Puzzled by Perplexing People and
their Problematic Personalities?
Practical Pointers for Putting the Pieces in
Place to Prevent Personnel Predicaments
1
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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Puzzle Piece #1
Understanding the Team
Self-Knowledge and Understanding
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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Puzzle Piece #1 Objectives:
To identify the characteristics of an
effective team.
To recognize how each person’s
individual style affects the team’s
cohesiveness.
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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What is a team?
A group of individuals
who collaboratively work together
to accomplish a shared set of goals
that can only be successfully achieved
by the complete cooperation of
each and every team member
working together effectively.
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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Did you ever wonder…
• If other team members think the way
you do?
• Why your team can’t seem to get
anything done?
• How you can cope with various team
behaviors?
• How you can help to make things work
more smoothly?
• What’s teamwork all about?
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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Sometimes
it’s all about style!
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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How is style defined?
Style consists of the
visible,
outer behaviors,
characteristics and
mannerisms
which describe and provide clues
to the workings of the mind
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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Why study style?
• To know and understand ourselves
better; personal insight
• To improve our interactions with other
team members; respect their point of
view
• To enhance communications and
productivity within the team
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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How would you describe
your “team player style”?
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•
•
Think…about it
Ink…write it down
Pair…pick a partner
Share…tell one another
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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Who has researched styles?
• Dr. Anthony F. Gregorc,
University of Connecticut
– Gregorc Style Delineator ™ Clarity of terms and
definitions
– Solid 30+ years research base
– Extensive practical applications to team building
and communications
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•
•
Abstract Sequential (AS)
Concrete Random (CR)
Concrete Sequential (CS)
Abstract Random (AR)
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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How can I assess my style?
• Let’s complete the Gregorc Style
Delineator™: A Self-Assessment
Instrument for Adults
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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How do I describe
2 aspects of my style?
• 2 Mediation Abilities:
– Perception - observation, view, insight,
discernment strategy
– Ordering - organizing, classifying,
arranging method
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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How might I describe
my perception strategy?
• Perception strategy:
– Abstractness
- Concreteness
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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How might I describe
my ordering method?
• Ordering method:
– Sequence
- Randomness
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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What are the 4 Mind Styles?
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•
•
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Concrete/Sequential (CS)
Abstract/Sequential (AS)
Abstract/Random (AR)
Concrete/Random (CR)
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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What do the scores and
chart reveal about me as a
team member?
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High Scores = 27- 40 Pointy Heads
Intermediate Scores =16 - 26 Moderates
Low Scores = 10 - 15 Stubby Points
Balanced scores = 25, 25, 25, 25 Squares
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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What are some inferences
that I can make?
• Dispositions are natural and learned:
nature + nurture
• Mindsets arise from deeper driving forces:
space, time, mental processing,
relationships
• Individuals are predisposed to relate in
certain ways: not compelled to do so
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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What are some cautions for me
to remember?
• Delineator reveals only 2 mediation
abilities: perception and ordering
• Individuals all have all 4 qualities to
various degrees: concreteness,
abstraction, sequence and randomness
• Individuals have predispositions and the
ability to alter them
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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What can I expect from
CS team members?
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Down to earth, grounded attitude
Watch bottom line, discern quality
Enforce discipline; policies, procedures
Careful, cautious, methodical, helpful
Follow directions exactly
Conservative approach to avoid mistakes
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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What can I expect from
AS team members?
• Objective, intellectual, impersonal
approach
• See the big picture
• Arbitrate from neutral position
• Stay above the fray
• Calm, cool analytical
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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What can I expect from
CR team members?
• Frame hypotheses, develop alternative
solutions and test them
• Solve problems with limited information or
data provided
• Experiment with ideas and materials through
application; flexible, original
• Insightful assessment of situations
• Unique, inventive approach; entrepreneurial
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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What can I expect from
AR team members?
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Listen, learn and respond to team members
Need for contact and interaction with team
Emotionally responsive to situations
Supportive of others; brings humor to team
Offer advice, comfort and support
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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So what do we have here?
