After paying your dues in the workplace for years, you come to a realization that we all play a role in the office. There are some people and personality types that will undoubtedly succeed, and there are those who simply will not. Here are a few of the offenders firmly planted in the “will not” category:
The Job Hoppers
They are addicted to starting new things. Finding comfort in the initial challenge of a new job, they soon burn themselves out and become restless for their next new high. Doing just enough work to have another notch on their resume. You can easily spot them by their half-finished projects. The problem with these types of people is that they lack the discipline and stamina that it takes to buckle down, work hard, and actual complete tasks.
Verdict: They don’t stick around long enough to actually succeed.
The Drowners
These are the people that are constantly stressed out, constantly worried, and constantly overwhelmed. They are drowning in their self-made ocean of work and problems. Avoid becoming a drowner at all costs and make sure to speak up when something goes wrong. Discussing errors with your manager before they get out of hand or before your workload becomes unbearable is key to staying safely above the water line. If you find yourself cornered by a drowner, do yourself a favor and try not engage with them for too long. Those who are drowning have been known to grab onto anything to stay afloat.
Verdict: Drowning = death.
The Groupthinker
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, groupthink is defined as a pattern of thought characterized by self-deception, forced manufacture of consent, and conformity to group values and ethics. Simply put, it’s the reason why things never ever get done. It’s a psychological problem in workplace, common among long-term employees who have convinced themselves that there is only one correct way of doing things and that “change” is awful. When you’re new to a company, these people are easy to spot. Clinging to outdated policies and saying things like “but we’ve always done it this way, you can’t do that!”
Verdict: They cannot grow because of their unwillingness to change.
The Apologizer
They will discredit themselves from the very beginning because they are bringing attention to things they want to deflect attention from. Apologizers may start off investment pitches with “I know this idea may not sound the best but…” The lack of confidence is the real killer and ends up being the overarching statement for the entire presentation. If I could say a few words to these people I would remind them that they got this meeting because people believed in their idea OR that they are employed at this company because the CEO believed in their skillset and potential. Don’t undervalue yourself, stop apologizing, and don’t shirk the limelight. Know your worth.
Verdict: They don’t believe in themselves, so no one else will.
Actively try to stay away from these types of people; we don’t want their habits rubbing off on you. And if you recognize yourself in any of these descriptions, do yourself a favor and make some serious changes – your success depends on it.