Workplace Personalities

Dr. Nigam J. Dave

Institute of Petroleum Technology
Gandhinagar
 Lesson Plan
 In this presentation, I will describe
different personalities that we can easily
identify in any work place. Some of them
have a very irritating behaviour. We have
to negotiate successful communication
with them. I leave negotiating strategies
to you. Try to think how you can
successfully communicate with these
people. Beware: If you are one of these,
try to change your behaviour soon.
 In any workplace we find different types
of people. The famous psychologist Wundt
identified people based on their ‘humours’.
Although, many people today, don’t agree
with the theory of humours, it is beyond
doubt that human psychology is very
complex and difficult to comprehend. Our
success or failure in a work place and our
sense of job satisfaction would depend
greatly on how we deal with these people.
 1. The Locomotive Type.
 The locomotive type are generally the
superiors. They are aggressive by nature.
They easily get frustrated and easily get
angry. They believe in bullying
subordinates. They are many a times –
autocrat and dictatorial. They believe and
insist that their point of view is the only
valid solution. They rely a lot on ‘dead
lines’. They are never sympathetic
listeners.
 A situation
 Locomotive: (standing over a staff
member with one hand in a fist and finger
pointing with the other) Do it now. No
discussion. It better happen by 2 o'clock!
(walks away)
 Colleague: But...
 Locomotive: No buts here. Just get to it.
 Colleague: (mouth is wide open in
disbelief)
 Question - 1
 You will always find such people in a
position of high authority. For survival, you
cant describe your feelings for such
people, and at the same time such
behaviour persistently can make you feel
humiliated. How would you tackle these
situations. Whom would you contact? how
would you describe your feelings?
 2. The Perfectionist Type
 No one would deny that work has to be
perfect, but ‘human factors’ do sometimes
affect the performance. Perfectionists
would never accept ‘good’ or ‘better’. They
would insist on that ideal ‘best’ which only
they can explain. They will never praise or
appreciate your good work. They would
always say, ‘It could have been better’.
They don’t shout, but their indifference
can frustrate people.
 A Situation
 Perfectionist supervisor: It's now taking us
an average of 50 seconds to serve each
customer who comes to one of our windows. I
want to bring that time down.
 Brave teller: The average time at the other
branches is 70 seconds. We're doing extremely
well. The national average is 75.
 Perfectionist supervisor: I'll never be
satisfied with our service time unless it gets
down to zero.
 Question -2
 With this type, you feel that your work will
never be appreciated. You don’t
understand what they want from you.
Your enthusiasm evaporates. How would
you communicate your concern? Would
you let your pessimism overcome you?
How would you tackle these people?
 3. The Iceman
 They are good intentioned people, but
they resist any change, even for the
better. They love ‘status quo’. They will
listen to your proposals patiently but will
never act. They may say outwardly that
‘change and innovativeness is good’ but
they will never take that risk.
 A Situation
 Employee:- We should install new sales
strategies. Dynamic strategies would bring us
more profit.
 Ice man:- But our present strategies are good
enough. We are doing a good business.
 Employee:- If we take the initiative, we can
surpass our competitors ‘x’ and ‘y’.
 Ice man:- See! Even ‘x’ and ‘y’ also are not
going for drastic changes. We should stick to our
policies…
 Question - 3
 You know that ____, _____ and ____
changes are the prime requirements. You
also know that your strategies will not fail.
How would you convince such people that
changes that you are proposing would be
better for the company?
 4. Not- My- Job Type
 Such people are never a part of team. You
want any advice or help from them, they
will bluntly say ‘no’. They would carry their
job profile in their pocket and would
immediately say, ‘it’s not the part of my
job.’ They sometimes use this weapon to
show their way of getting back at the
company.
 A Situation
 Overworked Colleague: *****, could you drop this
package off for me?
 Not-My-Job-er: That's not my job.
 Overworked Colleague: I'll drop off the package if
you answer my calls.
 Not-My-Job-er: Well, that's not what I'm supposed to
do either.
 Overworked Colleague: *****, just what exactly is
your job description?
 Not-My-Job-er: I was hired to take inventory, check
shipment dates, do status reports and trace lost
packages.
 Question 4
 You sometimes have no option but to
work with such people. In spite of your
frequent requests, they would not help
you. How do you tackle these people?
Would you complain your superiors about
their behaviour? Would you suggest some
strategies to your company in dealing with
such people?
 5. ‘Do- you – know Type’
 These people are very interested in
spreading rumors. They feel that by
sharing such rumors , they would appear
important. They come to you and talk with
you for a long time while you are working.
For work place relations, you cant say
blunt ‘no’ to such people. Their favorite
saying is, "Let me tell you what is really
happening."
 A Situation
 ‘Do you Know’ type is gossiping with you on one
or some of the following topics:
 Senior managers
 Reorganizations or job cuts
 Other people's salaries
 The fast-trackers
 What competing companies offer their
employees
 Who is dating whom at the company
 Question:-5
What communication strategies would you
suggest to silent these people.

