Understanding Your Personality and Mindset - Lesson 5

Dr. Chuck Coker
Understanding Your Personality and Mindset
pc312-05
Understanding High Compliance Individuals
Lesson Transcript

[00:00:00] Well, welcome back. We're in the final stage of our behaviors right now, and we're finishing up with that task oriented thinking introvert. We call them a high compliant because they're very cautious. They want to be correct. They are always concerned and conscientious about what's going on around them to ensure that they don't embarrass themselves. Now, here's the scary thing. There's only 14% of these people in the population. The other 86%, we're not as concerned about the rules and the regulations. Let me give you an example. It's midnight in the middle of the Mojave Desert. And there's a four way stop sign. The high D doesn't slow down. The high I looks both ways and slows down a little bit. The high S creeps through, but the high C comes to a complete stop even though there's no lights around, because they want to be correct. They are fact specialists. They think very deeply before they open their mouths and they even pause during their conversations to make sure that what they're saying is correct. They're much more comfortable with tasks than they are being around a lot of people. As a matter of fact, you may actually find them somewhat withdrawn. However, when you put something on their plate, they're going to be very direct with you about the way they think it needs to be done. And does it follow the policies and procedures of the church and does it meet with the mission, vision and values of your ministry? 

[00:02:21] Now, here's something I want you to understand. Under stress, this person can be critical and hurt your feelings. Now, I want you to know something. When I say that they have no intention of hurting your feelings unless you're very antagonistic. You see, they're much more critical of themselves than they are of you. Understand that what's going on inside of their brain is simply the fact that I want to help this person do things right so they don't get in trouble. I'm trying to save you stress and all of the stuff that's going on around. So when one of these people slices you and dices you, you can't take it personally unless there is intentionality and conflict going on at this point, you see. They're geared towards looking for procedures, information and anything that will keep them out of trouble or problems. Why? Because their emotion is caution. But you're going to think they're fearful. You're going to think they are worriers. You are going to think that they are nit pickers. They're just trying to reason through the situations and the circumstances to make sure that things run smoothly and with no problems. 

[00:04:19] Now let's go to the low C. They're fearless. They can even be reckless at times. So you have to understand that as you look at this person with a high or a low C, that you plug in the right mentality to go along with them. And just because they're analytical doesn't mean they're not fearless. So what is it that they actually value? They like to be objective thinkers. They don't want a lot of emotions being thrown around because the decision that ends up they're going to be labeled with. And they're very conscientious about that fact because their standards are very high. And that task orientation says, I need to make sure I ask the right questions. I'm going to try to be very diplomatic, but I'm also going to try to pay attention to even the smallest of the details that may have an impact on the results, because the results are extremely important. 

[00:05:45] Now, the next question I'm sure you probably have is how do I know one when I see one? Well, you're going to find they tend to walk in very straight lines. Now if they're sitting with their arms crossed, that's going to be what you see. And they tend to be a bit rigid in the way that they sit and stand and tend to be very, very focused. Their body language is very limited and very controlled. Those gestures with the crossed arms or the hand on the chin cause them to be a little bit hard to read because you probably don't have any idea what they're thinking. Now, I want to pause here for just a minute because. We know that introverts make up a larger portion of the population than extroverts. So the next time you turn on the TV during a political campaign, I want you to watch the politician. Most of them, and our current president is extremely well versed at this is going to use very controlled emotions and very serious and deliberate expressions. When you see that, that's rehearsed, because often times those people are dominant, people that have been well-schooled. But they're trying to get their message across to the majority of the population because you see a high dominant or influence person is not going to be moved one way or the other by the hand motions. What they will be moved is by the concepts that they're hearing from the person. So. It's a little trick. Just watch the next time you turn one on.

[00:08:06] Now back to that high C. How did they communicate? They're going to be very direct with you. Remember I said earlier that it may sound critical, but they're going to focus on concrete concepts, not concepts. They're going to use a slower pace, focused words, unless they have a meaningful relationship with you, then they'll relax a little bit. Otherwise, it's going to be by the line, by the outline, by the agenda, which is a great thing to have if you're going to be working with the high C. Write that agenda out and then stick with the agenda and they will think you're amazing.

