Let me give you an example of an amazing “type,” of individual that I call the Meteor (brilliant, blazing, full of light and energy…get the picture?). It was quite a while back and I can’t remember the details, but I’ll never forget the incident. I was in a long line of disgruntled people waiting for their rooms in a hotel somewhere. There were probably a hundred rooms being held, and guests with confirmed reservations were being turned away or sent to other hotels. And the worst thing was the hotel staff had no idea when rooms would be available, who would stay and who would go. There was total pandemonium.

Like everyone else I was annoyed, tired, and felt miserable. I was right behind a man who hadn’t said anything, just kept his place in line. When he got to the clerk he flashed a big smile and said something like “I can see how frustrated you are, and I’m not expecting anything. Just tell me what I need to do and I’ll get out of your hair. It really must be a rough day for you.” And I watched the woman’s body language go from hunched over, ready for yet another confrontation to open and positive. She started smiling, she spent extra time with this man, and wonder of wonders, he walked away with a room key even though no rooms were available.

This man personified the Meteor, he had exceptional people skills. Meteors love to talk, and their enthusiasm, creativity and passion influence others easily. They love the cutting edge and so embrace new ideas. 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. They need to be noticed, get the majority of their energy from being around others, and can be more creative in a group than sitting in an office by themselves. They are social, like approval, and enjoy freedom in their work.

Downside of a Meteor: Their spontaneity and impulsiveness can wreak havoc on any meeting or project. They tend to forget to tell you when they’ve changed a meeting date, perpetually forget what they are responsible for at a meeting, and will avoid detail at any cost. They are the big picture people, not the people who follow through, so it’s been said of them they jump in the pool, and then look to see if there’s any water!

Upside of a Meteor: They are charming, fun, will be more open to change and new ideas. Because they are empathetic and build rapport, they will immediately see your strengths and be encouraging mentors and always open to new ideas.

You should:
•Give them their detail in tiny bits and pieces. New information each day or twice a day instead of information on Monday for the week. If you chose the all-at-one-time approach you might as well toss everything in the wastebasket, it will be almost totally ignored.
•Help them focus on what is necessary, and help them set specific goals from this perspective.
•Remember the importance of a positive attitude around Meteors, and realize they are actually more sensitive than they appear.
•Praise, genuinely, what you like that they do, this is very important to them.

You should not:
•Give them rules on what deadlines they must adhere to. Instead give them parameters, helping them adjust their creative, spontaneous nature to more of a structured environment.
•Control their schedules too tightly or give them too much detail. It will strangle their creativity and will not create the trust you need to work together.
•Expect them to dwell too long on even serious issues; they have their own system of solving problems.

Meteors just know how to get it right when dealing with people. They are invaluable in smoothing ruffled feathers, getting a team to rally to an idea, calming down a divisive meeting or keeping morale high. And all they need is encouragement, attention, and others to help with detail and follow through, thus allowing them the freedom and creativity to inspire others.

Remember, the next time you’re stuck in a frustrating situation, trying to figure out how to survive and get through all the turmoil, look around. Somewhere you’ll find an individual who is smiling, talking to others and drawing a crowd, radiating positive energy and getting exactly what he or she wants. We can all learn from the amazing skills of a Meteor!