The Guardian core needs include group membership, responsibility and duty. Guardians value stability and security. They have a need to be responsible, at times so strong that they take on too many responsibilities. They are very reliable, trustworthy, hard working and obedient.

Accomplishing and getting things done is important to Guardians. They tend to stick to schedules with familiar routines, ensuring they can fit everything in during a day that they should. They prefer to have things planned out in advance, dislike surprises, and do not like changing a plan just for the sake of change.

Guardians believe that establishing and articulating rules, sanctions, standard operating procedures, time-lines, predictable routines, and protocol makes things easier for people and groups. Rules make things predictable and stable and facilitate accountability. They seek out the "shoulds," compelled to do what they are supposed to do. They notice when something required or agreed upon is not done and will follow up to ensure it gets done.

Guardians support hierarchy and authority, usually obeying authority and expecting others to do the same. A typical Guardian comment would be, "Before you break the rules, remember society took a long time to make them and did so for good reasons."

Guardians have a need for membership and belonging. They like to be included on what's going on and need appreciation for their hard work and contributions. Although their focus is on the present, they typically look to the past for ways things have been done before, ensuring there is stability. They develop new procedures by comparing a new task to a task completed in the past. They value tradition and ceremonies. Many are considered the "historians" of their group or workplace. They are experts at logistics, making sure the right things are in the right place, at the right time, in the right quantity. They strive to be prepared for every contingency. They attend to people's comforts, providing service and caretaking. They make sure the correct information is assembled and presented to the right people.

Guardians work hard for the goals of their organization, families, and groups, often taking on "parental" roles. They do their best when allowed to take on responsibility and when given appreciation and direction from authority.

Guardians in the Classroom

Guardians do well in traditional classrooms that offer routines, customs and procedures that are meaningful to them. They like to know what is expected and feel threatened by too much change or unpredictability. Occasional variety is fine, especially if they have ample warning that change will occur. They do best with teachers who give clear, precise and concrete directions. They want to know every detail of instructions for an assignment--length, etc., and especially benefit from assignments clearly outlined in concrete steps. They generally do not enjoy lengthy, independent assignments. Unstructured or abstract lessons that do not include clear directions or concrete facts may frustrate Guardians. As they are intrinsically dependable and responsible, Guardians tend to have practical and effective study habits. They usually are quite punctual and turn in work on time. They are good at memorization, repetition and drills, and step-by-step presentations. They enjoy question and answer sessions, yet do not always participate in class discussions.

When hearing lectures, Guardians prefer when each point clearly follows the one preceding it in increments that make sense. They are not as interested in the overall picture but rather focus on the details of a story instead of the underlying messages. Material presented with facts from the past and present help them better understand.

Guardians do not generally do well on "winging" it. Out of all types they will be most comfortable and successful if they have carefully studied. Guardians do well on true/false and multiple-choice tests. They tend to have a good memory for precise detail. They need to completely understand a question before answering it so timed tests can be challenging. It is best for Guardians to read questions only once before choosing an answer. If they skip questions to return to them later they might run out of time.

Tips for Guardian Students:

1. If your instructor does not provide enough detail and instructions for assignments, ask for more specific information. If necessary, make an appointment outside of class to have your questions answered.
2. If your instructor does not lecture point by point, take notes as best you can. After the lecture try to organize your notes into a more organized fashion. Try to fill in the "skipped" steps. Ask your instructor if you have questions.
3. When reading textbooks focus on the facts presented first. Then re-read the material to better grasp the overall picture. Stop periodically and think of possible applications of the material.
4. Your strength is generally not creating or improvising. You CAN achieve these tasks successfully but might need to remind yourself that you will need to work a little harder. If discouraged, review the facts and try to picture the information in different ways.
5. When taking true/false and multiple-choice exams, read each question thoroughly only once. Answer each question. If time permits, you can go back and review your answers or go back to the ones you aren't sure of.
6. When completing lengthy assignments, devise a step-by-step plan for completing the work with deadlines for each step.
7. When your instructor breaks routine, take a deep breath. Recognize breaking from the routine may be uncomfortable for you and work towards effectively dealing with the change.
8. Remember, your type does not do well to "wing it." Prepare adequately for tests.