Two employees:
Employee 1: Jane
- When faced with an issue Jane will improvise and adapt her approach. She doesn’t bother her manager or others.
- If Jane notices that somebody else has made a mistake she fixes it. There is no noise or palaver, she keeps things moving.
- Jane never makes any mistakes herself, or at least never talks about them. Jane is a delight to manage, she never causes any trouble.
- Jane is absolutely committed to the organisation. She doesn’t moan or complain. She understands exactly the “way things are done around here”.
Employee 2: Joan – rhymes with moan
- If there is an issue Joan will fix it. But she also feels compelled to let those around her know that the system has failed and what she has done about it.
- If Joan notices anybody else make a mistake she points it out. Not in a nasty blame creating way, just to stop it happening again.
- Joan is always messing things up, and when she does she lets everybody else know about it. She says she doesn’t want them to fall into the same trap.
- Joan is forever challenging and questioning. She is always suggesting a better way to do things, constantly rocking the boat.
Two questions:
- Which of the two would you rather have on your team?
- Who is the saint and who is the sinner?
Let’s be honest…
We would all rather employ Jane than Joan. But Joan is the one who will do the most good for our organisations.
It is just a pity that most of us, when faced with a “Joan”, do our best to turn her into “Jane”.
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Joan and Jane are based on an idea by Tucker and Edmondson
Image by agirlinthewindow
I agree, James. Joan will move any organization forward, I guess “nice” doesn’t always win. :-)
I agree “nice” can be distinctly unhelpful.
How would I go about hiring both to form a dream team ?
You got me Matt.
Thanks for the comment
I really think you need both. I am definitely a ‘Joan’ and probably ruffle a few feathers when I really am meaning to be helpful. I like to think I ultimately help to improve things and I do get on well with everybody else here.
But god the shear terror of imagining an office full of ‘me’s’…*shudders*
James,
I fear that some of the ‘Joan’s’ out there may be getting a bad rap as there are probably some that do this sort of thing very well and others that are like a bull in a china shop.
Adrian
Hi Adrian,
I completely agree, it’s all about tact. I’m always conscious of talking too much in meetings and as a ‘Joan’ need to make sure I keep focussed on the task at hand sometimes rather than thinking how we can improve for next time before finishing it in the first place!
My point is that we definitely need both or I doubt much would ever get done.
Maybe you are doing yourself down James, perhaps your “Joan” tendencies are for more valuable than you give yourself credit for.