Wouldn’t it be nice if you had a surefire way to shut people down to the point of inactivity? A way to really be sure that people around you don’t want to do anything but play a round of Candy Crush? Look no further—your wish is my command! I’m here to let you know that there are ways to absolutely, positively ensure that everyone you work with, from clients to colleagues, becomes frustrated beyond belief. To best break down your colleagues, simply follow the steps below. Frustration, defeat, and resignation will quickly follow.
First, choose a personality style:
COMMAND: These personalities are fast-paced and task-oriented at work. They have the tendency to steamroll others indiscriminately in order to get their work done.
ANALYZE: These personalities are methodical, introspective, and task-focused at work. They have a tendency to delay starting projects until they’ve nailed down every last detail, and they ask lots of questions.
RESPOND: These personalities are predictable, good at listening, and tend to multitask at work. They are typically even-tempered, they prefer close relationships to casual acquaintances, and they always want consensus among a group. This personality values the team—and other people’s feelings—above their own.
EXPRESS: These personalities are talkative, optimistic, and people-oriented at work. They have a tendency to work in short bursts, take a break to socialize and have fun, then jump back into work for another burst of productivity.
Next, find the best way to poke and prod:
COMMAND: Waste their time. Challenge their decisions. Bury them in details. Plan long meetings with few results. Provide long excuses. Assign them a seat. Take away their internet access.
ANALYZE: Tell them they are wrong. Point out their mistakes. Touch their personal belongings, especially their areas of responsibility at work. Give credit to someone else for their accomplishments.
RESPOND: Gossip about co-workers negatively. Call them out in front of a large group. Criticize others and their ideas. Raise your voice. Accuse.
EXPRESS: Talk only about work, and never anything personal. Insist on quiet environments with little interaction. Mandate that they produce results alone, even if part of a larger project. Require them to follow a schedule. Give 30 minutes for lunch.
You’re probably thinking,
“Wait a minute! Don’t these behaviors bother everyone?”
You’d be surprised.
It would seem that raising your voice would be counterproductive and negatively impact morale for everyone. In reality, those who Command and Express tolerate raised voices and often shout themselves. (Hint: They might not even realize they’re “shouting,” or what seems like “shouting” to you won’t seem like “shouting” to them.) It adds emphasis to their message and forces action—sometimes counter-productively.
What about those long meetings? Everyone hates them, right? Those with Analyze personalities don’t necessarily mind the length of the meeting as much as the content of the meeting. They want to make sure the meeting: 1) starts on time, 2) has an agenda, 3) provides enough time to ask questions, and 4) makes sure those in attendance leave with a task.
Gossiping about a poor performer is a stress reliever to some. However, negative gossip about an individual can create trust challenges for the Respond personality, and makes the interpersonal environment very awkward for them when the whole team comes together. Those who Respond usually refrain from participating in your gossip session, and might even distance themselves from you entirely even though they don’t like it—you know, for fear that you’ll also end up throwing them under the bus.
Here is the challenge:
Learn to recognize each personality type and in turn what pisses them off. Lock that information away, then gain awareness of how you’re interacting with others. I know you’re not intentionally demotivating your teammates, colleagues, and clients—but you’re probably already doing it.
Want to learn more on how to overcome these challenges? Jump on over to www.DontSuckatWork.com.