The 5 flavours of your unique personality
Use your personality in your work, strengthen team play and discover what you need to do for even better relationships with everyone you love.
SUMMARY
A good & healthy relationship requires self-knowledge and insight into the other person's user manual. Both at home and at work. What is the impact of your personality on others? What is your taste? The Personality Tasting test provides insight into the 5 layers of someone's personality. Which layer determines the first impression, and what do you discover after a while? Does someone else experience you mainly as sweet, sour, salty, bitter or umami? Personality Tasting has been specially developed for people who love good food and drinks. They know the game of dosing, seasoning and combining. For them it is a small step from taste combinations to wonderful relationships.
WHEN TO APPLY?
The insights in this article are helpful:
- For insight into the dynamics of your own personality. Which layer determines your first impression on others? What do people only discover after a while?
- If you want to work on the relationship with colleagues, clients, friends or in love. What approach is tailor-made for each of them?
- To adjust the impact of your personality. What to dose? How to flavor? Who do you need for an ultimate combination?
- If you are looking for another job. What kind of work content or work culture fits me like a glove?
RECOGNIZE YOURSELF AND THE OTHER
Who do you recognize in the following five descriptions? And how do you expect others to experience you? Which layer of your personality has the greatest impact? A good self-image and appreciation for people who are different contribute enormously to good relationships.
SWEET PERSONALITY
Do others experience you as nice and sweet? Then you have a soothing impact on others. You are: empathetic and caring, conflict-avoiding and connecting, positive and supportive. But also sometimes: too protective and too caring, too much pleasing, difficulty saying 'no'.
A typical statement could be: “If everyone is happy, I am too.” Perfect host and indispensable in conflicts and sensitive customer interactions.
Preferred work culture: Stable and supportive work environments where employee and client well-being is central.
In love: Sweet matches well with sweet, a partner who is also harmonious, kind and caring. Also goes well with umami. That gives them a sense of calm and stability. And prevents conflicts.
SOUR PERSONALITY
Do others experience you as pleasantly sour? Then you have an enlightening and refreshing impact on others. You are: analytical and sharp, direct and honest, with a critical eye for detail. But also sometimes: overcritical and perfectionist, difficulty with patience and tact, too much focus on what is not good. A typical statement could be: "No sugarcoating, I prefer to say it as it is". Just like a journalist, indispensable for complex problems and critical analyses.
Preferred work culture: Competitive and demanding environments where accuracy, smartness and sharpness are valued. Structures and procedures are clear and effective. High pressure.
In love: Sour does not automatically match well with sour. In the long term, people are more likely to be attracted to partners who are a bit softer or more harmonious, such as the umami personality.
SALTY PERSONALITY
Do others experience you as deliciously salty? Then you have a powerful and strengthening impact on others. You are: energetic and action-oriented, inspiring and motivating, goal-oriented and decisive. But also sometimes: dominant and too present, pushy and demanding, no attention to the emotions of others. A typical statement could be: "Action, we have to do something now". Just like an entrepreneur, indispensable for sales, negotiations and quick decisions.
Favorite work culture: Dynamic and energetic work environments where creativity, entrepreneurship and goal orientation are stimulated. High degree of autonomy and room for innovation.
In love: Salt can clash with salt. Often things go better with partners who are more calm, empathetic and reflective, such as sweet and umami personalities
BITTER PERSONALITY
Do others experience you as pleasantly bitter? Then you have a serious and aggravating impact on others. You are: serious and profound, honest and sincere, critical and reliable. But also sometimes: melancholic, negative/bitter communication, rigid and persistent. A typical statement could be: "Life is not a fairy tale. Let's not make it prettier than it is". Just like an activist, indispensable for ethical issues, ideals and strategic choices.
Preferred work culture: Serious environments, focused on ethics, fairness and thorough, in-depth analysis. Time and space for deepening.
In love: The bitter personality has a soft spot for umami personalities, because of their depth (overlap). Together they can have long, complex and challenging conversations.
UMAMI PERSONALITY
Do others experience you as deliciously umami? Then you have an enriching impact on others. You are: inspiring and connecting, creative and nuanced, balance between intellect and emotion. But also sometimes: not making choices, complex and unclear, slow. A typical statement could be: "Where black and white meet, wisdom is born". Just like a philosopher, indispensable for creative solutions and long-term relationships.
Favorite work culture: Connecting places where creativity, refinement and deep connections are central. Environments with space for reflection, personal growth and holistic approaches.
In love: The dream partner of umami also has a good dose of umami, plus a little bitter, sour, sweet or pinch of salt. Growing together and building wisdom, especially as the relationship progresses.
TASTE AND EXPERIENCE HOW EACH TASTES
Imagine that you too are a combination of sour, sweet, umami, salty and bitter. How do you taste? Which layer of your personality dominates? What is your first impression and your aftertaste?
Lovers of cooking, food and drinks love to talk about dosage, seasoning and delicious combinations. Not only in the glass or on the plate, but also between people. They know intuitively what to do. Is something or someone too bland? Then add a little salt, but not too much because that dominates.
Tip: Combine the five layers of someone's personality with a tasting with different flavors. So that you discover which drink or snack represents you, your friends or your colleagues.
In 2025 the site www.personalitytasting.com will be launched, featuring:
- a test to discover the five flavors of your unique personality, that of your friends and your team;
- wine tastings, dinners and high teas, linked to 5 flavours;
- a monthly newsletter about current events, viewed from your typical personality;
- a book with extensive information about all 5 layers of our personalities and with concrete tips for improving your relationships at work and at home;
- an annual celebration of love, attraction and repulsion and fantastic encounters;
- in-depth training to strengthen your sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami sides.
ROADMAP
What is smart to do if you want to get started with the 5 layers of your taste personality? These steps are useful for your work, but also in the conversation with your friends.
- Let people characterize themselves. What flavors are hidden in you?
- Ask others to give feedback on each other's unique qualities. Positive.
- Compliment each other's contributions to the relationship. Seriously and specifically.
- Create a signature cocktail or a delicious dish that tastes just as good and special as your colleague or friend.
- Practice dosing, seasoning and forming fine flavour combinations. In teams, with clients, your friends and customers. Who strengthens each other and how do you get beautiful blends?
Be positive and personal. So that people feel seen, valued. When you start with that, there’s a base to start talking about improvements, how things can be (even) better.
DO IT ALONE OR TOGETHER?
Optimizing your personality (dosing, seasoning and using the 5 flavor layers) and developing healthy and strong relationships is a matter of experimenting, learning and laughing. Because sometimes it goes naturally, and sometimes it goes completely wrong. You don't need a therapist for that. Usually works best with your best friend or colleague as a 'partner in crime'. Make plans together to seduce, conquer, surprise, deal with trouble in paradise, etc. Tip: keep it nice and light, for example by combining your brainstorm with making the other person's 'signature dish/drink'.
If you as a team, family or lovers do get a coach, choose one who is also a specialist in cooking, eating and drinking. So that you can get to work together in the kitchen. Not just talking, but also cooking, tasting, mixing, matching and discovering what works.
Check out A*Life's Academy for a workshop, coaching or team building.
BY: HAROLD SMITS
Harold Smits is a psychological economist and likes to make complex matters simple, interactive and personal. From change processes and marketing innovation to team flow and personalities. In addition to being a team coach, Harold is also the founder of Cinema Culinair, where he combines his passion for film and food. His ambition is to challenge people as a speaker and through small and large personality tasting events to dare to be different from others and at the same time learn how to have more impact with your unique personality.
harold.smits@a-life.nl
