Today, I spoke to Jonathan Littman, who is a contributing editor for Playboy and the co-author of I Hate People. In this interview, Jonathan reviews five archetypes that populate corporate culture at every level (his new book has all ten). He goes over the Minute Man, the Smiley Face, Sheeple, Flimflams and Stop Signs and explains how to figure out a strategy to effectively deal with them in the workplace.
Why is it wise to steer clear of a “Minute Man”?
Every office has its Minute Man. They’re friendly. They say hello and have a tidbit of news to share. They also frequently need a minute of your time. Then another. And yet another. To share some insight about a client or a meeting or the play-by-play of their kid’s Little League game. No need to run. Just follow a few basic principles.
Keep your feet moving at all times when in the vicinity of Minute Man — it’s hard to hit a moving target. If they say they just need a minute to tell you something vaguely work related – ask them to kindly shoot you an e-mail. You’re on deadline. When cornered and there’s no escape, surprise them with Generosity and the insurance of The Hard Stop. “I’ve actually got two minutes, but at 11:00 I’ve got to make a call.”
Isn’t it good to be seen as the office “Smiley Face”?
People know the difference between real and fake emotions. If you find yourself smiling when there’s nothing to smile about — It’s Monday morning, your project’s budget just got slashed, your boss is delivering a routine, mind-deadening presentation — you’re a Smiley Face. Wipe that grin off your face. Nothing turns off a colleague, boss or client more than a phony smile. Experts have proven that your eyebrows and eyelids don’t move when the smile’s plastic – along with your vacant eyes. Phony smiles are disdainful or false – the last thing you want others to think about you.
Don’t companies love “Sheeple”?
Sheeple are the lifeblood of larger organizations. They love meetings and routine tasks and regular schedules. They are dependable at achieving the ordinary and expected. You don’t want to be seen as a Sheeple. Sure, colleagues will know that you can be counted on to reserve the conference room, collect the data for the monthly report, and hit everyone up for the community fundraiser. But grazing won’t get you above the weeds. Don’t confuse lack of initiative with company loyalty. A Sheeple is only loyal to his love of not thinking – and doing. The more you work to do essential and higher-order things for your company, the more you will be respected and increase your range.
Aren’t “Flimflams” frequently successful?
One of the Ten Least Wanted that often wins in the short term is the Flimflam. You know this guy: he parrots all the latest pap about corporate networking and creating trusting relationships. He’s slick at arranging for others to butter his bread. Flimflam gets co-workers to do projects they should never touch. He works colleagues and contacts like a professional conman playing a mark. But individuals with real talent and ambition will soon have Flimflam’s number. In no time the only people in the office you’ll be able to flimflam will be Sheeple, and that won’t get you to greener pastures.
Wouldn’t it be smart to become viewed as the company “Stop Sign”?
Critical thinking is often seen as a positive at many organizations. The problem happens when the critical thinker hunkers down and becomes a Stop Sign. There’s a difference between rigorously analyzing problems and routinely shooting down new ideas. Stop Signs can sap the creativity and energy of a brainstorm. There’s no denying their intelligence, but they often become one track. If you feel the negativity of Stop Sign thinking seeping into your every office pore, try this simple exercise. Consider how you might build on an intriguing, but not-quite-there idea – instead of routinely swatting it down. “Sarah, I really like your concept. We’ve never done anything like that before. How might we adapt it to make it easier for the company to give it a chance?”
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Jonathan Littman is a Contributing Editor for Playboy. He is the co-author of I Hate People, The Ten Faces of Innovation, (Doubleday,) with Tom Kelley of IDEO, and also co-authored the bestselling business classic, The Art of Innovation, with more than 100,000 copies sold in hardback. Jonathan’s two non-fiction volumes on famous computer hackers, The Watchman, and The Fugitive Game, the bestselling story of the legendary hacker Kevin Mitnick, were praised in Time, the New Yorker and Newsweek and other publications. His San Francisco Chronicle series on murder at the Cabazon Indian reservation was a finalist for a Pulitzer prize, and two of his recent Playboy articles have been nominated for National Magazine awards. A frequent corporate speaker, Jonathan has also appeared as a commentator and guest on Talk of the Nation, All Things Considered, Fresh Air, CNN, Fox & Friends, and many other radio and television programs.
