TRACOM’s Sales SOCIAL STYLE® Concepts Guide and Questionnaires offer a quick and easy introduction to interpersonal effectiveness at work. They help build self-awareness of behavior and an understanding of the importance of improving workplace relationships to increase productivity.

1. CONCEPTS GUIDE
TRACOM Sneak Peek
Excerpts from
Improving
Managerial
Effectiveness With
Versatility™

2. © The TRACOM Corporation, All Rights Reserved.
Concepts
Guide
PAGE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction....................................................................................................................................................1
As a Manager, Why Is It Important to Learn About SOCIAL STYLE®
and Versatility?..........................................................................................................................................1
How the SOCIAL STYLE Model™ is Different................................................................................... 2
SOCIAL STYLE and Versatility Work..................................................................................................... 3
Overview of This Guide.......................................................................................................................... 4
SOCIAL STYLE Fundamentals.................................................................................................................... 5
Dimensions of Behavior......................................................................................................................... 5
The “Say and Do” Standard.................................................................................................................... 6
Predicting Behaviors................................................................................................................................7
Behaving with Style................................................................................................................................. 8
SOCIAL STYLE Model™.............................................................................................................................. 12
Connecting the Two Dimensions of Behavior..............................................................................112
Showing Your Own Style....................................................................................................................112
Unlocking the Keys to SOCIAL STYLE.............................................................................................. 18
Tension Management................................................................................................................................ 19
Tuning the Tension Channel.............................................................................................................. 19
Tension: Motivator or Instigator?......................................................................................................20
Getting Run Over by Backup Behavior............................................................................................. 21
Avoiding the Need for Toxic Clean-Ups..........................................................................................22
Versatility.......................................................................................................................................................24
Managing in the Third Dimension.....................................................................................................24
Support and Respect — What More Could a Manager Ask For?................................................25
Gaining Support and Respect — One Step at a Time...................................................................29
Next Step: Applying Versatile Managing...............................................................................................30
Frequently Asked Questions.................................................................................................................. 331

3. © The TRACOM Corporation, All Rights Reserved.
Concepts
Guide
1
As a Manager, Why is
it Important to Learn
About SOCIAL STYLE®
and
Versatility?
This guide is designed to teach you
about SOCIAL STYLE and Versatility
concepts and how they can help
you develop skills that will make
you more effective as a manager.
So, what does this mean and why
should you care? The short answer
is, by applying SOCIAL STYLE and
Versatility concepts you can get
more done faster and with less
effort. Plus, your direct reports might
even increase their levels of support
and respect for you as a manager.
Here’s how it works. You have ways that you
prefer to interact with your direct reports.
For example, when you undertake a project
you may prefer to move fast, gather just the
necessary facts, make assignments, and get
things going right away; or you may prefer
to take things a little slower as you sort
out the details, consider alternatives, and
contemplate the consequences of taking
one course of action versus another. These
behavioral preferences and patterns of
behavior are a part of your SOCIAL STYLE.
Each of your direct reports also has their
own behavioral preferences or SOCIAL
STYLE. As you might imagine some of their
Styles can be quite different from your own.
How interpersonally effective you are with
your direct reports depends on whether you
take into account their preferences as well as
your own. The impact and effectiveness of
your chosen behaviors on your direct reports
is a result of another key concept, Versatility.
Think about the different people who
report to you. Perhaps one speaks loudly
and tends to be the center of attention;
another is highly focused on getting the job
done; another goes out of his way to be
friendly to just about everyone. These and
many other characteristic ways of behaving
and interacting with people at work are
expressions of a person’s SOCIAL STYLE.
Your success in managing a diverse group
of people depends on your technical skills
and specialized knowledge as well as your
ability to make your relationships mutually
productive. Your ability to do this in a way
that increases the interpersonal effectiveness
and productivity of both you and your direct
reports is the essence of Versatile Managing.
In addition, Versatile Managing can help you
more effectively do such things as delegate,
provide feedback, coach, and mentor your
direct reports. It can also help you resolve,
or even proactively avoid unnecessary
conflict caused by interpersonal friction.
Introduction