Team of YOU-nique Individuals
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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Let’s compare your responses
then and now..
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•
•
•
Think…about it
Ink…write it down
Pair…pick a partner
Share…tell one another
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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Motivating the Team
Respect and Recognition
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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Puzzle Piece #2 Objectives:
To respect and recognize each team
member as a potential team leader.
To identify ways to customize the
recognition and motivation of each
team member.
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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We’ve all heard it said, but the truth is…
• Leadership is something we all need
• In all of these places, we are all leaders
Teamwork because we can’t do it alone
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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What is leadership?
• Behaviors we exert when we take
responsibility for our actions and
consequences
• Inner voice that says, “Take charge”
• Challenge we face when we accept
responsibility for guiding others
• Separates doers from the observers
• Gives direction to individuals and
organization
• Part of everyone’s responsibility
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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Another truism…
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Leaders are made, not born
Leaders learn and refine their skills
Leadership is everyone’s job
Leadership can make a positive
difference in our work teams and in our
lives
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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What makes a good leader?
• 100 people will offer 100 different
answers but
• Primary attribute of effective leaders is
– Ability to work with others
• Primary attribute of effective followers is
– Ability to work with others
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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Leaders…
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Listen and learn from others
Energize the team and the organization
Act for the common good of all
Develop themselves and coach others
Empower other to share leadership
Recognize and reward achievement
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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Teams…
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•
Together
Everyone
Achieves
More
Success
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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Team Dynamics
Effective team dynamics requires
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Respect for one another
Clearly articulated shared goals
Frequent interaction
Shared decision-making power
Equitably divided tasks
Shared responsibility for mistakes and successes
Free expression of opinions, perspectives, &
constructive criticism
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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Stages of Team Development
Stage
1. Forming
(Orientation)
2. Storming
(Conflict)
Major Processes
Characteristics
Exchange of information
Increased interdependency
Task exploration
Identification of
commonalities
Tentative interactions
Polite discourse
Ambiguity
Self-discourse
Disagreement over
procedures
Expression of dissatisfaction
Emotional responses
Resistance
Criticism of ideas
Poor attendance
Hostility
Polarization & coalition
forming
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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Stages of Team Development
Stage
3. Norming
(Cohesion)
Major Processes
Characteristics
Growth of cohesiveness Agreement on
& unity
procedures
Reduction in role
Establishment of roles,
ambiguity
standards,
Increased “we-feeling”
& relationships
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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Stages of Team Development
Stage
Major Processes
Characteristics
4. Performing
(Performance)
Goal achievement
High task orientation
Emphasis on
performance
& production
Decision making
Problem solving
Mutual cooperation
5. Adjourning
(Dissolution)
Termination of roles
Completion of tasks
Reduction of
dependency
Disintegration
& withdrawal
Increasing
independence
Regret
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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7 Cs for Team Success
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Commitment
Contribution
Communication
Cooperation
Conflict management
Change management
Connections
Adapted from The High Performance Teams Series: First Team Volume 1 Dartnell
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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Resolving Conflicts
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Accurately define problem
Focus on problem not personalities
Respect interests of all team members
Limit conflicts and address everyone’s
concerns
• Seek a solution agreeable to everyone
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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Six Steps to Dispute Resolution
1. Fully and clearly identify the problem to be resolved.
a) Describe all sides to the dispute.
b) Listen carefully to all sides.
c) Ensure everyone accepts the definition of the problem.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Generate alternative solutions to the problems.
Evaluate the alternative solutions.
Ensure that all members accept decisions.
Implement the solution to the problem.
Set a target date to evaluate the
effectiveness of the solution.
