This article will discuss how to coach individuals who are high on both high Leisurely and Diligent, and what we typically see from this combination of scale scores. Last week we discussed how high Diligent individuals typically hold very strong beliefs about how things should be done and tend to micromanage those around them by pushing their beliefs onto others.
Individuals who score high on Leisurely will likely say one thing then do another. They seem cooperative, but tend to adhere to their own personal agenda under stress and pressure and procrastinate when performing uninteresting tasks or work. Often others don’t see them behaving in a manner consistent with their words. High Leisurely individuals will also have a difficult time saying “no” and tend to be unwilling to confront others.
An individual with this combination of Leisurely and Diligent may exhibit a resisting pattern. At the high end, these two scales have a common denominator: an unwillingness to break away from one’s natural way of doing things. This may result in one of two outcomes. People who score high on Leisurely may agree to terms they find distasteful in order to reduce conflict and stress; however, they may not follow through on their commitments. This will lead to others becoming frustrated with them and others will likely view them as undependable. This will affect how others perceive the individual when working as a team. Instead of resisting others’ ways of doing things, the individual should confront others when they disagree and make a firm commitment to follow through on their promises. Help the individual identify times when they have said yes to something just to avoid conflict. Have the individual brainstorm what could have been the result if they had addressed the conflict right away instead of acting through passive resistance. How might this have affected other’s views of them regarding teamwork and accountability?
On the other hand, high Diligent individuals exhibit a resisting pattern via their own beliefs around how things should be done. They are typically adamant that others should follow their way. This may lead others to view them as inflexible, rigid and hard to please. Encourage the high Diligent individual to take a step back and view the situation through the lens of others. Suggest that the individual reach out to those around them to better understand when others feel he/she is being inflexible. These conversations with others will give the individual instances to reflect on and provide areas for improvement.
When these two derailers coincide, and individual will believe that their way is not only the right way of doing things, but the only way. This is where the “My Way” attitude emerges. Leisurely folks tend to keep their own manner of doing things to themselves, but when paired with high Diligence, the two manifest in an external fashion, causing others to view the individual as an inflexible team player. When coaching this individual, urge them to consider the opinions of others. Have them ask others to articulate their viewpoint and clarify that their purpose in doing so is to better understand others’ views, not have them justified. Consider instances where a “My Way” mentality may have emerged. Encourage the individual to not only be open to hearing the views of those around them, but actually value others’ views as assets. Showing appreciation for others’ viewpoints and incorporating others’ thoughts will bolster teamwork and decrease others’ frustration.