[00:08:55] So you can recognize stress. When they get critical, like we discussed before, you must ask questions to them, especially if they're under stress. So could you help me understand that? I know that you have a lot of experience in that particular area. So would you tell me how you learned that or where I could learn and research a little bit more? Let me tell you something. They're experts. Just ask them. Lastly, they will push back by directly questioning you until they get the answer that they need. 

[00:09:50] So what do you need to do to work with them, especially in a ministry setting, is be organized. They find it very rewarding when people come in with agendas and answer to those things and especially prepared because here's why. They're going to ask questions based on the answers that they give them. So it's not just going to be are you going to be able to answer questions? Are you going to be able to answer the questions to the answers that you gave? So make sure that your details are right so that you don't have to do it a second time and you don't give them the impression that you don't know what you're talking about. Make sure you're ready to solve the problem. [00:10:49][58.6]

[00:10:49] Now, I want you to think about this high C's, very analytical. Fear or caution oriented. Don't touch them if you don't know them. Don't get your cooties on them. They don't want them. Don't get too personal, too quick. Allow them the time and space so that they understand the value that you are bringing to the table. You have to be very clear. You have to be very accurate with the details that you give them and you have to focus on what's going to happen. But stay calm, take a deep breath, don't get exasperated with them because they're going to slow things down until they get it at a pace where they have the time and space to think through what the right approach needs to be.

[00:11:56] Now, there's a question that you have to ask yourself. This person can tend to be critical. This person is definitely analytical and this person is going to be listening to every word and every detail that you say. So how in the world do you get what you want out of this situation? Well, first of all, you need to create a sense of urgency, but the only way you're going to be able to do that is with credible data. Let me give you an example. Our youth department. Is good, but we need to make it bigger. Well, if it's doing well, why do we want it bigger is going to be their answer. Well, Joe, I just read the latest Pew report that tells us since the pandemic, in the last two years, teen suicide has doubled. That's right. It's doubled. If we don't reach these kids now, how many do we have to lose before we make the changes necessary and bring these kids in to where they can hear the gospel? Give them examples of what other churches are doing, because leaders are going to struggle when they may not agree with us and they may not agree because they don't understand or they haven't been engaged actively in the challenge that we're facing.

[00:13:44] Don't misinterpret an expression as a level of engagement. You see, they get involved in the conversation but their mind is very active. They're continuing to analyze. So what you can't do is take that expression and identify that they are either unengaged or engaged. 

[00:14:10] So now pull out that profile. Let's look at your high C score, because if you're up at the top people are going to think that you're a worrier, that you are a very low risk taker and that you are meticulous and perfectionistic. But when you get down to that 70 range, people are going to say that you're exacting, systematic and accurate and that you're probably very prudent, cautious and orderly. But now we get to that midline area and it becomes situational again. Harder to predict. But also you have to understand what's important to them, because if it's important, they're going to drill down. If it's not so important, they're probably just going to relax. And you may see some determination, some firmness, some self-reliance, and maybe they even become a little bit bolder and more independent, possibly even unconventional. But when we get down to that 30 and 20 area, you're now going to see a resourceful, individualistic individual that is very free spirited and also resides in an area at times of recklessness. So we have to understand that these people can be fearless if we're down close to that zero area and we have to make sure that they don't get themselves into trouble. 

[00:16:12] So let's talk about this high C because they bring some good stuff to the table. And what is that stuff that they bring to the table? They have a passion for understanding God's ways and his word. They want to have a high spiritual and doctrinal standards taught from the pulpit. They'll go question the pastor if they think that the doctrine is out of out of whack. So I also understand that they are very thorough and critical thinkers so they can serve in roles like keeping count of attendance, helping with the books, doing things that keep order and structure in the way the service is run. But high C's, like everybody else, has liabilities, and those liabilities are that they can actually be indecisive and may actually hide their feelings. Now we noticed that before on the high I's didn't we. But they may be indecisive and hide their feelings because they don't want to make a mistake where the high I, on the other hand, doesn't want to be embarrassed by their friends.

