How do you feel about people who love to talk and have bubbly personalities? Are you one of these people?

THE I (INFLUENCING) STYLE

These people have the Core I (Influencing) behavioral style. The I factor in our behavioral profile determines how we interact with and influence other people. Influencing Iris doesn't know a stranger. She'll talk to you on an elevator, while passing you in the street, while you're working - anytime, anywhere. Don't try to ignore her; she'll think you don’t like her and will try harder to make you a friend.

Iris is charming, optimistic, sociable, and persuasive. Socializing and verbalizing are her strong suits. She is friendly, outgoing, and trusting. She is expressive in her communications and, because of that, is probably the easiest type to "read."

I STYLE LIMITATIONS

If you have Iris's style, there are ways in which you may be limiting your effectiveness with people. You may speak before thinking, interrupt others, and listen poorly. You can be disorganized (you pile, don't file), too trusting, and overly optimistic about outcomes. You can annoy some people with your chattiness.

If you're low in the I factor, you tend to be more suspicious and distrusting of people, cautious in relationships, and pessimistic. So you can see how those low in the I factor can be turned off by Iris's loquaciousness and attempts to get them to like her. And you can see how Iris might resent those who don't return her friendliness - an obvious source of conflict between these two types of people if they haven’t learned how to understand and adapt to each other.

If you work or live with those who have a Core I style, here are some of the ways in which to communicate and not communicate with them to be effective:

DO:

Smile, listen, allow time for socializing

Ask for their opinion

Be stimulating, fun, fast-moving

DON'T:

Be patronizing, demeaning, or talk down to them

Be too businesslike

Be unfriendly, curt, or tight-lipped

COMMUNICATION TIPS

When communicating with Influencing Iris, smile, hug, and use expressive gestures. Use words like "fun," "exciting," and "I feel." Have an energized, enthusiastic, friendly tone of voice.

Understand that these people thrive on social contact and verbalizing their experiences. To be effective with them, listen and marvel at their stories; yet don't let them monopolize you when you get bored or need to move on. As long as you stop them in a genuinely friendly way, they won’t be upset or hold a grudge. If you listen raptly to them, they'll think you're hanging onto their every word; so don't blame them if they keep going.

Admire Iris - and Irving - for their good-natured high spirits and their ability to include everyone in a discussion or activity. They put the "U" in "fun!"