28 Aug Common Sense Not So Common

How do you work with others who think differently?

The greatest misconception I have had in my own business life is that there is such thing as common sense.  The reality is that there is nothing common about sense and no two people will ever see anything through exactly the same lens.  The long and the short of it is that every single person on the plant has a different experience that influences the lens that they view life through.  The moment you realize that not one single other person in the world will see things exactly like you do is an important milestone.  From that moment forward you can then begin to build the strengths and tools you need to work best with others.

And did you know there are shortcuts?

We spend a lifetime learning how to communicate with people.  Some people never learn to communicate well.  Now what if you had a special tool that allowed you to learn how to better communicate with someone faster almost like a fast forward button or an “advance to go” card.  Well they exist and professionals use them all the time.  My favorite two tools are the DiSC profiles and Kolbe Y index tests.  A DiSC profile measures some characteristics of a person and can help you to know how the operate.  How do they operate socially?  How dominant are they?  Are they patient? Do they comply?    No right or wrong answers just a measuring device of sorts.   How great could it be to now if an employee was likely to be a free thinker or had leadership qualities based on a simple questionnaire.  The Kolbe Y index is similar in it’s questionnaire style but is better to measure how peoples thought process works and how they best fit in projects and in teams.  Have you ever had a co-worker you just didn’t work well on projects with?  Ever have too many starters and dreamers and not enough finishers on the team?  Tools like the Kolbe Y index can help for the most ideal team  Now it isn’t a phone app that you are going to have everyone in your life submit to some test.  These evaluation tools are best used when communication and interactions are long term, important, and meaningful.  You probably don’t need your mailman to take a DiSC profile so you can better communicate how frustrated you are with the slow mail delivery.   Now you may find some advantage in having your senior management team complete both questionnaires.

The greatest use of these tools I have found however, is on myself, for my own personal development.  Those things you sort of know about yourself jump right off the page and you can really begin to own them.  We all have a skill set, a personality, strengths and yes weaknesses.  When we better acknowledge what those are, and then build a team that helps balance us that can be a real recipe for success.  Know who you are better can also help you see how people that you interact can be better communicated with.  For example, I tend to rush to the conclusion very quickly.  I rapidly evaluate the idea, moment, etc and reach my end point very quickly.  That can make me a difficult person to communicate with if you are someone that carefully evaluates the steps in the idea or process, takes time to roll it around and digest it.  Now if I acknowledge that about myself I can more carefully monitor my interactions and if I notice that someone is taking some time to get there when I am pitching and idea I can slow myself down and give more detail and help the person to my conclusion.  Sometimes the most important thing you can learn about is yourself.