“I can’t work with him. He just doesn’t get what I’m saying.”
“She always takes credit for my work.”
“What’s the point of working so hard? I won’t get promoted anyway.”
If you’re employed, I’m sure you’ve had these rants multiple times in your career. Maybe you’ve even had a good cry in the washroom.
“Why can’t I just do my job and get recognized for it?”
Stop. Here’s the reality.
Your job is not your job. People are your job.
If you’re going to carry on at your corporate job (and most of us have to; not all of us can live on inherited wealth or have the resources to start something on our own), you’re going to have to deal with people. If not, you’re always going to end up having the same problems at every job.
I got my first job at an MNC bank right after my MBA in 2005 and I’ve been working non-stop for the past 19 years. The only break I had was during my maternity leave in 2021 (and no one in their right minds will call that a break). In 19 years, I’ve worked with 5 companies. I’ve been with my current employer for 11 years. And I’ve met many people who’ve left an impression on me, for good or bad.
I made some big mistakes in the beginning of my career (and still do, from time to time), and the ones that cost me a great deal were all to do with people — about how I didn’t understand them, and how I didn’t ‘manage’ them the right way.
We don’t just manage people who report into us, we manage everyone we work with.
Last Sunday, I started introspecting about my career and wrote down the names of 20 people from work, from different companies I’ve worked for. I then pinned down their defining characteristics against each of the names. And then, I started to see patterns, parallels, trends and differences.
People are complex. A one-dimensional analysis of their workstyle doesn’t do justice to them. So, I used 3 dimensions:
- People Skills: Do they exhibit empathy? Are they always organizing team-building activities? Are they the first to compliment others and motivate the team? Are they the first folks other people approach for help?
- Ambition: Do they consistently speak up at meetings? Do they come up with bold ideas? Do they raise their hands for high-visibility projects? Are they always upskilling and cross-skilling themselves?
- Output: Do they consistently deliver top-notch work? Do they go above and beyond their remit to make their work perfect? Are they always devising ingenious ways of doing things and getting better at their work?
Based on whether the person scored high or low on the above dimensions, I devised 8 distinct personas.
The first step towards managing them is understanding them.
The best part? The tips I’ve provided for ‘managing’ them work well regardless of whether they are your peers, juniors or seniors.
1. The Lone Wolf: Low People Skills, High Ambition, High Output
- Strength: Highly driven and delivers excellent results independently
- Weakness: Struggles with collaboration, influencing or gaining team support
I like working with this type. They are reliable and extremely driven. Make sure you communicate with them very clearly, because let’s face it, they aren’t going to come back asking for clarification or more details. Schedule periodic check-ins with them and praise them publicly. Leave them alone for the most part. That’s it. You’re done.
If this person is your boss, give them succinct updates without boring them with your process. And definitely not with an account of how you spent your weekend. Instead, showcase how they can count on you for delivering quality work with minimal supervision.
2. The Leader: High People Skills, High Ambition, High Output
- Strength: Combines vision, influence and execution and leads others
- Weakness: Can sometimes overextend due to high ambition
These are the people who’ll make CEO one day. Align yourself with them. Find ways to contribute to their initiatives, as these are most likely to be the most impactful and visible ones. Leverage their ability to rally the team for your projects. Basically, learn from them and earn their respect. If one of these is reporting to you, keep them motivated with high-impact work. But make sure they don’t overwork and burn out.
3. The Steady Performer: Low People Skills, Low Ambition, High Output
- Strength: Reliable and consistent in delivering quality work
- Weakness: Minimal contribution to team morale or strategic goals
I like working with these people. You don’t have to waste your time indulging in small talk. Outline what you need from them clearly. Don’t expect them to think long-term or think about the bigger picture. The task at hand is their biggest concern. Even before you finish talking, they’re thinking about ways to accomplish the task.
Impress them not with stories of your cat or insider news of how someone got promoted, but with your knowledge and subject matter expertise. Ask informed questions about theirs. They’ll respect you for it. If this person is your boss, don’t expect them to advocate for you or the team. Do it yourself.
