Canadian Government Executive - Volume 24 - Issue 03

May/June 2018 // Canadian Government Executive / 43 2. At times we feel frustrated with ourselves. Are you most likely to feel frustrated because… a.My constant need for more information exhausts me. b.As soon as I’m expected to do something, I don’t want to do it. c. I can take time for other people, but I can’t take time for my- self. d.I can’t take a break from my usual habits, or violate the rules, even when I want to. 3.Which description suits you best? a. Puts others – family, friends, and co-workers – first. b.Disciplined – sometimes even when it doesn’t make sense. c. Refuses to be bossed by others. d.Asks necessary questions. For question one, your responses indicate, from a to d, that you are an Upholder, Questioner, Obliger, or Rebel. For the second question, in order: Questioner, Rebel, Obliger, Upholder. And for the third: Obliger, Upholder, Rebel, or Questioner. Upholders tend to be self-starters, self-motivated, conscien- tious, reliable and thorough. Weaknesses include defensiveness; rigidity; often struggles when plans or schedules change; and is impatient when others need reminders, deadlines, supervision or discussion. Upholders can make great colleagues and also great bosses because they are clear about setting expectations and highly disciplined themselves. However, they can have trouble delegating, as they assume others won’t do a good job. Because of their desire to meet both inner and outer expectations, they can be reluctant to pitch in to help others if it means setting aside their own obligations. Questioners are data-driven, interested in creating systems that are efficient and effective, are comfortable bucking the sys- tem if it’s warranted, and quite willing to play devil’s advocate. They love research and reject easy explanations like, “This is the way we have always done it.” As you can imagine, even if you’re a Questioner, the relentless questioning is often not appreciated by bosses or colleagues. “Coworkers can help them avoid over- questioning by putting limits on their investigations. For in- stance, a manager might tell a Questioner who’s is interviewing people for a new hire to decide by a certain date or consider only the top five candidates. Limitation helps force actions,” she says. She also points out that because questioners have great faith in their own analysis and judgment, they can become convinced of their rightness of their views and refuse to be persuaded oth- erwise. Obligers are responsible and willing to go the extra mile. They can be a good boss, responsive leader, and a strong team player. Weaknesses include being exploitable, susceptible to overwork web http://canadiangovernmentexecutive.ca/author/harveys/ and burnout, and may become resentful of always acting for oth- ers. Indeed, because they place such a high value on meeting outer expectations, others can take advantage of them, leading to Obliger-rebellion, which is tough for colleagues to handle. To avoid that, remind Obligers that saying no allows them to say yes to more important work. Enforce limits to help avoid rebellion and burnout. Take work away from the Obliger if the individual has taken on too much. Rebels are independent-minded, able to think outside the box, and unswayed by conventional wisdom. They can be uncoopera- tive, inconsiderate, restless and unable to accomplish tasks that need to be done consistently the same way each time. Many Rebels respond well to a challenge or a date and can thrive in a workplace where they can do their work their own way. They generally don’t take orders well from others but can work well with others when they are the leader. She says at work you should provide information, present possible consequences, and allow them to choose how to act, which may not work all that well in government, of course. And that can be the point. It’s helpful to know your own style, and those of colleagues, particularly when hiring future col- leagues. Certain Tendencies may better fit government execu- tives, so study yourself and others to smooth the way. H arvey S chachter is a writer, specializing in management and business issues. He writes three weekly columns for the Globe and Mail and The Leader’s Bookshelf column for Canadian Government Executive, and a regular column and features for Kingston Life magazine. Harvey was editor of the 2004 book Memos to the Prime Minister: What Canada Can Be in the 21st Century. He was the ghostwriter on The Three Pillars of Pub- lic Management by Ole Ingstrup and Paul Crookall, and editor of Getting Clients, Keeping Clients by Dan Richards. The Leader’s Bookshelf Rebels are independent-minded, able to think outside the box, and unswayed by conventional wisdom. They can be uncooperative, inconsiderate, restless and unable to accomplish tasks that need to be done consistently the same way each time.