The former Publisher of Inc. Magazine John Tebeau talked about business personalities at a recent forum sponsored by the Palisades Institute.
The former Publisher of Inc. Magazine shared his business insight at the Palisades Institute Forum on November 17, in the Lawrence Room of Rosary Hall. John Tebeau talked to the business leaders and students in attendance about what makes a good leader and the different types of work personalities.
Tebeau said throughout his career he has seen leadership styles in all shapes and sizes. “Never underestimate who it is you are talking to. Every relationship and personality you need to take seriously,” he said.
Tebeau then explained the work-type personality theory of Les McKeon, who is the President and CEO of Predictable Success and has started more than 40 companies. McKeon believes that everyone who participates in group or team work tends to act in one of three naturally-occurring styles: visionary, operator or processor. Visionaries generate creative ideas. Operators translate those ideas into tasks and “get stuff done.” Processors are compelled by data and like to bring order to the situation. The problem, said Tebeau, is that these three work personalities don’t “play well together in the sandbox.”
Tebeau said that for a team to be successful, one of the team players must also be a synergist – focused primarily on what is best for the enterprise. A synergist must be good at time management, priority management, crisis management and delegation.