{"id":2050,"date":"2011-06-30T10:50:54","date_gmt":"2011-06-30T09:50:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/integrationtraining.co.uk\/blog\/?p=2050"},"modified":"2011-06-30T10:50:54","modified_gmt":"2011-06-30T09:50:54","slug":"types","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.integrationtraining.co.uk\/blog\/2011\/06\/types\/","title":{"rendered":"Types"},"content":{"rendered":"
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4 elements<\/p><\/div>\n

The latest extract from my upcoming book The Body and Leadership<\/a>, what type are you?<\/p>\n

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Types are convenient maps for understanding the infinite variety and richness that exists between people. Types enable us to\u00a0make sense of our own complexity to\u00a0build our-self-knowledge and therefore our leadership, also to quickly see how others tend to operate so we can be in relationshi1p to them more effectively. I use types as templates for understanding not heavy-handed reductionist clubs – go easy with others and yourselves before slapping on the labels! Types are about understanding and appreciating differences not putting people in boxes. I often receive resistance from people to typing themselves as they somehow see it as limiting – often there is also a certain amount of ego in thinking one is special, above \u201cdissection with such crude tools\u201d (to quote Hannibal Lector) and people use this to avoid looking at their tendencies. Tendencies of course do not apply to all situations at all times however the reason we have a concept of personality at all is that we are somewhat consistent across situations! In real life people ar<\/p>\n

e always somewhere along a continuum with any type – the majority of modern personality psychologists would say that pure types of people do not exist in fact – and they are still very useful day-to-day.<\/p>\n

Men and women is one example of an obviously embodied typology! It\u2019s relatively easy to spot the difference from even small embodied cues between the two as transvestite and transgendered friends tell me. It takes huge skill and practice to make this shift convincingly – we constantly give ourselves away with our posture and movement. Gender as an example may seem obvious but think about it, it needn\u2019t be – we could all be the same. There are many ways to gain insight into people\u2019s subtler types using the body as any personality type will always come with a matching physical form – we can\u2019t help but be embodied. There are several advantages to looking at embodied types over traditional psychometrics – the pen and paper tests that psychologists usually use for things like IQ. Embodied typing is quick, cheap and readily accessible – a potential business client, date or mugger is unlikely to want to fill out a form for example. We are all doing these \u201csomatic assessments<\/a>\u201d unconsciously whenever we meet someone anyway so we may as well become more accurate at it. The best way to do this is to have some good models, understand your own typology as this is at the heart of your leadership style and the lens you will see others\u2019 types through, and then practice guessing others\u2019 types preferably in conversation with them. Respectful \u201cwork in progress\u201d guessing is the way I\u2019d recommend looking at this and I\u2019ll talk more about this in the full somatic assessments section in chapter seven.<\/p>\n

Varieties of Typology<\/strong><\/p>\n

There is an endless number of ways to categorise the colourful complicated patchwork of humanity. Any set of distinctions is to some extent both artificial and practical, and all \u201cflavours of human\u201d are of course embodied. Having an intimate understanding of two to three typologies – both theoretically and experientially in the body – is very useful for making sense of your own and others behaviour. All typologies almost certainly have both a \u201cnature\u201d and \u201cnurture\u201d component and I\u2019m more interested in how they affect leadership now than this argument about where they come from. Types are however assumed to be long-term and relatively stable, which differentiates them from states, and non-hierarchial (e.g. extroverts are not better or worse than introverts though they may be better suited to some things) which differs from levels. In some ways it doesn\u2019t really matter which typology you make use of as long as it has enough room to make sense of variation, but not so much that you cannot see distinctions easily and use them in an agile fashion. Here are some classic models, some of which draw on distinctions we\u2019ve already established.<\/p>\n

Yin and Yang<\/strong><\/p>\n

The simplest typology is to ask is someone more yin or yang? Almost everyone has preference and has gotten good at this way of being over time through practice. See chapter three for more on this as well as Dylan Newcombe\u2019s Uzazu and David Deida\u2019s work on them in regard to attraction and sexuality.<\/p>\n

