MERRIL-REID

PERSONALITY SOCIAL TYPES

 What are the Merrill Social Styles?

• The Merrill social styles form a personality model that includes four
social styles. These styles each have different properties and thought
processes. This simple and practical tool can be used to understand
differences between individuals within the organisation. Each employee
has different qualities, and approaches his job in a different way. These
differences can, if visible, be used to discover and utilise as much
potential as possible.
• Psychologists David Merrill and Roger Reid also recognised this potential
in the eighties of the previous century. Following B. F. Skinner’s
discoveries regarding behaviourism and James Taylor’s behavioural
descriptions, these two psychologists discovered that people’s behaviour
follows two continua, namely assertiveness and responsiveness. While
they worked at a large insurance firm in the United States, they studied
whether behaviour could predict leadership potential. If that were
possible, so they reasoned, they could create a culture with only highly
effective leaders.
• As indicated above, the factor analysis the two used consisted of two
scales: assertiveness and responsiveness. This resulted in a model with
four quadrants that each represent a social style; the Merrill social styles.
In practice, it can effectively be used by, for example, salespeople to find
out what type of personality they’re dealing with.
 Three Behavioural Dimensions

• Assertiveness
• Assertiveness has a very specific meaning in the Merrill social styles
theory. In the original study, it was defined as ‘the extent to which other
people see you as a person who tries to convince others of your point of
view’. People who are very assertive try to influence others with things
that are important to them. People who are less assertive achieve the
things they feel are important in a different way. They let others know
what they think or create a solution to a problem that bothers them.
• Responsiveness
• in this model, responsiveness is defined as ‘the extent to which other
people see that you control your emotions or reveal and share them’.
People who ‘react’ very fast and share their emotions are very easy to read
in their voice, body posture, facial expression, and choice of words.
People who score less high on responsiveness are more difficult to read.
They give away fewer vocal or visible signs, and don’t talk about
emotions. These people prefer facts and circumstances
• Versatility
• The third dimension used in the Merrill social styles model is versatility,
which is defined as ‘the extent to which others experience you as a person
who is willing to change preferred behaviour to make others more
comfortable’. This is a very important dimension. There is no best
position on the scales of responsiveness and assertiveness, high or low. It
is definitely possible to score better on versatility.
MERRILL SOCIAL STYLE
 ANALYTICAL
• This group of people is thoughtful and cautious. They generally want to
make sure they have all the information they need before getting into
something. Their favourite approach to problems and issues is risk
minimisation by considering all possible options. Others tend to view this
group as cool, cautious, serious, precise, objective, rational, and
sometimes distant.
• Analytical people love facts. They work accurately, orderly, and
methodically, and follow standard procedures, rules, and best practices in
their activities.
• Analyticals are concerned with being organized, having all the facts and being careful before
taking action. They need to be accurate, precise, orderly and methodical. They conform to
standard operating procedures, organizational rules and historical ways of doing things. They
typically have slower reaction times and work more carefully than Drivers. They are
perceived as serious, industrious, persistent and exacting.
• Usually, they are task-oriented, use facts and data and tend to speak slowly. They lean back
and use their hands frequently. They do not make direct eye contact or control their facial
expressions. Others may see them as stuffy, indecisive, critical, picky and moralistic. They
are comfortable in positions in which they can check facts and figures and be sure they are
right. They have neat, well-organized offices and in times of stress, Analyticals tend to avoid
conflict.
• Focus more on tasks than on people
• Like to be right and take the time to show this
• Are reflective, cautious, and precise
• Are good at evaluating and solving problems
• Are good at working alone, avoid group activities
• Are careful when making decisions
• Are critical and have low responsiveness
 DRIVERS
• These individuals are highly assertive and have low responsiveness. The
people in this category make decisions quickly, are impatient, and get
angry when others can’t keep up. Their favourite approach is to act
quickly based on the available and relevant information, and to course-
correct later if necessary. These people are specialised in pragmatism,
staying cool under pressure, and completing tasks quickly. Others view
this group as task-oriented, efficient, and demanding
• action- and goal-oriented, strive for results and react quickly. They are
decisive, independent, disciplined, practical and efficient. They typically
use facts and data, speak and act quickly, lean forward, point and make
direct eye contact. Their body posture is often rigid and they have
controlled facial expressions.
• They rarely want to waste time on personal talk or trivialities and can be
perceived by other styles as dominating, harsh or severe. They are
comfortable in positions of power and control and they have businesslike
offices with certificates and commendations on the walls. In times of
stress, Drivers may become autocratic.
• Are competitive and want to want
• Always look for control and to take over control
• Are quick in their actions and reactions
• Are good at planning
• Being decisive
• Are result-oriented
• Are task-oriented
• Don’t like inefficiency and weak decisiveness
 EXPRESSIVE

