Personality Dimensions® on TV: The Big Bang Theory

We’re back with another edition of Personality Dimensions® on TV, this time featuring the wildly popular television series, The Big Bang Theory. While remembering that we’re all a blend of the four colours, some of the characters are more balanced colour wise, while others lead with a much more dominant Personality Dimensions colour. Check out what we thought each character is personality type wise, and give us your input on whether you think we are right!

Leonard is a very smart character, with a quick wit to combat anyone -including Sheldon! He has a PhD in Physics which makes him a naturally inquisitive and information seeking individual. However, he also has a warm side. He tries to engage in right from the start of the show. He often is in and out of love, winning over Penny in the later seasons. These qualities are what peg Leonard as a blended Inquiring Green/Authentic Blue.

 

When analyzing Sheldon, it is a pretty easy decision as to what his personality preferences are. He is a natural problem solver and is often stubborn with being right all the time. He creates plans, and rigidly sticks by them. Not the over emotional type, he often examines things to the nth degree. With his two Ph.Ds in the sciences to his rigid organizational structuring of his cereal boxes, it is clear to see that Sheldon is a blended Inquiring Green/Organized Gold.

 

Howard is a resourceful individual and the only one who is not overly concerned with obtaining a Ph.D. While he is extremely intelligent, he is not as stimulated by the sciences as our other TV show counterparts. He’s great in a crisis, able to repair things well, and creative when he dresses. That’s why we believe Howard is a Resourceful Orange.

 

When looking at Raj’s personality, we see the deep-seated need for his friends and family to all get along. Always looking for love, Raj often sees the good in everyone; sometimes to his own detriment! Approval from his parents is very important to him, as well as taking care of his sister whenever she’s in town. Everyone goes to Raj’s place when they’re in trouble and needs a place to stay. It’s easy to see that Raj is an Authentic Blue. 

 

Penny is always up for change or a new challenge. Whether it is moving to the city from small-town Nebraska to the city; staring as the leading role in Serial Ape-ist; dealing with difficult customers (Sheldon) at her waitress job; or tackling pharmaceutical sales. She is generally optimistic, ethical, honest, and sincere – you know where you stand with Penny. While she doesn’t share an interest in the kinds of abstract concepts her friends thrive on, Penny encourages and supports what they do. These traits are what make Penny a Resourceful Orange.

 

Bernadette is a natural leader who is comfortable taking charge of a situation. She is dependable, practical, and loyal. She shows great patience and understanding with Sheldon despite his quirks. The is practical with money and often questions Howard about some of his impulsive purchases. In her work life as a pharmaceutical researcher she is organized and excels at collecting and classifying data. While Bernadette does show developed traits from other colours, we believe her first preference is Organized Gold.  

 

When Amy first came on the scene, she was almost a stereotype of her personality type, but we’ve since seen that there’s far more to her. Amy is insightful, and investigative. She learns by asking questions, and drives Penny nuts doing it. Some of her questioning can get a little TMI, but it just shows how much she wants to learn.  She has a tight-knit group of friends that she is fiercely loyal to. It’s for all of these reasons, and not just that she is scientifically minded that we believe Amy is an Inquiring Green Green.

What do you think, was our Personality Radar tuned in correctly? Both of us have watched The Big Bang Theory since it came out, and have watched the characters develop over the seasons. Let us know in the comments below.

Setting up a video chat or a phone call to figure out the personality traits of characters on your favourite shows is a great way to practice using your Personality Radar. Both of us have been stuck working from home for the past several weeks, and found a good excuse to binge watch TV during the day. Keep your skills sharpened and give it a go; until then stay tuned for the next installment of Personality Dimensions on TV. 

 

Nancy Tavares-Jones, MC, RP, CCC is a registered psychotherapist in Toronto, Ontario.  She has a thriving private practice, and is an on-site trauma responder for organizations needing immediate on-site support.  She is a self-proclaimed “personality type geek”, and loves to help people learn more about themselves and others.  Feel free to visit and connect with her at lifepathways.ca

 

Brad Whitehorn – BA, CCDP is the Sales & Marketing Coordinator at CLSR Inc.  He was thrown into the career development field headfirst after completing a Communications degree in 2005, and hasn’t looked back!  Since then, Brad has worked on the development, implementation and certification for various career and personality assessments (including Personality Dimensions®), making sure that Career Development Practitioners get the right tools to best serve their clients

Shifting from Office to Home – Using Personality Dimensions® to Ease the Transition.

With many people working from home now, there has been a massive cultural shift in how we, as a society, conduct business! What hasn’t changed, though, is the personalities of the individuals behind the computer screen. With Personality Dimensions® the perk of understanding the different personalities helps us better understand how to engage people regardless of where they are. The other part we need to be aware of is the need to feel connected virtually.

 

Take for example, an Authentic Blue. Authentic Blues need to build and form relationships. With this need, we also need to be aware of the stressor of an Authentic Blue is the guilt that comes from not being able to, or feel connected. To support an Authentic Blue in this change in a workplace environment, I am sure they would appreciate phone calls, virtual meetings, or the ability to receive notes via mail from their colleagues. When I do say mail, I mean the traditional letter and the ability to open up a card and read with somebody putting pen to paper. Authentic Blues would appreciate this gesture!

For an Organized Gold the structure has now shifted. The other aspect that has changed is their work/life balance is now in Conflict as they are working from home and are trying to balance Both Worlds. They also want to make sure that their responsibilities are being kept intact. Organized Golds may also have with the disorganization that they’re noticing and realize now that they’re not able to connect with their colleagues as regularly as they would. Through these trying times, the best way to support an Organized Gold is to ensure that structure is maintained as much as possible – The structure in the organization of meetings and timelines are still being kept and upheld. Also, an Organized Gold would appreciate a “thank you” for all the hard work and dedication that they have made to ensure that their work is still completed on time.

Inquiring Greens are having an internal struggle if they are not accustomed to working from home. Inquiring Greens want to make sure they are knowledgeable on how to continue their work in a foreign territory for them. What an Inquiring Green may be noticing is the lack of competence in the initial stages of this change. Their patience may not be as present as they are hoping one area of their life; the workplace is a stable environment for them. From this focus, it is essential to ensure that the individuals that they are working with continue to have a higher level of standard. By keeping this high level of standard ensures that Inquiring Greens can be counted on to make sure that the job still is done.

Finally, the Resourceful Orange in this ever-changing climate is the one that can help. Resourceful Oranges are natural helpers in a crisis because they can comfortably deal with the expediency of change and working on little to no information. Resourceful Oranges do need and desire freedom and the ability to work on various tasks at different times. Because of their need for freedom, it is important to check-in on them to make sure that deadlines are met.

It is with all the four colours that we need these insights now more than ever. Each personality comes with great strengths. These great strengths being their ability to foster relationships, continue to be organized in a chaotic environment, the ability to uphold a level of standard, and be able to change within a crisis.

 

Dr. Drew Fockler supports all levels of leadership within an organization to grow their leadership and HR skills.  He is a Master Trainer (Level III) Personality Dimensions® Facilitator, Certified Vocational Rehabilitation Professional, Certified Life Coach, and Vocational Evaluator. He has received awards for his contributions towards the LGBT community and Toastmasters Leadership for British Columbia in 2017.

Drew holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Arts & Science, a Master’s Degree in Education and a Doctorate of Education from Western University where he utilized Personality Dimensions® as part of his Doctorate research in improving an employee’s experience.