Heard this on NPR a few nights back and thought I would pass it on to all of you who work with small groups.
A management psychologist ran a “group dynamics” experiment in which he would assign a small group of volunteers a project that required cooperation of all. Unbeknownst, he would include a ringer, an actor hired to impersonate various kinds of disruptive characters. The most disruptive seemed to be these:
The Jerk, who badmouthed everything.
The Slacker, who tried to avoid doing his share.
The Pessimist, who doubted that anything would work right.
The result? In every case, cooperation/efficiency declined in less than an hour. One bad apple tainted the barrel.
Probably all of you know people like these. Probably some people combine all three traits and more. The implications for hiring/firing seem clear.
Back to work after the holidays. Merry Christmas to all, even the jerks, slackers, and pessimists.
Replies
What a rediculous thread.
Bringing up this subject isn't going to help anyone with their work issues.
You can read the replies, but I aint gonna.
;)
Remodeling Contractor just on the other side of the Glass City
So don't read it then. no need to badmouth it.
I find that interesting, been in positions before where should have gotten rid of someone bacause of bad attitude or outlook but did not for various reasons.
I always try to remember how it has helped us when we did
I think he was being silly. Joking....ya know the pessimistic badmouther who shoots everything down....
=)
Sorry!
I attended a seminar last summer that centered on dealing with difficult people. After a hundred bucks and eight hours it all boiled down to nobody is difficult they are just different. If you recognize that, and know what that person really wants, then it's not all that hard to get tasks accomplished with a mix of personalities.
I'm bringing sexy back.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sbqIyeed4g&feature=related
I thought they called them "fests" ?Remodeling Contractor just on the other side of the Glass City
The funny thing was I attended the seminar the day before we drove over for Peachfest. Hey, the fest went great, and we all got along so I guess it worked!
I'm bringing sexy back.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sbqIyeed4g&feature=related
Edited 12/25/2008 10:55 am ET by Gunner
" nobody is difficult they are just different"
Some people need to be taken asside and flogged.
It's good for them and about time. ;^ )
"nobody is difficult they are just different. If you recognize that, and know what that person really wants, then it's not all that hard to get tasks accomplished with a mix of personalities. "
that sounds like a sure fire way to run small business into the ground quick. Make the rest of the team analyze then have to work around the bad apples little issues.
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
"nobody is difficult they are just different."Same sort of psychobabble as "no one is disabled, just differently abled" and calling retarded children "challenged".BruceT
oh ?, do tell....
do you interact with the disabled and the retarded ?....
Mike Hussein Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
I have. What's your point?BruceT
my point is that it is not psycobabble.... in fact some do indeed fit those adjectives better than the stereotypical ones
why should it upset you that they be described by something that may better describe their reality ?Mike Hussein Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
"my point is that it is not psycobabble.... "
how many psychology class have you taken Mike?
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
exactly..... it ain't psychology..... just common decencyhey..... Phalen & I picked up something for you at OutbackMike Hussein Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Listen, you retarded cripple....
Oh, nevermind......you wouldn't get it anyway
O go ahead and give it a try. How is a guy who's lost the use of his legs "differently abled"? Can he suddenly levitate? No. He's simply disabled. It's not a criticism of him, just a fact.BruceT
You don't necessarily work around the issues as much as you recognize them and become aware that it's not necessarily a bad thing just because it's not the same personality as yours. If that makes sense.
The seminar was geared more towards office types that are in a fish bowl with the same people every day. The guy that I went with and I realized that we were highly adaptable to all the personality types demonstrated in the seminar. It's a benefit of dealing with ever changing situations and the constant flow of contractors that we come into contact with and have to get along with. It was kind of annoying and a little humorous to hear the other participants tell war stories about jerks they've endured for years.
After an hour we concluded that the class wasn't really what we needed. But it was the middle of summer, and the place was air conditioned and the seminar was full of nice smelling women. So it was a no brainer to stay. I did learn some, so it wasn't all bad.
I'm bringing sexy back.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXSWjVzdaF8&NR=1
I agree 100 thousand percent. I can say that from experience. The first inclination you have that someone is not going to work out - or is not working out - do yourself a favor and cut ties that day. You will sleep like a baby that night.
"After a hundred bucks and eight hours it all boiled down to nobody is difficult they are just different."So much for that hundred bucks. Fact is, some people are difficult, a large percentage of those intentionally so. Doesn't mean you can't find ways to work with or around them, but antisocial behavior is antisocial, not "different".Pete
Something makes them difficult. Here's the way I analyze it on a case by case basis. And you have to be honest with yourself. If I think the guy is being difficult on purpose then I ask myself what I did to make him difficult? ( You have to be honest with yourself here) Did I come in, in the middle of something and disrupt it? Am I throwing a lot of extra stress or work on him or her because I'm here doing what I'm doing? If I'm causing the problem then I'll do what I have to do to make it easier on him or her to get along. Remember I'm the one upsetting the apple cart it's my duty to make it right.
Now if after honest evaluation I'm not the problem, then I don't have a problem going head to head or whatever it takes. As long as you believe in yourself and your cause you'll never lose.
There's a book called The Hot House written by Pete Earley. Everyone in business or that deals with people in a close working environment should read it. You learn how to respect people, and how to get respect from people without much effort.
And you'll never be without booze again!
