Monday, June 12, 2006

Process People and Results People

Process-oriented people love procedures and guidelines. They see the value in coloring within the lines. Go slowly now, they reason, and later you'll make better time.

Results-oriented people will gladly follow procedures and guidelines if they are convenient, but if the results can be obtained otherwise, they aren't upset. "All's well that ends well" is their motto.

When process-oriented people talk to results-oriented people, they sound like bureaucrats. They provide too much detail and the results people begin to doze.

When results-oriented people talk to process-oriented people, they sound unethical or ruthless. The more they stress results, the more the process person thinks, "They don't care about the rules. They believe that the end justifies the means."

It may be that both groups are equally dedicated to achieving results and being ethical, but it is easy for them to talk past one another. A key step in communicating in the workplace is to determine which focus best describes your audience. You can then adjust your message so it connects to the audience's concerns without sacrificing your needs.

It's a simple process, but it helps enormously.

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