We have been talking in the last several months about some typical combinations of personality characteristics. I’d like to continue this month by talking about an unusual cluster of characteristics that, when it does show up, can create problems.
At first glance, the person who has this particular set of characteristics appears to be a strong candidate. The problems that you are likely to encounter usually come about because of his presentation style, particularly when he is problem solving. I’m calling this person “Mr. CD”, which is short for “Mr. Collateral Damage” because, while his contributions are almost always positive in terms of the company’s goals and objectives, the way he presents his views can be pretty hard on the people around him.
Let’s take a look.
Who Is “Mr. CD”?
“Mr. CD” is bright, objective, and serious about whatever he does. He’s a perfectionist, diligently searching every issue or problem to find what could go wrong. In a crisis, he processes information quickly, focusing on what needs to be done, putting other issues out of his mind. Sounds ideal, doesn’t he? However, there is more to the story.
Why Is “Mr. CD” A Potential Problem?
“Mr. CD” doesn’t understand the negative effect he has on other people when he is problem solving. “Mr. CD” tends to become impatient with people who don’t process information as quickly as he does, or who have more difficulty setting their emotional reactions aside in order to focus on the facts of a crisis. To his credit, however, “Mr. CD” tries to suppress his impatience with others, but it tends to leak out nonetheless, usually as what he sees as “humor.” Unfortunately, Mr. CD’s “humor” looks to those around him like sarcasm. If you point out to Mr. CD that his “humor” comes across to others as thinly disguised verbal attacks, he will try to shrug it off by saying things like “just kidding” or “just trying to lighten the mood with a little joke.”
How Can You Recognize “Mr. CD” In The Interview?
The cluster of characteristics that can produce a “Mr. CD” include Intelligence, Impulse Control, Emotions and Moods, and Objectivity. When all four of these characteristics are high (8 or above), you will likely be interviewing “Mr. CD.”
“Mr. CD” will interview very well. He will be prepared, focused, and serious. He will tend to ask a lot of “how” questions about the job and will provide thoughtful answers. He will tend to spend more time than most candidates asking you for details about the questions you ask him, before he answers. Once he feels he fully understands the question, his answer will come quickly.
“Mr. CD” is often insightful and, when you ask him about personal challenges, he may tell you that he is aware, for instance, that some people aren’t as interested in “doing their best” as he is. He may, on the other hand, say something about sometimes “coming across too strong” to other people. His apparent candor can be disarming, but you should always follow up these comments by asking “Mr. CD” what he did, and what happened as a result.
Interview Questions:
Ask “Mr. CD” questions like the following ones:
“How did you respond to coworkers who always seemed to overlook important details?”
“What did you like most (and least) about people you worked with?”
“What would you do about working with a person who did not seem to take tasks seriously?”
What you want to hear is that he actively works at taking other people’s feelings and abilities into consideration in the way he expresses his opinions.
What you don’t want to hear is that he often feels that others misunderstand him to be rude or inconsiderate when all he wants to do is solve the problem in the most straightforward way possible.
Look At His Work History And References
The issue you want to explore is whether “Mr. CD’s” previous employer kept him on the job in order to take advantage of his assets, in spite of the negative effects of his high expectations for others. As always when you call previous employers, try to reach a direct supervisor or coworker. Ask about his track record for getting along with coworkers, especially those whose standards he felt weren’t as high as his.
The Final Word
“Mr. CD” can be a substantial contributor to an organization. He is especially strong at problem solving and planning. He can provide needed focus when those around him might otherwise get carried away by enthusiasm for a new idea or be overwhelmed by the apparent enormity of the task.
He is objective and unlikely to get his feelings hurt easily, so he can take feedback well, even if it is not framed as being especially constructive. However, since “Mr. CD” is thick-skinned he will tend to give criticism the way he likes to get it – that is, not “sugar-coated.” Some of his more thin-skinned coworkers will see this as harsh criticism.
He is not particularly aware of the effect that he has on others, and will likely need guidance on how to present his views so that those around him are not offended. “Mr. CD” may seem nitpicking and negative in situations that call for big picture brainstorming. Balance his input, in those situations, by calling for a “time out” on long-term or analytical thinking while new ideas are discussed.
As always, Mr. CD’s value to the organization will always be best determined by the balance between the contributions he makes and the personnel crises he creates.
Remember, people are not your most important asset:
