I and I: compatibility
Two people who love people, ideas and attention. Together they have fun and things come easily, but someone has to watch the deadlines and details.
An I and I pair means energy, optimism and a stream of ideas. They find common ground quickly, support each other and create an atmosphere around them that people want to work in. The problems come from outside: promises made, deadlines forgotten, details nobody checked. Another trap is competing for attention: both want to be center stage, and the conversation turns into two monologues. This pair needs an external anchor: written action items, a calendar and a high-C or high-S colleague.
How they work together
What they have in common
- Sociability and ease of contact
- Optimism and faith in ideas
- A dislike of formalities and routine
Where friction arises
- Both talk, nobody listens
- Promises without a plan: deadlines and details slip
- Conflicts are hushed up to keep the mood good
Tips for the Influence style (I)
- End every meeting with a list: who, what, by when
- Split the roles: one leads the conversation, the other takes notes
- Ask a C or an S to check the plan before you announce it
I manager, I report
An I manager and an I report are on the same wavelength: plenty of ideas, praise and lively conversation. The trouble is in execution: the manager forgets what they assigned, the report forgets what they promised. A pair like this needs external anchors: tasks in writing, a shared calendar and a short, regular check-in on deadlines.
In meetings and in writing
In a meeting, two Is turn the discussion into a brainstorm: interesting and fun, but with no outcome. Both want to talk, and neither listens very well. A set structure helps: time for ideas, then who does what. In writing there’s a lot of emotion, emojis and voice messages, and important agreements get lost among them.
The typical conflict and how to resolve it
The typical conflict is unspoken resentment: both avoid an unpleasant conversation to keep the mood good until the problem grows. The way out is to agree that problems are raised right away and in private, and not to confuse criticism of the work with how they feel about the person.
Outside work: friendship, relationships, family
Outside work, two Is are the life of any party: friends, celebrations, trips. It’s easy for them to be together, but household matters, money and plans are often left unattended. It helps the pair to divide up the boring chores explicitly; otherwise no one will do them.
Three rules for this pair
- End every meeting with a list: who, what, by when
- Say unpleasant things right away and in private
- Ask a C or an S to check the plan before you announce it
More about the “Enthusiast” profile
Other style pairs
DD D + DDI Dominance + InfluenceDS Dominance + SteadinessDC Dominance + ConscientiousnessIS Influence + SteadinessIC Influence + ConscientiousnessSS S + SSC Steadiness + ConscientiousnessCC C + C