Do You Have Dominant Personality Traits? Find Out Here!

Holding the room’s attention can be an admirable trait but when that dominance and assertiveness become a challenge in the boardroom or a relationship, then it could border on intimidation.

A dominant personality can be challenging to deal with. And while not all people with dominant personalities behave the same, you can find some who will use their dominant personality traits to their advantage at your expense.

There’s always a self-assured friend we have who doesn’t hesitate to lead and use their dominant personality traits to get what they want. And while it can be a good assertive trait, sometimes, it can become too much to deal with, especially when mutual trust and respect is concerned.

Below, let’s explore what are dominant personality traits, what they may look like in relationships, and how to deal with a dominant personality.

Who Is A Dominant Personality?

The personality type who leads others and themselves to action while carrying an overachieving attitude for power and pride can be described as a dominant personality. In the DiSC model, the human personality is classified into four types;

1. Dominant personality
2. Influential personality
3. Steady personality
4. Conscientious personality

A dominant personality might not always want to be in power though. Some dominant personalities can look a lot like this;

• Confident
• Assertive
• Unrelenting
• Intimidating
• Motivated

If we talk about the dominant personality traits under the DiSc model, then the traits can include;

• Impatient
• Manipulative
• Egoistic
• Blunt
• Stubborn
• Determined
• Aloof
• Perfectionist
• Restless

However, dominant personality traits are not just negative or controlling. This kind of personality trait can make a part of the personality spectrum. A dominant personality is courageous, intimidating, self-assured, and assertive. They are focused and carry themselves with an air of social and motivational attitude. They also have high self-esteem and self-confidence which can sometimes be confused with arrogance.

Other traits of a dominant personality can include;

• Dedicated to work/tasks
• Strong leadership skills
• Too positive
• Stoicism
• High self-control
• Confident body language

Dominant Personality In Relationships

In a relationship, dominant personalities can find themselves struggling. Dominant personalities are not always good with social skills and their goal-focused and driven attitude can make it hard for them to express empathy and compassion to their partners. As mentioned above, dominant personalities are leaders and prefer that role instead of following their partners.

In some relationships, dominant personalities can do well and can even take their dominance as a challenge. Remember, they thrive in leading others and taking charge. They like making important decisions, but they can also be the ones to encourage their partner into action.

In some cases though, dominant personalities can do more harm than good. Some dominant personalities can take their dominance trait as having power over others and lead to abusive, toxic, and manipulative behaviors.

Abusive relationships can not only be physical but emotional and mental as well and can lead one to develop mental health disorders, regardless of the personality type.

Dominance behaviors can also overlap with narcissistic personality and narcissism traits. It is also said that psychopathy can also be a result of dominance and power-hungry behaviors.

How To Deal With A Dominant Personality?

If you know a dominant personality in the workplace or relationship, then here are some tips to help you deal with a dominant personality;

• Consider Your Communication Style

If you know a dominant personality, then the first thing you need to work on is your communication style. You need to be clear and assertive in your communication and your needs. A dominant person doesn’t care about little details, so avoid small talk, avoid nit-picking, and focus on facts in a conversation.

• Be Accepting

What a dominant personality does or does not do is not a reflection of their feelings towards you. It’s nothing personal. They are who they are, and their behavior is not just focused on you but on everyone. They may not always be friendly or sugarcoat things. Instead, they will be bold, to the point, and blunt, expecting the same from you.

• Set Boundaries

Being accepting of a dominant personality does not mean that you need to put up with their behavior all the time if you’re uncomfortable. Here, you need to set healthy boundaries to protect yourself – mental, physical, and emotional. This way you can also say “No” without actually saying it.

Bottom Line

We often associate a dominant personality with negative traits such as egoism, aggression, power-hungry, manipulation, and intimidation, but we often forget to look at the other side of the coin. Dominant personalities can be good leaders, assertive, self-assured, dedicated to their tasks, and driven.

If you’re living with a dominant personality, then it could be challenging but changing little things such as your communication style, skill sets, and boundaries can help deal with the dominant behaviors.

I hope this blog helped you understand dominant personality traits and how to deal with a dominant personality. For more, you can write to us at info@calmsage.com or DM us on social media. You can also comment in the section below with your thoughts.

Take Care!