In the movie, Fried Green Tomatoes, there is a scene where Kathy Bates is getting ready to pull into a parking space when two young girls pull up in a red convertible VW and take the space. Kathy Bates tells them she was waiting for the slot, but they respond that they are "younger and faster".
Well, that didn't go over real well with Kathy Bates who begins ramming the VW until she has crushed the rear of it. The girls come running out of the mall in horror. Kathy Bates responds to their dismay by saying, "Face it girls, I'm older and I have more insurance." (Video)
That brings me to a conversation I had with a group of friends a few years ago. I discovered that in nearly every couple, partnership or work team there is a what I call the "egg" thrower. What that means is that if you were with your work partner waiting for that parking space rather than banging the car you would throw an egg at it.
In that group of friends there was one egg thrower in each couple. My wife is the egg thrower in our marriage. Now, she has never thrown one. She's way to nice for that, but she has thrown dozens "in her mind." Something else I learned about that group is that nearly (but not all) all of the egg throwers in the group were introverts according the MBTI.
If you've never taken the Myers Briggs Type Indicator I would encourage you to do so. It's fascinating. You can actually do it online now days. It discovers how you're internally wired. I'm an ESTJ. The first letter tells you that I'm extroverted. What you learn with the MBTI is that extrovert and introvert doesn't mean that you like to be around people or you don't. It means that you either get energized by being around people, or you get energized by being away from people. Neither one is better. They are what they are, and it really takes both to have a healthy balanced society.
As Realtors, we need to be around people all the time. For the introvert that means a lot. If you're like my wife, you will change gears and do what you need to do to be around people for as long as you need to be, and then you go home exhausted. But, you soon get re-energized by being away from people. Whereas, if I was out all day, I would be energized the whole time, but when I got home I would be totally exhausted.
In the past, I tested all of my new office staff. When I knew how they were wired, I knew how to relate to them. It made for awesome office dynamics. I wasn't trying to treat everyone the same. Not everyone is introverted. Not everyone is extroverted. Knowing how to related to some one really did enhance our office relationships and we were much more productive.
When you know how people are wired you can work with them better. It can lead to a better marriage relationship, a better relationship with your boss and co-workers and even with your friends. So, who is the egg thrower in your office, on your team or at your house? It may just tell you something about their temperament.
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