4. © The TRACOM Corporation, All Rights Reserved.
Concepts
Guide
5
Dimensions of Behavior
As an individual, you have a unique
personality made up of a collection
of emotional patterns, mental
processes and thought patterns,
values, and behavior patterns which
are all influenced by genetics and
personal experience. Accurately
describing and explaining your entire
personality would be very difficult.
It’s little wonder that great minds like Albert
Einstein stuck to simpler tasks like figuring
out the nature of matter and energy in the
universe. The SOCIAL STYLE Model, following
this wise example, doesn’t try to figure out
the whole of your personality either.
SOCIAL STYLE deals with just your behaviors,
that part of your personality that can be
objectively observed. The word personality
comes from the Latin word persona, which
means “mask.” This is appropriate, since
personality comprises both visible and hidden
qualities. In a simple analogy, personality can
be compared to a pie. The inside of the pie,
like much of your personality, is out of direct
view and contains a mix of ingredients that
gives the pie a unique texture and flavor.
Behavior is like the crust, the outer part of
the pie that everyone can see and describe
in more or less the same way.
Like the crust of the Personality Pie, SOCIAL
STYLE behaviors are particular patterns of
action that people can observe and agree
upon for describing a person’s usual behavior.
SOCIAL STYLE Fundamentals
Style is like the crust of the
personality pie. It is the part that can
be seen – the observable behavior.
PERSONALITY PIE
Behavior
Observable
Say/Do
Personality
Personality includes inner qualities –
attitudes, aptitudes, dreams, values
and abilities.

5. © The TRACOM Corporation, All Rights Reserved.
[SOCIAL STYLE FUNDAMENTALS]
6
The Say and Do Standard
Observable behaviors are what you say
(verbal behaviors) and do (non-verbal
behaviors) with no judgments by the
observer as to why. Observable behaviors
are interactions between two people whose
behaviors can be observed and verified by
others. The interaction could be between you
and your direct reports or between two of
your direct reports. Notice that the Say and
Do Behaviors listed below are not either-
or propositions. Rather, they represent
continuums, for example, from quieter
to louder, or from less to more direct eye
contact.
OBSERVABLE SAY AND DO BEHAVIORS
Loud
Faster-paced
Facially animated
More inflected
voice
More eye contact
Rigid posture
Leans forward
Honest
Intelligent
Arrogant
Motivated
Self-centered
Sincere
Critical
I like him.
He annoys me.
She interests me.
He irritates me.
I distrust her.
I hate him.
I trust him.
JUDGMENTSTRAITS OBSERVABLE BEHAVIOR
Quiet
Slower-paced
Facially controlled
Less inflected
voice
Less eye contact
Casual posture
Leans back

6. © The TRACOM Corporation, All Rights Reserved.
[SOCIAL STYLE FUNDAMENTALS]
8
Behaving with Style
SOCIAL STYLE is measured on two basic
dimensions of observable human behavior.
These dimensions are Assertiveness and
Responsiveness.
Assertiveness
Assertiveness is a dimension of observable
behavior that measures the degree to
which others perceive you as tending to
“ask” or “tell” in interactions with others.
Assertiveness as used in SOCIAL STYLE
is not an indicator of whether you are
introverted or extroverted, but rather the
way in which you behave with others. In
SOCIAL STYLE, Assertiveness is considered
neither positive nor negative; it is neutral.
That means there is no good or bad place
on the Assertiveness Scale.
Using the various verbal and non-verbal
clues shown in the Behaviors on the
Assertiveness Scale, you can identify a
pattern in a person’s behaviors, based on
what you observe a person actually saying or
doing over time. Some of these behaviors are
verbal “say” and some are non-verbal “do.”
When you talk louder than others, speak
at a faster pace, lean forward, and make
more statements, you are exhibiting TELL
Assertive behaviors.
When you speak quietly, at a slower pace,
lean back, and use fewer statements, you
are exhibiting ASK Assertive behaviors.
Based on many observations, people can
see you on the Assertiveness Scale as either
more Asking or more Telling, or as a mix of
both Asking and Telling.
More
Asking
More
Telling
Asking
WITH SOME
TELLING
Telling
WITH SOME
ASKING
ASSERTIVENESS SCALE

