiate the human maze of the workplace, minimizing
conflict and rallying coworkers around a common cause or goal to create social
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organization. In turn, Sentinels help Campaigners stay on target when it comes to
work precision, productivity, and tough but necessary decisions. Sentinels are great
examples when practical focus is needed, helping Campaigners keep their feet on
the ground and striding in the right direction.
In addition to helping each other, Campaigners and Sentinels provide different kinds
of support for an organization. For Campaigners, it’s the larger picture and the big
ideas that are important because they look to the future. Anything that comes across
as “picky” or “strict” may feel unimportant to them, so they sometimes miss small but
essential details. Sentinels rarely do, and their diligence supports Campaigners’
creativity to ensure that work goes smoothly, and the organization prospers.
Planning with Energy
Counterbalance can also become harmony when these types team up and put their
best qualities at each other’s disposal. When they cooperate, Campaigners provide
endless energy and vision to accomplish a task, while Sentinels back that energy up
with practical tactics. Sentinels may have significant goals of their own, and
Campaigners infuse those objectives with an adaptable, can-do spirit that rapidly
moves projects and ideas forward.
In turn, Campaigners may have goals and ideas that could use a little focus, and they
can rely on Sentinels to be such considered voices, helping craft the wildest of their
ideas into workable plans. Campaigners can also find a staunch core of support in
Sentinels, who tend to be attentive to duty and responsibility. When Campaigners
get them on their side, they have reliable backup they can count on for their creative
energy.
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Unbalanced Campaigner–Sentinel Cooperation
Unworkable Rules
Campaigners can feel disconnected from Sentinel coworkers who place procedure
and professional responsibility above warmth, idealistic human values, and broader
vision and inspiration. They just don’t want the same things out of the workday.
These types can also easily be at odds over workplace issues such as tardiness,
productivity, policy adherence, and follow-through. Campaigners can place creativity
above rules, while Sentinels firmly emphasize an orderly system.
Campaigners can always imagine something better, while Sentinels want to protect
efficiency and order by using proven standards and methods. Their desire to
experiment can exasperate Sentinels, who tend to be reluctant to fix things that
aren’t broken – especially when the bottom line is already being adequately served.
Campaigners can focus more on ideas than productivity, and the issue between
these types is often what they each consider to be obvious, unspoken priorities.
Without a fair discussion of the value of both approaches, these two types can grow
to resent each other.
Different Human Resources
These types differ in social workplace approaches as well. Campaigners connect with
other employees on a personal level by using their emotional instincts, while
Sentinels prefer a practical evaluation, focusing on how someone does their job.
While these two styles may not necessarily conflict, Sentinels may think Campaigners
have their heads in the clouds, and Campaigners may feel that Sentinels care less
about people than tasks.
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What one person appreciates about a coworker may grate on another – and they
may not fully understand each other’s perspectives. Sentinels can revel in a firm
social order and structured hierarchy that makes Campaigners chafe, and a climate
of egalitarian friendliness that thrills Campaigners can feel like chaos to Sentinels.
Each may find the other’s preference detracting from their own, especially when it
comes to social structures at work, where the “butterfly” and “worker bee” may
collide.
Rebalancing Campaigner–Sentinel Cooperation
Open to Mentorship
Campaigners can recognize that it’s wise for someone to keep an eye on the bottom
line and that, in many cases, details matter immensely. Instead of resenting Sentinels
for being procedure-oriented, they can appreciate having help with things that aren’t
necessarily their strongest qualities. Sentinels are ready allies to anyone willing to
pitch in and get the work done, and Campaigners can certainly contribute much
enthusiasm, insight, and tireless vigor, if not always precise focus.
Campaigners can also appreciate the ways that Sentinels safeguard institutions for
the benefit of people – after all, a failing business leads to layoffs. While some of
Sentinels’ behavior might seem closed-minded, Campaigners can keep in mind that
they’re trying to protect everyone’s future by keeping the structure strong.
Ever adaptive and experimental, Campaigners can appreciate how rules and
structure may be useful by mirroring Sentinels’ skills. Here are some tips that can
help them:
•
Ask to work alongside an effective Sentinel when duties allow.
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•
Explore their approach to tasks with cheerful questions.
•
Consider how any of their skills could be personally useful.
•
Practice their methods directly, and ask for their help.
Campaigners have a lot to teach Sentinels as well, but it’s unlikely they’ll need
instructions as to how – they naturally share their unique energy. However, shaping
that energy through the procedures that make Sentinels so effective on the job is a
practice with a worthy payoff.
Making Brighter Days
Stability and precision are important, but Campaigners’ social energy also
strengthens the most important assets of any organization: its people.
Demonstrations of useful cooperative action impress Sentinels more than
discussions about feelings, as they serve both cohesion and productivity.
Good relationships with Sentinels can help Campaigners appreciate structure, and
Sentinels can gladly help them find a path to express their energy on the job
appropriately. Likewise, Sentinels can discover Campaigners’ kind support gives
them needed stability to be their best. Campaigners can show Sentinels the
usefulness of human connection in the workplace by offering it to them directly in
the following ways:
•
Keep an eye on their attitude.
