The 4 Elements of Success

This book talks about building an amazing team in your organization by understanding each member’s
personality. Once you identify and explore the member’s personality profile, remarkable things starts to
happen.

There are 4 elements (personality profile) mentioned in this book, they are; Earth, Water, Wind and
Fire. These elements represent different sets of values and behavioral pattern. We know that different
individual have different sets of value and of course their action and behavior would differ too.

Earth:
It is the foundation of everything we do. It is steady and solid. It stores and saves by working silently and
steadily to preserve various forms of life. A person with this personality is aware of the “gravity” of every
situation and operates on predictable laws. They know that everything matters. If your strength is in
creating order and structure, then earth is your dominant style.

Water:
Water is very important and necessary of all the elements. Without water, nothing lives. Water is very
comfortable with change and works silently and invisibly to nurture and sustain life. They are obviously
very flexible and they take the path of least resistance. If you like to produce a refreshing kind of
harmony, your dominant style is water.

Wind:
Wind is quick, inspiring, revolving and refreshing. It is mysterious, unpredictable and energetic. It is
invisible and hard to restrain. People with this style like changes, new ideas and it have trouble following
through and focusing for long periods of time. If you thrive in chaos and change, your dominant is wind.

Fire:
Fire likes fuel, excitement, heat and pressure. It has no fear of confrontation. It can destroy as well as
purify. Such elements may lack in people skills due to their insensitive to other’s needs and weaknesses.
People who loves challenge, they are the passionate fire personality type.

Understanding Team Dynamics.

One of the major challenges facing all of the elements is understanding how to value and communicate
with one another. Each element has the tendency to brag about their strength. Different elements often
view their weaknesses as strengths. This means that they are not likely to feel the need to change them,
no matter how the other group views them.

Working with Earths:
- Give them time to do their work.
- Leave them alone.
- Provide them with a complete data.
- Include them in major or long term project.

Working with Waters:
- Be sensitive to their subtle voices and suggestions.
- Give them time for reflection or even detoxification.
- Provide constant encouragement.

Working with Winds:
- Keep them stimulated.
- Provide them motion and flexibility.
- They can see the whole picture like no other element can.
- Don’t close them in a single project, rules, procedures and details.

Working with Fires:
- Give them authority.
- Challenge them with big tasks.
- Praise them constantly.
- Their highest need is achievement.

Ways to Synergize All the Elements.

Honor:
Respect the view points of others. Treating others with respect even in conflict will help move the team
forward more quickly once a resolution has been identified.

Humility:
Be humble but not timid. Admit to others and especially yourself that you do not have all the answers
and you are willing to seek for the answer.

Humor:
Always find time for laughter. Dealing with different elements is tough but do always provide space for
jokes when dealing with them. This may greatly reduce the anxiety of your team in accomplishing tough
projects.

High Calling:
Always be conscious that we are here to devotedly help our team to find their fulfillment in life.
Different elements have different needs. As a leader, we need to be able to lift the team to a greater
arena of success.
How to Enhance Your Value to Your Boss.
a. If your boss is an Earth, help him/her to free up more time for analysis.
b. Water boss; help him/her make decisions quickly.
c. Wind boss; handle the details.
d. Fire boss; given him praise, attention and loyalty and you will shine.

How to Grow Your Team.

Hints & Helps:
a. Earth can sometimes be caught up by its own overwhelming sense of responsibility to others. In
that case, they must always be reminded that, alone we can’t make everyone happy.
b. Water can sometimes be hindered by its tendency to take the path of least resistance.
Monitoring and coaching is the best help we can give to waters.
c. Wind can sometimes be stalled by its inclination to lose momentum and focus. We must always
remind them on the objectives and goals.
d. Fire can sometimes be hindered by its own brilliance. Coach them to be a good listener.

Tips on the Elements:
• Earth identifies itself by what it supports.
• Water identifies itself by what it grows.
• Wind identifies by what it moves.
• Fire identifies itself by the flame of its own passion.

Conclusions:
We can’t afford not to have one of the 4 elements. We need them all. In a team like BET, we need all
characteristics from all elements for us to be successful. Even to some scenario where we will need
to adapt for short periods to exercise behaviors from some of our non-natural elements. We must
celebrate the differences we see in others. Honor their strengths and give them room to be unique also.