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Core Theory

Strategies: Social Engagement

Shared personality traits: Extraverted (E) and Turbulent (-T)

Boldly Sensitive

Those with the Social Engagement Strategy are an interesting group. In some ways, Extraverted and Turbulent personality traits conflict with each other. Extraversion leads to risk-tolerance and boldness, and Turbulence leads to self-doubt and sensitivity.

This can mean that Social Engagers tend to do what comes naturally first and think about it later. In this way, they are almost an exaggeration of their underlying personality traits. This may sound like a bad thing, but it doesn’t have to be.

95% of Social Engagers say that helping others boosts their self-confidence.

Social Engagers venture into the world with enthusiasm. They enjoy being the center of attention and enjoy social status. At times, this may mean that they hide their true selves to impress other people, pretending to be someone else in order to be liked. Fortunately, Social Engagers’ genuine interest in others often shines through, helping these personality types to create authentic connections with the people around them.

Social Engagers in Love

Romantic relationships aren’t always the easiest – hence Shakespeare’s observation that “the course of true love never did run smooth.” You might think that Social Engagers’ self-doubt would cause them to play it safe when it comes to the rough waters of love, but that isn’t the case. These personality types tend to dive headlong into relationships – they’re more likely than any other Strategy to say they fall in love easily. And they’re also less likely to say they enjoy being single.

Social Engagers are far from passive about their romantic lives. These personalities care deeply about pleasing their partners – in fact, they’re the Strategy most likely to believe they need to go out of their way to please the people they love. Social Engagers are deeply devoted, willing to pour all of their affection and care into their partner.

70% of Social Engagers say they’d rather be loved than respected.

But not everyone is willing – or able – to do this in return. Social Engagers may feel it acutely if their partner doesn’t seem equally affectionate or devoted. This can be especially challenging because these personality types care so deeply about receiving praise and admiration. As a result, they might feel hurt by a partner who is reserved in expressing their affection.

As they go through life, many Social Engagers discover that not everyone is as expressive as they are – and that’s okay. These types may need to use their social acumen to connect with the ways their partners do share love. For example, they may realize that their partner expresses affection through physical touch, spending time together, or even helping out around the house. Once they attune themselves to the ways other personalities demonstrate their love, Social Engagers can find incredible fulfillment and joy in their romantic relationships.

Working It

Social Engagers may find themselves drawn to lines of work that involve plenty of human interaction. The service industry can be a natural fit for these personality types, as can nearly any job that involves helping customers solve problems. Social Engagers are energized by the opportunity to talk with others, and they’re especially invigorated when they can tell that they’ve actually made someone’s day a little better.

This isn’t to say that Social Engagers are anything less than ambitious. In their own way, these personalities do care about being successful. Everyone has a unique definition of “success,” of course, but many Social Engagers feel especially successful when they receive recognition, such as awards, promotions, or positive feedback on their work. These types tend to be motivated by a desire to impress and please others – not only because they enjoy praise, but also because they genuinely value the good opinion of their bosses, coworkers, and customers. And of course a salary increase is always nice, too.

56% of Social Engagers say they usually admire their bosses – more than any other Strategy.

Social Engagers’ ambition and desire to please can make them wonderful employees and colleagues. At times, however, these personality types often discover a need to pause and make sure they’re being true to themselves as well. Their personal development path may lead them to consider their own values and needs – and make sure that their professional lives line up with these values and needs.

That said, these types know that their career is just one aspect of their lives. 74% of Social Engagers say they’re always looking for new hobbies to get into – more than any other personality Strategy. Whether those hobbies include volleyball, viticulture, or volunteering, these types care about being well-rounded. Paradoxically, this well-roundedness can help them to find more enjoyment in their careers as well as in other aspects of their lives.

The Highs and the Lows

Social Engagers can experience highs and lows – sometimes within a matter of minutes. Their Extraversion can push their Turbulent need for success into overdrive. Meanwhile, their Turbulent personality trait can trigger almost instant self-doubt. Although these types are capable of taking quick action in a way that seems decisive, they may find themselves plagued by uncertainty afterward.

As they grow, many Social Engagers learn how to use this unusual combination of traits to their advantage. Their Extraversion can help them move past the self-doubt that comes with the Turbulent trait, enabling them to expand their comfort zones even when it isn’t easy. Meanwhile, their Turbulent trait can help them to be more considerate in their boldness. The result is that these personality types can hold many contradictory traits in harmony, being both fun and responsible, active and reflective.

45% of Social Engagers say they look at fear as something they must overcome. This puts them on par with their Assertive counterparts (People Masters).

This push and pull can be stressful, but it’s part of this Strategy’s charm. These personality types chase their goals relentlessly, but they also indulge their desires and seek out fun. Thanks to this balance, they can lead happy and fruitful lives – sharing adventures and accomplishments with others whenever possible. Whatever direction these personalities pull, they are sure to pull the crowd with them.

Learn About the Other Strategies