Personality Analysis: Identifying and Managing the Sanguine Temperament

Take a minute to check out some of your coworkers' offices/cubicles. What do you see? Do you notice how some desks contain a haphazard assortment of papers and personal momentos while others appear pristine and organized? If so, then this discrepancy probably isn't the result of a mysterious maid cleaning up after the second group. No, this is simply a matter of different personalities.

According to Florence Littauer, author of Personality Plus, people generally fall into one of four temperaments: sanguine, choleric, phlegmatic or melancholy. Although many individuals fit into more than one category, the following four dispositions encompass the major personality types.

The Four Temperaments

Sometimes, it seems like everyone at work is speaking a different language; and, in essence, they are. Below are the personal mantras and distinguishable traits of each temperament:

Sanguine - "Let's do it the fun way": The easiest way to spot a sanguine is to walk into the break room. Notice how certain employees are always entertaining their coworkers with their outlandish stories and booming voices? Most likely, these professionals - who certainly possess a flair for the dramatic - fall into the sanguine category.

Choleric - "Let's do it my way": With their "go-getter" attitudes and abilities to accomplish more than their colleagues in less time, cholerics often serve in leadership roles. Although some might consider them bossy, cholerics are marked by their fast-moving approach and unbreakable self-confidence.

Phlegmatic - "Let's do it the easy way": These lackadaisical, "go-with-the-flow" individuals tend to be popular with both their coworkers and bosses. Not ones to make waves, phelgmatics prefer a work environment that is both low stress and conflict-free. In the office, phlegmatics are valuable for their skill at mediating between contentious coworkers and objectively solving problems.

Melancholy - "Let's do it the right way": Call them anal-retentive; call them nitpicky. Either way, the melancholy gets the job done - and does it right. Characterized by their strong, sensitive natures and desires to attain perfection, melancholies are extremely organized and tend to set long-range goals.

The Spotlight-Loving Sanguine

Ever the entertainers, sanguines typically charm all who encounter them, including their bosses and subordinates. In the workplace, sanguines are extremely valuable for their ability to come up with novel ideas and exude enthusiasm. But, even though they enjoy the conceptual phase of a project, sanguines tend to be poor at follow-through. After all, for a fun-loving sanguine, thinking up an idea is much more fun than actually implementing it.

Furthermore, Sanguines particularly excel in offices that encourage creativity and innovation. Therefore, appointing sanguines to a brainstorming committee would be much more beneficial than placing them in one related to budgetary analysis. Also, since sanguines add colorful optimism to the workplace, they make excellent mentors for new employees.

Managing the Sanguine

When managing a sanguine, it's important to recognize that this temperament is extremely sensitive to criticism. When critiquing a sanguine, make sure to phrase it in a way that can't be misconstrued as a personal attack. Also, compliment them on all successes - minor or major. If sanguines feel underappreciated, they will stop performing to the best of their abilities and lose confidence.

In addition, bear in mind that sanguines tend to be forgetful and may need friendly reminders about approaching deadlines and meetings. According to Littauer, "Sanguines often tend to underestimate the amount of time it will take them to complete a project. They are often scurrying to finish their projects at the last minute and cutting corners to get it done in time."

Lastly, remember: Nothing about a sanguine is understated. The most attention-seeking of the temperaments, sanguines thrive on praise and approval. The quickest way to gain a subordinate sanguine's approval? Give them exactly what they want: compliments on a job well done and a listening, sympathetic ear.

Stay tuned for the next three installments in this series, in which we will delve into the choleric, phlegmatic and melancholy temperaments and explore ways to identify and manage them.