4. The Teambuilder: High People Skills, Low Ambition, High Output
- Strength: Fosters collaboration and delivers high-quality results
- Weakness: Lacks personal drive for advancement or bold initiatives
This type is a joy to work with. I’ve struck lifelong friendships with some of them. Most of them are genuinely nice people who work with a lot of integrity. Be yourself with them and handle things transparently. Use their approachable nature and expertise to get buy-ins for your work. Your collaborative mentality and genuine interactions go a long way with this type. If this person is your boss, push them gently on creative ways of showcasing the team’s work more widely and volunteer to take the lead in those activities.
5. The Opportunist: Low People Skills, High Ambition, Low Output
- Strength: Highly ambitious and resourceful
- Weakness: Focused on personal gain, often at the expense of results or relationships
This is the most frustrating type. It’s difficult to get any quality work out of them or to create a rapport with them. Set clear boundaries with them: this is what I need to do, and this is what’s within your scope. If this person is your boss, then recognize their ambition and present your contributions as essential to their success. But don’t let them take credit for your work. Be proactive in documenting your progress and update higher-ups regularly.
6. The Charmer: High People Skills, High Ambition, Low Output
- Strength: Skilled at networking and influencing others
- Weakness: Struggles to deliver tangible results
This is the type I’m most wary about. While ‘the opportunist’ is frustrating to work with, at least they don’t pretend as if they give a shit about you. But ‘the charmer’ does. They will sweep you off your feet with their sweet talk and then steal your work before you know it!
They key is to give them a taste of their own medicine. Charm them and flatter them. Send chummy messages on group chat. Make your workplace believe that you and this person are as thick as thieves. Afterall, this type has a lot of influence. And privately, interact with them exactly as you’d do with ‘the opportunist’ — set firm boundaries and keep them accountable for their work.
7. The Social Anchor: High People Skills, Low Ambition, Low Output
- Strength: Creates a positive and cohesive team environment
- Weakness: Lacks drive and rarely delivers meaningful contributions
These are the people who’ve been around forever at the same career level. But everyone knows them and likes them. I have this woman at work who’s always pleasant and friendly. I set up a one on one with her once on a project I needed help on. The call was a breeze, and we agreed on a few things she would get back to me on. We chatted about our vacation plans and then ended the call. That’s it. I never heard back from her on those deliverables. I sent her a polite reminder and again, nothing. Finally, I abandoned the effort. We met again on other projects and carried on like a house on fire, without either of us acknowledging the previous incident.
Can you guess the mistake I made? That’s right — I set up a one-on-one call with her. The next time I need something from this woman, I’m going to include her team members, boss, super boss and her mother-in-law in it. Her people pleasing tendencies will ensure she delivers. Also, the biggest role this type plays is in building connections. So, if you need to know whom to approach for something, ask them. They always know the right people.
8. The Detached Worker: Low People skills, Low Ambition, Low Output
- Strength: Minimal disruption to teams or processes
- Weakness: Cannot be relied upon for high-quality work or meaningful contribution to team success
These people are most likely in the wrong jobs. They’re around only because they have bills to pay and have no other choices. If you’ve heard the term ‘quiet quitting’ that’s what they’re doing. And then some. Take the time to find out what excites them outside of work and find common ground. Use that as ‘your thing’ in your connections with them. That might make them more excited about working with you. Set expectations clearly and document everything. Don’t pin high hopes on their output. Have a buffer for all your asks from them. If your boss belongs to this type, God be with you!
While these tactics and tips work for me, they may not work for you given the unique setup of your workplace. But give it a try. Try and categorize each of the key stakeholders at your workplace into these personas.
Do they fit? Or do you need to think about more dimensions like ‘assertiveness,’ ‘learning mentality’ and so on? Either way, this is a fun exercise. You can even apply this framework to yourself. Which persona do you belong to? Is there another persona you’d rather be? What would take you there?
I’d love to know what you think!