Management Skills

APPENDIXC

How to Read People

Have you ever asked yourself, Why isn’t everyone normal like me? If you have, you’re not alone. Most of recorded history is replete with stories of people trying to figure out why people behave the way they do and how to predict and handle others.

When you choose to ignore the differences in people and treat everyone the same way, you’re only going to be successful a small percentage of the time. The way you or anybody behaves with other people is very complex. Many factors determine behavior, including past experiences, cultural background, environment, temperament, and even age.

Yet we all have developed behavioral patterns or distinct ways of thinking, feeling, and acting. If you learn to recognize these patterns, ...