How To Choose Your People Chapter 15

Chapter 15 — Conservatism (3.0)

CONSERVATISM (3.0)

Conservatism: The disposition in politics or culture to maintain the existing order and to resist or oppose change or innovation.

– The American Heritage Dictionary

He's not superman.

You'll probably like him, unless you're trying to bring about some drastic reform. Being a don't-rock-the-boat kind of a person, he squelches enthusiasm and inventiveness .

More alive than any lower tone, it's still not the best place to park. But park he does. Try to sell, inspire or shift him and he'll say, "I'll have to think it over carefully. We'll talk about it later." Another stop.

Ruled by caution, poised, conforming, restrained, he's a tolerant guy who never swings into action without careful consideration.

He probably won't make a fortune or go broke. His money will be in 3% municipal bonds while his more adventurous friends are investing in the volatile new oil stock.

He plods along like the famous tortoise, enjoying life in a rather routine and unimaginative way. If you see a fellow gussied up in the newest clothing and wearing the latest haircut, you can be certain he's not a 3.0. No trend-setter, he wears new styles only after they become common. He does nothing to make himself stand out. He abhors attention directed at him, preferring to be one of the crowd.

HONESTY

He's a moral person who follows the ethics in which he was educated. Count on him to be honest in his dealings; but don't expect him to mention that your new hairdo looks awful. He won't. He tells little social "white lies," and withholds anything he thinks might hurt someone's feelings.

I met a typical Conservatism person recently who told me that his wife just purchased some new dress fabric which he considered too gaudy.

"The trouble is," he said, "I couldn't get enthused about it and she suspected I didn't like it; but I wouldn't hurt her feelings for the world."

This is the kind of problem that a 3.0 lives with.

"WE'RE ALL MORE OR LESS RIGHT"

He usually avoids arguments. Instead, he listens to everyone's comments and decides that "We are all more or less right." While maintaining his own viewpoint, he is able to see both sides of an issue more easily than any of the lower tones. When his fellow workers are engaged in a gripe session, he'll say, "Well, on the other hand, I can see what management's up against. They've got their problems too."

COMMUNICATION

He speaks casually, with reserve, preferring small talk about weather and good roads, rather than massive ideas.

If you tell him you're going to quit your job, sell your house and drift around the world in a sampan, the 3.0 will listen and, while he doesn't suppress or ridicule you, he'll use all of his social graces to persuade you out of it. He'll argue in favor of safety, security and what he considers better survival actions.

RELAY OF COMMUNICATIONS

"Things are going fine. No problems." This is the communication he prefers to pass on. He's fairly dependable as a relay, but if you give him a communication much higher or lower on the scale, he'll tone it down. He'll be suspicious of highly creative ideas and he minimizes sensational or bad ones.

I was listening to some men talking about the Indian fishermen taking salmon from the Great Lakes. One fellow (1.5) was saying, "If we don't stop those Indians, there won't be any salmon left."

The 3.0 refused to take sides: "Well, I think it's difficult to say when you're not personally involved. I'm not conversant enough to form an opinion on that. I'm sure there's something to be said for both sides."

ON THE JOB

If you want somebody to dream up a bold, new advertising campaign, don't choose a 3.0; he's not gutsy enough, if you need somebody in accounting to hold extravagances to a minimum, he'll be superb. He's willing to work on planning and goals, provided the end results are foreseeable. His persistence is fairly good if the obstacles aren't too large. He's content to do the job. If skilled in his line, his work will be highly satisfactory. You can count on him to accept a limited amount of responsibility.

The 3.0 attitude is highly admired and embraced by scientific circles: a careful, tentative, non-sensational advancement of data and theory.

Suppose you're boss and you plan to fire someone in your company. The 3.0 will prefer not to do it personally; he doesn't like to hurt people. Don't confuse him with Sympathy on this (the .9 will try to talk you out of it: "Oh, he isn't all that bad. We should give him more of a chance. He's really trying"). The 3.0 is more likely to see the logic of firing the person although, if he is required to handle it, he'll gloss over everything to avoid creating a scene or an upset. Instead of saying, "Look man, you just aren't producing," he'll murmur something consoling about budget cutbacks and wish the employee all the best.

Don't put him in charge of investigating someone. He shuns prying and probing. Remarkably incurious, he strongly believes you should respect the rights of others.

IN THE FAMILY

Children have a good chance of becoming better adults with a conservative parent. He's interested in children, and rather than force his ideas on them, he'll encourage them to express their own. He'll be shocked at his son wearing wild clothes and his daughter going without a bra; but his rebukes (if any) will be mild. Although he will give advice (conservative, naturally), he'll permit his children to select their own friends life-styles and occupations with a minimum of interference.

You could do much worse than marry a 3.0 (and most people do). He'll receive your affection warmly, although he may be somewhat inhibited in expressing his own. You can be sure he'll never serenade you in Central Park (or she'll never wear that frontless, backless, topless creation that's currently the rage), but his (or her) love will be constant.

Two 3.0s married to each other will probably stay married and be faithful. This is the level of contentment.

SUMMARY

If you try to convince him there is life on Saturn, he'll say, "You're entitled to your opinion. I won't say it's impossible, but I'd want to see more proof before I believe it completely."

Conservatism doesn't think anything should be done for the first time. He's a follower, not an explorer.

Hold that line. . .