People Pleasers: Helping Others Without Hurting Yourself

While the unhealthy effect of controlling personalities has long been discussed, Dr. Les Carter has also recognized another pattern of behavior that can be just as destructive. Often, in an attempt to be helpful or compliant, people pleasers may find themselves in an unhealthy relationship where they actually encourage others to manipulate or control them. The three-fold goals of People Pleasers are to recognize traits that lead you in the wrong direction, assess how you manage your life, and develop healthy attitudes and behaviors. Dr. Carter writes in order to help people pleasers recognize a relational style that is unhealthy to themselves, to find a "balance between their desire to serve and their ability to be assertive," and to "stand up for healthy convictions."