Variable Pacing (average 20 point range)

Variable Pacing indicates variability in experiences with people over time. Avoiding the extremes, as variable-Paced individuals, we tend to grow tired and strained with higher-Paced individuals, and bored and occasionally impatient with lower-Paced individuals. Variable-Paced individuals tend to be integrators between the lower-Paced “context builders” and the higher-Paced “content builders.” We tend to see our job in life as bringing people together. Variable-Paced individuals are “intent builders.” This is because we seek to align around motives, if possible, before anything else.

Due to the fact that many of us as variable-Paced individuals do not believe we will be seen, and therefore, we do not believe in the outer appearance of others. Consequently, we tend to seek reassurance and agreement before proceeding with any plan. We want to know in advance that the person is going to be more flexible and fluid with us and be able to trust them in the process. This is because our motivation is to get into alignment first before taking any action. Both fast-Paced individuals and slow-Paced individuals tend to take pre-emptive positions that minimize our ability to work together. As fast-Paced individuals (with our “content building”), we think we have to know the answer before we can take action. As slow-Paced individuals (with our “context building”), we think we have to get centered and understand the big picture before we can engage others.

Optimally, it is the variable-Paced individual that can bring people together on an intent level so that the context can then be examined and the content dealt with. When as a variable-Paced person, we don’t align ourselves with our own motives with others, we can become extremely adaptive and end up being compromised in all of our interactions. This is not a fun or effective way to engage others.

The more others were not able to be with us and to get into the flow of our operating, the more we adopted Inertia to make them wake up to our power. Inertia allowed others to experience our ability to veto a proposed course of action; otherwise we would disrupt the process or make it difficult for them to succeed. In a way, we demanded their attention and consideration about where we were, because we believed they wouldn’t naturally give that to us. Instead of seeing how our variable Pacing could support others, many individuals didn’t trust us because they believed we were being overly adaptive in the situation and were compromising ourselves. Our response was to hold our ground more firmly so they would conclude that we were strong-willed and capable.

Examples (B1) :Variable-Paced Individuals with Slow-Paced Imprinting

(tendency to use Resistance and Inertia)

Henry Fonda – Actor, known for movie, “12 Angry Men.”
Johnny Carson – Comedian, former host of “The Tonight Show.”
Humphrey Bogart – Actor, known for movie, “Casablanca.”
Roseanne Barr – Comedian, Actress, known for T.V. show, “Roseanne.”
Anthony Hopkins – Actor, known for movies, “Hannibal” and “Nixon.”
Frank Sinatra – Singer, entertainer and actor.
Everett Koop – former U.S. Surgeon General.
Henry Kissinger – Former U.S. Secretary of State under President Nixon.
Brad Pitt – Actor, known for movies, “Meet Joe Black” and “Legends of the Fall.”
George Burns – Comedian, Actor.
Ron Howard – Actor, movie Director, known for his childhood role as Opey Taylor.
Ted Turner – Founder of “CNN” 24-hour TV news network.
Cary Grant – Actor.
Jimmy Carter – Former U.S. President; winner of the 2002 Nobel Prize.
Warren Beatty – Actor, known for the movie, “Reds” and “Dick Tracy.”
Sidney Poitier – Actor, known for the movie, “Look Who’s Coming to Dinner.”
Bill Gates – Founder of MicroSoft, multibillionaire.
Henry Ford – Founder of Ford Motors (car & truck company).
Elvis Presley – Singer, entertainer, actor.
George Schultz – Former Secretary of Justice under President Nixon.

Examples (B2): Variable-Paced Individuals with Fast-Paced Imprinting

(tendency to use Intensity and Inertia)

Jay Leno – Comedian, current host of “The Tonight Show.”
Morgan Freeman – Actor, known for movie, “Along Came a Spider.”
Richard Gere – Actor, known for the movie, “Unfaithful.”
Robert DeNiro – Actor, known for the movie, “Analyze This.”
Eddie Murphy – Comedian and Actor.
Michael Jackson – Singer, songwriter, cultural icon and entertainer.
Michael Keaton – Actor, known for the movies, “Multiplicity” and “Batman.”
Kevin Costner – Actor, known for the movies, “Dances with Wolves” and “Dragonfly.”
Walt Disney – Cartoonist, creator of Disneyland.
Billy Crystal – Comedian, Actor, known for the movie, “Analyze This.”
Whoopi Goldberg – Comedian, Actress, known for the movies, “Sister, Sister,” “Boys on the Side,” and “Common Fences.”
Cindy Crawford – Model, Actress.
Oliver Stone – Movie Director.
Sean Penn – Actor, known for the movies, “Dead Man Walking” and “I Am Sam.”
Tom Peters – Business consultant, Author of “In Search of Excellence.”
Joan Baez – Singer, songwriter, entertainer.
Liberace – Pianist, singer, songwriter, entertainer.
Oprah Winfrey – Talk show host, Actress, known for movie, “The Color Purple.”
John Travolta – Actor, known for the movies, “Saturday Night Fever” and “Michael.”
Tim Allen – Comedian, Actor, known for the movie, “Santa Claus.”
Jerry Brown – Former Governor of the State of California; past Presidential candidate.
Ronald Reagan – Actor, former U.S. President.
Bobby McFerrin – Singer, songwriter, entertainer.
John D. Rockefeller – Industrialist, founder of Standard Oil.
J. Paul Getty – Financier, philanthropist.
William Casey – Former Director of the CIA under President Reagan.

Mid-Range Pacing

Variable Pacing indicates variability in experiences with people over time. Variability is a result of creating more internal spaciousness or openness to invite individuals to meet us where we are or to meet others where they are. This capacity to choose or examine options with others is what distinguishes Variable-Paced individuals from Switchable-Paced individuals. Switchable-Paced individuals can do either high or low pacing usually in response to the opposite pacing in others. Variable-Paced people tend to avoid the extremes and grow tired and strained with higher-Paced individuals and bored or impatient with lower-Paced individuals. Variable-Paced individuals tend to be integrators between the lower-Paced “context builders” and the higher-Paced “content builders.” They often see their job in life as bringing people together. They are “intent builders” because they seek to align around motives, if possible, before anything else. This means that the source of their flexibility comes from feeling aligned with others, particularly about how to approach or engage some issue. Usually the more congruent they feel with another’s motives, the more open and flexible they are about meeting others with different pacing.

Many variable-Paced individuals do not believe they will be seen, and therefore, do not believe that the outer appearance of others is necessarily who they are. They tend to believe, based on their own experience, that there are layers that others will progressively reveal when they are comfortable. Consequently, they tend to seek reassurance and agreement before proceeding with any plan. They want to know in advance how flexible and fluid an individual will be with them and be able to trust that person in the process. This also allows them to make an informed choice about how and under what circumstances they are willing to work with an individual. Optimally they can bring people together on an intent level so that the context can then be examined and the content dealt with. When a variable-Paced person does not align themselves with their own motives with others, they can become extremely adaptive and end up being compromised in all of their interactions. Intent relates to how clear one is about what they want to do and how that matches with what others wish to do. Context relates to the larger scope or perspective of an individual and how congruent they feel with others to the similarity of their points of view. Content relates to the structure (timing, expectations and the nature of the exchange) an individual needs to engage a particular topic with another.