Regardless of your personality type, values and behaviors, the journey to achieving a balanced, happy life will be much easier, and much more successful and harmonious if you learn to understand and communicate effectively with the people you meet on your journey. We're talking about finding common ground among the four major personality types: Supportive, Direct, I (ego centered) and Controlling, focusing this time on the Supportive, or S, personality type.

How Supportive People See Themselves: S personalities are the caregivers of the world, the nurturers and peacemakers. Just as men make up a preponderance of the D (Direct) personalities, the great majority of S personalities are women. Their world begins and ends with people and relationships.

How Others See Supportive People: D personalities are the opposite of S personalities and do not understand the S's focus on people and relationships. D's do not grasp that the S personality focuses on people and relationships while the D's place emphasis on things and ideas. S's are the ultimate team players, while D's see a team as another organization for them to lead.

I (ego centered) personalities have a lot in common with the S's because they are the two personality types that are supportive. However, the I's are preoccupied with themselves, their needs, wants and desires while S's are concerned with the needs, wants and desires of others. There is often a symbiotic relationship between the I's and the S's.

The C (Controlling) personality loves the thoughtful, careful, quiet nature of the S's, presence. After all, they are the two personality types on the same side of the indirect line. The tension between these two groups comes from the fact that the C's are solitary as people and controlling in their behaviors. The C's are very slow and careful in forming relationships, while S's, who are always ready to form a relationship at a moment's notice, are too emotional and not analytical enough for the C's.

Career options for Supportive Personalities
The S's are the teachers of the world, particularly of young children. Nursing is another profession dominated by S personalities. The entire healthcare industry is, in fact, dominated by S personalities. Staff who work in medical fields that involve close doctor-patient relationships, such as ob-gyn, family practice and childcare, tend to be filled with S types. The social workers of the world are almost always S personalities as are people who enjoy working with animals. They often choose careers based on causes; save the earth, the environment, the children, the planet, the redwood trees. People who are very passionate about causes are usually S personalities.

Speech of Supportive Personalities
S personalities speak slowly and softly. Their words are kind and thoughtful. They ask permission to ask direct questions, but they really prefer indirect questions. They will often stop and ask if what they are saying is "alright or okay with you." They are never confrontational. They make requests rather than give orders, even when the situation might call for a direct order. They are profoundly concerned that their words and tone should never be interpreted as harsh or offensive. Their language is supportive and nonjudgmental.

Clothes, Cars and Houses
S personalities are careful and thoughtful and conservative dressers. The statement their clothes make is that the wearer is a warm, comfortable person, one who can be trusted and someone who is supportive. Male S personalities dress like Mr. Rodgers of TV fame and women dress like your second grade teacher: "cuddly" and comfortable.

S's drive family cars because they are family-focused. They drive minivans, and while their children are young they drive multi-passenger vehicles for car pooling, loading up for church picnics and collecting food for the homeless shelter. They are unlikely to choose an SUV because it is not environmentally friendly. Their vehicles are conservative in style and color and they never drive over the speed limit.

S personalities do not have houses; they have homes! Houses are full of things but homes provide the foundation for relationships. Walk into the home of an S person and the walls will be covered with family photos, and pictures of weddings, anniversaries, and the kids growing up. S's live in friendly neighborhoods and are active in their local communities.

Values: Family, Money, Relationships
Absolutely nothing is more important to an S personality than family and other close personal relationships. This is the very definition of the supportive personality. They exist to make the world a better place by getting and keeping people together. Money is not important to S's. If they win the lottery, after making sure their family is secure, they will give the rest away.

Time
Ss are very considerate about time because it is a way of honoring others. They like to be on time, but often will have trouble breaking away from one group of people to be on time with another. They never want to appear rude or uninterested in the first group by leaving, even to meet someone else. Given a conflict between time with people and time on a chore or idea, people will always get the attention and commitment of the S personality.