I (self ) We (relationships) and It (task) Orientated Bodyminds<\/strong><\/p>\n

Similarly the embodied preference we have in taking the perspectives of \u201cI\u201d, \u201cwe\u201d and \u201cit\u201d are all embodied. Along with yin and yang, a person\u2019s orientation to task, people or their own internal world is one of the first things which usually jumps out at me when I meet someone new and is a simple typology that is useful in helping me get on better with them. Integral Coaching Canada use these plus \u201cits\u201d as a typology for people who are more systems and structures orientated (remember Wilber\u2019s quadrants?), though I have found this last type somewhat rarer than the others.<\/p>\n

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Ecto\/ Endo and Mesomorphic<\/strong><\/p>\n

American psychologist William Sheldon came up with one of the first embodied typologies in the 40\u2018s which he called \u201cconstitutional types\u201d or \u201csomatotypes\u201d. Now somewhat dated it is still an interesting starting point for more sophisticated and reliable modern embodied typologies.<\/p>\n

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Source: http:\/\/wilderdom.com<\/a><\/p>\n

I would advise using this typology with care. Criticism of Sheldon includes lifestyle factors such as diet and exercise can affect the shape of people (though personality can dictate the lifestyle factors) and how a society\u2019s preconceptions like \u201cthe jovial fat man for example, encourage people of a body shape to behave in a particular way. It has however been my experience that there is some basis to Sheldon\u2019s work and I believe that it has been dismissed from academic psychological research prematurely.<\/p>\n

There are strong correlation between Sheldon\u2019s types and the ancient Indian Ayurvedic medical system of \u201cdoshas\u201d called vata (ectomorpth), kapha (endomorph) and pita (mesomorph). Ayurvedic medicine connects these body forms to such things as diet, sleep patterns and propensity to different kinds of illness. Western medicine has tended to ignore type and is just starting to see how we are not all the same and may need different things to be healthy.<\/p>\n

Embodied Myers Briggs \/ Enneagram<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Myers Briggs Type Innovatory (Myer Briggs or MBTI) is a popular typology dating back to Carl Jung (one of Freud\u2019s main students) and is now used widely in business. My company Integration Training became the first to study it in an embodied way and an early take on this we have since developed is available online<\/a>. There is too much overlap with the other systems mentioned (especially OCEAN) to include here.<\/p>\n

Myers Briggs also has some correlation with the ancient Greek system of the four humours and while few serious researchers today would admit, Jung drew inspiration from my least favourite and perhaps the most abused typology – astrology. I have seen no evidence personal or scientific that this typology is reliable or valid so it will not be included here.<\/p>\n

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4 Elements<\/strong><\/p>\n

The typology I have decided to use in more detail here is one using the four elements -earth, air, water an fire as labels. \"\"<\/a>It employs elements of yin and yang, the five pillars, anddirections and emotions related to the six questions. I use the elements as convenientcommonsensical labels and am not suggesting they exist as literal physical elements aspeople in times gone by once did! Four types with intuitive labels is a small enoughnumber for most people to get to grips with and they can then be combined – e.g. \u201che\u2019s aearth and fire\u201d for more complexity if needed.The table below shows some of the key features of the four elements types.<\/p>\n

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Famous Examples of Leadership Types<\/strong><\/p>\n

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It is possible to be an exemplary leader with any type, but the manner of the leadership will be very different in each case. Some example of famous leaders will serve to illustrate. As with any type situational factors apply and any effective leader will have at least some range (Margaret Thatcher for example had air, earth and fire qualities for example) so these are simplifications. While we may like or dislike some of the leaders mentioned, remember that not type is good or bad so think of your own examples if you can not relate to any of those mentioned.<\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.boastl.com\/downloads\/boas%20Elemental%20Leadership%20article.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n

Fire Leaders<\/strong><\/p>\n

E.g. Alan Sugar (businessman), John Lennon (musician), Bill Hix (comedian), Adolf Hitler (failed artist), Mike Tyson<\/em><\/p>\n

