Not long ago someone told me about a doctor in her area. Seems this physician had absolutely no people skills and therefore was abrasive to all his patients. BUT he was a fine physician. So he and his office created a working scenario: immediately after he left the examination room, his assistant came in. Now she was a very savvy people person, so she smoothed any ruffled feathers, made the patient feel special, important and ended the examination on a very positive note.
We have different skills, we’re talented, creative and smart in so many ways. Our job is to recognize the abilities of others and how we can best communicate with them. And as I mentioned in last week’s blog, I’m going to share some great info on working more effectively with people through my Omni-Linguistics program.
Today, just an overview. And by the way I’m writing this sitting in an airport where weather delays seem to have increased the number of people and decreased tolerance and patience. Perhaps the best place to observe personalities/behavioral styles, is to watch people under stress. It’s a great perspective on who demands results, who settles in and has a drink, who starts to work, who looks to help others or who just puts a baseball cap over his face and goes to sleep. Amazing how unique we all are, and how we handle the same situation in different ways!
First style we’ll talk about, beginning next week, is the Judge. The Judge gets things accomplished in a cut-to-the-chase manner. He or she prefers action and quick decisions over discussion, details and planning. The Judge can be brusque and abrupt and his favorite slogan is “just handle it”; he’s a professional delegator. Judges are apt to be judgmental, demand perfection, and know they are right. They are poor listeners and have short attention spans. The Judge’s candid, pragmatic approach works well in some leadership positions, but her autocratic manner may put off team members. Judges have high levels of testosterone activity in the brain, leading them to be competitive, direct, and always tell it like it is. Consequently you never have to worry, as you do with some types, about what the Judge really thinks; he or she will tell you bluntly and to your face. As you can see we can really dislike these people or misinterpret their behavior and feelings, yet they can be absolutely wonderful. Mother Teresa was a judge (according to a colleague who worked with her for many months in India). We’ll have lots of fun discussing the endless possibilities of working effectively with these interesting people.
Next, we’ll look at the Meteor. The Meteor loves to talk—and does so all the time. In fact these people do so much of it they rarely listen. But their enthusiasm, creativity and passion influence others easily. He or she will almost always be found at the water cooler or break room entertaining all who appear, as they are very fun-loving. Meteors love the cutting edge, and so embrace new ideas. The fast-pace of change and a go-get-‘em attitude makes the Meteor the fast-moving, bright, shiny object of the office. However, these types seem allergic to paper and detest detail. For team spirit and company innovation they are great leaders, but Meteors have poor follow-through. In a confrontation, expect them to “go for the win.” They are assertive and not afraid to get what they want. They are fun loving and a natural magnet for others, and at the same time a challenge to work with effectively. Their motto is often, “let’s jump in the pool, and then look to see if there’s any water!”
After the Meteor we’ll focus on the Rock, an absolutely wonderful type of individual. the Rock is the sort of person who others find cooperative, responsible, reserved, logical and patient. They are great listeners—everyone goes to them. Because they are fair-minded, they seek to create harmony among others. Diplomatic and dependable, everyone likes to have the Rock on their team. But Rocks also have their problems. Rocks tend not to delegate, preferring not to burden others. They don’t like quick change—so it will take a bit of persuading if you want something new from them. They hate being put on the spot and because they don’t care for confrontation they won’t tell you what’s wrong. For all of these reasons and others, this terrific group of people can also create the greatest problems, you never know where you stand with them, which can sure be a challenge. We’ll find a variety of intelligent ways to work much more effectively with these great people!
Last but not least we’ll discuss the Detailers. The Detailer focuses on the quantitative. He or she is the sort who one might call perfectionists. They tend to be controlled. They like to have everything in writing, needing all documentation for any situation—paperwork is their friend! They are critical thinkers, like rules and the enforcement thereof. They tend to be sequential thinkers —meaning they start at the beginning and work their way linearly through a problem. Detailers are the least likely to “think outside of the box.” They are usually non-assertive in the workplace and non-responsive in a confrontation. This means they will avoid stress and people who cause it. For any project requiring a painstaking approach, it is important to get the Detailer on your side, for they are prudent, task-oriented and systematic. The Detailer can often be the most complex to work with effectively, and therefore we’ll talk about this amazing, intelligent and unique group of individuals last.
Have a wonderful week. And if anyone is reading this from an airport somewhere remember to look around you, and for the fun of it see if you can begin labeling people in one of these four categories. It’s an interesting exercise, and a fun way to pass the time while you’re waiting!
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