Versus
Lets get down to the nitty gritty, sort the wheat from the chaff, pick the bones out of it....
Have you ever had a staff member who will deliver a piece of work for you that really is just the what (big picture) and not the how (no details) or have you perhaps worked with someone who can plan something to every last detail even though you just asked for a quick overview? Ever wondered why they just 'don't get it'? Read on...
Two very different viewpoints. In NLP Meta Programme terms we would label each end of this spectrum either Global or Specific and it relates to an individuals preferred thinking style when processing information. There is of course a wide spectrum from Global to Specific and people can indeed develop strategies for being able to think in a balanced way and process either big picture information equally as well as working down in the detail. However not everybody has this flexibility and that is why it becomes important for leaders to have an awareness of their team members preference and deliver information to them in an appropriate way. Explaining the finite details of a concept you are attempting to sell to a global thinker will probably have them yawning in a minute or so as their eyes glaze over and they drift off into the blue sky above (I know the feeling I'm pretty global). Conversely tasking someone who needs all of the detail by giving them a big chunk instruction will probably cause them to panic internally as they scrabble to make sense of the ambiguity that now exists. The British military call the latter 'Mission Command', empower your subordinates to carry out a task however they wish, within boundaries of course, just tell them the what and not the how and let them surprise you with their ingenuity. It is a fact though that some people can't handle this style of leadership, they simply need to be told the how as well.
Once upon a time the 19 NLP Meta Programmes (thinking styles) were used as the basis for the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) which is still one of industries most used psychometric profiling tool. However it is my belief and experience that Meta Programmes get better results. They are easier to use as they get you the information you need by just asking a set of specific questions. No need for a computer programme to get the answers, the results are instantaneous. Meta Programmes can be applied to all areas of business and are extremely accurate. They can be elicited formally, as part of a profiling process, or even covertly by simply asking the right questions during meetings or selection interviews therefore allowing you to get the right people and reducing staff churnover. This is a cost effective way of carrying out personnel profiling and we can either teach you and your staff how to use meta programmes or we can come and visit your organisation and carry out the work for you.
If this is something that you think would be of interest to your organisation then get in touch and one of The Transformational Changes Team team can talk to you about different options. You can find more information here or you can e-mail us here for further details.
Your people are that important, aren't they?
