Personality Poker
By Stephen M. Shapiro
Portfolio, 256 pages, $32.50
Let’s play poker – personality poker, that is. I’ll deal.
Your five cards are: authoritative (the ace of spades), closed-minded (three of spades), empathetic (seven of hearts), disorganized (three of diamonds), and impatient (two of clubs). Each card in this unique game, you see, represents a character trait.
I hope you aren’t impatient, and will stay with me, the game, and the book from which it is drawn. You can throw away that impatient card, if it doesn’t fit your personality – and if the other players in the game agree. Any other cards that you’d like to discard?
And which cards do you need to replace, to make your hand suit you better? How about the ace of hearts, the team builder? Or the nine of hearts (a good listener)? Under the rules of the game, once you find a suit that fits you, you also have to take a low card in it, which represents a less-enviable trait. How about the two of hearts (high maintenance)? Or the three of hearts (needy)?
Maybe you’re less into relating and more into planning and acting. That is represented by the clubs suit. Does the ace of clubs (action oriented) match you? How about the nine of clubs (methodical)? Would the four also be accurate (bossy)?
Consultant Stephen Shapiro, who carries the title chief innovation evangelist at Massachusetts-based InnoCentive, devised the cards and the game as a way to drive high-performance teamwork and creativity.
His book, Personality Poker, explains the game, and the accompanying cards can be used by you and your colleagues to help better understand each of your personalities and, equally important, use that knowledge to become more effective innovators.
“The purpose of Personality Poker is to get the perfect hand. And the perfect hand is one that is filled with cards that represent your natural state; that is, what comes most easily,” Mr. Shapiro writes. “These are words that inspire you. These are words that excite you. These are the words that describe who you are at the core, when everything is flowing beautifully in your world, and life is effortless.”
While the four category types may be familiar from personality questionnaires, the difference here is that you learn about yourself during a game – ideally one played with empathetic colleagues who can help you to get a good reading on aspects of your personality that may be hidden to you. If you’re wary of opening up to your teammates (and in some workplaces that might be wise), there’s also a solitaire version.
While other personality frameworks are aimed simply at self-awareness, this game is also geared to action. The book discusses innovation and how to use the cards to be more effective in that highly prized endeavour. In part, it comes from assessing the personality styles of the people in your unit or organization, understanding that diversity is required, and ensuring that your recruiting fills in the gaps.
The four styles Mr. Shapiro delineates, as card suits, are:
Spades: Analytical, data-oriented people. They make decisions based on analysis and are known for their deep knowledge. High cards in the suit are labelled expert, instructional, brainiac, and skeptical. Low cards include cynical and know-it-all.
Clubs: These folks plan the work and work the plans. They focus on structure, actions, and bottom-line results. High cards include action-oriented, expedient, competitive, and methodical. Low cards include anal retentive and predictable.
Hearts: These people revolve around relationships. They are empathetic and supportive, making decisions based on what others think. High cards include cheerleader, peace maker, encouraging, and generous. Low cards include submissive and “people pleaser.”
Diamonds: These creative souls like ideas and experiences. They make decisions based on what is enjoyable, often participate in artistic endeavours, and might be designers or serial entrepreneurs. High cards include visionary, experiential, adventurous, and risk-taking. Low cards include scattered and unpredictable.
In parts, Personality Poker is plodding and repetitive as Mr. Shapiro explains the styles, the game, and innovation itself. But he has some useful insights about innovation, and a useful way to help you and your co-workers understand your personalities and how that can lead to a more creative organization.
Special to The Globe and Mail
