WEEKLY FOCUS
You meet all types of people in the workplace, but who should you look out for?
It’s only natural, just as with people that we know in our social lives, a range of personality types will be present within the workplace.
The problem becomes when they have personality types that don’t encourage great employee relationships. For the purposes of this article, I will refer to four… “Player…Terrorist…Spectator…Corpse”
Player…These are people that you want. You need all of your teams to develop into one- packed with players…They make it happen due to their high energy levels! The key is also to use their talents, keep them engaged and work together. Don’t lose them!
Terrorist…Despite the title, they have high energy levels, but due to their attitudes can be troublesome and problematic. Usually, not without talent, but where their energies need redirecting! If you can get to the bottom of their issues, they can become a “work in progress”. Understand them, and then re-direct their energies into the right areas and for the right reasons.
Spectator…Generally “Good at heart” people. They do what is necessary but often little more. Low in energy levels and happy for others to take the initiative. A shame, because not without talent but needing to rediscover or find for the very first time the new and improved levels of energy necessary to start to make a difference. Good management and coaching may be needed to drag them out of their low levels of input.
Corpse…Sadly, a combination of poor attitude (troublesome and problematic) and low in energy levels. Lacking in both drive and a willingness to work within the business. Due to the low energy levels, they are less likely to be disruptive (refer “Terrorist”). This group will actually be the harder to convert as they suffer from two issues…Poor attitude and low energy!
Your Challenge!
- Work closely with and develop your players.
- Try to find ways to actively engage with your terrorists. Look for ways to offer them a project that you feel that they could contribute to but without significant risk.
- Challenge your spectators to raise their game and offer words of encouragement whenever possible…ensure in a timely and genuine manner.
- Where you feel that corpses have something that you feel is worth working with, persevere. Work with them to uncover hidden talents and what really motivates them.
In writing this, there is an understanding of what a complex and challenging area “Employee Engagement” can be. For this reason, we will be following up with both a “White paper” and a “Podcast”, to cover this topic in greater detail…Giving you the tools to implement where required.
“Human behaviour flows from three main sources:
desire, emotion and knowledge”
PLATO