I'm bringing sexy back.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXSWjVzdaF8&NR=1
Thanks, I googled that and it looks like an interesting read.
I read it every couple of years as a refresher. It's a top five book in my library of life. In fact I just loaned my copy to my Nephew today (He's a deputy at the County Jail) with the promise that if he didn't return it I'd shank him. Nobody ever returns it on their own. Pizzes me off.
I'm bringing sexy back.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXSWjVzdaF8&NR=1
I hope I can find a copy tomorrow. Just read more reviews about it and don't want to have to wait.
This book looks like a match for me ;)
I'll let you know after I read it
It's usualy pretty easy to find in the bigger bookstores. And keep me informed on how you like it.
I'm bringing sexy back.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXSWjVzdaF8&NR=1
will do
What section do the bookstores stock it in? Self help, Business, or Psychobabable?
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
It's usualy in true crime I believe. WTF with the Psychobabable? Do you even know what book I'm talking about? Or are you gazing around and picking a fight?
I'm bringing sexy back.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXSWjVzdaF8&NR=1
misplace your sense of humour this morning?
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
No.
I'm bringing sexy back.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXSWjVzdaF8&NR=1
Nice application of the principles you describe in post 22.
have you ever watch a mexician crew, when you have one of these guy, the crew will handle it. they will either beat him or run he off. Everybody pulls their load.
Pay attention and learn something. :)
I'm bringing sexy back.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXSWjVzdaF8&NR=1
Bummer
So much for finding it. I checked Borders and a local mom&pop store. Neither had it.
Tomorrow I'll check the library. Probably just get it from Amazon
That sucks.
I'm bringing sexy back.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXSWjVzdaF8&NR=1
no doubt
Maybe I'll get lucky at the library
Good luck.
I'm bringing sexy back.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXSWjVzdaF8&NR=1
About life in prison?
jt8
A year from now you may wish you had started today. -- Karen Lamb
Yep.
I'm bringing sexy back.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXSWjVzdaF8&NR=1
Reading this thread, I keep thinking of one guy who I had for a couple years on and off who had problems with authority figures. His Dad had been an abusive alky so that accounts for it. But on the the job I was the object of his problem then since I was the authority. I found that he would do excellent work when left alone, but in a crew, he was poisoning the atmosphere and ruining morale where we all had to work together. So I said good-bye.He is running his own crew now and from all I hear, still causing problems with morale, lashing out at anyone because HE is the authority so he has no place to direct his frustrations.
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
When I had a crew there were occasions when a guy just drove everybody nuts. Why? I didn't really care, he didn't fit so I fired him.This may have happened only a couple of times though cause most guys, I believe, actually try to get along..........and in the real worldWe can all be roaring idiots at times.Categorizing people can be dangerous...........My Blog
"Categorizing people can be dangerous..........."As the recent round of bannings here proved all too well. I try to take time to understand and motivate each guy on the job.That can work to my bad ... when I was a lead for another contractor for a few years here, I ended up with all the derelicts that the other crews wouldn't or couldn't work with. Owner knew that I could make half of them productive and that when I told him it was a losing case, it was time to let them go.But it made my work harder.
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
in the real world
We can all be roaring idiots at times.
So true. And what is sad is that we may not realize it until LONG afterwards ... if at all. jt8
A year from now you may wish you had started today. -- Karen Lamb
That guy would make someone a good hand probably working alone .
I read this book when I was reading so much dog training and figgured Id get into genes and such.
I know this as relative sounds silly on the subject but Im gonna tell it anyway.
This guy was paid to keep a bunch of dogs and do studies on them. He was allowed up to about 100 dogs . Seems he wanted the full hundred dogs forsome reason . Anyway with out being boring about details some dogs were hard to keep. Some could actually unlatch the locks , climb , chew through , etc. He put those dogs down becuase he didnt have the time for their troubles. He still had their record of the studies he had done . Seems after the pot got done boiling the soup those dogs had the most out standing records except border collies for brains. However while the border collie belongs in colony living with other nad holds a strong desire to please that restricts their ability to think indepentant like these dogs did . So in situations the dogs he put down were kinda like marines. They were mavericks that did well thinking for themselves and reacting to different situations on their own.
Tim
Edited 12/26/2008 9:34 pm by Mooney
I liked your post.
I think it all comes down to managing the different personalities. Be sure to put your people where their strong points are. That way, they will strive to do their best. That said, there can be some that need encouragement to "become" what they can be. Sometimes encouragement works, sometimes it doesn't.
True dat.
I'm bringing sexy back.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXSWjVzdaF8&NR=1
Hey you can't call me a jerk, a slacker, and a pessimist. But 2 out of 3 ain't bad!
OB
He forgot the knowitall who takes charge of everything.
In construction there are a higher precentage of this type than most.
Everybody's a carpenter.
No they are all plumbers- just keeping water inside the pipe how can it be hard?
I think he forgot one:
The Management Psychologist, who likes reducing people to stereotypes.
That comment crossed my mind as soon as I read that job description. LOL
I'm bringing sexy back.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXSWjVzdaF8&NR=1
well, stereotypes exist for a reason, right?
We just shouldn't be too quick to apply them.
Someone can always surprise you.
Good to have a sense of humor about such matters.
On the opposite side is the guy who everyone likes but can't seem to ever get up to speed. Not a slacker, just a natural putter-er.