Richard Jones shared these in a speech.

Robert

Robert Ornstein – The Psychology of Consciousness

The following is how I often use the long time existing and used

4 SHAPES QUIZ/TEXT/EXERCISE

Many trainers, speakers, consultants, professors, ministers, counselors use it or have.

I use it as a lead into the use of my own M.I.N.D. Design© 1980 to helppeople learn a little about their own thinking/learning/communicating/problem solvingstyles and how to quicly GUESS the styles of other people.

FIRST UNDERSTAND YOURSELF, IN ORDER TO LEARN HOW TO WORK BETTER WITH OTHERS©1980

Here are four shapes.Choose which one you like out of the 4.Then choose the one you like secondthen thirdthen fourth

for example I might choose them in this order.

Second Phase/Step

Ask people to go stand in the corner that representstheir chosen shape

then ask them to talk with those people about why each of them chose that shape

Third Phase/Step

Ask people to go stand in the corner that representsthe shape they didn’t like or chose last

then ask them to talk with those people about why each of them dislike that shape

http://listening2leaders.com/?p=687

The following material can be found on this pagealong with much more that one Leadership consultant,Nancy Hardaway , uses in her work with clients.

I became aware of the SHAPES Quiz/Test/Exerciseover 40 years ago and have still not found out whocreated it. The original version I found used a

Zinstead of a squiggle. I changed it to a squiggle in 1980and so have many, many, many other speakers, trainersconsultants, professors since or before.

This is a simple and fun way to help people learn aboutthe importance and impact of knowing our and others’thinking/learning/communicating/problem solving skills.

SQUARE: Details & Data & Systems People.Characteristics:.Hardest workers; task orientedLoyalStructured; organizedThink sequentially, logicallyMay be stubbornValue details and data; analyticalKnow policies & rulesNot fond of change, prefer a stable environmentPrefer to working alone to teamworkMay see fun as unnecessary or a luxuryTrouble saying “I’ve got enough information”Conservative, regular, orderly.Meeting behavior:  well prepared, lots of notes, gets right down to work.Motto: “Give me a job and a deadline and I’ll get it done”

TRIANGLE:  Results People

Characteristics:

Bottom line; focused on goalsDriven to succeed; motivated by resultsTake charge and move fastBig picture – Don’t need all the research or detailsNeed to know WHYConfidentCompetitiveOutspoken – Love to debate and argueNo nonsenseDecisive; cut to the chase; move onImpatientLikes recognition – may put stock in status symbols

Meeting behavior:  Hate meetings. Get to the bottom line and move on

Motto:  “So what’s your point???”

CIRCLE: People People

Characteristics:

Most empathy and perception for othersFun-loving; laugh the mostListen and communicate wellEasily swayed by opinions of othersCaregivers/helpersLike people, committees, teamsPeacemakers – hate conflict or making unpopular decisionsGood sportsOver commit; take on more than you can handleToo nice; can’t say noBetter at caring for others than yourselfDon’t particularly like hierarchy

Meeting behavior:  Social, create harmony, love the food,

Motto:  “I’ll do it – somebody has to!”

SQUIGGLE:  Idea People

Characteristics:

Often visionaries –lots of ideasCreativeLots of energy and enthusiasmLike to try new and different thingsCan appear a little flaky because their mind moves so fastDifficulty with completion; start a task and move on to the next great ideaCan be frustrating to work withTry to be more organized, but tend to lose their listsEasily boredFlexible – spontaneousMake cognitive leaps, from A straight to FPrefer less structured environments

Meeting behavior:  Already thinking of the next step

Motto:  “I just got this great idea!”

If we arrange the 4 shapes in this orderor pattern we can compare them andthe results or descriptions to manyother more detail questionnaires andtests such as:

HBDI, NBI, KAI, SOLAT, Myers-Briggs Temperament Instrument,and hundreds of others, including my ownM.I.N.D. Design©1980.

And many RIGHT BRAIN/LEFT BRAINteaching, learning style instruments:Gregorc, Kolb, Dunn & Dunn.

They are all useful and helpful but noneare specifically highly accurate.

There are researchers who discredit or disagreewith the existence of specific Learning styles.

My 33 years of using them with 3700+ groupsclasses or audiences tells me otherwise.

This is a fun and a simple way to help people learn to better work with other people

sales people to work better with their customers or clients.

and for teachers and students to work bettertogether to increase learning.

If you do a Google searchfor

squiggle square circle triangle

you might receive 120,000 hitslike I did on September 20th, 2013.

It is very popular and used by manyprofessionals and amateurs tohelp people better understandthemselves.

Mni

Dd

HerrmannMerrill

McCarthyFischer

LotasKolb

GregorcMaccoby

MokMyers-Briggs

SOLATKirton Style Instruments

Directive Negotiative

Meditative Intuitive

iMDd

n

nnn

nn

i ii iii

M.I.N.D. DesignTM ..

