"Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine, and does them,
shall be like a wise man who built his house on the rock, and the rain came down,
and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house,
and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.”
- Mattithyahu (Matthew) 7: 24-25
Business administration has been a part of my life for a long time. I’ve had many roles in this space, bringing me considerable experience. Most of which include notable interactions with various personality types. After a while, I found an interesting correlation between workplace social engagement and workflow efficiency. While processes and procedures can do a great deal to streamline operations, they can be limited when the setting in which people do their best work is not considered.
As I continue to examine human behavior to determine its impact on productivity levels within small businesses, I always find recurring themes. This analysis helps build custom processes that align with a business’s model and culture.
There are possibly hundreds of psychological terminology and studies that already exist to represent groups of people that exhibit these tendencies or behaviors. However, I’d like to take a few minutes to share the way I define specific groups as I have observed within certain workplace environments.
The Great Divide
This group consists of individuals who prefer to work in isolation or actively engage in cliquing. People can sometimes create separation among team members knowingly or unknowingly. Regardless of the reasons, the outcome of these actions impacts how a business carries out its day-to-day tasks. I’ve observed that whenever there is dissonance in collaboration to fulfill assigned procedural responsibilities, the disconnect usually leads to the inability to sync processes that enforce and maintain best practices. For example, engendering healthy rivalry between teams or departments can create a competitive atmosphere that can lead to business growth. Still, if the contest becomes toxic, the effects may affect the efficiency of the entire operation.
The Greater Good
This behavioral type comprises individuals who continually work toward the same goals despite differences in emotional, intellectual, or technical abilities. This group uses their knowledge and expertise to mentor others, improve procedures, and encourage participation in activities that align with the business vision, mission, or core values. They also understand that, without a healthy life-then-work balance, performing at an optimum level can be difficult and, therefore, lead by example. There is well-balanced prioritization between the demands of the day-to-day operations and personal obligations outside the workplace. An example of this would be a business where employee turnover is relatively low and the business culture supports camaraderie and open communication.
The Greatest Self
In this group, individuals focus on what they can gain from working with a specific organization. These rewards can be purely monetary but may include benefits like prestige, perks, and promotions. People in this group are highly committed to their assigned tasks once completion ensures they achieve desired outcomes. These outcomes are geared towards realizing personal short-term or long-term goals that may not always align with the organization’s objective. This behavior is typically seen in the culture of results-driven organizations where rewards are tied to achievements in key performance indicators.
The Conclusion
The aim of these observations is not to favor any particular group but to offer a framework for developing processes for your business. You can also compare these behavioral types with those within your own organization to identify strategies for achieving your operational goals. It is essential to understand ourselves as individuals first before determining the most effective way to collaborate and work together.
Which group do you subscribe to?
Shalom, everyone!