You are the chief officer of a company.

Some body had complained about such a
person to you. How would you solve the
problem?
 6. The Melancholy Jacques
 Shakespeare has portrayed this type in ‘As
You Like It’. These people are pessimistic.
They will spread a wave of negativity in
the office. They always have ‘bad news’.
They expect the unexpected. They take
away the energy from the environment.
 A Situation
 Employee:- Congratulations, you have won
promotion.
 MJ – Yes… but I will be posted in a rural area…
 Employee:- Still, there would be a handsome
rise in your pay.
 MJ – So what my workload at present is already
intimidating. I have been burdened with
additional assignments. It always happens to
me.
 Question:- 6
 You have such a person working in your
team who can affect the sentiments of
your group. Would you persuade this
person to drop negativity? How? What
positive signals you would send to yourself
and others in your group to guard against
this wave of negativity?
 7. Uncommitted.
 An Uncommitted does not take his / her
job seriously, making his / her teammates'
work more difficult. Work is a very low
priority for him /her. For such people focus
at work is trying to do as little as possible
so as to find time to take care of personal
matters or other interests. They sense no
urgency in getting the work done. Their
favorite saying is "It can wait."
 A Situation
 Teammate: ******, did you get the team
report up to Mr. Davis in time?
 The Uncommitted: Oh, let me see. No, I
didn't. I have it right here.
 Teammate: The team had all agreed that we
would meet the deadline.
 The Uncommitted : I didn't think it was that
important. I had other things to do.
 Teammate: It was very important.
 The Uncommitted : Do you want me to do
everything?
 Question - 7
 You are a manager / superior of some
company. You have received complaints
regarding behaviour of such a person.
What communication strategies would you
adopt to persuade them to work?
 8. The Criticizer
 Have a creative approach? Do you have a
different way of doing something or a new
suggestion? If you do, the Criticizer will
knock it down. His mission is to disagree
with anything that is said. He likes to be
right, no matter what. He finds problems
wherever he goes, never opportunities.
The Criticizer will never give you positive
feedback but will always jump on your
mistake. His favorite saying is "Bad idea."
 A Situation
 Colleague: Let's drive instead of flying. We'll get there faster.
 Criticizer: What, are you crazy?
 Colleague: Why do you say that?
 Criticizer: It's just a bad idea.
 Colleague: OK. Let's fly up tonight so we can be fresh for
tomorrow afternoon's presentation.
 Criticizer: Where are you coming from? Bad idea.
 Colleague: Why?
 Criticizer: Trust me on it. You have less experience. Your thinking
is illogical.
 Colleague: Please be specific and explain yourself.
 Criticizer: What? Now you can't understand me? What's wrong
with you?
 Question - 8
 You have to work with such a person. You
need his support / facilitation. How would
you make him change his mind?
 9. The Cry Baby
 A Crybaby behaves like a child who doesn't get
his own way. Not getting his way causes
negativity. He frowns, withdraws or goes off on
a tirade.
The favorite saying of the Crybaby is "Nobody
loves me." A Crybaby contractor, for instance,
would complain something like this: "The
pressure is getting to be too much. I'm not
getting your full cooperation. I'm getting all
stressed out. I want to do a great job for you.
It's really hard doing this work."
 Question:- 9
 You are the superior of such an employee.
What motivational strategies would you
adopt? How would you encourage this
person?