Work More Efficiently by Identifying
Your Unique Working Style
There
is nothing more frustrating than listening to people haggle over different definitions
of what constitutes "work." Catty conversations about who's working
harder, who's working smarter, or who's not working at all are more about
judging others than solving inefficiencies.
I'd
like to steer you away from this all-or-nothing dialogue ("I work all the
time and you never work") to a more robust conversation about what work really
is. And, in the process, help you to appreciate not only your own unique
working style, but also the working style of others on your team. As my
thinking has developed over the years, and after perusing many, many personality
tests, I believe that there are four basic working styles:
Doing, Leading,
Loving, and Learning.
The
best teams have a balance of all four styles. And the best organizations have
many well-balanced teams who are confident in their working style and
understand the necessity of divergent types or work. So, what's your style?
Doing
Doers
execute. They come alive when tasks are complete, lists are checked, or
projects are tackled. They typically have intense focus and are detailed in
their efforts.
Doers
are usually so focused, however, they may forget to look up and communicate what
they're doing. Doers also tend to dive into work with little forethought. They
believe that everyone should "Shoot, Fire, Aim" and tend to devalue
the important work of planning.
Leading
Leaders
create the vision and inspire others to believe in it. You can't help but
listen to, admire, and follow the Leaders. Without Leaders, we would be
spinning in a hamster wheel with no real vision.
Leaders
can be detached from others, not completely understanding all that goes
into executing their vision. Because they're out in front, they sometimes
forget to check in with the people following them.
Loving
Lovers
are relationship-builders. Believing that we're stronger together, they thrive
in harmony and work hard to manage relationships and build consensus. People
strong in the Loving working style are sensitive and empathic. They have an
unconscious finger on the pulse of every other person on the team. If you want
to know how others on your team are really feeling, ask the Lover.
But
Lovers can suck at follow through and more detail-oriented work. Left to their
own devices, they can out-empathize anyone and make people feel great, but not
provide "tangible" work.
Learning
Learners
are the researchers. These engineer types love learning and meticulously
understanding the nuances of a problem. They are deliberate, disciplined, and
tend to think more strategically than most people.
Without
others, however, Learners wouldn't get much done. In order to execute their
best-laid plans, they need a team ready to act. Their strategy is only as good
as the problems they actually solve—not in theory, but in reality.
Theologian
Howard Thurman says, "Don't ask what the world needs.
Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is
people who have come alive."
So,
let's get over the notion that all work looks one way. It does not. Nor
should it. You need many people doing many things to accomplish many goals.
Everyone has unique strengths that become super-charged once they're aligned
with other people's strengths. Rather than critique someone who you believe
"isn't working," make sure you're living out your unique
contribution in a powerful and sustainable way. Just do what makes you come
alive.
http://lifehacker.com/work-more-efficiently-by-identifying-your-unique-workin-487003825
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