TEMPERAMENT & WORK PRODUCTIVITY with Theodora Senaya: Navigating holiday temperaments in the workplace

The world will be enjoying Christmas in a few weeks. I used to look forward to the Christmas season every year as a child. It was always a thrill to choose Christmas outfit styles from fashion magazines and to match my siblings’ shoes and socks – not to mention the presents from parents, aunts, uncles and grandparents. It was a time to spend with family, enjoy special feasts and indulge in a variety of cakes. How can I forget the happy manner in which we sang the Christmas carols?

With Christmas lights and carols in stores and on the streets, nearly every nation feels the spirit of this happy holiday season. Of course, the office is participating in Christmas festivities as well. The four temperaments – Phlegmatic, Sanguine, Melancholic and Choleric – may react differently to the holiday festivities.

Maintaining a calm and effective work environment requires an understanding of and ability to work with these temperaments. The following article will take you on an investigation trip to discover how the holiday affects various temperaments at work, and provide advice on how to create a welcoming and optimistic environment.

Temperament Dynamics and the Holiday

The four temperaments’ qualities and attributes vary from one another. The Sanguine person is exuberant, gregarious, likes to socialise and is full of life. In contrast the gloomy Melancholy enjoys alone, and their personal space is for introspection. The Phlegmatic is cool, collected, patient, laid-back and diplomatic; the Choleric is a born leader and workaholic.

Everybody has a different temperament at work, and this has a big impact on how tasks are completed. The Melancholic and Phlegmatic are introverts by nature, but the Choleric and Sanguine are extroverted. The distinctiveness of the many temperaments will be emphasised over this Christmas season.

Christmas and Year-End Pressure:

The way we handle pressure and stress depends on our temperament. There is a lot of planning involved in celebrating Christmas. People might become really stressed out when they have to plan for gifts, parties, travel and family get-togethers. Additionally, businesses and organisations are under pressure to reach their year-end goals and ambitions around this time. In contrast to the extroverted Choleric and Sanguine, who will likely thrive on the bustling energy and activities around them to enjoy the holidays, our introverted Melancholic and Phlegmatic colleagues – who may already be prone to overstimulation, might find this period particularly challenging due to all the pressure.

Social Activities & Celebrations:

Most organisations plan office parties, social events and quick getaways for employees to celebrate with their families during the Christmas season. Whatever amount of work is on one’s plate, the environment is one of enthusiasm and fun. Even so, each temperament has a distinct threshold for joy and excitement.  The introverted Melancholic and Phlegmatic may feel depleted and worn out by the frequent social engagements, but the extroverted Choleric and Sanguine may look forward to and enjoy these social occasions.

Celebration Styles/Preference

Everyone will enjoy the party, but those with certain temperaments could feel that they should just go along with everything instead of expecting too much from it. While the sanguine person will choose to attend social parties, events and programmes to mingle with friends and meet new people, the gloomy temperament may primarily prefer to celebrate ‘low-key’ with close family and friends. Phlegmatic people might not be as proactive and enthusiastic in going to activities and gatherings. Even if the Choleric will be going all out for the celebration, don’t be shocked if you learn later on that their selection of events to attend is based on what they typically stand to gain.

When it comes to our everyday lives – including the Christmas holiday celebrations – our temperaments have the biggest impact. In summary, the outgoing Sanguine and Choleric look forward to festivities with great enthusiasm, becoming involved in office parties and festivities as well as bringing joy to coworkers, friends, family and other loved ones. Despite their participation in festivities, the introverted Melancholic and Phlegmatic find them to be a laborious and exhausting chore. They would rather have a quiet, modest get-together with close friends and family, or some alone-time for contemplation and relaxation since they seek more personal and thoughtful experiences during the holidays.

 

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