[00:17:48] So what's another liability is that they are going to focus very strongly on tradition in their doctrinal thought. They're not going to want to change the way that they think and look at the Scripture even if something is a very good revelation. They may not even want or desire other people's help at times because other people can't do it as well as they can. Definitely a liability. You see, they want to serve in formal and analytical roles in a ministry. They want to focus on apologetics and accuracy of doctrine and they actually enjoy small groups or administration to where they can be seen as an authority. But like all of us, they have those spiritual needs, don't they? They need to remove the debilitating fears or concerns and just lighten up a little bit. You know, Christ died to forgive us for our sins because we learn better from our mistakes than doing things right the way. And nobody wants to make mistakes. Paul said it best. So should we sin more so that grace abounds? No, of course not. But you can't be so concerned about it that you lose your joy.

[00:19:41] So as we think about it a spiritual need that is important is that they need to see value and be very focused on their indecisiveness. Because that indecisiveness can cause them to miss opportunities, of witnessing, of sharing with the right person at the right time. And they need to focus on the whole concept of what's trying to be accomplished rather than some of the details of what's actually going on. 

[00:20:33] So let's think out loud about the key points we want to remember about the high C. They're very task oriented introverts, but they think in concrete terms, not concepts. Their body language is reserved and somewhat rigid. Their emotion is concern but most of us perceive it as fear and worrying. That's why we color them blue. And rewarding ministries allow them to organize, task and analyze facts and data. So what questions do you have? 

[00:21:19] In your charts at 50, you've used the words moderate and situational. Can you clarify exactly what that means when we use the term moderate or situational?

[00:21:32] We're talking about someone that has an ability and the mental acuity to do things from a high C perspective. But if it's not important, they're much more apt to say, Do I really need to spend the time? Do I really need to expend the energy on this that it's going to take to get to those answers when in fact, just about anything will work in this situation. 

[00:22:11] For a high C what are some practical ways that you can encourage them to have a perspective of faith as they go through the process of analyzing facts. 

[00:22:27] Boy, that is an excellent question, because I know a high C very well. And the question I have asked them on multiple occasions is, where is your faith? Because they tend to be warriors. But we also have to remember that those high C's are the people that will catch the details that aren't there. What I would say to a high C is this. Is God perfect? Is God, the creator of the universe that made all things good? What caused the things that were good to be ungood was sin. And one of the biggest sins that we commit as individuals is not trusting God and not trusting his promises and not fully focusing on the unseen that is eternal because we're focusing on what's seen and is temporary. I would encourage you to think about how important is a flat tire, eternally. Think about it from the perspective of if I do this, would God approve? And so much we know we mess up. But we also have to remember that there's no condemnation. And if you're so worried about the fact that you're going to make a mistake, you will never act. And if you do not act, you are not fulfilling your purpose in the body of Christ. 

[00:24:31] For people who are high I's and high D's as they interact with people who are high C's how do they honor the the work and the skills of finding facts and analyzing those things as they are planning their projects, as they're planning direction.

[00:24:57] So, folks, if you can get this part right as extroverts, you are going to make your ministry much more effective and much more efficient. The high D and the high I have a very strong propensity to be conceptual. So therefore they're going to paint a picture and they're going to talk about end results. But what they must do during the process is acknowledge the high C and let me give you an example of how to do that. Friends. We're going to start a new ministry here at our church. We're actually going to become involved with the foster parenting program of the city. And here's what I think we need to do. First of all, I'm going to ask our people that are high C's over here to do a little bit of research and identify how many foster children there are in this city. How many go unfostered or get shoved into a home with a bunch of other foster kids that really don't get the treatment that they need? And I'm going to give them about three or four weeks to to pull that information through various polls and information that the city and the state have to offer. I would like for any of you that have information to feed these high C's that information so that you can help expedite their job, because we depend on the information that they bring to us before we ever present this ministry to the church as a whole. So if you can help them in any way, if you can support them in any way and provide them with this kind of information as a staff, we would really appreciate it because they are going to keep us from digging a grave and getting us into something that might be a little bit more than we can handle.