Based on a real-life situation. Only the names have been changed.
Jason was the classic sales director, sharply dressed, eternally upbeat and with a peculiar radar for where deals are to be found. He also displayed another talent not always seen in those who have climbed to the top rung of the sales ladder. He was devoted to his team. Jason supported his new business people when they had dry months and picked up his account managers when they’d been duffed over by impatient clients. In turn his team worshipped him.
But there was another group of people whose feelings towards Jason were not quite so warm. All his other colleagues.
For Jason, anyone who got in his way from finance, IT, marketing etc, were people to be driven over or through. Never around. Many bore his tire marks on their backs or faces (metaphorically speaking) after being crushed by his need to get what he wanted.
But Jason wasn’t a bad sort. He was just living out his natural talent which told him to secure the sale and take no prisoners along the way, inside the company or out. He was hostage to the way he was made.
When Jason’s company decided to improve their team efficiency by using Method Teaming, Jason had his Intellect mapped by OND. During the 1-hour debrief with our consultant Ian, Ian explained Jason’s map to him. As part of the process, Ian also described what the map showed about how other people perceived Jason. Jason was shocked, but not entirely surprised. ‘I knew I was focused on my team’s needs. But I had no idea I was rubbing people up the wrong way to such an extreme,’ he remarked ruefully.
The revelation of his effect on other people has resulted in a remarkable change. ‘If a colleague had told me I was abrasive, I would have laughed in their faces’, he relates. ‘But the fact that this is all based in science means I can’t ignore it.’
Three weeks after the debrief, Jason bumped into Ian who was at the company offices to advise the CEO on recruitment.
‘How’s it going?’ asked Ian.
‘Great. I’ve moved one of my new business sales people who wasn’t an EQ into the account management team and they’re already using their Networker skills to build a great relationship with a difficult client,’ replied Jason, using the language of Method Teaming.
‘Superb, anything else?’
‘Well, yes,’ replied Jason with a thoughtful look. ‘I had a meeting with the Head of Finance yesterday. For the first time ever, I tried to meet the needs of her Intellect. I gave her detailed answers to her questions, not just the usual bullets. In fact the meeting was over in half the time and she even smiled at me at the end.’
‘Even better,’ said Ian. ‘Now you’ve not only got a sales team that works but you’re building a leadership team that works.’
We anticipate fewer tire marks will be seen at Jason’s company.