•
Ask if they’re doing OK.
•
Ask what the problem is.
o Offer help.
o Conform to their style when helping.
•
If they seem upset:
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o Ask if they’re feeling all right.
o Ask if they’d like to talk.
o Ask if there’s anything you can do to help.
o Give emotional support and reassurance.
o Make an offer of ongoing support: “If you ever want to talk…”
Simply being kind and helpful goes a long way toward appreciating each other’s
presence in the workday, even if one of these types is more focused on crafting
relationships than the other.
Campaigner–Explorer Cooperation
The common ground between Campaigners and Explorers is one where fascination
with newness and discovery drives personal achievement. They both enjoy a sense
of moving forward in life and finding ways to improve what matters to them. These
types also possess ready adaptability and an openness to change that allows them
to engage experiences boldly and creatively, on the job and in life.
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Balanced Campaigner–Explorer Cooperation
Supple Savvy
Campaigners often connect with challenges in abstract ways, and Explorers easily
find solutions to practical problems. Both enjoy learning and accomplishing new
things, and when it comes to the workplace, these types approach from different but
highly complementary angles. Explorers look at a tangled mess and see how to fix it
and keep it working, often in unique and exciting ways. Campaigners can see a whole
new perspective on the problem itself that enables solutions, as well as immediate
ideas for improvement.
Despite their differences, both types respect flexibility and active engagement. Rules
don’t bind them tightly, and they freely share innovative ideas together. While
Explorers are much more hands-on and utilitarian compared to Campaigners’
idealistic pursuit of values, their common comfort with change helps them
cooperate. Creative vision is realized through down-to-earth proficiency when
Campaigners and Explorers communicate and work together.
A Relaxed Approach
The ways these coworkers might inspire each other are uncountable, but one
certainty is that they aren’t likely to stress each other out. Neither appreciates
pressure or external constraints, and while they may freely offer each other their
views and ideas, they’re unlikely to be controlling or try to push each other to do
things in a certain way. Their shared permissive tendencies come from different
motivations, but are equally appreciated by both. Campaigners may even develop a
sense of respect and wonderment for the almost carefree yet effective way that
Explorers get their work done.
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Campaigners can learn a lot from the way Explorers exercise their potential. It’s not
the planned practicality of Sentinels, but is equally attuned to realism in the present,
resulting in efficiency without hyperbole or stress about unlikely possibilities.
Experienced Explorers can be fantastic examples for Campaigners to follow, their
loose style comfortably compatible, yet their grasp of the feasible artfully adept.
Unbalanced Campaigner–Explorer Cooperation
Disinterest
Campaigners may focus too much on conceiving “big picture” ideas, while Explorers
tend to focus on immediate tasks, thinking on their feet and improvising solutions
from day to day without much thought for the future. These two approaches, with
their differences of scope and timeline, can create issues on the job. Discussions
about future possibilities drive Campaigners, while Explorers want to dive into what’s
in front of them. These types can easily butt heads over which is the more
appropriate focus if they can’t learn to appreciate that both are useful, and can be
quite complementary.
Unfortunately, Campaigners may find that Explorers are unimpressed with even their
most beautiful ideas if talk doesn’t quickly lead to action, and they can be bluntly
impatient about it. Campaigners struggle with follow-through and actualization of
their thoughts, and while Explorers are no strangers to wandering or variable focus,
they have little respect for pure theory. Their preference for practice over
conceptualization can create friction when Campaigners are trying to turn things
over in their minds.
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Moral Questions
While established standards don’t bind either type, Campaigners connect deeply to
their idealism and compassion. Explorers aren’t amoral, but idealism is rarely as
prominent as practicality and expediency in the way they handle business. In
discussing workplace plans and practices, it may concern Campaigners if Explorers
place goal achievement over human costs. If Campaigners don’t resolve their
negative judgments, they may build resentment toward Explorer coworkers.
In extremes, Campaigners may see Explorers as shallow for their focus on the
moment, while Explorers strongly resent even implied moral accusations, especially
from a type that may themselves practice radical individualism. If either type settles
on judgment instead of communication, they may treat each other with disapproval,
and assume that there’s little point in engaging.
Rebalancing Campaigner–Explorer Cooperation
Working Together
A great way to rebalance differences is to express appreciation for what other types
bring to the table, rather than perceptions of what they lack. Campaigners can
recognize and appreciate how Explorers deliver practical solutions to the workplace,
and Explorers can learn to value how Campaigners’ grand ideas are inspiring and
energetic starting points for accomplishment together.
When talking with Explorers, Campaigners can avoid wandering too far into lofty
discussions made up mainly of theoretical ideas. While Explorers probably
understand the concepts, they most likely prefer to focus on how to implement them
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on a practical level. Vigorously stepping into action together can unify these two types
into a creative force to be reckoned with.
Campaigners can use these tips to help them successfully join forces with Explorer
coworkers:
•
Share ideas in a framework of how a task might be done.
•
Invite participation with excitement.
•
Ask for advice on how to act on an idea.
•
Plan together, staying focused on the steps, not the outcome.
