‘Tis the season for performance reviews. I can picture it from my corporate days, gathering questions and scheduling meetings to have performance discussions with my employees. But with that comes nerves, excitement, worry, doubt. So how can managers prime the environment to ensure a safe and productive conversation happens for both parties?  Psychotherapist of 40 years and author, Steven Kessler, will teach you how by applying the five personality patterns. Kessler is the author of two books: The 5 Personality Patterns and How to Have Better Relationships. In his first novel, Kessler explains the five personality patterns: Leaving, Merging, Enduring, Aggressive, and Rigid. They don’t depict who you are, but rather what you do. They’re safety strategies we lean on. In his second novel, he explains how these safety strategies and patterns can impact relationships.   Specifically, in this Your Brilliant Difference Podcast episode, we’ll be diving into how these patterns can impact a manager’s performance review conversation with an employee. We walk you through a workplace scenario and give managers tips on how to detect their employees’ personality patterns, as well as how to handle them.   The Agenda for Today’s Episode:  00:00 — An Introduction to the 5 Personality Patterns  03:03 — Understanding Safety Strategies and Personality Development  05:58 — Exploring the Leaving Pattern  09:04 — The Merging Pattern Explained  11:51 — The Enduring Pattern and Its Implications  14:51 — The Aggressive Pattern and Its Dynamics  17:56 — The Rigid Pattern and Its Characteristics  21:06 — Self-Awareness and Patterns in Relationships  24:03 — Utilizing Patterns as Gifts in Professional Settings  26:51 — Navigating Difficult Conversations in the Workplace  32:41 — The Power of Connection and Feedback  39:03 — Understanding Different Patterns in Communication  46:45 — Managing Energy in Interactions  55:11 — Grounding Techniques for Different Patterns  01:03:02 — The Importance of Presence in Life  Previous Episode with Steven Kessler  Episode 136: Exploring the 5 Personality Patterns with Steven Kessler  Connect With Steven Kessler  https://the5personalitypatterns.com/   Share Your Voice, Forge a Brilliant Workplace  I’m on a mission to build a brilliant workplace where everyone thrives and career dreams turn into reality, but I need your help! Fill out a quick anonymous, 7-minute survey to contribute to my first-ever Career Advancement Report (coming end of year). Share what’s top of mind for you at work and inform a resource that will help you rise and shine at work in 2025.  [Access Your Survey]