The Intuitive Businesswoman
To take this quiz all you need is a piece of paper and something to write with. Number vertically from 1-20.
As you make your selections, write the letters in the corresponding numbers. Follow directions for scoring.
PLEASE NOTE: Because this is a private self scoring exercise, your personal information is safe and for your eyes only and whomever you decide to share it with. There will be no selling of your personal responses/information to nefarious sources as was recently done with Facebook by Robert Mercer and Cambridge Analytica
The Intuitive Questionnaire
1. You wake up in the middle of the night to find your fairy godmother standing in your bedroom. She apologizes for her long absence, then offers you one of four gifts. Which do you choose?
A. A portfolio of promising tech stocks
B. Your own syndicated TV show
C. Choice seats at the entertainment award ceremony of your choice (Academy Awards, Grammys, Tony, etc.)
D. A house in the country
2. Your employees have an affectionate name for you. Which of the following might it be:
A. Dot Com
B. Hurricane
C. Your Highness
D. Mother Earth
3. You have a chance to choose one of four mentors. The only information you have about them is listed below. Make your selection as best you can.
A. A technological wizard who has made a fortune in software design
B. A self-made millionaire who has irons in every fire – entertainment, manufacturing, publishing, hospitality, product development, the works
C. An exciting business celebrity who is not just a persona but a brand, whose name is licensed to all kinds of consumer products
D. A successful, compassionate, and altruistic mentor who often promotes products for the good they’ll do rather than the profits they incur
4. You spot an empty storefront in a wonderful neighborhood with a FOR LEASE sign in the window. Of these fleeting thoughts, which would probably cross your mind first?
A. I wonder how much they’re getting for rent?
B. This would make a fabulous apartment.
C. I hope somebody opens a great boutique here.
D. I could start a sweet little business in this spot.
5. You’ve interviewed at four companies, and each has returned with a great job offer with virtually identical salaries and benefits. Now you have to make a decision based on each firm’s philosophies. Which of the following pitches would most sway you?
A. “Your work will be rewarded here. We have a well-defined profit-sharing program as well as generous yearly bonuses based on performance.”
B. “We think of our company as an incubator for creativity. We want you to bring your whole self to work, take risks, try new approaches, and never be bored or boring.”
C. “Your take-charge personality is just what we’re looking for. We intend to install you as a leader, and will support your vision with all the resources we can muster.
D. “Our philosophy is that a person has got to be happy in order to be productive. We offer flexible scheduling and family-friendly policies, and promote wellness on every level.”
6. Your one-woman enterprise is really taking off. You need to hire an employee, but the prospect makes you nervous. Why?
A. You wonder if the trouble of training someone, in addition to the burden of making payroll, is really justifiable.
B. You’re not sure you want to maintain a consistent schedule or find things for an employee to do on a daily basis.
C. You doubt you’ll be able to find somebody who can live up to your high standards
D. You’re uncomfortable correcting people or assigning unpleasant tasks to them.
7. You’re throwing a special holiday party for your employees and want to hold it at a memorable place. Assuming money is no object, which one of the following locations would you choose?
A. An ultramodern hotel dining room with a stunning view
B. A campy cocktail lounge, complete with a Vegas-style crooner
C. A beautifully decorated Victorian inn
D. A cozy ski lodge, with access to the slopes and a skating pond
8. You are about to open a high-end department store that emphasizes personal service. How do you outfit your sales associates?
A. You issue classic lab coats with discreet name tags
B. You ask associates to dress stylishly, then assign great-looking “backstage passes” to wear around their necks.
C. You hire a designer to create a wardrobe with tops, trousers, and jackets that employees can coordinate.
D. You ask associates to dress casually and assign each attractive aprons that bear the store logo.
9. You’ve held your current job for some time, and, although you’re a little bored, you’re comfortable and stable. Out of the blue, you get an offer that tempts you to leave. What is it?
A. The federal government asks you to work on an important long-term project, with no change in salary but a promise of a great pension after ten years.