7. © The TRACOM Corporation, All Rights Reserved.
Concepts
Guide
15
“One for all and all for one.”
People with an Amiable Style openly display
their feelings to others. They appear less
demanding of others and generally more
agreeable. They seem more interested in
achieving a rapport with others, who often
describe them as informal, casual, and easy
going. These individuals tend to be sensitive
to keeping relationships with others on a
friendly, personal basis.
People seen as having an Amiable Style
appear to:
„„ Focus their attention on the present
and interpret the world on a personal
basis by getting involved in the feelings
and relationships between people
„„ Prefer to get things done with and
through others
„„ Look for personal motives in the
actions of others
„„ Have difficulty understanding that
some people react to the information
available, or the practicality of the
situation, rather than relationships
„„ Be good team players
„„ Develop effective social networks
„„ Be easy for others to communicate
and share with
„„ Stick with the comfortable and the
known
„„ Avoid decisions which might
involve personal risks and conflict in
relationships
„„ Add joy, warmth and freshness to
social situations
„„ Be undisciplined in their use of time
AMIABLE STYLE
Amiable Style Highlights
„„ Slower paced
„„ Make efforts to relate
„„ Show less concern for
affecting change
„„ Work in the present time
frame
„„ Show supportive action
„„ Avoid conflict

8. © The TRACOM Corporation, All Rights Reserved.
[SOCIAL STYLE MODEL]
18
Unlocking the Keys to SOCIAL
STYLE
From the pattern of behaviors associated with
each Style, we can make certain inferences
about the key characteristics of each Style.
These Key Characteristics of SOCIAL STYLE
are referred to as the Style Need, Orientation,
and Growth Action. The Need is a primary
motivating force for this person. The
Orientation is how a person typically goes
about achieving the Need. And the Growth
Action is what a person tends to overlook,
ignore, or avoid in his or her interactions with
others. Growth Action behaviors tend to be
infrequently used in favor of the preferred
behaviors of each Style, and they are viewed
by others as the greatest weakness of that
particular Style.
„„ The Driving Style’s Growth Action is
to “listen,” which may get overlooked
in favor of charging ahead to get their
results.
„„ The Expressive Style’s Growth Action
is to “check,, that is, to stop and think
about how their spontaneity and
seeking personal approval may be
getting in the way of a productive
relationship.
„„ The Amiable Style’s Growth Action is
to “initiate,” that is, to take action that
may involve personal risk or cause an
increase in tension in a relationship.
„„ The Analytical Style’s Growth Action is
to “declare,” that is to deliberately stop
analyzing and make a decision or share
their opinions.
KEY CHARACTERISTICS OF SOCIAL STYLE
Need: To be right
Orientation: Thinking
Growth Action: To declare
Analytical
Need: Personal approval
Orientation: Spontaneity
Growth Action: To check
Expressive
Need: Personal security
Orientation: Relationships
Growth Action: To initiate
Amiable
Need: Results
Orientation: Action
Growth Action: To listen
Driving
CONTROLS
ASKS TELLS
EMOTES
As a manager, understanding these key characteristics puts you at an advantage when
developing successful strategies for interacting with your direct reports and for building
productive interpersonal relationships with them.

