Friday, May 6, 2011

The softer side of Smooch

Who would have thought that a highly respected ranch security guard, who can sniff out snakes, chase down rabbits, and warn all within a 10-mile radius of trespassers and interlopers...

...would prefer to sit on a pillow to protect her butt against the cold vinyl upholstery of the windowseat? Smooch and her multi-dimensional personality never cease to amaze me.

Speaking of personalities don't you just hate obvious segues? I spent the better part of Thursday in the city ... in a room ... with 20 people I work with ... learning about each other's personalities, as analyzed via the "Personalysis" tool. Lord. Have. Mercy. And set me free and let me go back home and be with my animals and get to work. But I lived to tell about it and had the opportunity to meet the ducks of Morning Bray Farm on the way home, so the day wasn't a total loss.

I'll have to admit, the results of my Personalysis were pretty much spot on. How can I argue with statements like "Linda should not choose roles that require spending time in long meetings" and "dislikes small talk and playing office politics" and "should keep clear of duties that require intensive socializing."

Anyway, maybe this Personalysis stuff is a lot of new-age psycho-babble hooey, maybe it's not. The purpose of the exercise was to improve communication among my co-workers, and it might do that. But I'm more intrigued by taking what I've learned about my personality and figuring out how I can better communicate with my animals.

See what happens when I spend all day in town in a meeting? I get all weird and introspective and write a post that doesn't have lots of fun pictures. I'll try not to let that happen again.

23 comments:

  1. Too funny! I've taken those too and I can't say I disagreed with the outcome!

    ReplyDelete
  2. :)
    Being indoors for lengthy amounts of time, with other people who don't want to be there, can cause trauma.
    I'm glad the ducklings were able to help you center yourself again.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ah yes.... I remember meetings like that. Endured quite a few of them and participated in more than enough 'get to know your co-workers' activities and analyses. I always found it interesting, then immediately forgot my results and those of workers I needed to communicate with. So... total loss for me!
    Bet you're glad to be back home!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Sounds like my hubby's personality. That's why he's an engineer... he has few people skills and gets along much better with computers. Nothing wrong with that... takes all kinds to make the world go round.

    Oh, and I like my butt to be in a soft warm place too.

    DI

    ReplyDelete
  5. Estella from Co.5/6/11, 8:07 AM

    I bet I had MORE fun cleaning my stalls and grooming my kids. Have a good one.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Carol in Colo5/6/11, 8:10 AM

    It would have taken more than checking out the duckling to ground myself again. I would have been out in the corral, sitting on the ground with donkeys and horses. Glad you survived the meeting.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Next time you have to go do something like that, I think you should ask Smooch if you can borrow her pillow.

    ReplyDelete
  8. You know what's weird? I took a webinar on Wednesday that was composed with entirely all the same stuff, but with different names. As expected, I have a split personality and will swing between being highly social to hermit like. No surprise there.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I'm with you sister! I would much rather stay home and talk to my animals than be in some boring office meeting about some boring subject!! Thank goodness that was only a one day deal. :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. pretty colors...sorry!

    were the babies as soft as they look?

    ReplyDelete
  11. Now that's interesting. I hope you got paid for the day trying to figure yourself out.
    Best always, Sandra

    ReplyDelete
  12. So, if I'm interpreting this correctly, you spent all day in a meeting to learn that you should avoid spending a lot of time meeting with people.

    Gotta love corporate America.

    ReplyDelete
  13. They must have a sale on these damn things. We are going thru the same run around. I want to stand up and say "look, some people are not going to get along! This is why we call this WORK."

    Sigh.

    Welcome back, and smooch can borrow my bun pillow anytime.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Linda, you and I have exactly the same Personalysis! No on long meetings: check. Avoid small talk and office politics: check. Better at back office than front desk: check. Weirded out by Personalysis...

    I hit the door as soon as they mention Role Play or Trust Fall.

    ReplyDelete
  15. As usual, Flartus is spot on!!! LOL!

    Carson, I'm just thankful that I'm retired - no more painful meetings, no more office politics, no more teleconferences in the conference room!!

    Nancy in Iowa

    ReplyDelete
  16. Ive taken those years ago in corporate land. Told me the same thing a good manager would figure out. Some are good in a group and some not. Work in my book isnt a place to socialze it a place to get tasks accomplished. Needless to say I didnt do well in the big politics and cliquey atmosphere of a big company. I work alone now and thats best. Do wish I had a yard with four foots to go be with. Youre very lucky. Glad you escaped when you did!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Personality analysis? I was wondering what would take the place of the cr*p that I had to go through in the workplace. However, grin and bare it as they are paying you( I hope).

    ReplyDelete
  18. I recall something akin to that from years ago when I worked in insurance.
    All I remember:
    1. I was an Amiable;
    2. Under stress I "backed up" into Driver;
    3. All the Drivers I knew were insufferable.
    There were two other categories: Analytics and . . . something else.
    They were worse than the Drivers.
    I'm glad I don't work in insurance anymore.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Personalysis stuff is a lot of new-age psycho-babble hooey,,,, I totally agree,,,,,! I work in a Government office and can recognize it a mile away ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  20. We have the same personality. It's a shame I can't take photos.

    ReplyDelete
  21. OMG, I cannot tell you how many hours I've had to sit through those dreaded things. June, the other category is expressive.... I was expressive/expressive.... there was only one driver in our group... and we didn't get along any better with our "driver" boss after the workshop than before :)

    ReplyDelete
  22. Too funny! I feel ya Carson!

    ReplyDelete
  23. yep....and that's what happens in those downtown offices too....too much time spent in meetings..keeping up with inter office memos and emails... psycho-babble, weirdness and office politics.... and not much actual "work" ever gets done... the further away from all that the better for me.

    ReplyDelete