B. You have a chance to go on the lecture circuit, traveling around the world to share your knowledge with others in your field, with no change in salary but more free time.
C. You’ve been recruited to do virtually the same job you’re doing now, but with higher visibility, more control, a bigger staff, and a 10 percent raise.
D. You’re invited to take early retirement to the tune of $30,000 (gross) a year for life.
10. Your eight employees have each given you a birthday present. Though you’re delighted by all the gifts, there are two that you secretly like best. Which are they? (Choose two):
A. A state-of-the-art electronic organizer
B. A wall calendar that has your face superimposed on famous works of art
C. A pair of suede gloves in a delicious color
D. A charitable donation make in your name to the local animal shelter
E. Tickets to the opera
F. An herbal sachet, handmade by the employee
G. A deluxe-edition road atlas
H. A gift certificate for a parasailing session
11. You really like the woman you share an office with…except for one little thing she does that drives you crazy. Which of the following behaviors would bother you the most?
A. She has a temper. Though she’s never directed it toward you, you’ve seen her lash out at others.
B. Whenever there’s a conflict between the two of you, she writes you a memo instead of talking it out.
C. Her desk is an absolute mess. She makes piles everywhere and has even spilled coffee on important paperwork.
D. She’s constantly on the phone with her kids, and will accept calls from them any time, even in the middle of meetings or crucial discussions.
12. You’ve been contacted by the bank at which you had a savings account as a child. Seems the account is still active and, thanks to compounded interest, you’re $6,000 richer. Choose two of the following ways to spend your windfall.
A. Pay off debts or outstanding bills.
B. Go on vacation.
C. Buy stocks, bonds, T-bills, or other financial products.
D. Buy a big-ticket item that you’ve needed or wanted for a long time.
E. Take courses toward an advanced degree.
F. Do home improvements.
G. Throw a big party.
H. Have a bit of cosmetic surgery.
13. You’re lying in a heap on your sofa, trying to recover from a very bad day. Which one of the following situations is likely to have upset you most?
A. You had to let an employee go. She took it so badly that she sobbed in your office.
B. A flamboyant presentation you made fell flat on its face.
C. You discovered that you made an error that will cost your company time and money.
D. A valued client dropped you and hired your number one competitor.
14. You’re distressed at the plight of underprivileged teenagers in your community. As a business owner, you want to help. How do you make a difference?
A. Create a mentoring program that matches volunteer employees with local teens.
B. Fund an after-school art and theater program.
C. Select the most ambitious kids to serve as paid summer interns.
D. Establish a college scholarship in your company’s name.
15. A computer tech from another planet has appeared in your office and offered you one of the following upgrades, free of charge. Which do you pick?
A. A special keyboard that, whenever you touch it, makes you feel exactly as if you’re lounging outdoors on a beautiful day.
B. A design program that allows you to talk about your ideas and have them instantly displayed in full-color 3D graphics.
C. A program that compiles up-to-date data relating to every business decision you have to make.
D. A robotic clone that can be programmed to make obligatory phone calls and carry on polite conversations – all in your voice.
16. If you had to fire yourself, which of the following would be your chief reason for letting yourself go?
A. Indecisiveness
B. Lack of commitment
C. Lack of discipline
D. Lousy team player
17. You’re an established freelance graphic artist. Your best client has invited you to design a print campaign. Unfortunately, it promotes a political stance to which you are fiercely opposed. What do you do?
A. You tell your client you can’t do the job in good conscience and hope you’ll be called back when there are other jobs to bid on.
B. You let your client know that you don’t agree with the content of the campaign, but accept the job as a favor.
C. You take on the job and earmark 20 percent of your fee to donate to your favorite charity.
D. You up the price for the job, and secretly hope you’ll be turned down.
18. Four invitations have arrived in the mail. Each is for an important business event; unfortunately, they’re all scheduled for the same evening. Which one would you be most tempted to attend?
A. The one that seems the most fun
B. The one that offers a unique learning experience
C. The one that seems the least stressful
D. The one that most likely includes meeting influential people
19. Your relationship with your business partner is becoming strained. Which of the following conflicts bothers you the most?