• These people are adventurous and move fast in life. Expressives like to
share new ideas and plans. Their favourite approach to a problem or issue
is to create a vision for the future and seek support from others by
emphasising the advantages. They are experts at making others feel
energetic, working enthusiastically, using humour in work, and taking
risks. Others view this group of people as impulsive, creative, and
convincing.
• Expressives enjoy involvement, excitement and interpersonal interaction. They are sociable,
stimulating, enthusiastic and good at involving and motivating others. They are idea-oriented, have
little concern for routine, are focused on the future and have quick reaction times. They need to be
accepted by others and tend to be spontaneous, outgoing, energetic and friendly. They are focused
on people rather than on tasks. Typically, they use opinions and stories rather than facts and data.
They speak and act quickly, vary vocal inflection, lean forward, point and make direct eye contact.
• They use their hands while talking and have a relaxed body posture and an animated expression.
Their feelings often show in their faces and they are perceived by others as excitable, impulsive,
undisciplined, dramatic, manipulative, ambitious, egotistical and overly reactive. They often have
disorganized offices that contain leisure equipment such as golf clubs or tennis racquets.
• Intuitive
• Creative
• Enthusiastic
• Spontaneous
• Funny
• Easily interact with others
• Are afraid of being rejected
• Love confirmation and praise
• Don’t like routine and complex matters
• Tend to generalise and exaggerate
• Use a sarcastic tone when they’re stressed
 AMIABLE
• These people are thoughtful, kind, support others, and take their time to
build a good relationship with others. They prefer to approach a problem
or issue by reaching consensus. They often play a mediating role in such
situations. Amiables believe that the best solution is a solution that brings
all stakeholders on board. Others view this group as kind, friendly, and
self-deprecating
• Amiables need co-operation, personal security and acceptance. They are
uncomfortable with and will avoid conflict at all costs. They value
personal relationships, helping others and being liked. Some Amiables
will sacrifice their own desires to win approval from others. They prefer to
work with other people in a team effort, rather than individually, and have
unhurried reaction times. They are unconcerned with effecting change.
Typically, they are friendly, supportive, respectful, willing, dependable
and agreeable. They are also people-oriented.
• They focus on opinions rather than facts and data, speak slowly and softly,
use more vocal inflection than Drivers or Analyticals. They lean back
while talking and do not make direct eye contact. They also have a casual
posture and an animated expression. They are perceived by other styles as
conforming, unsure, pliable, dependent and awkward. They have homey
offices containing family photographs, plants, etc. An Amiable’s reaction
to stress is to comply with others.
• Listen attentively
• Excel at teamwork
• Want to be respected
• Want to be popular
• Want to be seen as nice
• Look for safety and stability
• Like organised workplaces
• Take their time to make decisions
• Prefer following orders to taking the lead
• Are afraid of change and uncertainty
• The majority of professional salespeople are Expressives, and they find it
most difficult to relate to and communicate with Analyticals.
• The top 5 percent of achievers are Drivers. They have no difficulty
getting onto the same wavelength as Analyticals, because they are side by
side and, of course, they have total synergy with other Drivers. Plus, they
relate well to Expressives, but they have little in common with Amiables.
• The typical boardroom. Managing directors are typically Drivers. Finance
directors are usually Analyticals. Sales directors are nearly always
Expressives. Marketing directors are also Expressives. Technical directors
are almost always Analyticals.
• And in sales, the top 5 percent of sales professionals are normally Drivers;
sales professionals in general are typically Expressives, and salespeople at
the beginning of their careers are almost always Amiables.