Managing Different Personalities
How to Keep from Turning the Workplace into a Three-Ring Circus
Managing people with differing personalities and skill sets is a challenge. People often find different ways of handling their own projects, time and deadlines or react to stress, coaching and criticism differently. So a manager needs to learn to adapt and adjust to these differences while ensuring that the work gets done and objectives are met.
Who are the various performers under the big top we call our office and how can we lead our teams to success? Here are five circus acts and how to lead and manage them successfully.
Lion Tamer
Fiercely independent, Lion Tamers will tackle the biggest projects because they are fearless and seek control. They believe only they can tame the wild beast and may lose their head if not successful. Not the best team players they prefer the role of maverick and push ahead for personal glory.
Managers need to ensure Lion Tamers understand who the Ringmaster is. Allow them some freedom as long as they keep people apprised of their progress. And remember to praise them for their accomplishments otherwise they are liable to take someone’s head off about it.
Clown
While Clowns are everybody’s friend because of their extremely likeable nature, they tend too joke around more than they should, seeing the workplace as more of a social setting. Their good interpersonal skills make them ideal for positions where socializing is a part of the job. They may often be the person you’d like to fire, if they weren’t so darn nice.
For managers who have a Clown with indispensable skills, there is good news. Their easy-going nature and their desire to please means that they take coaching well, as long as there are established deadlines and frequent follow up.– think micro-management. Better yet, assign a buddy to work along side them and keep them focused.
Sideshow Performers
Sideshow Performers -- Fire Eater, Knife Thrower, Sword Swallower -- are many and varied. They bring unique talents and complementary skills that add to the success of the department. They are not timid about hard work; however, they prefer to concentrate on one responsibility or a piece of a project and not take on too much.
The best way to draw out the strengths and talents of Sideshow Performers is to marry their skills to a team project. They work well with others, preferring to be just part of the team, so that each of their talents helps to create a complete picture. Because of this, they make great subject matter experts.
Trapeze Artist
The Trapeze Artist blends the daredevil skills of the Lion Tamer with the team focus of Sideshow Performers, though unlike the Sideshow team, the Arial team tends to have similar skills. So while Sideshow Performers are productive in cross-functional teams, Trapeze Artists work well with others of their ilk.
Their willingness to soar to new heights and work closely with other members of their department makes the Trapeze Artist an indispensable team member. They react quickly to situations and can work on the fly or change directions easily without becoming flustered because they are so knowledgeable in their area.
Acrobat
Different from Sideshow Performers who master one great skill, Acrobats are versatile multitaskers who juggle, perform gymnastics and hoola hoop, sometimes all at the same time! They are a virtual one-person show.
These are the individuals that managers seek. They are adaptable, flexible and have multiple skills, which means they can work independently as well as part of a team. Coach, praise and encourage them and they will be loyal, hard workers ready to jump in and help wherever necessary.
