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+--- Thread: Personalities (/showthread.php?tid=2757)
Personalities - FCD - 05-10-2025
Not sure if this belongs here or not (mods feel free to move if you think appropriate), but I wanted to make a quick post about people's 'personality'.
GHLD posted an interesting thread the other day about a sub-reddit on Reddit called AITA (Am I The Asshole). After responding to that post, I got to thinking about a somewhat related topic, but also more fundamental...people's core personality. I didn't feel like this subject belonged in GHLD's thread as it might confuse things, so I'll post it here.
In my line of work I have to work with lots of peopole (lots and LOTS). Some of them are employees whom I am in charge of, some of them are colleagues who work for different companies or agencies, and many of them are the general public just by association with the nature of what we do. As a result, particularly with employees and colleagues, I get the 'good fortune' (lol) of dealing with lots of different personality types. Some of these are good, some are not so good, and some others still are downright evil and toxic. To stay in this line of work for any length of time, let alone an entire career, can be a challenge if one is to maintain their own sanity. I'll cut to the chase here.
I had a very wise man and mentor once tell me, early in my career, that you cannot change a person's core personality. I didn't fully comprehend what this meant at the time, nor did I realize how valuable that piece of advice would become later on. At the time, I think I just viewed his advice as circumstantial in that moment. Later, I realized that this mantra really does apply over the long haul with people. I'll cite some examples, and it's interesting how far some of these examples reach, even including what we read in the "news" every day. It's also very interesting how valuable being able to evaluate if a situation is a personality issue or just a conditional situation. Again, I'll try to explain...
Simplistically, let's say you have an employee who makes a mistake and creates a worse situation from one which is already filled with tension. I use the word 'mistake' intentionally here because it cuts right to the essence of the issue. 'Mistake' also implies blame (but more on this in a moment). Let's also say the 'mistake' is not just trivial, and repeating such a mistake would likely result in termination or worse (legal implications). At this point, as a supervisor, you have to make an assessment (often based on past track record) of whether or not this mistake was the result of a core personality issue, or if it was just an honest 'accidental' mistake. This assessment results in several different (completely different) courses of actions. There are numerous examples of possible actions here, so I'll just cite a couple:
- A.) The person is a highly valued worker, but the mistake is a product of a core personality issue. Or...
- B.) The person is a highly valued worker, but the mistake was just a circumstantial issue and truly accidental. Or...
- C.) The person is a constant source of problems, and is not a critical team member, and the issue is clearly a core personality trait.
(again, these are not exhaustive examples, but rather just a sampling)
In scenario A.) you might have to reassign a person so they aren't able to get into those situations (if possible). In scenario B.) you might just need to identify the mistake and give corrective advice, and nothing more. And lastly, in scenario C.), you might need to separate the employee (or set into motion the steps necessary to do so).
I know this all probably sounds very indifferent (possibly even abrupt), but to be successful long-term, you have to get to the point where you can remove all emotion out of the equation, and understanding a person's personality is key in doing this.
Every day we run into people, co-workers, employees, or even the general public where their actions are a result of either core personality issues, or simply circumstantial. GHLD pointed this out in the context of people questioning whether they are an 'asshole' or not, but more fundamentally the ultimate answer (or certainly a large portion of it) boils down to a person's motivation to ask the question and what their specific personality type is.
Sometimes it's not possible to assess a person's personality type as you have no history with that person. A person in the general public or a person you just met would be a good example. This pieces isn't really directed at them, but rather people you do have a track record and history with, a person you've worked with daily for months or even years.
I'll be interested to hear your thoughts on this subject.
Cheers!
RE: Personalities - GeauxHomeLittleD - 05-11-2025
Sometimes the biggest asshole is also one of the best employees. Maybe they aren't what you would call a "people person"- meaning they are quite blunt and have no care for whether something they say will offend other employees or customers- but they show up on time every day, they do great work without whining about it, they jump in and help when others are struggling, cover for fellow employees who are having an emergency, etc.
That sort of employee might not be the sort some employers would want on the 'front lines" but I'd definitely take that employee over ones that have poor work ethics. Work ethics trump certain personality flaws as far as I'm concerned. JMHO.
RE: Personalities - Michigan Swamp Buck - 05-11-2025
Perhaps unrelated to "core personalities", but consider the many side effects of most prescription drugs.
My GF is on ten scripts that I know of, at least when I made a list of them recently. After checking the side effects and the symptoms my GF often complains about, I see that most of those meds have these symptoms as side effects. Not only that, there are some symptoms she either ignores or doesn't realize she has.
I have only been doing this research recently because she was on a trip and had missed a few doses. When she got home, I saw the difference in her personality, it was for the better. Then, after a few days of her full regimen of pills, she was back to her usual self of being moody, irritable, depressed, and easily provoked.
Of course, I could never bring this up with her, I'd have to tell her doctor who is mine as well. I don't even want to think about the reaction if I tell her to reevaluate her prescriptions and try to determine what is making causing these problems. The egg shells are very thin.
So, core personality aside, look to prescription drugs that everyone seems to love eating like Skittles candies.
RE: Personalities - FCD - 05-11-2025
(05-11-2025, 04:58 PM)GeauxHomeLittleD Wrote: Sometimes the biggest asshole is also one of the best employees. Maybe they aren't what you would call a "people person"- meaning they are quite blunt and have no care for whether something they say will offend other employees or customers- but they show up on time every day, they do great work without whining about it, they jump in and help when others are struggling, cover for fellow employees who are having an emergency, etc.
That sort of employee might not be the sort some employers would want on the 'front lines" but I'd definitely take that employee over ones that have poor work ethics. Work ethics trump certain personality flaws as far as I'm concerned. JMHO.
No argument there at all! I 100% agree. Sometimes though, you have to put them in roles to keep 'innocent victims' out of their way. As a general rule, I'm a hardass. Some might interpret this as 'asshole', but I'm fair and I'm consistent, regardless who you are. Obviously, you're not going to separate a valuable person, but by the same token you can evaluate the situation and have them in a role which doesn't cause more harm than good. That's all I was saying.
RE: Personalities - Michigan Swamp Buck - 05-12-2025
(05-11-2025, 04:58 PM)GeauxHomeLittleD Wrote: Sometimes the biggest asshole is also one of the best employees. Maybe they aren't what you would call a "people person"- meaning they are quite blunt and have no care for whether something they say will offend other employees or customers- but they show up on time every day, they do great work without whining about it, they jump in and help when others are struggling, cover for fellow employees who are having an emergency, etc.
That sort of employee might not be the sort some employers would want on the 'front lines" but I'd definitely take that employee over ones that have poor work ethics. Work ethics trump certain personality flaws as far as I'm concerned. JMHO.
I wanted to add something here, as I agree. A week ago, I was thinking about job options as I've been working as a trustee for the family estate for a whole year now. I was able to get by on compensation from the estate, but now that we are close to selling it and the trust is running low on funds, I have been looking for employment again.
So, I called my last manager to see if she needed to come back to my old job. The number was not hers now, it is the dist. manager's number now (who I like and who would remember me). He told me she was fired a while back for rude behavior and passing off her responsibilities on other employees. I told him I like her because she was rude and brutally honest with me, comes from her biker past. She went above and beyond all the time, but I was more or less aware of her passing the buck on some duties.
She had a poor bedside manner, but she was good at her job. I have to suppose her health was making her pass the buck on her duties, she was close to retirement age. Other than that, I thought she was quite good and reliable. I did notice that some slacker employees were able to keep their jobs for their loyalty, punctuality, and attendance, to spite their slacker ways and how they would spread their work load around on other employees.