Part III: Playing to Your Strong Suit 5. Up Close and Personal with the Spades
- It’s important to know about all styles, not just your own and the next four chapters will help with this. We start with spades.
- Rely on spades to collect and organize the necessary data you need. While spades are necessary, there are some potential pitfalls to spade behavior. They include: Analysis paralysis, which involves inability to know when to stop and missing deadlines; Undervaluing interpersonal connections; failure to see the big picture (the forrest) by getting lost in the data (trees); and becoming reclusive, skeptical, know-it-alls. Knowing this can help you help them to avoid these pitfalls.
6. Up Close and Personal with the Clubs
- Low clubs are “plan the work, work the plan” types. They are purposeful and stay on task. They are fine with change as long as it’s not too chaotic. They can get too focused on the process at the expense of learning and relationships. High clubs are driven to “Git-R-Done” even if they have to make unpopular decisions. They can be thought of as stewards of change. They can suffer from tunnel vision as they focus on what’s urgent rather than what’s important. Like the lower clubs they can forget interpersonal niceties.
7. Up Close and Personal with the Diamonds
- They love novelty and are high-energy, high-impact, spirited individuals. They are good at generating new and innovative ideas. They are champions of change, but can be impulsive. Their nature is impacted by their secondary style. Pitfalls for low diamonds are valuing form over function. suffering from creative paralysis, are likely to have messy desks, and can be scattered and illogical.
- High diamonds are often organization leaders and public speakers. They can be overly enthusiastic, fear commitment, can be easily distracted, and procrastinate. If you work with one you should help them focus and take advantage of their creativity and enthusiasm. There are more tips here for dealing with diamonds.
8. Up Close and Personal with the Hearts
- If you want help networking, make heart friends. Their relationships are personal and empathetic. The difference between low hearts and high hearts may be bigger than that of the other suits. Low hearts like to resolve conflict and build harmony. They like to coach, encourage, and support others, even the underdogs. They are often found in teaching or social work. They may not be tough enough, struggle to say no, and try to please everyone. They are serious huggers, have good intuition, and are good facilitators.
- High hearts are the life of the party and are great connectors. They know how to work a room and like to have parties. They may be too social, opinionated, and self-centered. They can be lethargic if left alone. They may think before they speak and need spades to supply facts. They tend to be performers so use them to promote your organization.
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