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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Embracing Diversity
• Accept that others know more than you in
key areas
• Invite others to challenge your assumptions
and dispel your stereotypes
• Encourage and maintain open lines of
communication with everyone on the team
• Facilitate consensus building by listening to
and respecting different points of view
• Understand the need to compromise to
achieve team goals
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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10 Types of Team Members
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Task leader
Social-emotional leader
Tension-releaser
Information provider
Central negative
Questioner
Silent observer
Active listener
Recorder
Self-centered follower
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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Working with the Team
Causes of problematic personalities
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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Did you ever wonder…
• Why team members behave the way they do?
• Why team members are so difficult to get
along with?
• How you can cope with various team
behaviors?
• How you can help to make things work more
smoothly?
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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Difficult People Are...
People who don’t do
what you want them to do or
who do
what you don’t want them to do-and
you don’t know what to do
about them.
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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Puzzle Piece #3 Objectives:
To acknowledge the reasons for team
members behaviors and to be able to
cope with their idiosyncrasies.
To develop a coping plan for dealing
with difficult team members.
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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Difficult people...
• make your life
miserable
• reduce your morale
• get you angry
• deplete your energy
• make you feel
helpless
• ruin a good thing
• make you scream
• affect your
productivity
• waste your time
• deceive you with
their cunning
behaviors
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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Grenade
Tank
Whiner
Staller
Sniper
Negativist
Know-It All
Super Agreeable
Zealot
Deceiver
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
Tightlipped
Taciturn
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What you can do:
• You can stay and do nothing.
• You can vote with your feet.
• You can understand the reason for their
behavior
• You can change your attitude.
• You can use a survival skill
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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Task Focus
Passive
Lens of
Understanding
Normal Zone
Aggressive
People Focus
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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Task Focus
Intent:
Get it right
Passive
Intent:
Get it done
Lens of
Understanding
Normal Zone
Intent:
Get along
Aggressive
Intent:
Get appreciated
People Focus
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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Perfectionist
Task Focus
Intent:
Get it right
Controlling
Intent:
Get it done
Lens of
Passive
Intent:
Get along
Approval
seeking
Aggressive
Understanding
Normal Zone
Intent:
Get appreciated
People Focus
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
Attention
getting
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Jack’s Story:
Analyzing the reasons for behavior
and attitude changes
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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Intent: Get it done
• Behavior becomes more controlling
when the intent to get it done is
thwarted
• Others appear to be wasting time,
going off on tangents, taking too long
– leading people to become Tanks, Snipers
and Know-It-Alls
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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Sherman the Tank
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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Sam the Sniper
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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Nancy, The Know-It-All
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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Survival Skills
Listen To Understand
• When the problem person is talking,
listen to understand
– blend visibly and audibly to establish
common ground
– backtrack using their own words
– clarify, summarize what you heard
– summarize by restatement
– redirect to change the focus
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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Intent: Get it right
• Behavior becomes more perfectionistic when
the intent to get it right is thwarted
• Others appear to be careless, haphazard,
inexact, vague
– leading people to become Whiners and
Negativists and Tight-Lipped Taciturns
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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Winnie the Whiner
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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Norm the Negativist
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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Tim the Tight-Lipped Taciturn
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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Survival Skills
Reach A Deeper Understanding
When discussions degenerate into
conflict, seek a deeper understanding
- identify positive intent
- identify highly-valued criteria
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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Intent: Get along
• Behavior becomes more approval
seeking when the intent to get along is
thwarted
• Others appear disapproving,
unsupportive
– leading people to become Super Agreeable
Zealots and Stallers
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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Zelda, the Super-Agreeable Zealot
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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Stan the Staller
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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Survival Skills
Speak To Be Understood
When you communicate with problem
people, speak to be understood
- monitor voice tone
- state positive intent
- tactfully interrupt interruptions
- tell your truth
- listen attentively, stay flexible
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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Intent: Get appreciated
• Behavior becomes more attention-getting
when the intent to get appreciated is
thwarted
• Others appear inattentive, unappreciative,
uncaring
– leading people to become Grenades or
Deceivers
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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Greta the Grenade
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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Dean The Deceiver
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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Survival Skills
Get What You Project and Expect
• When people are at their worst,
project and expect the best
– use Pygmalion Power
– assume the best; give the benefit
of the doubt
– appreciate criticism
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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Perfectionist
Whiner
Negativist
Taciturn
Intent:
Get it right
Passive
Zealot
Staller
Task Focus
Intent:
Get it done
Lens of
Understanding
Normal Zone
Intent:
Get along
Approval
seeking
Controlling
Tank
Sniper
Know-It-All
Aggressive
Intent:
Get appreciated
People Focus
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
Attention
getting
Grenade
Deceiver
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© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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Puzzle Piece #1 Objectives:
To identify the characteristics of an
effective team
To recognize how each person’s
individual style affects the team’s
cohesiveness.
