Investing in People
“When you invest wisely in someone, there are different responses and different returns based on their temperament.”
In the April 2015 issue of the Keirsey Magazine, we looked at Warren Buffett’s path to wealth. He established a pattern of investing and reinvesting his returns. And now in the latter years of his life, he is making his biggest reinvestment of all, but this time, it is a different kind of reinvestment. He has entrusted most of his wealth to the Gates Foundation—(in 2006 he gifted 10 million shares of Berkshire Hathaway, which at the time was worth approximately $31 billion.) His reinvestment will make a difference in the world, and ultimately the beneficiaries will be people.
Although it is doubtful that many of us will become the next Warren Buffett, we can still invest in others with the money that we earn over our lifetime, and we can start today. The question is, “What is the best investment you can make in someone?” Depending on the temperament of those you are investing in, you may want to consider what kind of investment goes the furthest. When you invest wisely in someone, there are different responses and different returns based on their temperament. In this article, we look at how you can use your money to invest in others.
For Artisans, the key investment formula to think about is:
The best way you can invest your money with Artisans is to provide opportunities for learning and impact. Artisans are always seeking to improve their skills, and they want to use those skills to make a huge dent. So the investment to make is to find something that you want to bet on, get them equipped, and get out of the way so that they can do their thing.
To keep them motivated and charged up, give them audacious gifts, engage together in over-the-top experiences, and share great food and wine. They want to be constantly challenged with something big and bold, and they are stimulated by pleasure.
The kind of return you get when you invest in an Artisan with learning and opportunities is an individual who develops quickly and puts into action what they’ve learned. Learning for the Artisan is very utilitarian. They don’t learn for the sake of acquiring knowledge. They learn because it is directly related to what is tied to the goal. Your investment will lead to significant results for any objective you set.
For Idealists, the key investment formula to think about is:
The best way you can invest your money with Idealists is to use it to give symbolic gifts or facilitate mentoring experiences, which show that you know who they are. Idealists are always seeking to be authentic within and with others, and they want to be truly seen as unique. So the investment to make is to put in the time to find, make, or facilitate something meaningful, which reveals how special they are to you. Mentoring is about personal involvement, and this is what they hunger for.
To keep them motivated and charged up, give them your time, provide coaching, and recognize their uniqueness regularly. They want to be seen at deeper levels and recognized for their good intentions, and they keep going strong when you show them you care.
The kind of return you get when investing in an Idealist with authenticity and mentoring is an individual who is utterly loyal—to do whatever, whenever. Idealists want to be their truest selves, and they want to reach their fullest potential and help others to do the same. When trust is established, they give their best, and do everything they can to not let you down. They do best when they are known, and give themselves to the team and to the mission. Your investment will lead to a relationship that grows for the long run.
For Guardians, the key investment formula to think about is:
The best way you can invest your money with Guardians is to provide great compensation and appreciation for precise execution. Guardians are always seeking to be reliable in carrying out their duties, and they want to be approved as being responsible. So the investment to make is to pay them well, and praise them for getting it done. Financial compensation goes furthest with Guardians over any other types.
To keep them motivated and charged up, give them incremental raises, provide regular feedback, and recognize their achievements formally. They want to be validated and approved as being dependable, and they keep going strong when they are earning respectability.
The kind of return you get when you invest in a Guardian with generous financial compensation and praise is an individual who is utterly faithful in delivering with accuracy. Due to their high need for closure, Guardians need to get things checked off as complete. Money is tangible for them and so is recognition. They perform at their best because they are being counted on, and they make sure that they are doing work that measures up to their pay grade. Your investment will lead to smoothly run processes.
For Rationals, the key investment formula to think about is:
The best way you can invest your money with Rationals is to provide resources to help them tackle complex problems. Rationals are always seeking to address the issues that others dare not address, and they do whatever it takes to figure out the solution. So the investment to make is to find something complex enough that keeps them engaged and to provide resources, which they can align to entail success.
To keep them motivated and charged up, link them up to the most brilliant minds in their space, provide learning experiences that they can’t access on their own, and take care of all their small stuff. They are constantly on the lookout for anything that is relevant to solving the issue at hand. They thrive on intellectual stimulation.
The kind of return you get on investing in a Rational with resources to address a complex problem are solutions which are extremely difficult to come by. Rationals are natural problem solvers. They will harness every resource they can to get to a solution. They don’t like to take on small challenges. They like to tackle things that no one else can. They seek to be masters of their domain. And are ever looking to expand their territories of expertise. Your investment will lead to innovative solutions that most others would never be able to even imagine.
When it comes to making money, we all have different perspectives, priorities, paths, and pursuits. In other words, we view money differently; money is more or less important to some of us than others of us; we take different ways toward making it; and we make it for different reasons. In this article we exam the financial pursuits of the four temperaments.
Depending on your temperament, your potential demise is a predictable path. We would recommend, therefore, that you understand these destructive paths, in order to avoid the pitfall of bankruptcy from ever happening in your life.