9. © The TRACOM Corporation, All Rights Reserved.
[VERSATILITY]
24
Managing in the Third
Dimension
With a basic understanding of the
two dimensions of behavior that
form the SOCIAL STYLE positions,
you should now have a much better
understanding of the behavioral
tendencies of your direct reports in
any given situation, and you should
be able to take actions to work with
them more effectively. However,
there is one more dimension to
the SOCIAL STYLE Model. This
dimension, Versatility, is critical to
creating productive and successful
interpersonal interactions.
The Versatility Dimension measures your
interpersonal effectiveness and reflects the
impact your behavior has on the amount of
support and respect you earn from others.
Unlike Assertiveness and Responsiveness,
which are relatively stable and consistent
over time, Versatility can increase or
decrease depending on your willingness
to work toward mutually productive
interactions in a variety of situations. The
higher your Versatility is, the more effective
you are likely to be, unlike the behavioral
dimensions of Style where there is no best
place to be, no good or bad Style.
To get things done at work, you must have
the support and respect of your direct
reports. Your particular Style matters less
than how you use your behavior to gain that
support and respect. Your ability to earn
your direct reports’ support and respect
is reflected in their perception of your
Versatility.
A critical aspect of Versatile managing is
whether your direct reports see you as
tending to focus on reducing your own
tension or on reducing their tension.
Managers who are not overly focused
on meeting their own Style need and are
versatile enough to adapt their behaviors
to helping direct reports meet their own
needs and goals are seen as having higher
Versatility.
The greater your willingness to work
productively with others and adapt to
situations, the greater likelihood of a higher
Versatility score. TRACOM’s research shows
that higher Versatility is related to success
and interpersonal effectiveness.
Versatility
VERSATILITY DIMENSION
OTHERS’
TENSION
MY
TENSION
HIGHMEDIUMLOW
Behavior seen as focusing on...
Versatility

10. Excerpts from
Self-Perception
Questionnaire
SOCIAL STYLE

11. introduction
How do you see yourself?
Shortly, you will answer a series of questions
about how you see yourself interacting every day
with those around you—your co-workers, your
supervisor, your employees, your teachers, your
fellow students, your friends and your family.
The questionnaire you are about to complete, and
the information resulting from it, will give you a
snapshot about the importance and value you place
on certain behaviors and how you tend to get things
done with others.
Please keep in mind this important point as you
complete the questionnaire: there are no right or
wrong answers. Complete each question as you see
yourself interacting with those around you.
instructions
The questionnaire contains pairs of statements.
Please select the statement you believe better
describes you. In some cases, you may find that
both statements apply because “it depends on the
situation.” While this is often true, think of how
you deal with, or tend to deal with, most people
most of the time.
If you believe statement “A” better describes you,
place an “X” in the box immediately following
statement “A.” If you believe statement “B” better
describes you, place an “X” in the box immediately
following statement “B.” Remember, select only
one of the two statements for each of the pairs of
statements. Also, please answer all the questions. It
should not take you more than 10 to 15 minutes to
make all of your selections. You may use either pen
or pencil; however, please press firmly so that your
response imprints on the next page.
Example:
1. A. I tend to tell people what is on my mind.
B. I tend to keep things to myself. X
SOCIAL STYLE Self-Perception Questionnaire
SOCIAL STYLE, The Social Intelligence Company, The Creator of SOCIAL STYLE and TRACOM are registered trademarks
of the TRACOM Corporation. SOCIAL STYLE Model is a trademark of the TRACOM Corporation.
No part of this questionnaire may be reproduced, transmitted or stored in any form or by any means,
electronic or mechanical, without prior written permission from The TRACOM Corporation.
© Copyright 2007, 2014 The TRACOM Corporation.
(303) 470-4900 — (800) 221-2321 (U.S. only)
www.tracomcorp.com
Version 3.1

12. © The TRACOM Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
1. A. I tend to tell people what is on my mind.
B. I tend to keep things to myself.
2. A. I see myself as cool and guarded with others.
B. I see myself as warm and friendly with others.
3. A. I tend to show my emotions to others.
B. I tend to keep my emotions “inside.”
4. A. I see myself as fast-paced.
B. I see myself as slow-paced.
5. A. I see myself as a risk taker in most situations.
B. I view myself as one who avoids or minimizes risk in most situations.
6. A. I see myself as playful and fun-loving.
B. I see myself as serious and thoughtful.
7. A. I tend to wait for others to initiate interactions with me.
B. I tend to initiate interactions.
8. A. I tend to talk in terms of opinions.
B. I tend to talk in terms of facts.
9. A. I tend to like to work with others.
B. I tend to like to work alone.
10. A. I tend to take charge of a situation.
B. I tend to remain in the background.
11. A. I see myself as outgoing and direct.
B. I see myself as quiet and moderate.
12. A. I tend to focus on the outcome or results.
B. I tend to focus on the process or the method.
13. A. I tend to be more interested in how people feel.
B. I tend to be more interested in what people think.
14. A. I tend to be casual and informal in my dealings with others.
B. I tend to be businesslike and formal in my dealings with people.
15. A. I tend to avoid personal involvement with people.
B. I tend to deal with people in a more personal way.
16. A. I tend to confront conflict head-on.
B. I tend to avoid conflict and confrontation.
17. A. I tend to get impatient with others.
B. I see myself as patient with others.
continued ...
SOCIAL STYLE Self-Perception Questionnaire