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
78
Puzzle Piece #2 Objectives:
To respect and recognize each team
member as a potential team leader.
To identify ways to customize the
recognition and motivation of each
team member.
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
79
Puzzle Piece #3 Objectives:
To acknowledge the reasons for team
members behaviors and to be able to
cope with their idiosyncrasies.
To develop a coping plan for dealing
with difficult team members.
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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Puzzle Piece #4
Effective Communication and High Expectations
Making Meetings Matter
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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Puzzle Piece #4 Objectives:
To practice effective interactive skills
and high expectations by conducting
meetings that are
Prompt
Purposeful
Productive
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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How important is communications?
• On a scale of 1-10-, how important is it
to have open, honest communication
with…
– your family?
– your co-workers?
– your board?
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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Help Wanted
• …”excellent oral and written
communication skills required…”
• …”must demonstrate outstanding
communication skills”
• …”must be able to communicate…”
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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So much to share, so little time
– In words, in writing
– A look or a glance
– By gestures or body language
And every communication is up for
misinterpretation!
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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That’s why we have meetings!
• Meetings…where minutes are kept and hours are wasted.
• Any simple problem can be made unsolvable if enough
meetings are held to discuss it.
• When the outcome of a meeting is to have another meeting, it
has been a lousy meeting.
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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We’ve got to start..
meeting like this!
Our Objective – the last puzzle piece:
• To examine and promise to practice the
three “P”s of meetings
Prompt
Purposeful
Productive
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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Do your meetings matter?
• Test Your Meeting I.Q.
– Choose the answer that best describes
your meetings.
– We will ‘score’ the quiz as a group.
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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Prompt
Is time your
friend or your enemy?
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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Time..is
(free) EffectiveMeetings.com
Meeting Cost Clock
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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Purposeful
• What’s the point?
Information & Discussion
Generating Ideas
Decision-making or problem solving
Action planning
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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Productive
Are we successfully chipping
away at our “to-do” list?
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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Evaluate Alternatives
High
Low
Cost
Effort
Quality
Results
Timeframe
WIIFM
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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Rules of the Game
• Prepare an Agenda
– Planning a meeting is like planning a
party – wrong people; no theme…your
meeting could fizzle!
• Distribute the agenda prior to the
meeting
– Review briefly at the meeting
• Take minutes & make available
ASAP.
– Include decisions, timelines,
assignments
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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The AGENDA
• Clarify the purpose for the meeting
• Celebrate successes (items accomplished since
the last meeting)
• Organize the agenda by mode:
– Information
– Brainstorming or exploring alternatives
– Discussion
– Decision-making
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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The AGENDA
• Set a time limit for each item or section
• Keep everyone focused, on-topic and
on-time (discourage ‘side-bar’ conversations)
• Conclude with follow-up assignments
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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Killer Phrases
Words that bruise
everyone’s enthusiasm!
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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What’s Next?
That’s up to you!
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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It was our pleasure!
• Keep your folder of materials
• Add articles and tip sheets as they
come your way
• Work with your team to develop and
refine your library’s communications
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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How have all the pieces
come together for you?
If there is still a missing piece, check out
www.cardinalconsultinggroup.net
to download additional handouts.
Or email Paula at
paula@cardinalconsultinggroup.net
with questions.
© 2007 Cardinal Consulting Group, Inc.
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