“Fearlessness, purification of one’s existence, development of spiritual knowledge, charity, self-control, sacrifice, study of the VED, asceticism, simplicity, non-violence, truthfulness, freedom from anger, self-control, calmness, unwillingness to find faults in others, compassion for all living beings, freedom from greed, kindness, modesty, steadfast determination, vigor, forgiveness, fortitude, purity, lack of envy and the pursuit of glory - all these transcendental qualities are inherent in righteous people endowed with a divine nature. (Bh.g. 16. 1-3)

Fearlessness- this is the property of a soul that has completely surrendered itself to the Lord. One who has perfect faith in God is completely fearless. He is sure that God as Paramatma (Oversoul) is in his heart, always with him. It is said that the Lord takes care of a person to the extent that he is devoted to Him.

Cleansing your existence means that at the end of life a person must accept sannyas, the renounced way of life, which involves withdrawal from material activities. For anyone who aspires to rise to the platform of spiritual realization, it is necessary to stop all activities aimed at sense gratification, refraining from association with the opposite sex and participation in money matters. This lifestyle is called sannyas, renunciation.

Development of knowledge accompanies the adoption sannyas. Those who are the most renounced are the spiritual guides of all people. They preach the highest knowledge and live on alms. But this does not mean that they are poor. It's just that God Himself takes care of them. One should not pretend to be a renunciate, begging, turning sannyas into business, making begging a professional occupation.

Humility - this quality is inherent in a person who has achieved transcendental realization. One who identifies himself with the material body cannot be truly humble.

Charity - means a voluntary donation to those who are engaged in the dissemination of spiritual knowledge. These can be attributed Brahmins and sannyasi. These two types of people represent the flower of a civilized society, and society should take care of them. Just as spreading knowledge and preaching higher knowledge is the direct duty of sannyasi and Brahmins, so charity is the responsibility of people living family life as householders ( grihasthas). These people should earn their living in a decent way and spend 10% to spread the highest knowledge around the world. This kind of charity is in guna goodness. It contributes to the development of a spiritual principle in a person, in contrast to that which belongs to guna passion and ignorance.

self-mastery - by this is meant the control of the senses and cravings.

Asceticism good for every person, but especially for those who want to leave the hearth and embark on diligence in places of pilgrimage, for the sake of their purification. A person who has retired from family affairs should be an ascetic in regard to body, mind and tongue. Those who indulge their senses can never achieve spiritual realization.

Simplicity, non-violence, truthfulness - uh the qualities inherent Brahmins. As teachers of humanity. They must be simple in communication, unsophisticated, truthful and non-violent, otherwise their teachings will be devalued.

Freedom from anger an important quality for all people, because anger, like greed and lust, opens the wide gates of hell.

You should not look for faults in others. One should not engage in empty criticism out of envy of superiors. Of course, if a thief is called a thief, then this is not a nitpick, however, if an honest person is called a thief, then this is an unforgivable offense that will become an obstacle in spiritual life.

Modesty suggests the absence of pride, which arises from false ego. A person who understands his position as an eternal servant of the Lord is always humble. He knows that only by the grace of the Lord could he achieve anything in his life.

Resolve - means that if the results of the activity do not come immediately or, contrary to what was expected, they end in failure, then in this case one should not become discouraged. Devotees of God are always resolute. They continue their service to the Lord with great enthusiasm under any circumstances.

Energy - signifies the quality inherent in rulers. The leaders of society must be energetic, strong, always ready to patronize the weak. For them, the use of violence in accordance with the laws of God is a kind of valor. To punish bandits and criminals, the ruler, warrior, administrator or other leader of society must know and be able to use violence for the sake of justice, peace and tranquility of citizens.

Forgiveness - this quality, along with energy, is also necessary for the one who leads. Being relentless in doing the will of the Lord, he can bend his enemy, but in other circumstances he should show mercy. “The sword does not cut a submissive head!”

Purity - by this is meant not only the purity of the body, but also the purity of the mind, the purity of the thoughts and actions of a person. Cleanliness and correctness in the conduct of business, commerce and business are especially important.

Lack of envy and desire for glory - this quality is valuable for those who are engaged in crafts and in the service of others. Workers, proletarians, who have no property, are very sensitive to those who possess it. They are more prone to envy than others. In accordance with their pious and impious activities ( karma) perfect in the past, everyone gets what he deserves: a good or bad birth, wealth or poverty ... A person needs to know this. Good is rewarded with good, evil with evil. That's the law karma. No one should complain and look for those responsible for their misfortunes, because this is the result of his own sinful deeds committed by him in past incarnations. For those who are employed in the service sector, it is necessary to be respectful to superiors in order to maintain public order. He should not be proud of his half and demand honors for himself. One who is endowed with a divine nature from birth is clearly aware of his position as a servant of the Lord, therefore he is devoid of any pretensions, always courteous and peaceful.

