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Differences can be divisive. Learn to understand, accept, and respect other’s Money Energy.
Building relationships with people whose behavior differs from your own has proven to be a factor in achieving improved outcomes and decision-making—and reduced behavioral risks. However, the level of success you experience depends on your understanding of behavioral variances among yourself and others, and how best to manage those differences.
Very often, when we seek to forge bonds with others, we hide behind a mask. We attempt to judge what the other individual or team would deem as an appropriate personality and endeavor to mimic those traits. But that’s exhausting, and it is highly probable that you will “let down your guard” at some point and be your natural self. Was it worth staging a different persona? Will you be more accepted or rejected if others learn you have been hiding your personal identity?
Creating Unnecessary Behavioral Risks
When you attempt to fit in, you also become more susceptible to behavioral biases and behavioral variability, especially in the form of groupthink and group amplification. Groupthink is a psychological phenomenon when decisions made as a group create pressure to conform, the illusion of invulnerability, self-censorship, and unquestioned beliefs. Group amplification is more of an individualized influence within a group where someone’s personal, emotional feelings and beliefs are channeled through group decision-making.
We are all unique and complex, but improving relationships doesn’t have to be if you have access to the appropriate resources to help find clarity within your own personal identity and understand how your behavioral style interacts with the style of others. At DNA Behavior, we keep honing our programs and platform to continually help individuals and organizations improve engagement. So, if you are already a subscriber, take advantage of all our resources at your fingertips—it can radically change how to manage behavior, master different behavioral styles, reduce behavioral risks, and build trusting relationships.
Moving Beyond Cognitive Diversity
So far, I have been discussing cognitive diversity. From an even wider spectrum and according to various studies,1 non-homogeneous teams in terms of ethnically, gender-related, and racially diverse individuals resulted in smarter decision-making. Just like working with behaviorally distinct people challenges your brain to overcome static forms of thinking and performance, building relationships with demographically diverse individuals has led to improved and more accurate group thinking. It turns out working with a mix of people from a range of different behavioral, social, and ethical backgrounds has the potential to increase the reliance on facts and improve objectivity.
The Connection to Money Energy
You might be wondering where Money Energy fits into the picture. As part of our continued research surrounding behavior and money insights, we have, and will persistently monitor money’s capacity to increase stress, relationship problems, depression, anxiety, cognitive decline, and other health problems—none of which are conducive to developing healthy relationships. But it doesn’t need to always lead to negative inferences.
A positive relationship with money, aligned to your behavioral style, can lead to greater confidence, joy, experiences, giving, personal growth, and opportunities. And just like diverse relationships with others in general, often those decisions made together relate to money.
Making It More Personal
Interestingly, each person’s behavioral style helps us understand their relationship with money without having to talk about money directly. As a case in point, we have engaged with many couples who have shared their pre-matrimonial discussions. However, those we interviewed rarely went deeper into the subject of money. Yes, they may have agreed to have separate accounts and contribute equally into household expenses, savings, and investing—a focus on money as a currency. But those conversations lacked any measurable approaches to helping them reveal two other valuable dimensions of money: behaviorally AND as an energetic force that helps define their combined Money Energy potential.
Let’s look at an example of two individuals on the threshold of a life partnership where the clash of Money Energy could have ended the relationship before it officially began. Susan Rogers-Evans is about to enter a life partnership with Mary Evans. Susan is already committed to the relationship and has already changed her last name to reflect the vow. One thing both she and Mary have in common is their desire to experience exponential mindset growth, and they have each had the opportunity to complete their DNA Natural Behavior Discovery process. Susan is a Stylish Thinker and Mary is a Reflective Thinker.
As a Stylish Thinker, Susan enjoys interacting with others and getting the most out of any situation. For her, making decisions requires precision, technical information, and insight into the latest trends. It’s her nature to test ideas in discussions with other people and be dedicated when following through on her goals.
As a Reflective Thinker, Mary is analytical, thorough, and philosophical in her search for meaning, truth, and purpose in her life. She is particularly adept at drawing incisive conclusions from data and research, and that pursuit of accuracy, precision, and objectivity are valuable in group decision-making.
A Discussion With a Financial Advisor Accredited in Money Energy
When asked by their financial advisor if they had signed a pre-nuptial agreement, both replied no, but Mary felt they should have one. Through a Money Energy Discovery, we learned Mary was focused on both the heart (to protect the relationship) and the head (to safeguard their different life and financial journeys). She was driven by remaining practical, financial growth-oriented, dedicated to saving, and focused on the longevity of capital. Susan, on the other hand, was reactionary, thinking only that Mary saw an end to their partnership before it began. Her energies were focused more on her heart and emotions, and more prone to reaction and fear.
Their financial advisor saw this as an opportunity to explain that neither was wrong in their thinking. The conversation continued into a discussion that opened their eyes to a holistic integration of money into all areas of life, which include food, the body, and very important to this situation, the mind. Mentally, we should strive for more behavioral awareness and what makes one person more stressed over another when it comes to fears of not having enough money. It can heighten our emotional sensations, feelings, and reactions—particularly when it comes to making joint decisions with a significant other.
The advisor helped Susan and Mary see how inherent behavior and Money Energy link together, and how the three dimensions of money: as a currency, behaviorally, and as an energetic force, are influenced by their separate behavioral styles. Once understood, it can be managed and harnessed.
From that point on, they were able to focus on their combined Money Energy potential and respect their cognitive diversity versus fostering a divisive relationship. They now have the knowledge, insight, and self-discovery to a brighter future together.