COMPETITIVE IMAGE ORIENTATION

Persons having a competitive image base (CIB) thrive on a challenge. Always searching for competition, they prefer to test the limits of their abilities and often perform best when confronted with very difficult tasks. Eager to accept responsibility, they focus on getting the job done, usually with high-quality results. Decision-making is never a problem, and they are not easily distracted from their objectives. They can be counted on to accept authoritative roles and attain their high goals.

Despite their high achievements, however, CIBs often cause resentment in others, especially those who prefer the ordinary to the superlative.

In their pursuit of quick and efficient results, their high-spirited drive often leads them unintentionally into the territory of others, thereby causing problems with peers. They can become overly critical of those whose goals are not as high as their own, but they are also quick to forgive and forget.

CIBs welcome new ideas, new approaches to old ideas, and a widening pattern of interests. The novel, the unusual, the curious, all stimulate CIBs and ensure for them the changing worlds they seek to discover and examine. They prefer that their work habits and accomplishments be based on their own efficient skills and timetable, thereby assuring them that they will be judged solely on their own individual merits.

The search for new worlds can, however, cause some problems for CIBs in a number of ways. First, they may take on more tasks, than they can successfully complete. Second, reluctance to refuse new challenges, together with a restless nature can result in frustration, since too many goals at one time are impossible to attain. When that situation occurs, CIBs often look for new jobs. To prevent frequent job changes by CIBs, therefore, it is important that they believe in the worth of their own objectiveness, and that they know that others are aware of their abilities.

PERSONALITY CHARACTERISTICS

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INTERPERSONAL STYLE

COMPETITIVE IMAGE ORIENTATION

Potential Strengths and Weaknesses

Potential Strengths

Competitive

Unafraid of decision making

Task-oriented

Open to challenge

Straightforward

Self-starting

Can withstand pressure

Can assume authority

Can manage a large workload

Likes variety

Seeks results

Likes to be busy

Defends own point of view

Has boundless energy

Forceful and frank with others

Potential Weaknesses

Decision Making

 Perhaps too quickly

 May not consider others feelings

 May act without consulting others

Communication

Could fail to listen to others

 Could be too authoritative

 Could be too curt

Control of People

 Could drive too hard, thereby losing people

 Could do too much, instead of delegating

 Could fail to let others develop

 Could expect too much of others, too soon

 Could be too brusque, too busy to help others

Control of Time

 May focus on short-range, rather than long-range planning.

 May rely on crisis, rather than planned, management.