As managers we meet a complex mixture of characteristics in
others, and the best managers we come across are those that can
adapt to the strange ways of other folk.
You may recognise aspects of the personalities or behaviour in
your colleagues in the following ‘types’.
* Lazy Shirkers – The best way to approach slackers and skivers
who don’t do their share of work is to use involvement and
feedback. Explain that you are having challenges and that you
need help or suggestions. Tell them how you see it, and then ask
for the person’s help in actually solving it. They may then
offer to take their share of responsibility.
* The Buck-Passers - These may do the barest minimum and try to
shift responsibilities across to others, sometimes to give
themselves an easy life, and sometimes to cover up some kind of
deficiency in their abilities. You should get facts and
information from job descriptions, team briefings and documents
that define the responsibilities of the individual. Make sure you
get their agreement to specific outlines of their obligations.
Help them feel positive about taking on their responsibilities by
encouraging their contributions and involvements.
* Pessimists and Negatives – If someone is consistently
negative or pessimistic about things at work, don’t try to make
them look at the positive side. These Kind of people will be able
to justify every thought pattern they hold and they won’t want
to be seen as wrong by having to ‘accentuate the positive’.
Instead, calmly acknowledge there may be some truth in what the
person is saying, and get their acknowledgement that things need
to change, and what would they suggest would be an alternative.
Encourage them to be constructive, not just positive. Discuss
responsibilities for the changes that would have to be made.
Concentrate on what could be done, instead of reasons why they
can’t. Ask them to come up with solutions; this way, they have
to be looking forward instead of viewing things through
dark-coloured glasses.
* Competitive Types – There are some who feel they have to
constantly prove themselves, take credit for things and generally
have to compete in one-upmanship. That’s just the way they are,
I’m afraid. It could be they lack the self-confidence to face
reality for what it really is, and have to cover up their own
deficiencies by raising their self-esteem through hot air. Resist
the temptation to indulge in competing with them; instead,
emphasise the need for teamwork and stress common goals that you
all should be working towards. That way, they may start thinking
about how to collaborate instead of compete.
Whoever you have to deal with at work, there will be times when
you need to be flexible and adaptable in your approach. If you
face some of the people listed above, try out some of the ideas
and see if you can influence their behaviour. Who knows, you may
have an impact!
To your success.
