Strategies: People Mastery

Shared personality traits: Extraverted (E) and Assertive (-A)

Bold and Confident

Personality types with the People Mastery Strategy are known for their ability to handle stress. This helps them to act boldly and maintain confidence, even in the face of challenges or criticism.

Thanks to this confidence, people with this Strategy feel energized and at ease in social situations. They seek social contact as well as stimulating and challenging experiences. These personalities like traveling to see things, people, and places, and trying something new – even things they don’t end up liking can be exciting for them.

75% of People Masters say they’re good at executing their ideas – more than any other Strategy.

Nothing to Prove?

If they don’t keep themselves in check, though, People Masters can become too confident. These personality types tend to be insulated against self-doubt and the need to prove themselves. As a result, they don’t always test, or even consider, their own limits or ambitions.

Taken to the extreme, this can create a pattern of comfort-seeking. They may even roll their eyes at people who chase more intimidating goals. At the other end of the spectrum, these personality types can ignore sensible caution, landing themselves in extraordinary and dangerous situations.

At times, People Masters may not be considerate to those who aren’t able to maintain such a comfortable boldness. But this doesn’t have to be the case, by any means. By taking others into account, these personalities can actually help to draw other people out of their shells in a way that’s energizing and empowering.

Only 35% of People Masters say they often feel regret.

Finding Balance

Fortunately, most People Masters fall somewhere in the middle. Ideally, they embrace healthy ambition while finding social fulfillment and connection. Social interaction plays a big part in People Masters’ happiness. Although these personality types are self-confident, they still appreciate praise and recognition. They don’t need people’s approval, but they still crave friends and loved ones with whom to share their lives.

These types may be opinionated, but they don’t always worry about having others agree with them. This can help these personalities to be moderate even in disagreements because their ego and confidence aren’t at stake the way they often are for Turbulent Strategies. People Masters are not fond of grudges, and at heart, they want to bring people together to make things happen.

These types often stand out for their charisma and self-assurance. As long as they don’t use their talents to steamroll or put down others, these personality traits can be quite appealing. These types have little fear of rejection, and they love including others. This can make these personalities wonderful friends, loved ones, and colleagues, who always aim to energize those around them.

People Masters in Love

According to our research, People Masters seem to fall in love a bit more frequently than the other Strategies. They’re also less likely to say that falling in love scares them. It’s easy to imagine why this is the case – People Masters’ Extraversion leads them into situations where they’re likely to meet new people, and their Assertive personality trait helps them to feel confident about the prospect of new relationships.

26% of People Masters say they’re good at attracting new partners – far more than any other Strategy.

Some might wonder whether this would make People Masters less reliable than other personality types when it comes to being a good partner. Is it possible that these types’ self-assurance would make them complacent or uncommitted once they’re actually in a relationship? Not necessarily: About half of People Masters say it’s necessary to go out of their way to please someone they love, and this response puts them on par with other types. In addition, People Masters are the Strategy least likely to say that long-term commitments make them anxious.

In other words, although People Masters’ confidence and social ease might make them sound like players, these types can be as committed and eager to please their partners as anyone else. And being in a relationship with a People Master can be a wonderful thing – even for people who are completely different. After all, People Masters’ social energy and their can-do take on life can be infectious in the best possible way.

Speaking Up

People Masters don’t tend to filter their opinions. These personality types say what they think, and they think what they say. As with nearly any trait, this can be a strength or a weakness.

People Masters are often seen as straight-shooters who can be trusted to speak honestly. In academic and professional settings, many teachers, classmates, colleagues, and managers appreciate this quality. After all, if used appropriately, candor is a powerful way to connect with other people. The “what you see is what you get” nature of a People Master personality can be refreshing, whether in the classroom or the workplace.

But there’s a difference between being candid and being rude – and at times, People Masters may toe that line. In academic settings, this can put them at odds with their teachers and classmates. And in professional settings, these personality types may gain a reputation for being inconsiderate, arrogant, or even ruthless.

91% of People Masters are comfortable challenging their boss’s direction if necessary.

Learning to speak honestly without speaking over other people is a step on many People Masters’ path to personal development. Fortunately, once they master this balance, People Masters can unleash the many gifts they bring to their schooling and their work. In particular, People Masters can excel at dealing with awkward or tense interpersonal situations – whether that’s getting a group project back on track or delivering bad news to a customer in a straightforward but considerate way.

Going For It

79% of People Masters say they see problems as opportunities. These personality types trust themselves to tackle hard problems – and to gain insight and experience from the process. Ideally, this conviction becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, with People Masters taking on ever harder challenges and learning important lessons along the way.

What sets People Masters apart isn’t just their confidence, however. It’s also their willingness to team up with others. These personalities know that we tend to be more effective when we collaborate and ask for help. People Masters can be especially good at creating opportunities for the people around them to use their strengths. And that may just be one of the secrets to People Masters’ success.

Learn About the Other Strategies

• Confident Individualism – private and self-assured
• Constant Improvement – introspective and sensitive
• Social Engagement – cordial and driven