Your Executive Assistant calls to let you know that Jake has arrived for his interview. When you walk in to the lobby to greet him, he’s dressed a bit odd (not the kind of clothes you would wear) and he doesn’t seem friendly and outgoing (quite the opposite of you).
He follows you into your office and engages in small talk about the weather and how the Packers blew it in the playoffs. After a few minutes of going over his resume, you discuss the position you need to fill, and quickly get the sense that Jake isn’t the kind of personality you could work with very well. As a matter of fact, you conclude that you just don’t like the guy. BUT, his credentials and experience are ideal for the role you need to fill AND, his salary requirements are in line with what you’re willing to pay.
Do you make him an offer? Are you willing to work with someone you don’t like?
If you think about it, hiring people opposite of your personality may be one of the best things you can do for your company or organization.
And here’s why…
- People you don’t like will not always agree with you. Your ideas and thoughts may be challenged as well as the status quo. They will disrupt, rock the boat and question. Is this a good thing? You bet it is, as long as there is mutual respect in your manager/employee relationship. You may remember the saying that if two people always agree with each other that one of them is unnecessary. Companies grow and new doors of opportunity open when there is a healthy mixture of diversity, ideas, beliefs and opinions in the workplace.
- People unlike you may enjoy doing the stuff you don’t want to do, but stuff that needs to get done. Hopefully you are doing what you love to do, and are probably avoiding those things you dread. It’s not your passion, personality or purpose to do what you disdain, so be grateful there are people who enjoy doing what you detest.
- As your customers and employees have different types of personalities, you will need a diversity of employees (personalities) to match them. This is particularly true for those in sales some people hit it off much better than others, so, be grateful there are people who can connect with customers who may not be able to connect with you.
- You’ll need people to “play the role” of different positions within your company or organization. For example, if you run an advertising agency/creative shop, you may not like the looks, beliefs, or orientations of a creative director who has twelve face piercings, twenty-two tattoos and blue hair. BUT, if they are a darn good artist with a knack for creativity who can help you win new business, blow the doors off your competition and deliver, once again, be grateful there are people who can bring those assets to your company.
So what does this have to do with leadership? Well, we have a responsibility to be consistent, fair and stable leaders of those we like, and those who may get under our skin. Employees who sense that you don’t care too much for them will detect this feeling their first hour on the job, and may feel as if they are starting in a deficit position. It’s not fair to them, to you, or to your company. A strong leadership training program, such as L.E.T. teaches managers how to provide stable and consistent leadership. More importantly, it also teaches managers how to communicate effectively with different personality types.
Be grateful there are people who are the complete opposite of you. Hire one, and you’ll know what I mean.