"Pride, arrogance, vanity, anger, rudeness and ignorance - these are the qualities of those who have a demonic nature, O son of Prtha." (Bh.g. 16.4.)

It often happens that people want to show their religiosity, but since they are demons by nature, they themselves are not able to follow the principal of religion. Moreover, due to their demonic nature, they always try to justify their evil inclinations by falsifying the scriptures and interpreting them in a bizarre way, as if they had made a pact with the Almighty.

Christ commanded his followers: “Thou shalt not kill!” So they should stop eating meat. A person should not kill innocent animals, "his smaller brothers", and eat their flesh. In fact, no religion encourages the killing of animals. But the demons say that the commandment "Thou shalt not kill" applies only to humans. From this it follows that Christ preached to murderers and bandits from the high road. Could it have been so? Indeed, the commandments: “do not kill”, “do not commit adultery”, “do not steal”, etc. are very strange for a normal person: he does not kill anyone, does not steal or commit adultery anyway. Civilized man need not be reminded that it is not good to kill, steal, and commit adultery. There is no need to remind the one who is devoted to God that he must be loved. It is in the nature of the soul. A godly person, endowed with a divine nature, has no inclination to do anything contrary to the will of the Lord. Only people who are under the influence of a demonic nature, living like animals, need to say, under pain of death, “Thou shalt not kill!” "Don't steal!" "Do not commit adultery, do not mate like an animal!" Love God…” Demons understand nothing but fear. Only for them does the “fire hell” burn, in fear of which they are forced to restrain their evil inclinations and desire to blaspheme. Out of fear of hellish torments and the possibility of being beaten or punished by the Lord and His representatives, they curb their lustful desires and do not show their demonic inclinations. But it happens that they come to power. You need to know the demons by sight.

Anger, rudeness and ignorance are the qualities of demonic people. Their speech is unpleasant, rude. They get angry over trifles. When a person pours swear words from his mouth, antagonism is inevitable. The mind is immediately aroused, the eyes become bloodshot and...

We see that material existence is dual. It is subject to the forces of good and evil. Enmity in human society is inevitable until one attains Krishna consciousness, liberated from the materialistic conception of life, which is based on the consciousness "I am a product of matter, I am the body." The soul is pure. It is transcendental to all manifestations of material nature, which affects only the body, mind and intelligence of a person, but does not touch his soul. Only because a person identifies himself with the body, he is forced to obey the laws of this nature, acquiring divine or demonic qualities during his life. As soon as he clears his mind, he immediately becomes infallible. This is the secret of true freedom, equality and brotherhood of all living beings, united by their spiritual, transcendental nature.

"Rejoicing in insatiable lust and consumed by vanity, pride and false prestige, the demons thus in illusion are always attracted by impure activities, attracted by the transient."

“They believe that sense gratification is the first necessity of human civilization. Thus, for the rest of their lives, their anxieties are immeasurable. Entangled in a network of thousands of desires and engrossed in lust and anger, they earn money in unrighteous ways for the sake of sense gratification.

“Three gates open the way to hell: lust, anger and greed. Every reasonable person should refuse them, as they lead to the degradation of the soul.

And in conclusion, remember that “Transcendental qualities lead to liberation, while demonic qualities bind…” (Bh.g. 16.5.)

The choice is yours!

Photo: William Mahnken/Rusmediabank.ru

There are people who are considered closed, avoiding communication and contacts, at first glance, a little emotional and apathetic, colorless and closed to a hundred locks. We call them introverts, autists. You can’t confuse them with someone else, because already from childhood they are special, reserved and even cold personalities. Sometimes we see the features of a closed introvert in ourselves and try to explain the illogicality of our behavior, shyness, a tendency to loneliness with the features of our psychotype. All these qualities are inherent in the so-called schizoid personality type. What is this type?

Psychoanalyst Nancy McWilliams, author of the book Psychoanalytic Diagnostics, writes about them this way: “There are not many such people, 1-2%. They do not like to be approached too closely and often scare people away with their peculiar behavior. Many consider them "not like that." But they are used to it."

Psychologists and psychotherapists distinguish between adaptive and non-adaptive schizoid types. There are those who managed to adapt in society and find themselves in the world of people, and there are those who experience significant difficulties with adaptation, falling into the conditions of a destructive existence. The unadapted schizoid type is a candidate for a special psychotherapeutic effect in order to avoid serious mental disorders, diseases and manifestations. Drugs, alcohol, suicide... you never know.