Meditative factual

detailed logical

one focus at a time

..

Meditative factual

detailed logical

one focus at a time

M.I.N.D. DesignTM .

Intuitive mostly divergent use hunches or guesses strive for new ideas many focuses/challenges

at once

.

Intuitive mostly divergent use hunches or guesses strive for new ideas many focuses/challenges

at once

M.I.N.D. DesignTM

Negotiative personal/friendly very loyal like to enjoy work work as spirit moves them

Negotiative personal/friendly very loyal like to enjoy work work as spirit moves them

M.I.N.D. DesignTM .

Directive systematic

practical organized

do scheduled or expected

.

Directive systematic

practical organized

do scheduled or expected

M.I.N.D. DesignTM .

Meditative factual

detailed logical

one focus at a time

.

Meditative factual

detailed logical

one focus at a time

.

Intuitive mostly creative use hunches or guesses strive for new ideas

many focuses/challenges at once

.

Intuitive mostly creative use hunches or guesses strive for new ideas

many focuses/challenges at once

Directive

systematic practical

organized do what is scheduled

or expected

Directive

systematic practical

organized do what is scheduled

or expected

Negotiative

personal/friendly very loyal like to enjoy what they are doing work as the spirit moves them

Negotiative

personal/friendly very loyal like to enjoy what they are doing work as the spirit moves them

M.I.N.D. DesignTM

Preferred Thinking Styles

http://www.cre8ng.com

.

M - Meditative• uses facts• gives specific answer• works alone• thinks as a detective• explains in detail• questions everyone• calculates accurately• is very precise• thinks abstractly• uses logical thought• works step by step

M.I.N.D. DesignTM

Preferred Thinking Styles

.

I - Intuitive• lots of ideas• imagination• sees or senses answers• gets solutions w/o facts• experiments often• pretends easily• sees patterns quickly• takes risks• very inventive• future thinker

M.I.N.D. DesignTM

Preferred Thinking Styles

.

N - Negotiative• friendly• loyal to others• likes to work w/ people• always involves others• tends to be emotional• joiner• follower over leader• trustworthy• enjoys talking• adaptable to group

M.I.N.D. DesignTM

Preferred Thinking Styles

.

D - Directive• works step by step• is very practical• plans before acts• neat & organized• directs people• follows the rules• on time exactly• dependable• does things right way• wants correct answers

M.I.N.D. DesignTM

Preferred Thinking Styles

M - Meditative

• uses facts• gives specific answer• works alone• thinks as a detective• explains in detail• questions everyone• calculates accurately• is very precise• thinks abstractly• uses logical thought• works step by step

I - Intuitive

• lots of ideas• imagination• sees or senses answers• gets solutions w/o facts• experiments often• pretends easily• sees patterns quickly• takes risks• very inventive• future thinker

N - Negotiative

• friendly• loyal to others• likes to work w/ people• always involves others• tends to be emotional• joiner• follower over leader• trustworthy• enjoys talking• adaptable to group

D - Directive

• works step by step• is very practical• plans before acts• neat & organized• directs people• follows the rules• on time exactly• dependable• does things right way• wants correct answers

M.I.N.D. DesignTM

Preferred Thinking Styles

Rational, logical,Analytical, individual

Systematic, equations,Step-by-step, proven

Intuitive, exploratory,Unknown, fanciful

Fun, harmonious,Involving all, family/team

SoloConvergently

Divergent

SystematicallyConvergentOrganization

WholisticallyDivergentFamily

Solo/TeamDivergentM. I.

N.D.

MM&n

M&i

M&d

I&m

I&n

iI&d

N&m

n

N&i

N&dD

D&m

D&n

D&i

75%

50%

50%

25%25%

Conflict Potential between Different Styles

M.I.N.D. DesignTM Creativity ProfilesFour Basic Creative Thinking Styles

M - Rationally Innovative Rational & Challenging

• Continuously improving, refining what exists or systematically moving from the abstract to the concrete. Uses logic and rationale.

• This is a deductive and reductive approach moving back and forth from the practical to the theoretical.

• A style of a loner. • The style of a highly goal-oriented person

who is most concerned with completing the challenge.

M - Rationally Innovative Rational & Challenging

• Continuously improving, refining what exists or systematically moving from the abstract to the concrete. Uses logic and rationale.

• This is a deductive and reductive approach moving back and forth from the practical to the theoretical.

• A style of a loner. • The style of a highly goal-oriented person

who is most concerned with completing the challenge.

I – ImaginativeOff-the-Wall

• Creation of the new, the untried.• Blue sky, inspirational thinking & leading.• Uses hunches, guesses, approximations.• This is an exploratory, open-ended seemingly

undisciplined approach that works from many potential solutions backwards more often then from the problem towards solutions, using multiple thinking and non-thinking approaches.

• The style of a highly impatient person, loyal to the challenges and the process.

