Gene Codes: Reflections on Human Nature - Page 10
Adaptive Assertives: Guardians of Order and Stability
There is a small subgroup of the Adaptive Supportive energy type that shares this type's strong need to fit in with the majority but that differs from that type in that its members will take on limited leadership roles. This subgroup is the Adaptive Assertives, and it's a group that's distinguished by having some of the most fulfilled, least dysfunctional members of society. Adaptive Assertives, like their close energy cousins the Adaptive Supportives, mold themselves to society's expectations and live within the social contract they are given. The difference is that Adaptive Assertives will challenge wrongs within their immediate environment. Unlike Adaptive Supportives, who accept things just as they are, Adaptive Assertives try to correct problems within the system. In that way they have an assertive component to their natural energy.
How challenging it is for Dynamic Assertives to accept that there are natural followers in life, just as there are natural leaders, but here they are. Adaptive Assertives are the fixers, the nerds, geeks, mechanics, the ones we call when things break. They are perfectionists who can sit in front of a computer for hours going over code to make sure that everything is going to run with precision. The leadership role that they would take on would be a manager or foreman, but they would not want to become a president or CEO. These are the people we want designing and building our bridges and buildings, to assure that no details are overlooked that could cause lives to be lost in the future. They have a great deal of patience when it comes to getting a job done right, but can become very intolerant went others don't understand the need to follow the rules and laws.