Businesses are made up of people and each of these has a unique personality, hopefully one that contributes to the success of the company they work for. Different personalities can bring a variety of skills to your workforce but it is important to recognise how each of these function and when a personality is getting in the way of work or becoming a liability. It’s good to identify the different personalities that make up your team and a course in people management can help make things easier.
When a personality starts hindering rather than helping a situation then you have a problem. Take the concept of ego for example. Some might say that an ego is healthy as it creates an air of confidence and brings a certain amount of success in business – if you look like you believe in yourself it is easier to convince others likewise. But it is when that ego becomes over-inflated or unfounded then it can be unhealthy.
It is thought that “fifty-three percent of business people estimate ego costs their company 6 to 15 percent of annual revenue; 21 percent say this cost ranges from 16 to 20 percent”. If an ego is left to run amok it can dominate business discussions and decisions and result in costing the company money or resulting in losing out of business in a worst case scenario. Similarly working for someone or alongside a team member whose ego needs a desk of their own is no fun, and so making sure you have the correct balance of personalities in your workforce is essential.
An example of an ego teetering on the verge of unhealthy is Simon Cowell. Fortunately for him at the moment his ego is what’s helping him make his fortune. By being a big personality who says what he thinks and believes he always knows best, he is cashing in on the love or hate me marmite element of his personality and it has even worked globally for Cowell. However, with recent scandal surrounding an unofficial book detailing personal information about his relationships, perhaps the price of having a big ego is evident when you take a look at his relationship history.
Clashes of ego’s are also to be avoided in business. Bands throughout history are notorious for splitting up due to “differences of opinion” which can also be read as a fight of egos – just take Guns and Roses or Oasis as good examples of too many egos in a small space. Public image is important if you are in a line of work that will be scrutinised. Controlling the wilder elements of your personal life and ego is essential if you are to remain in favour. Pippa Middleton is a recent example of someone adjusting to being in the limelight. Currently she is in trouble for hanging around with the wrong crowd which could attract negative attention for someone related to the royals. The fact she has made the Time magazine’s most influential people also shows this Middleton needs to tread carefully in order to attract the correct kind of publicity. If you’re new to the public eye and have recently found yourself in the limelight, Bluewood training can offer guidance so why not contact us?
Written by Meegan – www.bluewoodtraining.com – April 2012
