Does anyone in your workplace baffle and frustrate you?
Do you often wonder how to deal with some of your employees?
Becoming your own boss, and starting your own business is exciting. However, taking on employees and becoming their boss may be a bit daunting. This week, small business owners were warnedthat if they do not address the stress issues of their staff then their productivity will be harmed. Recent research by the firm Investors in People and YouGov has found that 38% of employees in the UK say that stress levels are higher than a year ago, but only 29% think their business is doing anything to address this. So how do you keep everyone happy in your business?
How People Tick is a fun but helpful book which could well be the business advisor you need!! The author Mike Leibling has used his experience as a mentor and coach to profile all the varying types of personalities which can cause problems within a team and how, as the boss or team leader, it is best to deal with each person so as to turn harmful attitudes around in an encouraging and proactive manner.
In this second edition, Leibling outlines over 50 different types of characters present in the office and business environment and how you, as the boss, should interact with them in order to achieve the best results from their capabilities. The characters include Gossipy people who can cause mistrust in a team environment; Patronizing people who can belittle everyone around them; and Difficult people who are just plain difficult.
Each profile lasts just a few pages and provides the reader with a scenario where the individual’s personality could harm the performance of a team, and how the team leader should deal with the individual. The recommended method of interacting with each character surprised me, because instead of addressing the individual head on and saying “you’re being difficult”, he suggests going through exactly what the person “needs” and what you and the team “need” and what possible way you can both achieve these needs without feeling compromised.
How People Tick is a really good read. You can easily dip in and out this book and pick up helpful tips which will not only help you interact with fellow work colleagues and employees but also help you interact with people in general. It’s also a fun read too - already one of my work colleagues wants to borrow it!
Click this link if you want to buy How People Tick
Publisher: Kogan Page Ltd