We will not touch on pathologies, let's talk about the features of the schizoid personality type, which is quite common today, and almost every one of us has its manifestations at one time or another period of our life.

Schizoid

The schizoid type is visible almost from birth, when the baby, instead of looking for the mother's arms, cuddling and demanding affection, moves away. Moves away, avoids touch and absorption. The paradox of this type lies in the fact that moving away, he wants more than anything in the world to get closer. "Stay there, come here!" - a child might say to his mother, trying to explain to her how to behave with him so that he feels safe.

Such a kid plays alone, it is difficult to converge with peers, he is somewhere on his own wave.

“Dika, sad, silent, like a forest doe is timid, she seemed like a stranger in her own family. She did not know how to caress, the child herself did not want to play and jump in a crowd of children, and often all day long she sat silently at the window.

This is how Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin very aptly and accurately described his Tatyana Larina, a typical representative of the schizoid personality type.

He himself was like that as a child. Yes, and later. But on the example of his heroine Tatyana, one can trace how an unexpectedly polar division manifests itself in the schizoid type of personality. Tatyana was quiet, and then again - and she herself was the first to write a letter to Onegin. Unprecedented in courage, simply a daring act for that time. And then: “Look what Tatyana threw out: she took it and got married!” - Pushkin writes about his heroine, who threw out an unexpected trick. It's like she woke up. It was as if something internal, hidden from others and carefully guarded, suddenly broke out and could not be stopped by any means. Yes, and Pushkin himself, "poetry and prose, ice and fire," threw out a trick, first with his marriage, then with a sudden duel.

In these classic examples, it is easy to see that the schizoid personality type is not such an unambiguous introvert. This is not some kind of scumbag, quiet and invisible to anyone. This is a person with a deep and varied inner world, sometimes dangerous, unpredictable, but which invariably breaks out in one way or another. And literally makes his master do things that are unexpected for him, act inappropriately, from the point of view of an ordinary person. It can be an unexpected protest, a trick, an aggressive reaction, the actions of a nonconformist, that is, someone who breaks out of the usual established framework and laws.

Why is he doing this? He would sit there quietly in a corner where he usually prefers to be, and would not climb into the light of day. The cause of outbursts and unexpected emotional eruptions lies, in my opinion, in an unquenchable thirst for touch, impossible for him and at the same time painfully desired. He seems to be constantly pushing away the hand that he desperately wants to shake. The reason is the paradox that lies within his psychotype. Such people prefer to be too frank, for example, virtually, online, in chat, in comments, at a distance, but they will never go for rapprochement or frankness in real life.

It turns out that there is no salvation, and so he will live, like a fading and flaring volcano, in the eternal rivalry of fear and desire.

On the one hand, he is too sensitive to the world around him, on the other hand, he is unable to figure out what is dangerous in him. The schizoid personality type is poorly versed in people, more often because it is inattentive to them. Too busy with his inner experiences, he does not see others, does not try to understand their emotions, cannot distinguish sympathy for himself from ridicule and neglect. Sometimes he can be obsessive, does not feel that he needs to leave a person, does not see his emotions, because he is absorbed in his own.

Some psychologists call this lack of intuition. Perhaps this is due to the fact that the schizoid personality type sees much deeper than external manifestations. And all the conventions and candy wrappers seem superfluous to him for a true understanding of the essence of things.

The main features of the schizoid personality

In fact, the main features of the schizoid type are:

Split. Bifurcation. As the main characteristic of a person. "Stay there, come here!" It is also very clearly manifested in the proverb "There are devils in the still waters." And this is not only in a negative sense. This can be expressed in unexpected bursts of some kind of phenomenal creative activity, unusualness, originality, genius, courage ... Yes, anything. “Some underground fashionista!” - remember how in the old film "The Most Charming and Attractive" her employee exclaimed about the heroine, surprised by her unexpected transformation. This quiet, schizoid type, it turns out, is not so simple. In fact, in an adapted version, this is an incredibly talented and even brilliant personality.

distancing- this is a favorite way of existence of this type in the world of people, even among their own. The schizoid type prefers to maintain a significant distance between himself and others. He chooses loneliness, but an unusual one in which he must know that nearby, in the next room, in the same city, in the same country, on the same planet, there are people who love him for who he is.

Absorption- this is the main fear that a person of the schizoid type experiences. It always seems to him that if he is too close to other people, if he opens himself too much, then he will be swallowed, crushed, hurt, his individuality will be destroyed.

How to save the schizoid type in the modern world?

It seems to me that it is impossible to completely get rid of the manifestations of the schizoid type. But, understanding the causes and origins of his behavior, a person is more calm about the fluctuations of his state, doubts, inadequate, at first glance, actions. He learns to live with what nature has given him. And nature, in fact, incredibly awarded him with a special, original, incredibly unexpected inner content and special sensitivity. Which he can fully reveal in his work.

In principle, each of us has the right to choose whether he wants to be an introvert, closed in on himself and living inside his shell, a schizoid who lives in a shell, but sometimes crawls out into the light and violently manifests his volcanic temperament. Or become the creator of his own and others' worlds, where all his fears and all his special abilities can be sublimated and find their application.

Is it possible to do this on your own, without the help of a specialist? Who said it's impossible? Pushkin, on the other hand, found a way to cope with his schizoid temperament.

Each person is endowed with a unique, own character from birth. A child can inherit individual traits from his parents, some show them to a greater extent, and some do not look like any of the family members at all. But character is not the behavior of parents projected onto the child, it is a more complex mental phenomenon. The list of positives is very long. In the article we will try to highlight the main character traits.

human?

Translated from Greek, the word "character" means "a distinctive feature, a sign." Depending on the type of their psychological organization, people find their soul mates, build relationships, build their whole lives. A person's character is a unique set of mental characteristics, personality traits that play a decisive role in various aspects of a person's life and are manifested through his activity.

To understand the character of an individual, it is necessary to massively analyze his actions. Judgments about character can be very subjective, because not every person acts the way his heart tells him. However, it is possible to identify individual stable character traits by studying behavior for a long time. If a person in different situations makes the same decision, draws similar conclusions and shows a similar reaction, then this indicates that he has one or another trait. For example, if someone is responsible, then his behavior both at work and at home will meet this criterion. If a person is cheerful by nature, a one-time manifestation of sadness against the background of general positive behavior will not become a separate character trait.

character building

The process of character formation begins in early childhood, in the first social contacts of the child with his parents. For example, excessive love and guardianship can later become the key to a stable characteristic of the human psyche and make him dependent or spoiled. That is why many parents are especially attentive to the upbringing of positive character traits in children. They get pets so that the baby can feel what responsibility is, instruct him to do small chores around the house, teach him to put away his toys and explain that not all desires and whims can be fulfilled.

The next stage is kindergarten and school. The child already has the main character traits, but at this stage they are still amenable to correction: you can wean a small personality from greed, help get rid of excessive shyness. In the future, as a rule, the formation and change of character traits is possible only when working with a psychologist.

Character or temperament?

Very often these two concepts are confused with each other. Indeed, both character and temperament shape human behavior. But they are fundamentally different in nature. Character is a list of acquired mental properties, while temperament is of biological origin. Having the same temperament, people can have completely different characters.

There are 4 types of temperament: impulsive and unbalanced choleric, unhurried and calm phlegmatic, light and optimistic sanguine and emotionally vulnerable melancholic. At the same time, temperament can restrain certain character traits, and vice versa, character can compensate for temperament.

For example, a phlegmatic person with a good sense of humor will still be stingy with displays of emotion, but this will not prevent him from demonstrating a sense of humor, laughing and having fun in appropriate society.

List of positive qualities of a person

The list of positive and negative qualities of a person is huge. Initially, all definitions regarding the nature and essence of a person, his behavior are subjective. In society, certain norms have been established that make it possible to determine how positive or negative this or that personality trait or its act is. However, there are higher qualities of a person that demonstrate his virtue and good intentions. Their list looks like this:

• altruism;
• respect for elders;
• kindness;
• fulfillment of promises;
• moral;
• responsibility;
• loyalty;
• perseverance;
• moderation;
• responsiveness;
• honesty;
• sincerity;
• disinterestedness and others.

These qualities, along with their derivatives, constitute the nature of the true beauty of a person's character. They are laid in the family, in the process of upbringing, children copy the behavior of their parents, and therefore a well-educated person will have all these highest qualities.

List of negative qualities of a person

The list of positive and negative qualities of a person can be formed for a long time, since there are a lot of them. To assign a person the presence of a negative quality of character on the basis of his act or action alone will be fundamentally wrong. You can’t hang labels, even the most well-mannered and can really believe that they are endowed with, say, greed or arrogance. However, if such behavior is a pattern, then the conclusion will be obvious.