13. Excerpts from
Self-Perception
Questionnaire
VERSATILITY

14. introduction
How do you see yourself?
Shortly, you will answer a series of questions
about how you see yourself interacting every day
with those around you—your co-workers, your
supervisor, your employees, your teachers, your
fellow students, your friends and your family.
The questionnaire you are about to complete, and
the information resulting from it, will give you a
snapshot about the importance and value you place
on certain behaviors and how you tend to get things
done with others.
Please keep in mind this important point as you
complete the questionnaire: there are no right or
wrong answers. Complete each question as you see
yourself interacting with those around you.
instructions
The questionnaire contains pairs of statements.
Please select the statement you believe better
describes you. In some cases, you may find that
both statements apply because “it depends on the
situation.” While this is often true, think of how
you deal with, or tend to deal with, most people
most of the time.
If you believe statement “A” better describes you,
place an “X” in the box immediately following
statement “A.” If you believe statement “B” better
describes you, place an “X” in the box immediately
following statement “B.” Remember, select only
one of the two statements for each of the pairs of
statements. Also, please answer all the questions.
It should not take you more than 10 to 15 minutes
to make all of your selections. You may use either
pen or pencil; however, please press firmly so that
your response imprints on the next page.
Example:
1. A. I tend to consistently get things done on time.
B. I tend to be somewhat variable in getting things done on time. X
Versatility Self-Perception Questionnaire
SOCIAL STYLE, The Social Intelligence Company, The Creator of SOCIAL STYLE and TRACOM are registered trademarks
of the TRACOM Corporation. SOCIAL STYLE Model is a trademark of the TRACOM Corporation.
No part of this questionnaire may be reproduced, transmitted or stored in any form or by any means,
electronic or mechanical, without prior written permission from The TRACOM Corporation.
© Copyright 2007, 2014 The TRACOM Corporation.
(303) 470-4900 — (800) 221-2321 (U.S. only)
www.tracomcorp.com
Version 3.1

15. © The TRACOM Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
1. A. I tend to consistently get things done on time.
B. I tend to be somewhat variable in getting things done on time.
2. A. When things get chaotic, I tend to deal with issues as they arise.
B. When things get chaotic, I tend to develop action plans.
3. A. I tend to stay calm during difficult situations.
B. I tend to become frustrated during difficult situations.
4. A. I tend to stick to the “tried and true.”
B. I tend to try new ways of doing things.
5. A. I prefer the type of work where I decide what should be done.
B. I prefer the type of work where direction is given to me.
6. A. I tend to depend on other people’s ideas when problem solving.
B. I tend to offer my own ideas when problem solving.
7. A. I see myself as having a positive attitude much of the time.
B. I see myself as being somewhat unenthusiastic much of the time.
8. A. I tend to approach new situations with a somewhat guarded outlook.
B. I tend to approach new situations with an optimistic outlook.
9. A. I tend to be sure of myself and my abilities.
B. I tend to have doubts about myself or my abilities.
10. A. I tend to jump into new projects quickly.
B. I tend to delay somewhat before starting new projects.
11. A. When communicating with others, I usually understand what they are
saying without asking questions.
B. When communicating with others, I usually ask questions in order to
understand what they are saying.
12. A. I tend to choose communication methods (phone; e-mail; personal visit) that
are most convenient regardless of the people or circumstances involved.
B. I tend to choose communication methods (phone; e-mail; personal visit)
depending on the people or circumstances involved.
13. A. I tend to see things from my own point of view.
B. I usually try to see things from other people’s points of view.
14. A. I usually try to understand the needs or concerns of others.
B. I tend to focus on my own personal needs or concerns.
15. A. I see myself as generally working well with others.
B. I see myself as being somewhat difficult to work with at times.
continued ...
Versatility Self-Perception Questionnaire