PERSONALITY STRUCTURE/SOCIAL ATTITUDES & BEHAVIOUR David tends to be quiet and rather reserved, so appears to have a calm exterior.  He enjoys one-to-one conversations and the company of close family or friends.  His personal privacy is of paramount importance, so is likely to shun large parties and gatherings. Friendships will be made carefully and not broken easily.   He is also modest and unassuming, so avoids unnecessary exaggerations.  This may extend to his lifestyle which could be minimalist as he seems to require little to get by.  However, there may be a full collection of something on a specialist subject which he is particularly interested in.  INTELLECTUAL/WORKING QUALITIES Primarily David is a clear thinker with analytical abilities and good powers of concentration.   Intellectually, there is a curiosity for knowledge and learning in general, so he probably enjoys making intellectual connections or working on complicated concepts.   Working alone is a must so that he can concentrate on developing his ideas.  In addition, he is a conscientious worker who gains satisfaction from working hard in the background.  There is an aptitude for sustained concentration and dealing with work requiring attention to detail.   Therefore, he probably dislikes too much social interaction or interruptions at work and he may appear rather detached if he’s working on something.  Others will see him as knowledgeable with an inclination to be rather unforthcoming.  This is because he doesn’t tend to volunteer information unless requested to do so.  If he is asked for a business decision, then he is likely to want to go away and think about it before he is able to give an accurate answer.  He is also objective, so is likely to excel working independently on a specialist subject. David has the ability to plan and organise in advance and to compartmentalise his life.  This enables him to separate out issues so that they don’t overlap.  He is also able to keep a goal in mind yet remain flexible in how to reach it.  This enables him to keep on track whilst also changing priorities if he needs to. There is also a cautious side to his nature which prevents him rushing in and making unnecessary mistakes.  But overall, he has the ability to exercise self-control and authority and to get his own way without using undue force. 

DAVID’S REPLY Joyce’s assessment was very accurate.  I’d give it 19 out of 20 and my wife and colleagues believed she had summed me up perfectly!  When I first read it, the hairs stood up on the back of my neck because she had got it so spookily right.  There was nothing I felt that she had got completely wrong.  I must admit I was sceptical about taking part in this exercise as usually with these things the comments are so general they could apply to anyone.  But I was impressed and believe her assessments could be very useful for employers when interviewing job candidates.  One small criticism – perhaps the reports could be more critical. JOYCE RESPONDS:  I was looking for positive traits here.  Businesses needing an all round appraisal will receive it.