The list of negative traits, as well as positive ones, is huge. The most basic and common are as follows:

• lack of will;
• irresponsibility;
• harmfulness;
• greed;
• viciousness;
• deceit;
• hypocrisy;
• hatred;
• selfishness;
• intolerance;
• greed and others.

The presence of such character traits in a person is not a diagnosis, they can and should be dealt with even in adult, conscious age, to correct behavior.

Character traits that manifest themselves in relation to other people

We have formed a list of positive and negative qualities of a person. Now we will talk about character traits that manifest themselves in relation to other people. The fact is that depending on in relation to whom or what a person performs an action or act, a specific individual feature of it is exposed. In society, he can demonstrate the following qualities:

• sociability;
• responsiveness;
• susceptibility to someone else's mood;
• respectfulness;
• arrogance;
• egocentrism;
• coarseness;
• closure and others.

Of course, a lot depends on the conditions in which a person finds himself: even the most open and sociable person may experience problems in communicating with a strict, closed and heartless person. But, as a rule, polite people, endowed with positive qualities, easily adapt to society and suppress their negative traits.

Character traits manifested in work

Building a person's career directly depends on the qualities of his character. Even the most talented and gifted people can fail because they are not responsible enough for their work and their talent. Thus, they only harm themselves and do not give themselves the opportunity to reach their full potential.

Or, on the contrary, there are cases when the lack of talent was more than compensated for by special diligence in work. A responsible and accurate person will always succeed. Here is a list of the main such traits:

• diligence;
• responsibility;
• initiative;
• accuracy;
• slovenliness;
• laziness;
• negligence;
• passivity and others.

These two groups of character traits actively echo each other, since labor activity and communication between people are inseparably linked.

Character traits that manifest themselves in relation to oneself

These are the features that characterize in relation to himself, his self-perception. They look like this:

• feeling of self-worth or superiority;
• honour;
• arrogance;
• self-criticism;
• egocentrism;
• self-love and others.

Character traits that manifest themselves in relation to things

Attitude towards things does not affect the building of a person's social ties, but it demonstrates and reveals the best or unattractive qualities of his nature. These are traits such as:

• accuracy;
• thrift;
• scrupulousness;
• carelessness and others.

Mentality, qualities of a Russian person

Mentality is a very subjective concept, and it is based on stereotypical thinking. However, it cannot be denied that certain features are inherent in a particular nationality. Russian people are famous for their cordiality and hospitality, cheerful disposition. The Russian soul is considered mysterious and incomprehensible all over the world, since Russians do not differ in the rationality and logic of their actions, they are often influenced by their mood.

Another feature of the Russian people is sentimentality. A Russian person instantly takes on the feelings of another and is always ready to share emotions with him, to lend a helping hand. It is impossible not to mention another trait - compassion. Historically, Russia has helped its neighbors on all frontiers of the country, and today only a heartless person will pass by the misfortune of another.

What are the most significant positive qualities of a person's character for work and a comfortable life in society? How best to describe yourself and what to include in your resume? Let's figure it out. In order to know our virtues in person, we have prepared a list of positive qualities to characterize a person.

Accuracy

It is a desire for order and cleanliness. Accuracy is manifested in external neatness, caring attitude to things, accuracy and thoroughness in business. This trait is more inherent in women, so it is especially important for a man to develop the habit of creating and maintaining cleanliness. Remember: the order in the house is the order in the head.

Thrift

This is a caring attitude to the available benefits, no matter your own or someone else's. We are talking not only about material things, but even about the spiritual forces and vital energy of a person. This quality allows you to optimize the consumption of any resources, to achieve more by saving less.

Unselfishness

This is the lack of desire for profit. Selfish people are driven only by personal gain. Sincere and selfless people do not care about their own benefit, they will help and will not demand anything in return, so they are trusted much more.

Politeness

Respectful attitude towards others. Always. Even in cases where the situation is not conducive to courteous and tactful treatment. By the way, this quality annoys boors. They want to quarrel, but a polite person does not come into conflict with them. Politeness and cursing for the belt shuts up, and conquers the city!

Loyalty

This is devotion, but not only in relation to close people, but also to one's own worldview, ideas and views. This is an important side of the relationship between a man and a woman, because such a negative trait as jealousy is associated with it. Loyalty speaks of the reliability and constancy of a person with this quality.

upbringing

These are good manners and the ability to behave in society. An educated person is polite to others, regardless of their social status. This is knowledge and implementation of the rules of behavior in society, respect for other people's property, nature, society. For an educated person is never ashamed.

Discipline

It is the ability to follow rules and regulations. A disciplined person not only strictly observes the established rules, but also knows how to manage his own time in such a way that it is enough for all important things.