•
When working together, share feedback about how things are going.
•
Discuss ways to adapt and improve along the way.
•
Agree to complete the task, and do so together.
The key to keeping Explorers interested in lofty, esoteric goals is to get them involved
in the “how-to” activities that lead to those goals. This leads to enthusiastic
cooperation that feeds the passions and intellect of both types, as well as generates
useful progress in the workplace.
Respecting the Positive
If Campaigners find themselves in judgement of Explorer coworkers, they may need
to separate their own opinions from the goals of the workplace. They can recognize
that Explorers aren’t necessarily their responsibility, nor is it their right to try to
change them, especially when they’re going about sanctioned work tasks. If
something genuinely wrong is afoot with coworkers of any type, Campaigners can
step in or get management involved, but otherwise, tolerance is a must.
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It’s not necessary for coworkers to always see eye to eye or work in heartfelt
harmony, but being respectful, cooperative, and open-minded always leads to better
working relationships. Campaigners know better than anyone the effectiveness of
positive thinking, and if they cannot fully support everything about Explorers, they
can certainly find something positive and magnify it. People are multi-faceted, and
accepting some flaws is a wise way to quickly move past judgement and find the core
of what makes any coworker truly unique and valuable.
To rebalance any discontent with Explorers, Campaigners can take the following
steps:
•
Observe Explorer coworkers throughout their day.
•
Note any positive actions, like job performance, contributions, or friendly
behavior.
•
Engage these coworkers and mirror their positive or constructive attitudes.
•
Seek opportunities to connect with them around anything positive.
It’s tough to get past what may feel like upsetting intrinsic differences, but when
Campaigners go out of their way to recognize and focus on the positive things
Explorers bring to the workplace, hope can replace judgement. Encouraging positive
behavior with warm approval also makes it more likely to become the norm.
Conclusion
Creating the Future
Campaigners bring creativity, energy, and forward-thinking openness to their
position, qualities that can easily serve any organization’s goals. These types are likely
to be on the cutting edge of experimentation and imagining ways to make the world,
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and the workplace, a better environment for all. The key for Campaigners is to
mature into job roles with dedication, and prove that they’re as capable of crafting
their visions into reality as they are of conceiving them in the first place.
Fortunately, Campaigners possess attractive enthusiasm that energizes everyone
around them toward accomplishment, creating excellent team dynamics, social
bonds, and mutual prosperity. They create success for themselves mainly through
the relationships they establish, making friends out of coworkers and allies out of
superiors and subordinates alike. Their social strength allows them to draw on
elements from others that balance out their tendencies and prejudices – if they’re
wise enough to accept those differing perspectives.
Most of all, Campaigners succeed by refusing to let go of their vision for their lives,
seeking opportunities to pursue work that inspires and inflames their creative
passion. With charismatic charm, hard work, and respectful insistence, they can find
a fertile place to seed their professional dreams, and the opportunity and support to
make them grow. These types’ biggest challenge may only be editing down all those
wonderful ideas and focusing realistically on building the framework for their future.
Campaigners have all the tools they need for success.
“The Campaigner” (ENFP, -A/-T)
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Final Words
Final Words
Freely Building Bonds
In the Campaigners’ world, living life to the fullest means building strong bonds with
others as conduits for creating better lives. It’s a place where energy comes from
other people, and dreams involve human potential. While Campaigners aren’t always
organized or predictable individuals, their openness and enthusiasm help them
connect with others in significant ways. Their caring spontaneity is a warm gift to a
society that’s too frequently frozen in cold convention.
This doesn’t mean Campaigners don’t have challenges to meet. On the contrary,
growth often comes from overcoming difficulties and blind spots. But these types
have the privilege of enough imagination and vision to help them see the routes
through such challenges. Where they experience weakness, they’re likely to know
someone who can help them: their social network is likely to be large and filled with
talented people who can lend a hand.
“The Campaigner” (ENFP, -A/-T)
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Final Words
The Road Ahead
We’ve covered many different topics in this profile, and we hope that the chapters
have offered insight and answered questions about the Campaigner personality
type. We hope that readers will now find it easier to understand other people and
their perspectives. This profile isn’t meant to be read just once. When trying to
understand another person better, or struggling to understand oneself, another
read-through can offer fresh insight.
Furthermore, spend some time on our website – for example, in our articles section,
research zone, or the Academy. There is a wealth of inspiring advice and information
on the website, and we strongly recommend that you take a look. If you have some
spare time, consider lending us a helping hand by contributing to the translation
project, taking additional surveys, or simply sending us a message and sharing your
thoughts about this profile or the website in general. We would love to hear from
you.
We wish the best of luck to all Campaigners. What matters most in Campaigners’ lives
is that their paths through life reflect who they are, deep within. Reflecting on values,
dreams, and ideals often reveals the right path through life by clearing out superficial
distractions. Our lives are often too full of troubles, conflicts, and worries. By working
to better understand each other, we can make our relationships, communities, and
world more aware, more genuine, and more peaceful.
Until next time.
“The Campaigner” (ENFP, -A/-T)
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Final Words
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