Effective ways to develop personality and character

Personal Development

Coaching for Personal Development - Woman drawing her own personality

Personal and character development goes beyond acquiring soft skills or making good decisions. It encompasses a holistic approach that is based on self-awareness, emotional intelligence and embodied authenticity. Through an intentional and targeted approach, you can cultivate your strengths, address areas for growth, and develop the right mindset to navigate complex challenges and becoming an inspiring leader.

Unlock The Potential of Your Personality

Are you feeling stuck in your personal or professional life? Do you want unlock your full potential? Do you feel like you are sometimes behaving in a less than optimal way and would like to change your personality? If so, our coaching offering for personal and character development may be exactly what you need.

Develop Your Character and Your Personality

Personality and character often used interchangeably, but while there is overlap, they also refer to different aspects of a person. Both tend to be stable and usually change (in the absence of life changing circumstances, coaching or psychotherapy) only gradually over time.

Personality consists of an individual combination of interconnected behaviors, cognitive and emotional patterns that distinguish the individual from other people. These interrelated patterns are influenced by biological and environmental factors and develop mainly during childhood, adolescence and early adulthood and are relatively stable thereafter. They can change throughout life as circumstances change and new experiences are made. Personality can be measured by scientific measures (testing, observation, etc.). Developmental phases in childhood are described by developmental psychologists.

Personality can be measured scientifically based on various characteristics. It’s how a person behaves, thinks, and interacts with the world around them

Character in the broader sense is often used synonymously with personality. In a narrower sense, it usually means morals and ethics of a person. In body psychotherapy character refers to ingrained muscular tension patterns, emotional reactions, defense mechanisms and belief systems (values, morals, opinions) which manifest themselves in the body and behaviour.

Character is shaped by personal experiences with other people and the choices a person makes throughout life. Change is possible when a person grows, learns, and has new experiences that challenge previous beliefs and value systems.

Different schools of body psychotherapy (e.g. Bioenergetic Analysis according to Alexander Lowen, Integrated Body Psychotherapy according to Jack L. Rosenberg or Bodynamic according to L. Marcher) examine the so-called character structure – i.e. how personality traits are related to the body structure. For example, muscle tone, muscle response, posture and breathing patterns are considered. In addition, therapeutic and educational interventions have been created to support character development.

“By character, or character structure, we mean the fixed muscular patterns, emotional responses, and belief systems that are lodged in the body and behaviour.”

Jack Lee Rosenberg, D.D.S, PhD Author of Body, Self, and Soul: Sustaining Integration

Character is basis of human behaviour as it manifests itself in the body.

Personality

Individual traits and behaviors

  • Individual traits, behaviors, and patterns of thinking that make up an individual’s identity.
  • Influenced by genetics and early life experiences
  • Tends to be relatively stable over time

Dimensions

Personality traits are measured by standardized psychometric testing (e.g. Big 5 or HEXACO Models) and include:

  • Openness to experience
  • Conscientiousness
  • Extraversion
  • Agreeableness
  • Emotional Stability and Adaptability
  • Honestly vs. Humility

Character

Somatic foundations for behaviour, emotions, defense mechanisms and belief systems

  • Physical characteristics (muscle patterns of tension and flaccidness, posture, emotional patterns)
  • Individual values, preferences, and motivations on how to relate to other people.
  • How you deal with uncomfortable emotions and stress
  • Influenced by life experiences
  • Tends to be relatively stable over time

Dimensions

Character traits are assessed through character structure analysis (e.g. Alexander Lowen and Bodynamic)

  • How an individual manages to maintain the best possible combination of dignity and mutual connection.
  • How a person hesitates or holds back in contact
  • Personal values and ethics – what is important for me
  • How to relate to groups of other people

Coaching Offerings for Personality Change

Personal Transformation Coaching is an investment in yourself and can help you achieve your goals and live a more fulfilling life. In doing so, we support gradual changes: We ensure that well-functioning characteristics and behaviors are built on. In addition, new skills and characteristics are developed.

Personality Change

Together we identify key personality traits and develop a gradual plan on how to change it. This requires a mixture of

  • Baseline assessment (creation of a personality profile based on a scientific assessment)
  • Self acceptance
  • Emotional breakthroughs and new insights
  • Careful planning for change
  • Deliberate practice and implementing of manageable steps to facilitate sustainable change
  • Body based interventions to support change of character / personality.

Personality change targets changing specific personality traits.

Possible Topics

Personal development coaching can help you with many issues. Examples:

  • Become more extraverted
  • Build better relationships with colleagues and employees
  • Change leadership style
  • Improve leadership skills
  • Find ways to express one’s own personality congruent in the job

Character Development Coaching (see below) is often an important step to support specific personality change.

Character Development

Character Development Coaching focuses on expanding your character resources and correcting deficiencies and challenges. This requires working with body and mind to develop additional resources. This comprises the following:

  • Baseline assessment
  • Working with the body and mind to develop additional emotional resources physically
  • Emotional breakthroughs and new insights
  • De-identification from less resourceful pattern
  • Conscious development of new resources
Possible Topics

Together we may identify core values, believes and resources and change what is in your way for success. We may also look into defence mechanisms – the way you respond to stress – and change your habitual responses. The physiological expression of your character (body language / holding patterns of muscles and fascia) may also be analysed and gradually released by working through the psychological functions of the related muscles. Examples:

  • Stress response patterns
  • Relationship patterns
  • Values (relationships, profession etc.)
  • Broadening of the moral coordinate system

Coaching Offering

Coaching offers an opportunity for individuals to work on personal change with the guidance of a trained professional. You can gain insight into your own strengths and weaknesses, develop new skills, and make progress towards the life you want to live.

We offer personalized coaching programs to help you reach your full potential. Volker Dammann has many years of experience in the field of personality and character development and offers advice both with regard to the professional role and for the individual personality.