Kindness

This is a kind and caring attitude towards people. Responsiveness and attentiveness towards others, the desire to help and rescue from difficult situations, without expecting anything in return. This quality does not bring immediate benefits, but those around him appreciate it, and the kindness shown is often answered with the same kindness and care.

Friendliness

This is a benevolent attitude towards others. This is not only an opportunity to build friendly relations with any person, but also the ability to behave openly and sympathetically towards people. A friendly person strives for mutual pleasant communication, therefore he has not only true friends, but also a lot of useful acquaintances.

Sociability

It is the ability to make contacts. A person who does not have communication barriers easily enters the team and makes friends. We live in a society, so the ability to communicate with others is useful in any area of ​​life. A person with this quality will never be left alone.

Responsibility

This is the ability of a person to be responsible for what he is entrusted with, the ability to make difficult decisions and evaluate their consequences. Husbands are responsible for wives, mothers for children, employees for professional tasks. A person who is not afraid to take responsibility for anything shows himself as an independent and mature person.

Responsiveness

This is a willingness to help, the ability to disinterestedly respond to a request, to help in a difficult situation. The advantage of this quality is not only in a good attitude towards others, but also in self-perception of being a kind person.

Punctuality

This is compliance with rules and regulations. In life, this quality is more associated with the absence of delays, the ability to complete assignments on time, to comply with agreements. Especially appreciated in industries where "time is money". But do not neglect punctuality in other areas of life - its absence can be perceived as disrespect.

Determination

This is the willingness to make decisions, the ability to carry out the plan, without being shy and not succumbing to fears. Determination is the absence of the so-called paralysis of the will, when doubts interfere with activity. Closely associated with fortitude and courage. They say about decisive people: "He has an inner core."

Self-criticism

This is a sober self-assessment, an adequate perception of one's own views and activities. A self-critical person does not consider his own opinion to be the only true one, he has a sound attitude towards views from the outside. But you need to remember the golden mean, because excessive self-criticism indicates low self-esteem.

Modesty

It is the lack of intention to exalt oneself. It's nice to deal with people who have achieved a lot, and at the same time do not praise themselves at every turn. Modesty is not only the absence of boasting, but also tact in relation to others. This quality can manifest itself both because of respect for other people, and because of shyness.

Courage

It is the ability not to give in to fear. They say that a brave person is not afraid of anything, but the complete absence of fear is not only recklessness, but also a syndrome of some mental abnormalities. Courage is the ability to act in spite of fears. As an example, firefighters may also be afraid of fire, but perform their professional duty without succumbing to fear.

Justice

It is correctness and impartiality. This concept is based on ideas about good and evil, the laws of retribution for good and bad deeds. Evaluating events, a fair person excludes predispositions and sympathies for someone. A person is just when he is objective.

Tolerance

This is tolerance for people. Tolerance does not allow dividing people into representatives of other nations, ethnic groups and religions. A tolerant person does not reject someone else's point of view, and is unlikely to allow himself to be rude to someone. Tolerance is a necessity of the modern world.

industriousness

It is the ability to have a positive attitude towards one's own work. Diligence is not only the willingness to give one's strength and personal time to the labor process, but also the ability to do it with pleasure. A person who systematically shirks from work and is not able to perceive his work with interest is the burden of the entire team.

Respect for others

This is a recognition of the value of other people's views. Respectful attitude towards others says that you see the personality in each person. In labor processes, this quality is mandatory, manifested in distance and subordination.

Confidence

This is a positive assessment of one's own qualities. Confidence is closely related to a person's ability to manage himself in ambiguous situations. A confident person knows his own worth, is not afraid of public speaking, and in a stressful situation knows how to control himself. Looking at such a person, you might think: "He knows what he's doing."

perseverance

This is the ability to go to the goal. This quality is characteristic of strong people who do not succumb to difficulties and failures. Perseverance in achieving goals and implementing plans shows strength of character and unshakable spirit. Persistent individuals achieve heights on their own.

Honesty

This is openness, the inadmissibility of deception in relation to others. This quality speaks of decency, morality and strong character. An honest person always respects the interlocutor, therefore he tells him the truth, sometimes even unpleasant, but necessary.

Self-esteem

This is self-respect and a high assessment of one's qualities, an understanding of value and significance. A person with this quality is unlikely to decide on a low deed, deceit, or even ordinary abuse in a public place. This is below his dignity. For such a person, it is not even the opinion of others that is important, but their own assessment of their actions.

