I had a couple of conversations over the weekend with a best friend that got me curious about
this test. I took it once in college but wanted to try again. I have otter-lion tendencies. I also convinced Alan to take it--which he pretended to be annoyed by, but secretly enjoyed. He's a retriever/beaver. No surprises there. We are opposites in so many ways--but you can see how it works. If you're wondering why I'm comparing my husband and myself to weird animals, you should take the test. I've always been a sucker for these things. I'm briefly reminded of my high school years of buying
Seventeen just for the quizzes, so my friends and I could find out if we were good kissers and if our boyfriends were cheating on us.
Here's the deal with the animals. Of course, they are not absolute. A personality test about beavers and lions does not define you. For instance, I do think Alan is dependable, but I would never call him self-centered. But I think it's fun and self-reflective. I think the two you score highest in are your most dominant, but obviously you may have traits from each category.
Lion (Choleric/Dominance)
Strengths: Visionary, practical, productive, strong-willed, independent, decisive, leader.
Weaknesses: Cold, domineering, unemotional self-sufficient, unforgiving, sarcastic, cruel.
Lions: “Do it now!”, “What’s the point?” Their environment is filled with lots of projects, awards on the wall, large calendar, office furniture arranged in a formal way. They gain security by control. Their pace is fast and decisive. They need a climate that responds. They’re irritated by wasted time, unpreparedness, arguing, blocking results. For growth they need to appear less critical, respect people’s personal worth, develop tolerance for conflict, pace themselves. Avoid attacking his/her character, telling them what to do, presenting win-lose scenarios.
Otter (Sanguine/Influence)
Strengths: Outgoing, responsive, warm, friendly, talkative, enthusiastic, compassionate.
Weaknesses: Undisciplined, unproductive, exaggerates, egocentric, unstable.
Otters: “Trust me!”, “Lighten up!” Their environment is cluttered, awards and slogans on the wall, personal pictures, friendly. They gain security by flexibility. Their pace is fast and spontaneous. Their need a climate that collaborates. They’re irritated by too many facts, too much logic, boring tasks, same old approach, routine, being alone, ignoring their opinions. For growth they need to respect priorities, more logical approach, follow through, get better organized, concentrate on the task at hand. Avoid negativism, rejection, arguing with them.
Golden Retriever (Phlegmatic/Steadiness)
Strengths: Calm, easy-going, dependable, quiet, objective, diplomatic, humorous.
Weaknesses: Selfish, stingy, procrastinator, unmotivated, indecisive, fearful, worrier.
Golden Retrievers: “Why change?”, “Let’s work together!” Their environment has family pictures, slogans on the wall, personal items, relaxed friendly decorations. They gain security by having close relationships. Their pace is slow and easy. They need a climate that processes. They’re irritated by pushy and aggressive behavior, insincerity, being put on the spot, disrupting the status quo. For growth they need to take risks, delegate to others, confront, develop confidence in others, learn to change and adapt. Avoid conflict, sudden unplanned risky changes, overloading, confusing them.
Beaver (Melancholy/Compliance)
Strengths: Analytical, self-disciplined, industrious, organized, aesthetic, sacrificing.
Weaknesses: Moody, self-centered, touchy, negative, unsociable, critical, revengeful.
Beavers: “Do it right!”, “Prove it!” Their environment is structured and organized, charts and graphs, functional decor, formal seating arrangement. They gain security by preparation. Their pace is slow and systematic. They need a climate that describes. They’re irritated by people who do not know what they are talking about, lack of attention to detail, surprises, unpredictability. For growth they need to make faster decisions, tolerate conflict, learn to compromise, adjust to change and disorganization. Avoid criticizing, blunt personal questions, incomplete or inaccurate recommendations with them.
