This is the third post of a 3-part series. In a fast-paced work environment, you need people who can make quick decisions - and the right decisions. This is not to imply that there is only one correct answer to many questions. You need decision making that leads to the desired outcomes. Jim Collins has talked for years about people on the bus in the right seats making the right decisions. Easier said than done, right?
Mental Talents
We use the Attribute Index (AI) to help to ascertain what I'll call mental talents. It's easiest to illustrate first, then explain.
Imagine for a moment three people in a garage on Christmas Eve. They are working together to assemble a bike for the child of the house the next morning. But their approaches are completely different from one another.
- Person #1 - "Let's count the parts and make sure we're not missing anything. Then we'll read the instructions before we start." - This is Systemic thinking. This is the Head in control.
- Person #2 - "I know how to put a bike together. Here, pass the frame and the handle bars over here." - This person may be right or wrong, but Extrinsic (practical) thinking causes him to take action as a default position. The Hands are in the foreground here.
- Person #3 - "Johnnie has been wanting a new bike for so long. He is going to be so excited, and red is his favorite color!" - This person is using the Intrinsic - or the Heart - perspective.
The same situation is assessed and acted upon in three different ways by these three people. You are able see all three (Head, Hands, and Heart) perspectives when you stop to "think about thinking". But these three different types of signals often are not in balance. One may take the point as the default perception, or one may be drowned out by the other two. If you hear all three channels equally, you just might be an entrepreneur - or you might find yourself bored unless you are using all three at the same time in whatever role you are in.
How to Use This Information
We use the Attribute Index to help leaders discern the signal balance in a person, to help them understand and then deploy their mental talents most effectively. You might be able to observe individuals and notice the differences between your "people people", your "MacGuyvers", and your conceptual, analytical folks. When an individual is in his or her Master signal, they can trust their gut and speed up in decision making. A successful outcome is still achievable, though, when an individual is in a situation that is in an area of non-strength or perhaps even a blind spot. Slowing down and thinking about thinking are two avenues to success. Another method is to team people with mental differences to complement one another's strengths and balance non-strengths.
Speed is one advantage of placing people in roles that capitalize on their mental strengths. Another advantage is engagement. If a person is inventive (a practical thinking, hands person) they will be excited about a role that allows them to shoot first and ask questions later. Intrinsic (heart) people are engaged and effective when they have people interaction, and where their natural empathy and relational skills are put to work. And Systemic (head) individuals thrive when they have ideas to explore and the time to create structures and organization.
Unlike behavioral style in
Part 1 of this series, we don't adapt our mental attributes very readily. We CAN develop them over time, but the change is glacial rather than situational. So it's important to identify mental talents and match people with roles accordingly, where they can use the gifts they have been given.
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