I – ImaginativeOff-the-Wall

• Creation of the new, the untried.• Blue sky, inspirational thinking & leading.• Uses hunches, guesses, approximations.• This is an exploratory, open-ended seemingly

undisciplined approach that works from many potential solutions backwards more often then from the problem towards solutions, using multiple thinking and non-thinking approaches.

• The style of a highly impatient person, loyal to the challenges and the process.

D – Systematic Conventional

• Applying known theories and systems or equations to reuse previously proven solutions or problems.

• This is a reductive approach using predominantly critique, judgment and argument.

• Very organized and a step-by-step thinker• The style of a person highly loyal to an

organization.

D – Systematic Conventional

• Applying known theories and systems or equations to reuse previously proven solutions or problems.

• This is a reductive approach using predominantly critique, judgment and argument.

• Very organized and a step-by-step thinker• The style of a person highly loyal to an

organization.

N - Joint Team Communal & Harmonious

• An exploratory, often accidental approach.• Generally “feels” a problem and its many

potential solutions. • Generally this style prefers to work in teams

to “bounce” ideas often off other “accepting” people/leaders.

• A compromising style. The style of a person highly loyal to his or her team and the project or organization.

N - Joint Team Communal & Harmonious

• An exploratory, often accidental approach.• Generally “feels” a problem and its many

potential solutions. • Generally this style prefers to work in teams

to “bounce” ideas often off other “accepting” people/leaders.

• A compromising style. The style of a person highly loyal to his or her team and the project or organization.

M.I.N.D. DesignTM Creativity ProfilesFour Basic Creative Thinking Styles

M - Rationally Innovative Rational & Challenging • Continuously improving, refining what exists

or systematically moving from the abstract to the concrete. Uses logic and rationale.

• This is a deductive and reductive approach moving back and forth from the practical to the theoretical.

• A style of a loner. • The style of a highly goal-oriented person

who is most concerned with completing the challenge.

M - Rationally Innovative Rational & Challenging • Continuously improving, refining what exists

or systematically moving from the abstract to the concrete. Uses logic and rationale.

• This is a deductive and reductive approach moving back and forth from the practical to the theoretical.

• A style of a loner. • The style of a highly goal-oriented person

who is most concerned with completing the challenge.

I – ImaginativeOff-the-Wall• Creation of the new, the untried.• Blue sky, inspirational thinking & leading.• Uses hunches, guesses, approximations.• This is an exploratory, open-ended seemingly

undisciplined approach that works from many potential solutions backwards more often then from the problem towards solutions, using multiple thinking and non-thinking approaches.

• The style of a highly impatient person, loyal to the challenges and the process.

I – ImaginativeOff-the-Wall• Creation of the new, the untried.• Blue sky, inspirational thinking & leading.• Uses hunches, guesses, approximations.• This is an exploratory, open-ended seemingly

undisciplined approach that works from many potential solutions backwards more often then from the problem towards solutions, using multiple thinking and non-thinking approaches.

• The style of a highly impatient person, loyal to the challenges and the process.

D – Systematic Conventional• Applying known theories and systems or

equations to reuse previously proven solutions or problems.

• This is a reductive approach using predominantly critique, judgment and argument.

• Very organized and a step-by-step thinker• The style of a person highly loyal to an

organization.

D – Systematic Conventional• Applying known theories and systems or

equations to reuse previously proven solutions or problems.

• This is a reductive approach using predominantly critique, judgment and argument.

• Very organized and a step-by-step thinker• The style of a person highly loyal to an

organization.

N - Joint Team Communal & Harmonious• An exploratory, often accidental approach.• Generally “feels” a problem and its many

potential solutions. • Generally this style prefers to work in teams

to “bounce” ideas often off other “accepting” people/leaders.

• A compromising style. The style of a person highly loyal to his or her team and the project or organization.

N - Joint Team Communal & Harmonious• An exploratory, often accidental approach.• Generally “feels” a problem and its many

potential solutions. • Generally this style prefers to work in teams

to “bounce” ideas often off other “accepting” people/leaders.

• A compromising style. The style of a person highly loyal to his or her team and the project or organization.

Innovation-Problem-FindingSelf

Recovery-ImplementingSelf

Imagination-Idea-Generating

Self

Discovery-Idea Sensing

Self

your cre8ng™ style

M. I.N.D.

Idea Grid™Attribute Listing

TRIZ™

cre8ng™ ToolsM.

Excursions Forced RelationshipsMetaphors

cre8ng™ ToolsI.

Writing RelayGroup ExcursionsGuided Imagery

cre8ng™ Tools

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S.C.A.M.P.E.R.™Checklisting

Brain Writing

cre8ng™ Tools

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Idea Grid™

Attribute ListingTRIZ™

S.C.A.M.P.E.R.™

ChecklistingBrain Writing

Excursions Forced RelationshipsMetaphors

Writing RelayGroup ExcursionsGuided Imagery

cre8ng™ ToolsM. I.

N.D.