Personality Plus & Bazi — Two Powerful Lenses for Understanding Human Behaviour

How a 40-year-old book helped me see people differently — and how Bazi deepened that understanding even more.

More than 30 years ago, before I ever studied Bazi or built my website, I came across a book that changed how I understood people: “Personality Plus” by Florence Littauer.

At the time, I was managing teams, collaborating with colleagues from all backgrounds, and navigating the usual challenges of communication — misunderstandings, mismatched expectations, and the occasional personality conflict.

“Personality Plus” introduced me to the idea that people are wired differently, and that recognising core personality types can transform how we work with them. It was eye-opening, practical, and immediately useful.

Years later, when I discovered Bazi (The Four Pillars of Destiny), I had the same reaction — but deeper.
Bazi not only describes personality traits, it also explains:

• Why people behave in certain ways
• What motivates them
• How they respond under stress
• How they make decisions
• What environment best supports their growth
• And even how their behaviour changes over time, depending on luck cycles

This made me realise something important:

Personality Plus and Bazi complement each other beautifully.

One is a modern behavioural model.
The other is an ancient personality framework grounded in the interactions of the Five Elements.

Together, they offer a richer, clearer picture of human behaviour.

Personality Plus: A Quick Refresher

Florence Littauer’s model categorises people into four temperaments:

1. Sanguine (Social, expressive)
2. Choleric (Driven, decisive)
3. Melancholic (Analytical, detail-oriented)
4. Phlegmatic (Calm, steady)
   

This framework became popular in corporations because it helps teams:

• Improve communication
• Avoid personality clashes
• Assign roles more effectively
• Lead according to temperament differences
  

It’s simple, memorable, and highly practical — even decades after the book was published.

How Bazi Adds Another Dimension

Bazi also groups people according to core personalities, but through a different lens: the Day Master — the element that represents your internal nature.

There are Ten Day Masters, each with distinct behavioural patterns such as:

• assertiveness
• adaptability
• creativity
• stability
• resourcefulness
• relationship-building
• leadership style
• risk tolerance

For example:

• Yang Wood people grow through challenges and thrive when given room to expand.
• Yin Fire personalities shine in social settings, inspiring others with warmth and creativity.
• Yang Metal individuals are principled, structured, and strong decision-makers.
• Yin Water types adapt quickly and think strategically, often excelling behind the scenes.
  

Where Personality Plus gives a snapshot, Bazi provides a full personality blueprint — one influenced by elemental interactions, seasonal strength, and timing.

Why This Combination Works So Well for Corporate Use

Many companies today use personality frameworks for hiring, team-building, and leadership development.

Some, especially in Asia, even use Bazi (quietly) to:

• assess compatibility
• understand leadership potential
• identify stress tendencies
• improve team chemistry
• place people in suitable roles
  

When you combine Personality Plus with Bazi:

1. You get both simplicity and depth.

Personality Plus gives the quick overview.
Bazi explains the why behind the behaviour.

2. It helps managers communicate better.

If you know someone’s profile from both perspectives, you can adapt your message to fit how they process information.

3. It prevents misunderstanding.

Recognising innate personality tendencies reduces unnecessary conflict.

4. It supports better hiring and team placement.

Some roles require structure, some creativity, some diplomacy, some boldness.
Both frameworks help identify these traits.

1. It enhances personal development.

Knowing your Bazi chart helps you understand which traits are inherent, which can be improved, and how your strengths shift over different life phases.

How I Use Both Frameworks Today

In my own work — from coding my Bazi website to writing and teaching — I still refer to my understanding of personality types.

• Personality Plus gives me a fast way to understand how different people prefer to communicate.
• Bazi shows me the deeper motivations and hidden strengths that aren’t always visible on the surface.
  

Together, they’ve helped me:

• Work more harmoniously with people
• Set more realistic expectations
• Collaborate more effectively
• Understand myself better
• Write better content for different audiences
  

And I’ve seen how powerful this combination can be in organisations too.

A Practical Tool for Leaders, Teams, and Anyone Working With People

Whether you’re a team leader, HR professional, consultant, entrepreneur, or simply someone who wants to understand human behaviour, this combined approach offers tremendous insight.

It bridges modern psychology with classical wisdom — a rare and effective pairing.

If you’re curious about how Bazi describes your own personality type, you can generate a free chart on my website:

👉 Free Bazi Calculator: https://adestiny.com/bazi_report/free/

And if you’ve read “Personality Plus”, you’ll probably find it fascinating to compare your type with your Bazi Day Master personality.

Conclusion

The world is changing, but one thing remains constant:
We work with people — and understanding them is the key to everything.

“Personality Plus” opened my eyes decades ago.
Bazi opened them even wider.

Together, they form a powerful lens that anyone — especially corporate leaders — can use to build stronger teams, better relationships, and a more harmonious workplace.