The Four Temperaments and Stress Management

Stress management is not a nice-to-have skill. If anything, dealing with stress could be a lifesaver. For many corporate positions, it has become a prerequisite for employment.

The four temperaments each have a natural reaction to stress. Yappy Yellow would go into denial mode, leaving the scene, trying to numb themselves by seeking fun outside the stress zone.

Raving Red defaults to tightening control, blaming others for the cause of the stress. This reaction usually results in higher tension levels, which does not alleviate the problem.

Perfect Blue gets depressed in stressful situations. Blue's go-to reaction to stress is judging others for their imperfection and wrong decisions.

And Groovy Green? Their anxiety levels would get the better of them and force them deeper into their hiding places.

Luckily, stress management is a skill that can be learned and practised. Yellow should deal with the situation by learning to listen to advice and facing adverse circumstances. They will invest in their growth by trying to find the lesson to learn from the case.

Red – the ultimate stress handler – should count his words, practice empathy and patience, embrace others (and their own) imperfections and learn to delegate when stress knocks at the door.

Blue could also do with embracing imperfection and accommodating others' different approaches. Blue should be encouraged to see the bigger picture and the problem in perspective.

Green, dear Green, has to learn to face conflict and not see it as something to be dodged and feared. They should also stand up for themselves and be prepared to voice their opinions and insight into the problem.