Fire leaders are driven, passionate and fierce. They get things done, achieve results and at their worst leave a trail of dead bodies or at least broken relationships in their wake.<\/p>\n

Earth Leaders<\/strong><\/p>\n

E.g. Winston Churchill (UK PM and wanna-be artist), Angela Murkel (German chancellor),The Queen, Alan Shearer\/ Puyol (footballers)<\/em><\/p>\n

Earth leaders are stable, reliable grounded types. They can be trusted as a safe pair of hand who will dot the i\u2019s and cross the t\u2019s. The may not be flash or \u201crock and roll\u201d but they get the job done. At their worse they are stubborn, inflexible and old-fashioned.<\/p>\n

Water<\/strong> Leaders<\/strong><\/p>\n

E.g. Richard Branson (Virgin), The Dali Lama (political\/spiritual leader), <\/em>Aung San Suu Kyi (Burmese opposition leader), John Lassater (Disney\/Pixar exec) <\/em><\/p>\n

Water leaders are responsive \u201cservant leaders\u201d who are followed rather than lead from the front in the more \u201cheroic\u201d style, so they are not as obvious as some other types. At their best they listen and respond, at their worst they are pushovers.<\/p>\n

Air Leaders<\/strong><\/p>\n

E.g. Ghandi (political\/spiritual leader),<\/em> Steve Jobs (Apple), Marie Curie (scientist), Albert Einstein (scientist), JFK (US President)<\/em><\/p>\n

Air leaders bring the benefits and pitfalls of thinking, vision and creativity. They may be highly principled, \u201cegg-heads\u201d or great dreamers. On a bad day they can get lost in their high ideals or abstract thinking.<\/p>\n

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Developing Elemental Sides of Yourself<\/strong><\/p>\n

We have our favourite type or combination there-of and it is worth developing this so it becomes an exceptional leadership strength. It isalso worth developing other sides of ourselves that come less naturally so they do not sabotage us. As well as seeing fire, earth, waterand air as discreet types, they can also be seen as capacities of which we have different degrees of.Any of the following strategies can be used to develop an element within you and improve your leadership. We shall look into establishingpractices in future chapters, enough for now to say that one or a selection of these areas may be suitable and trying to do all of them willprobably be overwhelming! Some are things you can incorporate in daily life (e.g. how you sit), some involve putting aside a little time(e.g. standing in a posture five minutes a day) other larger commitments (e.g. taking up karate). Practice makes permanent. Find what works with you.<\/p>\n

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\"\"<\/a>Music and Mantras<\/strong><\/p>\n

Two other areas that are powerful for working with types are music and \u201cmantras\u201d. Music is a way of taking someone\u2019s embodied emotional state, packaging it and transferring it via the ears to another\u2019s body. It should be thought of as a powerful but relatively safe short-medium term dispositional drug.<\/p>\n

Further Four Element Practices<\/strong><\/p>\n

I have given a number of areas here where elements how up to get you thinking about how different types live and work, what can be done to build your strengths with each types and how to interact with each type. This list is however not exhaustive, and I encourage you to think and be creative. How might a water types desk look? What language might your learn to build your earth capacity? What kind of art would a fire type make? All four of Wilber\u2019s quadrants are important and while we are focusing on body, psychology, culture and environment are also important so I have mentioned these. It\u2019s where you get the leverage that counts with interventions, be creative, have fun.<\/p>\n

Further Investigation<\/strong><\/p>\n

Four elements theories can be found in many traditions East, West and aboriginal and there is a wealth of literature on the subject if you\u2019re interested in exploring more. For a similar embodied perspective on the four elements I would recommend Stuart Heller\u2019s, Francis Briers and Ginny Whitelaw\u2019s work.<\/p>\n

OCEAN<\/strong><\/p>\n

The most common personality model used by academic psychologists today is OCEAN which measures a person on \u201cthe big five\u201d. Statistical analysis shows that most personality differences can be reduced to these factors.<\/p>\n