Sense of humor

This is the ability to perceive the situation from the comic side. Even better is to find this comic side in everything. It’s more fun to live like this, and it’s pleasant for people to communicate with such a person. A sense of humor is an indicator of a person's mental health. It is not known whether laughter increases life expectancy, but it can definitely save you from unnecessary sorrows.

Generosity

This is the willingness to share with others, absolutely not wanting to receive something in return. Generous people, for example, can do charity work - help those in need, donate funds to special funds. Even the most selfless people appreciate this quality, because it shows the breadth of the soul.

My personal experience, research and observation have led me to the conclusion that the following qualities are especially important for achieving and retaining power:

• Energy, endurance and physical reserve of vitality.
• The ability to concentrate one's own energy and not waste energy.
• Sensitivity towards others.
• Flexibility, especially regarding the choice of different means to achieve their own goals.
• Willingness, if necessary, to enter into a conflict or confrontation, in other words - a certain amount of rigidity.
• The ability to forget about your own "I", at least for a while, and be a good subordinate or team player in order to enlist someone's support and help.

All these qualities are inherent in people who know how to receive power and dispose of it.

1. Energy and physical vitality

Endurance often wins out over talent. When observing CEOs, John Kotter noticed that many of them worked 60 to 65 hours a week, i.e. at least 10 hours a day. The ability and readiness to work for a long time was inherent in many influential personalities.

President Lyndon Johnson possessed extraordinary strength and physical endurance. A colleague who worked with him stated that he was always on the run: "Whenever she saw Lyndon Johnson heading to the Capitol, he was sure to run." He came to work before all the secretaries of Congress and did not break for lunch. Despite the fact that virtually all work in Congress ceased at half past five, Johnson and his aides often worked until half past eight in the evening. Johnson took on two young men he knew from Texas as assistants and worked even harder. Their willingness to sit up for long hours at work, making considerable effort, was motivated by the personal example of Johnson himself: “If they woke up at five, it was only because their boss woke up at five sharp, and if they climbed Capitol Hill before dawn, then their boss was next to them. “He worked harder than anyone. His head worked even when most of us passed out.

Energy and strength provide many benefits to those who seek to gain power:

• First, they allow you to outlast your opponent or, through hard work, to get around those who are superior in intelligence or skill.
• Secondly, energy and endurance become a role model and inspire those around you to work harder. By working hard and for a long time, you not only show your subordinates that it is humanly possible, but also emphasize the importance of the task being performed. After all, if you're willing to put in the work that much, it should be worth it.

If you ask people to list the hallmarks of a leader, they are unlikely to mention energy or physical performance. But these qualities are one of the main ones. Without stamina and the ability to work hard, other skills and qualities are worth little.

2. Ability to concentrate

The possibilities of each person are limited. Influential personalities tend to concentrate their own efforts and actions in one direction.

All of us in childhood conducted an experiment with a magnifying glass: directing a sunbeam through it, we lit a bunch of dry grass. This simple example clearly demonstrates a simple fact: by concentrating the rays, we significantly amplify them.

The ability to pay attention to details is extremely important for the implementation of tasks. This quality is often lacking in students and managers. Efforts distributed in many directions are wasted. Little things that can be important for gaining power and influence are often overlooked. Lack of concentration can become a hindrance even in the most productive endeavors.

In 1970, Peter McColo, president of Xerox, realized that it was time for the company to expand beyond its niche of copying services. Over time, patents will expire, become obsolete, and market growth will slow down.

New avenues for growth and development were required. McColo understood this: “Xerox's ultimate goal is to find the best ways to organize information. We are committed to leadership in this area.”

However, two things prevented this grandiose vision from becoming a reality, and both of them are directly related to the concentration of efforts.

First, in the early 1970s, Xerox was accused by the government of violating antitrust laws. The litigation, which dragged on for many years, diverted the attention of managers from their direct duties and practically paralyzed the planning process in the organization.

Secondly, McColo went into other activities besides Xerox. “He devoted his time and energy to philanthropic work at the United Way, on the board of trustees of the University of Rochester, on the board of international relations, the council of trade and economic relations of the USA and the USSR, the arts business committee, the national urban league. The impression was that McColo had gone astray."

3. Sensitivity towards others

To influence others, it is important to understand them, to know about their interests and attitudes, to be able to reach out to these people. Sensitivity is an understanding of what kind of person he is, what his position is on a particular issue, how best to communicate with him and how to influence him.