A. Your partner is pushing for layoffs within the company in order to improve the bottom line instead of examining other options.
B. He or she is constantly vetoing your ideas.
C. Your partner is doing less than his/her share of the daily work.
D. He or she is making decisions without your consent.
20. After a long and fruitful career, you’re finally retiring. Just before you’re about to go on that celebratory cruise, however, something lures you back into the working world. What is it?
A. You’re invited to head up a new, nonprofit division of your company that creates grants for needy community groups.
B. You’re recruited to be a well-paid spokesperson for a product you believe in; the job involves lots of travel and media attention.
C. You’re tapped to head up the board of directors at your former company.
D. You’re been asked to be a consultant – with stock options – at a hot new company.
Scoring
Add up your totals to discover where your tendencies fall.
Questions 1 – 10
A+G __________ = Idealist
B+H__________ = Adventurer
C+E__________ = Visionary
D+F__________ = Artisan
Questions 11 – 20
A + F __________ =Artisan
B + G __________ =Adventurer
C + E __________ =Idealist
D + H __________ =Visionary
Total Visionary Points: ________
Total Artisan Points: ________
Total Idealist Points: ________
Total Adventurer Points: ________
The following is a brief summary of each of the Intuitive Personality Types. We would literally need a book to provide all the fascinating details of these various personalities. Thankfully, Judy George along with Todd Lyon wrote one – The Intuitive Businesswoman – Achieve Success Through The Power of Your Personality. If you’d like to learn more it is available on Amazon here.
THE VISIONARY
DETERMINED, AMBITIOUS, CULTURED, COURAGEOUS, REFINED, COMPETITIVE, DRIVEN, INDEPENDENT, PRIVATE
The word visionary might suggest a person who is ahead of her time. In the context of the Intuitive System, however, it’s more accurate to say that Visionaries have a strong ability to focus on a goal and make it happen–sometimes against all odds.
Unlike the Artisan, who thrives in family-like units, or the Adventurers, who often runs as the leader of the pack, the Visionary stands alone in a role that can only be described as queenly.
ARTISAN
MODEST, GIVING,PERSONAL, FLEXIBLE,PHYSICAL, CAUTIOUS, SOCIALLY AWARE
Artisians are not necessarily craftspeople in the strict sense of the word. But if one can define “artisan” as a person who can make something special out of nothing special, then the name is entirely apt. An Artisan can grow almost anything, including kitchen-table start-ups, community organizations, and mighty corporations.
Most Artisans are blessed with an ability to draw people around themselves and create a working unit that looks a lot like family. Artisans are giving of themselves and like to share whatever they can. Including power and profits; they are motivated by doing good while doing well.
IDEALIST
LOGICAL, METHODICAL, FAR-SIGHTED, ORGANIZED, ANALYTICAL, EFFICIENT
Idealists are the scientists of the business world.They do not answer to passion, ego, or impulse; rather, they let numbers, facts, and logic take the lead, and approach challenges with a cool detachment that is the envy of more mercurial types. Idealists build great careers–and great companies–on solid foundations of research and planning.
ADVENTURER
FLAMBOYANT, UNPREDICTABLE, UNCONVENTIONAL, FREE-SPIRITED, DYNAMIC
Back in the 1960s, a study was done that determined that entrepreneurs and juvenile delinquents had nearly identical traits. Both groups proved to have little respect for authority and showed a willingness to take enormous risks, in spite of the possibility of bad consequences. They tested as self-starters who did things on their own time; rebelled against outside structure and discipline; and believed that rules and regulations were for other people.
More than anything, the study suggested that each group had an intense inner voice that needed to be heard above the harmonious drone of the crowd. In the case of juvenile delinquents, that voice was expressed in destructive ways. In the case of entrepreneurs, it was made into something positive, creative, and constructive.
The Intuitive Businesswoman – Achieve Success Through The Power of Your Personality. If you’d like to learn more it is available on Amazon here.