Stereotypes

That Stereotype Is Not Me

A recent LinkedIn post characterized construction professionals as reactive, micromanagers who have little empathy, don’t work well in groups, and have low job satisfaction or happiness. I can’t get behind that representation of our industry professionals. Are there some who display some of those descriptors? Of course. It struck me as a gross overgeneralization. I preferred to focus on the question as to whether construction and technical professionals are coachable. To that I answer with a definitive YES.

I also help professionals understand evaluation assessments (tools like DiSC, Hogan, LVI, and PDP) that claim to tell people exactly who they are and how they will lead. I take a different approach when I work with clients. I don’t believe that any person is strictly the data on the printed page, nor do I subscribe to the rigidity of the printouts. “It says I’m an extroverted adrenaline junkie. I’m throwing caution to the wind.” I’m not sure if that attitude advances a person’s career, promotes a healthy management style, or supports positive project outcomes.

We Live in Shades of Gray

Fundamentally, we live along a spectrum of traits, attitude, and emotions. Rarely do individuals find themselves always pinned at one end or the other. A normal curve proves this implicitly. Describing construction professionals with a broad brush as he had, makes it seem as though we are a monolith of thinking, approach, and perspective. Diversity promotes better decision making and I can’t accept his underlying premise of groupthink and automatons.

 Letting You Off the Hook

The acceptance of the stereotype of traits ascribed to professionals in our industry has some really detrimental impacts. Assuming that it’s just the way people think and act conveys an attitude that people do not have the ability to change. They are who they are. It rewards some really bad behavior. As a manager, adopting that fixed mindset does not help individuals grow, improve, achieve their goals.

 I think that any instrument has value as long as the person answering the questions holds the results lightly. The follow up questions to be answered come back to self-awareness (by no means a comprehensive list):

-Is this an accurate representation?

-Is this my default or just how I show up in pressurized situations?

-What opportunity do I have to use my natural tendencies more effectively?

-Knowing this about myself, how can I recognize where conflict may arise with team members?

I come back to the issue of coaching and whether construction professionals are coachable. We are not static or lack the ability to change. At a core level, we are a people industry. Truth be told, not everyone is coachable but that has little to do with construction. That goes to a person’s unwillingness to see their impact on others and wanting it to be different. At the end of the day, don’t accept the stereotypes for yourself or your team members.

Michael Riegel

MRiegel@AECBusinessStrategies.com https://michaelriegel.substack.com/

516-238-0859