We are dramatically different


The single biggest mistake people, and hence leaders , make in their relationships is to assume that people are like them, have similar needs and values and would like to be treated as they would. People are dramatically different, so different it is as if they are from different planets. The criteria for winning minds and hearts can differ widely from person to person.

In Shay McConnon's view, there are three key personality types: carers, doers, and thinkers. Basically, every one of us is one, or a combination, of these types, and the mix of qualities defines how each needs to be treated.

Carers

These people value caring over achieving or getting things right. They are thoughtful, loyal, generous people who like to be accommodating . Usually they are good listeners and show a genuine interest in other people and their issues. They don't like conflict and work hard at keeping harmony in the team.

Leaders recognise that the values driving such behaviours will centre around partnership, teamwork, two-way communication, sincerity and harmony. Leaders need to appeal to these lifestyle values with this group if they are to inspire action and get business results.

Typically, these people will want their hearts won, not their minds. The leader wins their hearts by his humanity and approachability. They need a leader to be friendly, likeable, supportive, empathetic and thoughtful - someone who remembers the ˜little' things. In this way the heart is won, commitment and respect grow and productive action is inspired.

Conversely, they will find it hard to respect someone who is arrogant , pushy, bossy, selfish, sarcastic , anyone who excludes them or abuses their generosity, who invades their lifestyle/workstyle in a heavy- handed fashion. They feel particularly valued with opportunities genuinely to help others, when their support is recognised and when working for someone who is thoughtful.

Doers

They value achieving over caring or getting things right. These are assertive, high energy, no nonsense type of people who love to achieve and get things done. They usually have little time for small talk and like to get straight down to the business in hand. They like their information concise , ˜one-minute manager' style. Bullet points and summaries often characterise this style. They don't appreciate their time being wasted .

Leaders recognise that the values that drive such behaviours will centre on achievement, success, competence, efficiency, speed, status and winning. Leaders appeal to these lifestyle/workstyle values to inspire, motivate and persuade.

Doers typically need both their minds and hearts won. They need someone driving forward with passion. They will follow a leader who has an exciting vision, someone who is dynamic, future orientated and achievement driven. Conversely, they will find it hard to respect someone who is complacent, talks problems, wastes time or makes excuses. They feel particularly valued when asked to troubleshoot, to achieve against the odds, to fight deadlines, to face up to difficult challenges and when given responsibility.

Thinkers

Getting things right is more important to them than caring or being successful. They are fair, principled and usually risk averse. They tend to be prudent and would prefer not to make a decision than make a wrong one. They are the perfectionists of our world and are usually thorough in whatever they do.

Leaders recognise that the lifestyle/workstyle values that drive such behaviours will centre on quality, integrity, logic, accuracy and independence. Leaders tap into to these values when they need to influence, persuade and get rapport.

Typically these people will want their minds won, not their hearts. Their minds are won by the leader's principles, integrity, accuracy and attention to detail.

They need a leader to be prudent, someone who respects systems and procedures and is concerned about standards. Conversely, they will find it hard to respect someone who is frivolous, ignores the problems, exaggerates, is over familiar, someone who insists a deadline is met at the expense of quality.

They feel particularly valued with opportunities to increase their knowledge base, when they can do the job properly and when they are given problems to solve.

While some people do fall ˜cleanly' into one of these categories, many of us have combinations of these motivations. The criteria for winning minds and hearts will need to be very individualised to appeal to these ˜mixed' lifestyle/workstyle values.




The New Rules of Engagement(c) Life-Work Balance and Employee Commitment
Performance Tuning for Linux(R) Servers
ISBN: N/A
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2006
Pages: 131

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