The following is how I often use the long time existing and used

4 SHAPES QUIZ/TEXT/EXERCISE

Many trainers, speakers, consultants, professors, ministers, counselors use it or have.

I use it as a lead into the use of my own M.I.N.D. Design© 1980 to helppeople learn a little about their own thinking/learning/communicating/problem solvingstyles and how to quicly GUESS the styles of other people.

FIRST UNDERSTAND YOURSELF, IN ORDER TO LEARN HOW TO WORK BETTER WITH OTHERS©1980

Here are four shapes.Choose which one you like out of the 4.Then choose the one you like secondthen thirdthen fourth

for example I might choose them in this order.

Second Phase/Step

Ask people to go stand in the corner that representstheir chosen shape

then ask them to talk with those people about why each of them chose that shape

Third Phase/Step

Ask people to go stand in the corner that representsthe shape they didn’t like or chose last

then ask them to talk with those people about why each of them dislike that shape

http://listening2leaders.com/?p=687

The following material can be found on this pagealong with much more that one Leadership consultant,Nancy Hardaway , uses in her work with clients.

I became aware of the SHAPES Quiz/Test/Exerciseover 40 years ago and have still not found out who

created it. The original version I found used a

Zinstead of a squiggle. I changed it to a squiggle in 1980and so have many, many, many other speakers, trainersconsultants, professors since or before.

This is a simple and fun way to help people learn aboutthe importance and impact of knowing our and others’thinking/learning/communicating/problem solving skills.

SQUARE: Details & Data & Systems People.

Characteristics:.

Hardest workers; task orientedLoyalStructured; organizedThink sequentially, logicallyMay be stubbornValue details and data; analyticalKnow policies & rulesNot fond of change, prefer a stable environmentPrefer to working alone to teamworkMay see fun as unnecessary or a luxuryTrouble saying “I’ve got enough information”Conservative, regular, orderly.

Meeting behavior: well prepared, lots of notes, gets right down to work.

Motto: “Give me a job and a deadline and I’ll get it done”

TRIANGLE: Results People

Characteristics:

Bottom line; focused on goalsDriven to succeed; motivated by resultsTake charge and move fastBig picture – Don’t need all the research or detailsNeed to know WHYConfidentCompetitiveOutspoken – Love to debate and argueNo nonsenseDecisive; cut to the chase; move onImpatientLikes recognition – may put stock in status symbols

Meeting behavior: Hate meetings. Get to the bottom line and move on

Motto: “So what’s your point???”

CIRCLE: People People

Characteristics:

Most empathy and perception for othersFun-loving; laugh the mostListen and communicate wellEasily swayed by opinions of othersCaregivers/helpersLike people, committees, teamsPeacemakers – hate conflict or making unpopular decisionsGood sportsOver commit; take on more than you can handleToo nice; can’t say noBetter at caring for others than yourselfDon’t particularly like hierarchy

Meeting behavior: Social, create harmony, love the food,

Motto: “I’ll do it – somebody has to!”

SQUIGGLE: Idea People

Characteristics:

Often visionaries –lots of ideasCreativeLots of energy and enthusiasmLike to try new and different thingsCan appear a little flaky because their mind moves so fastDifficulty with completion; start a task and move on to the next great ideaCan be frustrating to work withTry to be more organized, but tend to lose their listsEasily boredFlexible – spontaneousMake cognitive leaps, from A straight to FPrefer less structured environments

Meeting behavior: Already thinking of the next step

Motto: “I just got this great idea!”

If we arrange the 4 shapes in this orderor pattern we can compare them andthe results or descriptions to manyother more detail questionnaires andtests such as:

HBDI, NBI, KAI, SOLAT, Myers-Briggs Temperament Instrument,and hundreds of others, including my ownM.I.N.D. Design©1980.

And many RIGHT BRAIN/LEFT BRAINteaching, learning style instruments:Gregorc, Kolb, Dunn & Dunn.

They are all useful and helpful but noneare specifically highly accurate.

There are researchers who discredit or disagreewith the existence of specific Learning styles.

My 33 years of using them with 3700+ groupsclasses or audiences tells me otherwise.

This is a fun and a simple way to help people learn to better work with other people

sales people to work better with their customers or clients.

and for teachers and students to work bettertogether to increase learning.

If you do a Google searchfor

squiggle square circle triangle

you might receive 120,000 hitslike I did on September 20th, 2013.

It is very popular and used by manyprofessionals and amateurs tohelp people better understandthemselves.