Irin, your greatest social strength is to be a
Secret Keeper
Your lips are sealed, and people trust you because if it. You're happy to play the roll of confidant, and you take pride in your exceptionally discreet nature. People likely come to you to pour their hearts out, appreciating your unique ability to listen respectfully and soak up their most private stories.
Because it comes as second nature to you, you may not even realize how unique it is to be able to keep confidences. While others can't help but gossip, you're the person who allows others to speak freely. You know they trust that what they say won't leave the room. You allow others to unburden themselves in a truly rare way. In a difficult situation, people come to you to work things through as they confide what's really on their minds. You have a special skill, and those in your network can benefit from it greatly.
How to connect with Everyone in the Social network:
Activity Partners (7/10)
Everyone needs an Activity Partner — someone to do things with, who enjoys taking part in all kinds of adventures and taking you along for the ride. Activity Partners are great fun to hang out with, and thus these are the people you should try calling when you want to get out and do something. These are also the people who are always there to lend a helping hand, and you can count on them to get things done.
You scored high in Activity Partner, which means that you really enjoy taking part in specific activities with others. When you meet others who are similarly high in these traits, it's possible that it's a match made in heaven. If both of you love the same activities — sports, movie-going, shopping, ice fishing — it's likely that you'll spend many a happy hour together. Even if you have many differing interests, you both so enjoy the company of others that you may decide it's worth picking up a new hobby or interest so you can enjoy each other's company.
Connectors (7/10)
Connectors are the matchmakers of the social world. You know the type — they're likely the person who got you your job or helped many of your friends make an important connection, whether work or romance related. Connectors have a sixth sense about who needs to know whom, and they can't help but try to get them together. They love hosting events and get-togethers, often with the express desire of helping you connect with others.
Your high score in this type means you really know how to leverage your social contacts, for both your own benefit and the good of others. When you meet others who are great connectors, the sparks can really fly. Between your respective address books, you can likely conquer the world — or at least bring the whole world together. You're both social powerhouses, and if that doesn't intimidate you too much to combine forces, there's no telling what you can accomplish together.
Listeners (8/10)
The Listener is the embodiment of tender loving care. They enjoy giving others sympathy, encouragement, and support, and they're open and welcoming to those who are suffering. You may see these people as your unofficial therapists — the ones you can go to when you're faced with a tricky dilemma or a painful loss. They genuinely enjoy listening to others, and they're skilled at helping people find solutions to their problems.
You're a great listener, as well as a highly empathic and patient person. People likely come to you for the exceptional nurturing you provide. Your connections with others who score high in this area are likely to be deep and nurturing. You can both offer each other assistance in working out the things that are troubling, and it will likely feel soothing that someone can reciprocate your caring nature so fully.
Experts (9/10)
Experts are walking, talking resource libraries — the ones you can go to when you need technical assistance, or advice on how to bake the perfect cake, or facts about WWII treaties. Whatever the subjects of their expertise, these people are generous in sharing their hard-earned knowledge with others. You can trust their advice because they take their areas of expertise seriously.
You are quite the expert! Whatever your field of interest, you know exactly what's going on. When you encounter other experts in your areas of interest you may find that you're inseparable, talking for hours and comparing notes. On the other hand, it's also possible that one or both of you may feel threatened by the other person's expertise. In this case, try not to compete and instead view the other person as someone you can learn from.
Extraverts' (6/10)
Extraverts thrive off the adrenaline rush they get from meeting new people. These are the people who talk to as many people as possible and leave parties and social events with the numbers or email addresses of people they've just met. Because they're such social butterflies, their social network is likely bursting with lots of fun acquaintances and friends who appreciate their great energy and vivaciousness. They enjoy having casual relationships with lots of friends.
You land in the happy medium of the Extravert scale, which means that you probably enjoy meeting new people and spending time alone about equally. You'll probably get along well with those who score high in this area. However, there may be times when you wish for a deeper relationship with that person, or feel hurt because they're always flitting around the room instead of focusing on you. Should this happen, it's important to remember not to take their behavior personally. It's not that they don't like you; it's just that they like and want to talk to almost everyone.
Perceivers (9/10)
Those who are Perceivers are experts on what makes people tick. While they aren't pushy or bossy, they're often happy to lend you their refined gauge on people to help you decide whom to trust. They can tell who is the real deal and who is bluffing, and it generally makes sense to take their lead in matters of personal judgment.
You're a highly Perceptive person, which means that you can tell a lot about people from subtle cues that many people would never notice. When you connect with others who are exceptionally intuitive, your relationship will have tremendous potential for a great depth of understanding. Since you're both so sensitive to the cues of others, it's also likely that you won't step on each other's toes.
Sidekicks (4/10)
Sidekicks are the people you can always count on to be around when you need it. They crave time with others, and this means that they're almost always up for hanging out. They're rejuvenated by socializing, so they're likely to follow up with you after you meet. Sidekicks are highly reliable companions.
You're not much of a Sidekick yourself, which means that you likely prefer more time to yourself and you prefer to socialize only on occasion. You may have fundamental differences that make it tough to be close with those who score high in this area. They always want to hang out, while you may require more alone time. If you find yourself feeling a bit hounded by this person, try to feel flattered that someone wants to see you so often, but also gently let them know that you need more alone time.
Outspoken Voices (9/10)
Those who are Outspoken Voices tell it like it is, and you can count on them when you need an honest opinion or a reality check. They have inherent faith in the value of their opinions, and they're willing to stand up for their point of view. They're not likely to tell a half-truth just to be nice, or let people get away with injustices. They speak up for what they believe, even when it's difficult or unpopular to do so.
You're highly Outspoken. You feel compelled to let others know what's on your mind. Whether you click with others who are outspoken or not may depend on how agreeable you are, since if you disagree a lot you may find yourself getting into pretty heated discussions. If you run into this problem with someone Outspoken, you may want to focus on saying how you feel in a respectful and direct way, but without expecting to change the other person's mind. At times you may both need to agree to disagree.
Referrers (3/10)
These people are in the know. They're clued into all the best deals, they can help you get virtually anything you need, and they're generous with sharing their leads. They're particularly talented at separating the superior from the mediocre. They seem to remember all the interactions they have with merchants and service providers, which makes it safer to trust their recommendations.
You're not often a Referrer. It may be that you don't pay much attention to good deals or services, or you simply aren't that good at finding those elusive needles in the haystack. When you hook up with those who excel in this area, you may never have to pay full-price or settle for sub-standard service again! They'll funnel referrals freely to you, and your main difficulty may be figuring out how to repay them using your own special skills.
Negotiators (9/10)
Negotiators are open about their feelings and they feel best when others reciprocate with this line of communication. They're fair and talented mediators, and they prefer to have clear communication in their relationships so that everyone knows where they stand. It's important to them that all sides are heard and that any issues are resolved fully and respectfully.
You're quite the Negotiator! You almost always prefer to talk things through. Your ideal relationships are probably with others who score high in this area. You both appreciate clear channels of communication, and you're likely to hear each other out. You'll likely be very close with these people.
Test taken at
References:
Barber, Anne, and Waymon, Lynne. Make Your Contacts Count. (AMACOM), 2001. Darling, Diane C. The Networking Survival Guide. (McGraw-Hill Trade), 2003. Fisher, Donna, et al. Power Networking, 2nd edition. (Bard Press), 2000.Gladwell, Malcolm. The Tipping Point. (Bay Back Books), 2002.Nierenberg, Andrea R. Nonstop Networking. (Capital Books), 2002.
