Whites: The Peacekeepers
Motivated by Peace, Whites will do almost anything to avoid confrontation and to create tranquility. They have a remarkable ability to understand and draw objective conclusions—they are the voice of reason, and this is their gift to us.
Whites truly believe that with patience all things come to those who wait. The problem is that they are sometimes too content with sitting around waiting. They seek contentment more than power, money or, for that matter, more than friends. They are happy having one or two good friends and one or two hobbies. In fact, they tend to have only one hobby at a time. Instead of trying to carry on with two hobbies, they will drop one to take on another. Having two is too much effort. Their only demands from life are the things that make them feel comfortable. That feeling fosters their need to feel good inside.
White Strengths - Whites are kind, considerate, patient and accepting. Unlike Blues and Reds, they are not judgmental or critical of others’ actions or behaviors. They simply accept people for who they are: the good, the bad and the ugly. They are tactful, because they don’t want to create confrontation or rock the boat too much. Not rocking the boat is also revealed in Whites through their strength to self-regulate. Controlling their own behavior is a natural strength and this precludes impulsivity. To the rest of us, they offer a clear perspective that is objective and factual. They are excellent listeners, taking what is said sequentially, understanding why it is said, what it is going to take to deal with any problematic situations, and what they can do to help. They simply hear the facts, making no judgments on what is being said. In essence, they are virtually devoid of ego. They are good at constructing thoughts that did not exist before, just from careful listening and taking time to think things through.
White Limitations - Whites don’t commonly share what they are seeing, feeling or understanding. When they have a conflict, they won’t show it. Like a duck, they are paddling violently underwater, but on the surface, they appear calm and comfortable.
Whites can be unwilling to set goals. They are generally very content with the way things are. If you try to force them to set goals, they may reply, “I don’t know where I’m going to be in a month. How can I possibly set goals?” Better yet, they will write down the goals to get you off of their back, but have no intention of following through with them. They resist working at someone else’s pace.
Even though Whites seem ambivalent about most things, they can be very self-deprecating. They are very generous when it comes to accepting others’ limitations, but will be disapproving of themselves. On the flip side, they can also become uncomfortable when receiving public praise and fanfare. People with the DCM of Peace tend to operate on a very logical basis like Reds, but move through life using their ability to reason in a milder manner than Reds. They don’t need to dominate like a Red, but will calmly offer a voice of reason that benefits everyone.
Whites Are Motivated by Peace
Whites will do almost anything to avoid confrontation. They like to flow through life without hassle or discomfort. Feeling good is even more important to them than being good.
Whites Need Kindness
While Whites respond beautifully to thoughtfulness and amiability, they have a strong, silent stubbornness that surfaces when they are treated unkindly. They resent being scolded. They dislike harsh words. They open up instantly to people who are kind, but White recoil from those who are hostile. They are motivated by kindness and can't understand why other people are unkind.
Whites Prefer Quiet Strength
Whites enjoy their quiet independence. What appears to some people as quiet desperation can show itself to be bullheadedness. Those who misinterpret the peace-loving nature of a White as an invitation to be demanding and bossy will soon meet a wall of passive resistance. Whites are tougher than people think.
Whites Like to Keep a Low Profile
Whites like to be asked their opinions. They won't volunteer them. They value the respect of others, but they rarely go out of their way to seek it. They need to be coaxed to talk about their skills, hobbies, and interests.
Whites Are Independent
Unlike Reds and Blues, who want to control others, Whites seek only to avoid being controlled. They simply refuse to be under another's thumb, especially when treated without the respect they feel they deserve. Whites want to do things their own way, in their own time. They don't ask much of others, and resent it when others demand things from them. They often comply with unreasonable demands just to keep peace. They will express their anger and frustration only when they can no longer stand being bossed around. Whites don't like to be pushed, and they can be fearsome when they finally "blow up."
Whites Are Motivated by Other People's Desires
Whites are open to the recommendations of others on ways to resolve any and all situations. White executives value new management ideas from employees. White children welcome help-they are receptive students. Whites make agreeable dates. They are interested in making sure the other person has a good time, and are willing to do whatever the other person wants. Whites, however, want suggestions-not demands.