The negotiation process involves the creation of an environment in which these moments are revealed. In the literature devoted to the analysis of the conduct of discussions, it is most often recommended to discuss the interests, rather than the positions of the parties, to reach agreement. In other words, it is important to find out what the opposite side really wants and requires and why it is striving for this, and then, perhaps, you will be able to offer conditions that your counterpart did not imagine at all. To achieve this, it is useful to be able to put yourself in the place of another, trying on his role and trying to see the world through his eyes. This skill often helps to reach an agreement when there is a potential area of ​​mutually acceptable solutions.

Leaders must be able to understand the wide variety of clients they work with. The ability to negotiate with people is based on social susceptibility - the ability to accurately assess the readiness or resistance of followers, to be able to motivate and understand receptivity.

No less empathetic was Tip O'Neill, Speaker of the US Congress: “O'Neill's success was largely based on his ability to understand human weaknesses. When relationships are based on mutual dependency, without an understanding of human nature and human shortcomings, you will not get far ... as Tip O'Neill liked to say, work for work, quid pro quo. You bring people together and thus get the program, law, policy you need.”

Being sensitive to others requires observing the behavior of those around you. It involves not only the ability to introspection, but, more importantly, the ability to analyze others. In order to feel people, a person must be able to stop thinking about himself and his own needs and beliefs, even for a moment. No matter how cynical it may sound, but sensitivity is the ability to share the views of others, which is extremely important in order to get something for yourself.

4. Flexibility

Being sensitive to others is worthless unless you know how to use the information you receive to change your behavior accordingly. For politicians, flexibility is the key to success. Although flexibility sometimes has a negative connotation, this quality is extremely important for those who hope to gain power. It provides an opportunity to change course and embrace new ways of working, rather than clinging tightly to those that don't work.

In addition, flexibility makes it possible to find allies, since it is easier to change the approach and reconcile different interests. John Gardner wrote: “It was said of Kemal Atatürk, the greatest figure in Turkish history, that he could quickly and without a moment's hesitation change unsuccessful tactics to another approach, and if that did not work, then to a third ... His goals were stable and tactics flexible.

Flexibility, which comes from the ability to focus on the end goal and the ability to remain emotionally detached from the situation, is a very important quality that allows people to gain power. Flexibility is especially important in situations where it is opposed by absolute inflexibility on the part of opponents. Lack of flexibility at the right time can prevent you from gaining support or changing tactics and approach to achieve your goals. Flexibility may not always appeal to everyone, but a lot of people will like the results - what can be achieved with it.

5. Ability to confront

Power can be defined as the ability to overcome resistance and get others to do what you want. From this definition follows the assumption that disagreements between people are the norm of social relations. If everyone agrees on what should be done and how, there is no need to use power or influence others.

The need to use power arises only when there is disagreement. Therefore, one of the essential personal qualities of an influential person is the willingness to enter into a conflict situation. Not everyone likes conflicts and differences of opinion. Many conflicts cause hostility and disgust.

Various forms of conflict cause stress. To avoid stress, some people prefer to give in to the wishes of others or avoid open conflict. By avoiding conflict, you will never get what you want. And vice versa: if you are ready to defend your own views, you can gain power.

The willingness to fight resolutely for what you want will cause many of your opponents to retreat without a fight. In organizations, conflicted people can work their way up the hill, if only at the expense of those who prefer to give in rather than fight. People who want to please everyone are not inclined to conflict. Therefore, a person who uses power effectively is one who is independent enough not to need the approval of others.

6. Suppression of one's own "I" and the ability to get along with others

Sometimes it is important to be able to fight, to be tough, to make the opponent pay for what he does against your will. However, there are situations when it is important to be able to create alliances, friendships and get along with others. The main problem here may be our own "I". Therefore, the last quality that we define as a source of power is the ability to suppress one's own "I" in order to achieve something.

CBS CEO Frank Stanton was a master at wielding and exercising power without pushing his subordinates around. Stanton developed generous incentive programs to incentivize his subordinates to perform as efficiently as possible. When CBS faced a union strike, Stanton provided coffee for picketers. After the strike ended, he arranged for overtime pay for employees replacing striking colleagues in the workplace. Stanton's prudence earned him the loyalty and support of the entire corporation. He was able to achieve this because he was confident enough in himself to give up some of his own high position and help raise the authority of other people in the organization. Grateful, they became his faithful allies.

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Evaluating personal qualities as sources of power involves, in particular, answering the question of the extent to which they contribute to the solution of two key tasks facing those who want to gain power in organizations: enlist the support of colleagues and gain the upper hand in the competition.

As the environment evolves and cultural norms change, the qualities needed to win support and compete successfully will also change. However, in most countries and situations at the moment, it is these qualities that seem to us the most important sources of personal power.

Perhaps you will be interested.