I’m not a fan of labels. Too often we, myself included, label people and put them in arbitrary categories of our own making. However, as a professional in the field of communication understanding my audience is imperative in communicating effectively with them. For example, I have two main categories that everyone I meet fit into:

1. people who are motivated by what they can gain and

2. those motivated by how to avoid loss.

Often both groups will come up with the same course of action, but they arrive at their decision through completely different motivations.

This classification goes beyond the “half-full or half-empty glass” perspective of positive and negative people. In my experience, those who look at life for what it has to offer them are always trying to grow and push their personal and professional boundaries in search of the next best thing. These are the people who went to college to gain knowledge and experience and to prepare themselves for a better future. They are always interested in the possibilities and taking chances in search of greater returns for their investments. When I meet people in this category I usually say something like “imagine if we could improve efficiency and reach more people. Look at what this kind of growth could produce.”

Those who look at life from an avoiding loss mindset often will take the same course of action as the previous group but will do so not to be left behind by their peers or not to be outdone by a competitor. Their fear of loss, irrelevance, or failure will drive them to take risks. People with aversion to loss went to college not so much to prepare themselves for an adventurous future but to make sure they wouldn’t end up digging ditches or flipping burgers. “I don’t want to be a loser, therefore I’m going to school.” Often when talking with people who see life from a mitigating loss perspective I might have a conversation that starts with something like: “the consequences of not moving forward could cause you to begin to lose ground in the next few months, but if we improve efficiency and reach more people we can be at a great place soon.”

Do you have people in your life in these categories? How do you deal differently with them?