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 help people learn a little about their own thinking/learning/communicating/problem solving styles 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 second then third then fourth for example I might choose them in this order.

Second Phase/Step Ask people to go stand in the corner that represents their 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 represents the shape they didn’t like or chose last then ask them to talk with those people about why each of them dislike that shape

The following material can be found on this page along with much more that one Leadership consultant, Nancy Hardaway, uses in her work with clients. I became aware of the SHAPES Quiz/Test/Exercise over 40 years ago and have still not found out who created it. The original version I found used a Z instead of a squiggle. I changed it to a squiggle in 1980 and so have many, many, many other speakers, trainers consultants, professors since or before. This is a simple and fun way to help people learn about the importance and impact of knowing our and others’ thinking/learning/communicating/problem solving skills.

SQUARE: Details & Data & Systems People. Characteristics:. Hardest workers; task oriented Loyal Structured; organized Think sequentially, logically May be stubborn Value details and data; analytical Know policies & rules Not fond of change, prefer a stable environment Prefer to working alone to teamwork May see fun as unnecessary or a luxury Trouble 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 goals Driven to succeed; motivated by results Take charge and move fast Big picture – Don’t need all the research or details Need to know WHY Confident Competitive Outspoken – Love to debate and argue No nonsense Decisive; cut to the chase; move on Impatient Likes 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 others Fun-loving; laugh the most Listen and communicate well Easily swayed by opinions of others Caregivers/helpers Like people, committees, teams Peacemakers – hate conflict or making unpopular decisions Good sports Over commit; take on more than you can handle Too nice; can’t say no Better at caring for others than yourself Don’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 ideas Creative Lots of energy and enthusiasm Like to try new and different things Can appear a little flaky because their mind moves so fast Difficulty with completion; start a task and move on to the next great idea Can be frustrating to work with Try to be more organized, but tend to lose their lists Easily bored Flexible – spontaneous Make cognitive leaps, from A straight to F Prefer 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 order or pattern we can compare them and the results or descriptions to many other more detail questionnaires and tests such as: HBDI, NBI, KAI, SOLAT, Myers-Briggs Temperament Instrument, and hundreds of others, including my own M.I.N.D. Design©1980. And many RIGHT BRAIN/LEFT BRAIN teaching, learning style instruments: Gregorc, Kolb, Dunn & Dunn. They are all useful and helpful but none are specifically highly accurate. There are researchers who discredit or disagree with the existence of specific Learning styles. My 33 years of using them with groups classes 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 better together to increase learning.

If you do a Google search for squiggle square circle triangle you might receive 120,000 hits like I did on September 20 th, It is very popular and used by many professionals and amateurs to help people better understand themselves.