How often do you struggle to work with employees who have strong technical ability but questionable people skills? Often it is one or the other isn’t it? It would be magical if we could have the best of both worlds and find good technical and people skills paired in a single person, but it rarely happens. Why so?
Well, for one, the behavioural style most comfortable for a technically-oriented co-worker is at odds with what is required for building strong interpersonal relationships. In other words, what makes a person enjoy technical work is the desire to look at “things” logically rather than emotionally.
Think about it. A highly logical person tends to approach decision-making by gathering as many facts as he needs to build confidence in his decision. More facts equals more comfort. Then he or she has a natural tendency to study and analyze the data, test it, check the details, consider alternatives and eventually make a decision that is likely to be correct. The most important goal is to be correct. Being wrong isn’t an option.
Most people who lean towards viewing “things” logically also view people the same way. This puts them out of sync with the majority of their colleagues who view both people and things emotionally. The technical person relies on their natural skills which include reflection, analysis, incisiveness and skepticism (matter-of-fact approach). They take a “prove-it-to-me” stance and aren’t impressed by glib responses and hype-filled testimonials. For them, actions speak louder than words
In keeping with their natural behavioural orientation, they assume their approach is logical, correct and appropriate. This creates surprise and frustration when their colleagues, direct reports and managers describe them as being aloof and somewhat cold at times. In response, they are generally quick to identify the colleagues with whom they have effective working relationships.
More often than not, however, if one pauses long enough to examine those relationships, we find they are limited to others sharing their same style – other scientists, engineers, auditors, quality control people, systems analysts and computer technicians, to name a few. Meaningful relationships outside their natural style aren’t common and are usually the result of friends of a spouse or relative with a different style.
Their counterpart – the emotionally-driven decision-maker – influences, and is influenced by, optimism, enthusiasm, inspiration and warmth. They trust more readily and are more social.
Both behavioural orientations have their correct place and either orientation taken to an extreme becomes limiting. Both styles can learn to adapt some of the strengths of the other. If open-minded, the technician can be coached to use his or her natural tendency to gather and analyze data and to apply it to the study of behavioural styles different from their own to understand how to communicate with and motivate others more effectively. In this way, the technician’s lack of people skills can be self-correcting within their own style. She can do what she enjoys most – analyze how to adjust her style for better ‘people’ results.
At the same time, the optimistic extrovert can learn a lesson or two from their logical and technically competent colleagues. All things in moderation…. right?
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