The Art of Common Courtesy
February 13, 2006I’ve finally come to the conclusion that common courtesy is like common sense — it’s not all that common!
A couple of instances (incidentally all on the same day) played out last week, where people did not show up for pre-arranged meetings, were terribly late or just plain forgot. In a business context, my view is that this is just not acceptable.
As someone with a high ‘J’ on the Myers-Briggs type indicator (J-types tend to prefer a step-by-step (left brain: parts to whole) approach to life, relying on external rules and procedures, and preferring quick closure), the type of behavoir experienced last week is a ‘trigger’ for me … it’s frustrating, infuriating and severely affects my temperament.
Unfortunately, I suppose I’ll just have to recognise that others just don’t have the same standards of professionalism and courtesy that I do and learn to live with it (or at least deal with it!). Enough said.
March 17th, 2006 at 5:24 am
Question … what if I am a strong ‘P’ on the Myers Briggs but have a VERY difficult time dealing with negative people who are not team players? Thanks for the feedback!
March 22nd, 2006 at 12:50 pm
Your preference does not specifically determine how you deal with negative people. In P-types the perceiving function is stronger and they would exhibit a “bouncing around” approach to life (right brain: whole to parts), relying on subjective judgments, and a desire to leave all options open. It may be that your team is predominantly made up of ‘J’s’ and prefer to be more strucutured or objective?
That is the real benefit of using a tool such as the MBTI in team dynamics … it allows you to widen your perspective and understand things from other people’s point of view or preference (operating style). Understanding your own personal preferences as well as others allows you to respect differences and act with knowledge and empathy. Good luck with your team!