The Four Tendencies by Gretchen Rubin

Welcome to our leadership class scheduled for September to October 2004. In this series, we will be diving into Gretchen Rubin's insightful book "The Four Tendencies," exploring its concepts across eight detailed sessions. This study will be particularly enriching for fellowship group leaders and ministry leaders, offering a new perspective on understanding and working with different personalities in the context of spiritual leadership.

"The Four Tendencies" outlines a framework for understanding how people respond to expectations, categorizing them into four types: Upholders, Questioners, Obligers, and Rebels. This understanding is invaluable for leaders in spiritual communities as it offers insights into how different individuals might engage with and respond to mentorship and discipleship. By understanding these tendencies, leaders can tailor their approach to better align with the unique needs and motivations of each person, much like Jesus' approach to individual mentorship.

Our weekly gatherings will focus on dissecting and discussing sections of the book, relating them to our learnings about Jesus’ mentorship style. The discussions will involve:

  • Reflection: Sharing personal insights from our last study about Jesus' emphasis on individual mentorship over mass outreach.

  • Personal Application: Discussing the application of personal mentorship principles in our own lives and ministries.

  • Challenges: Identifying challenges in focusing on individual mentorship, as Jesus did, and seeking solutions.

  • Action Steps: Planning actionable steps to improve our mentorship approach, inspired by "The Four Tendencies."

  • Progress Evaluation: Reflecting on our progress based on previous commitments to personal mentorship.

  • Growth and Encouragement: Sharing areas of mentorship and personal outreach where significant growth has been observed.

  • Prayer and Aspirations: Sharing our prayers and aspirations related to mentorship, seeking guidance for deeper impact.

This class is an opportunity to blend the psychological insights from "The Four Tendencies" with spiritual teachings, enhancing our understanding and effectiveness in leadership and mentorship within our communities.

  • Week 1: Introduction & The Four Tendencies

    Overview of the book and its main concepts.

    Introduction to the four tendencies: Upholder, Questioner, Obliger, and Rebel.

  • Week 2: Identify Your Tendency

    Self-assessment to identify personal tendency.

    Reflection on how this tendency influences behavior and decisions.

  • Week 3: Understanding the Upholder

    Deep dive into the Upholder personality.

    Discussion on the characteristics, motivations, and challenges of Upholders.

  • Week 4: Dealing with an Upholder

    Strategies for interacting with and understanding people who are Upholders.

    Applying insights to personal and professional relationships.

  • Week 5: Understanding the Questioner

    Exploration of the Questioner tendency

    Analysis of their questioning nature and how it impacts their actions.

  • Week 6: Dealing with a Questioner

    Approaches to communicate and work effectively with Questioners.

    Emphasis on the importance of reasoning and evidence when dealing with Questioners.

  • Week 7: Understanding & Dealing with an Obliger

    Study of the Obliger personality, focusing on their need for external accountability.

    Discussion on effective ways to support and interact with Obligers.

  • Week 8: Understanding & Dealing with a Rebel; Applying the Four Tendencies

    Insights into the Rebel tendency, emphasizing their value for freedom and choice.

    Techniques for dealing with Rebels in various situations.

    Conclusion with a comprehensive application of all four tendencies, highlighting ways to leverage their strengths in different contexts.

Key questions for discussions.

Reflection and Key Takeaways

Personal Application: How are you implementing the principles from this book in your own life and ministry?

Challenges: Where did you feel most challenged by the content of this book?

Growth: In what areas do you believe this book has helped, or can help, you grow?

Prayer and Aspirations: What are you praying for in relation to this subject, and where would you like to see God profoundly move in your ministry efforts?