This isn't one of those hit pieces meant to stoke the political divide. Instead, we look at Joe Biden through the lens of his transactional personality, the Performer. Often seen as a great connector, Performer personalities are primarily concerned with others (and almost to a fault). Is this true of President Biden? Let’s explore.

Is the US ‘Performer in Chief’ good or bad for business?

We’ve all seen movies where the protagonist, lying on their deathbed, claims “all that matters is our relationships.” I’ve met many a Performer who is quite righteous about this at the expense of everything else. Biden commonly remarks on his long-standing relationships with bipartisan allies and decades-formed friendships with other nations as if he can call on these allies to elicit agreement.

Maybe so, however, relationships are the primary currency for Performer personalities. They believe in a sort of block-chain of reciprocation, always working to make a long list of other people happy, often to the detriment of the deal. Is it possible that the US economy could lose strength in Biden’s wake?

Many US Presidents have been Performer personalities—sometimes labeled as great orators, e.g., Franklin D Roosevelt (“speak softly and carry a big stick”), Ronald Regan (“Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”), or John F. Kennedy (“If not us, who, if not now, when?”), to name a few. Known for building relationships, reaching across the aisle, and tackling global peacekeeping, Performer presidents also get their fair share of economic criticisms.

History will not likely remember Biden as one of America’s great presidential orators. He sincerely pledges to mend the growing political divide and build a legacy as the man of the people, but according to polls, the nation is not so sure. Gallup shows that his 2021 job approval ratings have fallen from 57% in April to 42% in October 2022.

Performer personalities like Biden don’t like to burn bridges and have a tough time acting consequentially. We can see this played out in the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan. A July poll by the Chicago Council found 70% of Americans supported withdrawing US forces from Afghanistan by Sept. 11, the 20th anniversary of the attacks. Was pulling out Biden’s attempt to maintain good graces with the American public?

“I was not going to extend this forever war, and I was not extending a forever exit,” he said, his voice rising with emotion as he spoke. Biden’s handling of the withdrawal has drawn sharp criticism from Americans and foreign allies, punctured his job approval ratings, and raised questions about his judgment. From a Performer’s perspective, he did the right thing. Other transactional personality types might, and did, disagree.

Relationship as a result?

Often Performers return from a victorious meeting only to report the opportunity of a new, nurtured, or healed relationship. While others in the transaction cycle are focused on outcomes, transactional Performers are happy enough to start another new relationship—promise, praise, repeat.

Case in point: Biden’s November 15th virtual summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The meeting began with both leaders greeting each other warmly, with Xi saying he was happy to see his “old friend.” Biden said the two had “always communicated with one another very honestly and candidly.” Xi saying, “Humanity lives in a global village, and we face multiple challenges together. China and the US need to increase communication and co-operation.”

The world’s two largest economies are engaged in fierce tensions on trade, military aggression, and human rights. They do not see eye-to-eye on a number of issues. Both sides emphasized the two men’s personal relationship, and the summit was an attempt to ease tensions. Correspondents report “this is the warmest things have appeared for a long time with Chinese and US leaders,” while CNN reports “Healthy debate,’ but no breakthroughs…” The report goes on to state:

Biden is fond of citing the dozens of hours and thousands of miles he clocked with Xi when both were serving as their country’s vice presidents. He’s claimed to have spent more time with the Chinese president than any other world leader. But things have changed since Biden, as he likes to recall, was dining with Xi on the Tibetan Plateau and describing the United States in one word: “possibilities.”

Again, all possibilities and no agreement. That’s the Performer’s dilemma.

A Performer’s Playbook

Strong ties and valued relationships aren’t zero-sum. A practiced Performer will restore relationships, mutual admiration, and trust—the foundations of all professional and international exchanges.

Relationship is a vital part of any transaction—but only an aspect. Looking at Joe Biden through the lens of Personality and Transactional Behavior, there are many attempts to people his way into the hearts of the nation and the world. Time will tell if this playbook builds back a better country.

AUTHOR

John Patterson
Co-founder and CEO
INFLUENTIAL U
John Patterson co-founded and manages the faculty and consultants of Influential U global. Since 1987, he has led workshops, programs, and conferences for over 100k people in diverse professions, industries, and cultures. His history includes corporate curriculum design focusing on business ecosystems, influence, leadership, and high-performance training and development.