Children naturally do whatever suits them best and are constantly changing, whether physically, mentally, socially, emotionally or spiritually. Today it’s your turn to rewind the clock and reflect on your childhood personality traits!

 

Children naturally do whatever suits them best and are constantly changing, whether physically, mentally, socially, emotionally or spiritually. Today it’s your turn to rewind the clock and reflect on your childhood personality traits!

YOU’RE THE ONE WHO’S ALWAYS ON THE GO
By the age of 3, you were hurtling about, always jumping, running and climbing over everything. You loved talking and learning new words and were always full of questions. These days, you still haven’t stopped bustling about. You’ve mastered the art of switching from one thing to the next (and maybe gained a reputation at work for being a bit hyperactive) and become a “serial multitasker”, answering calls, sending messages, getting new appointments in the diary, attending meetings, writing references and jotting down tomorrow’s to-do list – all at the same time! Just remember that in today’s super-connected world, it’s important to take some time out now and again.

YOU’RE THE ONE WHO’S ALWAYS LOOKING FOR ANSWERS
Why is the sky blue? Why is the Earth round? Why don’t hens have teeth? Remember that weary look on your parents’ faces as they tried to keep up with your insatiable thirst for knowledge? Well, you’re still asking questions even now! For you, curiosity definitely didn’t kill the cat… In fact, it has helped you to adapt more easily in the workplace. Being curious is above all having the discipline to keep an eye on what’s going on around you:

  •  regularly seeking out new blog posts, books and articles on topics relating to your work;
  •  staying up to date on what your competitors are up to and their publications (e.g. research papers and reports);
  • keeping abreast of the latest theoretical developments published by renowned academics (e.g. in the Harvard Business Review) or by big-name management and business consultancies (e.g. the McKinsey newsletter or sector or business-specific studies published by firms such as Deloitte, BearingPoint and PwC);
  • maintaining a record of the new things you’ve learned – something between Wikipedia, an “ideas box” and a journal where you can note down your thoughts.

YOU’RE THE ONE WHO THINKS THE WORLD REVOLVES AROUND YOU
There was a time when you only had to open your mouth or lift a finger and your every whim was catered for. It’s no surprise then that nowadays not much has changed and you still think that you’re a cut above the rest. You’re available when it suits you and you love drip-feeding information. You’ve got a big ego and are constantly seeking recognition. You’re great at retaining information, which makes you feel important and that you have control over at least part of the process. The biggest risk you face is turning into something of a dictator (just like your 3-year-old self…).

YOU’RE THE ONE WITH ANGER MANAGEMENT ISSUES
Remember that time you rolled around on the floor screaming your head off in a supermarket? No doubt your mother does… According to psychologists, such behaviour is “a child’s way of expressing a sudden pressing desire that has not been fulfilled by a parent” – their way of saying “I’m not happy, so I’m going to have a tantrum on the floor with no thought for my own dignity”. Clearly these days you don’t kick and scream when things don’t go your way (or at least we hope not!), but you have to admit that the last time you missed out on a promotion, you were ready to smash everything up, including your line manager. Thankfully, a wise colleague and friend talked you out of it. Next time, just remember to keep calm and carry on!

YOU’RE THE ONE WHO CAN’T CONCENTRATE FOR MORE THAN 10 MINUTES
You have the attention span of a gnat and your company (and colleagues) constantly has to come up with new ideas to avoid losing you (literally and metaphorically). Five minutes into a colleague’s presentation and you’re already looking around for something less tedious to turn your attention to. It’s not that you find other people uninteresting; it’s just that, for you, they lack imagination and creativity. There’s always that little something missing. “Hey, wake up – it’s the ads!”

How about you? How has your childhood self shaped who you are at work today?