Managing Sticky Situations at Work

Larry is clearly a Technical personality type. Being logical, organized,cautious, and systematic, he sees no point in doing the timesheets.In Larry’s mind the timesheet exercise wastes time, and that’sillogical. Joanne searched for a way to get to Larry. Using the companycompliance rationale did not affect him. Furthermore, Larry’scautious nature prevented him from signing a form that distorted hisreal work time. By tapping into Larry’s creative energy and usinghumor, Joanne found a way to deal with Larry’s technical personalityand win his compliance to what everyone agreed posed a uselessendeavor.Technicals operate by the rules. They search for organization andlogic. Often you can identify Technical personalities by the state oftheir offices. Technicals carefully label files and line pens up in perfectorder. They prefer to work alone rather than in teams. When theymust work in teams, they tend to hold back rather than become fullyinterdependent team members. If you put a group of Technicalstogether on a project, it bogs down because no one steps up to makea decision, and each holds back, preferring not to share his or her trueviews.APPLYING THE SIJR MODELPersonality Overlay 23Let’s look at a sticky situation and apply the SIJR Model in view ofthe BEST personality styles.Lewis works as the HR manager in a large car manufacturingcompany. He supervises 14 people. Lewis began as an employmentinterviewer 14 years ago and moved up through the ranks to thetop position. One of his longtime subordinates, Nancy, spendstoo much time visiting outside the department. Her peers complainabout her frequent disappearances. Even though peoplethroughout the company like her, Nancy produces adequate, butnot outstanding work. Furthermore, she’s been known to have aloose tongue. With recent downsizing in his company, Lewis mustallocate time very carefully. The department cut back to 15 percentfewer people this year, and Lewis expects more cuts next year.Penny, one of Lewis’s most valued employees, recently complainedthat Nancy divulged information about a pending grievance tosomeone in another department.Lewis hates confrontations. He has avoided unpleasant conversationswith Nancy in the past because he’d hoped things wouldwork out. He realizes now that she has crossed the line.