Personality Analysis: Identifying and Managing the Choleric Temperament

She strolls into the office like she owns it. With each bold, self-assured step, she attracts the glances of her admiring colleagues. If I could only be as confident as her, they muse. Everything about her screams "future CEO," including her professional business suit, firm handshake and no-nonsense attitude.

If this scenario evokes memories of someone you know, then you likely have a choleric on your hands. According to Florence Littauer, author of Personality Plus: How to Understand Others by Understanding Yourself, people generally fall into one of four temperaments: sanguine, choleric, phlegmatic or melancholy. Although many individuals fit into more than one category, these dispositions encompass the major personality types. (For an in-depth look at the sanguine temperament, check out the first installment of this series.)

The Control-Driven Choleric

Whatever the task, the tenacious choleric is on the job. With the innate need to control everything around them, cholerics are marked by their dynamic, fast-moving approach and domineering attitudes. Like the famous Nike slogan, the choleric's life motto is "Just do it." Highly efficient, cholerics are also self-reliant, strong-willed and outspoken individuals.

Although their loved ones and coworkers may consider them bossy, cholerics are valuable because "they can accomplish more than anyone else in a shorter time, and their [decisions are] usually right," Littauer says. In a bind and need a fast, effective solution? Call a choleric. This resourceful individual will quickly determine a plan of action, make the necessary arrangements, and save the day. Just make sure that you recognize the choleric for his/her achievements - this temperament expects credit for a job well done.

Below are the key strengths and weakness ascribed to cholerics:

Managing the Choleric

Managing this temperament is a tricky endeavor. Inherently efficient, cholerics don't require constant supervision or direction - unlike their sanguine counterparts. Also, since this temperament is already so task-oriented, micromanaging is extremely futile. Instead, be sure to provide your choleric subordinates with opportunities to shine and lead their colleagues. One great way to accomplish this is to establish teams within the department and provide cholerics with leadership roles.

However, it's important to appoint other temperaments, such as sanguines and phlegmatics, to leadership positions as well, in order to minimize the number of interpersonal conflicts. According to Littauer, "[Cholerics'] self-discipline and ability to focus make them strong leaders. But, their drive and determination can cause them to become workaholics, make them opinionated and stubborn, and leave them insensitive to others' feelings." Because of this, cholerics should focus their attention on resolving concrete tasks, not on mediating between contentious team members.

Lastly, it's important for managers to recognize cholerics' key emotional needs: receiving appreciation for all achievements and having opportunities to lead. And, although cholerics may overwhelm coworkers with less dominant personalities, they're extremely skillful and valuable employees.

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