We’ve been looking at some typical combinations of personality characteristics in the last few newsletters, and I have a fascinating one to present this month: “Mr. Spock.” For readers who are not Star Trek experts, one of the main characters in the Star Trek saga was an alien named Mr. Spock. Mr. Spock was theoretically all intelligence and logic and no emotions to get in the way, so to speak. Mr. Spock approached all difficulties rationally and logically, and many a plot turned on the difficulty he had grasping the idea that human intuition and emotional relationships were as significant to the positive outcome as was his ability to be logical.
Now, we don’t live in the Star Trek universe, and so you are not going to have to deal with aliens or even alien hybrids. As it turns out, though, you are going to run into the real life version of Mr. Spock from time to time. You need to know what strengths he will bring to the job, and what potential difficulties he will have in relationships with co-workers and customers as well.
Who Is Mr. Spock?
Mr. Spock is a problem solver, as long as the problem doesn’t involve human emotions. You find him often in technical fields that involve complex knowledge. In areas like engineering, accounting, law, medicine and other technical specialties, the Mr. Spocks of the world excel as individual contributors. As managers of other people, they struggle. Mr. Spock, on the job, often seems aloof, cold, condescending, or arrogant, to the people who work with him.
Why Is Mr. Spock A Potential Problem?
Mr. Spock’s problems revolve around dealing with people. For example, he has problems with people who are more emotional – who get angry, impatient, or exuberantly happy – than he is. And almost everyone seems to be more emotional than he. In particular, people who tend to be impulsive drive him nuts. He just can’t understand why someone would make a snap a judgment about a serious problem. Impulsive behavior looks irresponsible at best, and downright stupid at worst, to Mr. Spock.
To make matters worse, most Mr. Spocks don’t have well-developed social skills. They tend to have very even moods – no “good days” and “bad days” – and they are able to detach themselves from their own internal emotions in order to concentrate on the task at hand. They enjoy being logical, rational, and able to solve problems. In fact, their drive to solve the problem often overlooks the fact that other people will have to buy in to their solutions and then implement them, and they seldom take the time to win their co-workers to their point of view. Mr. Spock wants to logically explain his solution and then let the facts speak for themselves.
You Know You Are Going To Interview A Mr. Spock When…
The three salient characteristics on the Performance Profile that suggest that you are dealing with a Mr. Spock are Impulse Control, Objectivity, and Emotions and Moods. When these three are high (8 or above), you will likely be interviewing Mr. (or Ms.) Spock. She will be very focused in the interview. She will probably take notes and ask detailed questions about all aspects of the job. She will have a serious facial expression and may not smile readily.
Mr. Spock may talk about his sense of humor, but his response to jokes and attempts at humor will seem stiff and awkward. Mr. Spock may fix you with a serious look and say something like, “There’s nothing I enjoy more than a good laugh” without cracking a smile.
If this description sounds a lot like Mr. Paralysis by Analysis (December 2009,) there is a good reason for that. These two profiles have common appearance, especially when you first meet them, but the behavior they share comes from different sources. Both may seem very much alike during an interview, but on the job you will see differences. Mr. Paralysis by Analysis tends to get caught up in thinking about things and analyzing them. He likes to spend time inside his head, thinking, but this doesn’t necessarily affect his ability to deal with and interact with other people. Mr. Spock, who tends to treat everything as a logic problem, will seem aloof and distant to many people. He will not usually seem very sympathetic or understanding, particularly when others offer emotional excuses for poor performance.
What Is It About These Characteristics That Produces This Preference?
Ratings of “8” or higher on “Impulse Control” and “Objectivity” mean that this person is able to set aside her emotional reactions and remain logical. She takes most things seriously, and that includes a lot of things that most people don’t take as seriously. This gives her an intensity that is often mistaken for anger. The more significant the issue, the more intense her concentration and logic, and the more likely it is that she will come across to others as cold, unsympathetic, or angry. From her perspective, she isn’t angry; she’s just concentrating on the problem or issue.
When high Impulse Control and high Objectivity are combined with a high rating on Emotions and Moods, you have Mr. Spock – a person who can set aside his emotional reaction in order to concentrate on solutions, who does not express emotion openly or readily, and whose emotional “keel” is steady and unvarying.
How To Deal With Mr. Spock, The Applicant
If you like an applicant who is serious and focused during the interview, then Mr. Spock is your kind of applicant. His focused attention to your questions means that he will likely take his time to answer them. In some cases, he may take more time to ponder his answer than you feel is appropriate, but it will be easy to reassure yourself when he gives a well thought out answer. He will probably have prepared for the interview and will likely display an impressive knowledge of your company, its products, services, and history.
Mr. Spocks are often insightful, so that when you ask him about any personal challenges, he may tell you that he is aware, for example, that some people don’t get his sense of humor. His apparent candor can be disarming, but you should follow up by asking him to describe his relationships with former coworkers and bosses.
Ask him things like, “How did your coworkers get along with you?” and, “What did you like the most (and the least) about the people you worked with?” It usually isn’t a question of whether Mr. Spock has the competencies required for the job, but whether he will be able to keep his rather impersonal relationships with coworkers from interfering with his work group’s productivity.
Look At His Work History
The issue you want to explore is whether Mr. Spock’s previous employers kept him on the job in order to take advantage of his technical proficiency, in spite of the negative effects of his personal management style.
Reference Calls
When you call previous employers, always try to reach a previous supervisor or coworker. Ask about his track record for getting along with coworkers, particularly about coworkers’ willingness to work with him.
Mr. Spock On The Job
Mr. Spock really shines in a job that allows him to demonstrate his technical skills and has minimal management or supervisory responsibility. He will need a supervisor who can help him monitor the effect that his disinterested and logical manner has on his coworkers need for positive feedback and encouragement.
Combinations of Mr. Spock with Other Characteristics
Mr.Spock + Low Sociability = Lone Wolf. If Mr. Spock is not very outgoing, he will disappear into the dim recesses of his cubicle. If he has an office, the door will be closed and he will greet any interruption with barely disguised impatience. He will be happiest when work assignments slide under his door and he is left alone to work on them. In this regard, his behavior looks a lot like Mr. Paralysis by Analysis.
Mr. Spock + High Intelligence = Wonder Kid II. In the last newsletter I called Mr. Paralysis by Analysis with High Intelligence the Wonder Kid. Both tend to be seen as arrogant and condescending. And both, if they get this kind of feedback, display the same shock because they see themselves as more personable than they seem to others.
What’s The Solution? I NEED Mr. Spock
Arrange things so that Mr. Spock can play to his strength, which is making contributions in his area of expertise. Mr. Spock is especially good at logical analysis and so, when all around him get caught up in emotional reactions, Mr. Spock can provide a needed plan of what to do to get out of the maelstrom. A word of advice, though: Mr. Spock is not going to be good at listening to others vent their emotions for very long. Pair him with a co-manager who can soften the impact he has on others.
The Final Word
When Mr. Spock is able to employ his impressive analytical and problem solving skills, he can be an asset to your organization. As always, knowing the upside and downside of strong characteristics is what enables you to help Mr. Spock be a solid contributor.
Remember, people are not your most important asset:
