[unorthodox]

Anyone out there (INTJs) in a supervisory position at work? What do your subordinates say about your leadership style and management skills? How do your managers view your performance in leading a team?

[Krazy P]

I am a CEO of a medium sized financial services firm - around 500 employees, $100 million in annual revenue. My co-workers would call me a "reluctant" leader who does not intervene in things until the last minute. I have also been called visionary, aloof, brilliant, etc. I am considered an excellent leader although not fantastically emotionally supportive. When first tested for leadership, my compassion and sensitivity scored in the 19th percentile. After years of work, I am up to the 50th percentile - so effort can make a difference. I get very high marks for building and molding a team.

I have 5 children, - 3 went to Yale, 1 to Tufts and one to U. Of Edinburgh.

I am excellent at developing leaders - many of my former co-workers are now CEOs.

Biggest weaknesses is being compassionate and "taking charge" in the way many employees like to be led. I take charge in a crisis, but otherwise prefer to tweak the system here and there - working through others. Its actually a lot of fun.

Does that help?

[Stargazer]

I supervise the ER Admitting and Communications departments at a local hospital. I have heard some great things from my employees about my performance. I was brought in to basically whip the department into shape. The history of the department management has been incredibly poor. The current manager is a great manager, but terrified of confrontation, which equates to no discipline (I have taken over as the 'disciplinarian'). The manager she replaced a few years ago was totally unprofessional. Her hiring practices were terrible--most of the employees were not qualified for the positions and were friends of her children. This poor system was in place for more than a decade.

In a little over a year, I feel that we have made some substantial progress. I have terminated a few people for various things from attendance, time theft and general poor work performance. It has taken an incredible effort in writing objective and truthful evaluations for all staff, defining clear and achievable performance standards, developing core competencies and accurate job descriptions, spending an absolutely insane amount of time conducting research on individual work performance levels and creating performance improvement plans when necessary, and treating everyone fairly and actually reigning in the disruptors.

There are two more individuals that are on PIPs which will most likely find themselves out the door in the next twelve months. The others have pretty much come to understand our direction and have even taken active roles in becoming more efficient and have toed the line to the new expectations. I have heard a lot of positive feedback from the employees that feel I have been successful at representing the needs of the employer AND the employee. I receive compliments and suggestions daily from my employees about my performance and where they see areas for improvement. I think that it is an excellent sign when your staff are not afraid to speak to the boss, even about thier own performance. Too often, I see that managment discounts the input of the employee. Being considerate of their needs and ideas, along with clear communications, fair and balanced discipline, and genuinely caring about employees are the key to successful management. When these things occur, you can make even unpopular policies and procedures bearable.

I was rated for my first year's performance by the management recently and was evaluated as "exceptional". It was a vindicating experience as they hired me from my previous position as a vice president of a labor union. They expressed some very reasonable concerns about my coming from that background. I marketed myself as the perfect candidate--equally capable of representing the hospital and the employee. They needed a clean-up, who better to do it than someone the employees feel will represent their interests as well and could elicit thier committment to the process?

[Fredi]

	Originally Posted by Krazy P To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	Biggest weaknesses is being compassionate and "taking charge" in the way many employees like to be led. I take charge in a crisis, but otherwise prefer to tweak the system here and there - working through others. Its actually a lot of fun.

Is not "taking charge" really a weakness, I am guessing that is one thing that makes you good at developing others. They might not prefer it because it means they have to challenge themselves, which they need to do in order do develop. Just a thought=)

[rwyatt365]

I'm the Information Systems (IS) Manager where I work. I've held several IT management positions over the years. I would say that I have had a good rapport with most of my direct reports.

Years ago I was an unabashed micro-manager - no one could do anything to my satisfaction and so I watched everything that they did like a hawk. I wasn't until the dreaded "Y2K Event", where I found myself staked out in the server room at midnight and everyone else was home sleep in bed, that I realized that was NOT the way to manage a group. Since then I've learned to lighten up, and let people find their own way. That alone has led to better interactions, and more productive group dynamics.

[unorthodox]

Nice, thanks for all the thoughtful responses and good insight. I lead a project teams for a consulting firm. Based on both upward feedback and evaluations from my managers, I have strong overall project management, communication, and leadership skills. However, the areas I really need to improve upon would be creating a lighter and more fun atmosphere, setting more attainable performance goals (I set goals and standards that are too lofty or out of reach at times), and being more consistent with regard to approachability for questions, comments, and concerns. At times I get a little too short with people, especially if I've had to explain something several times. I work with younger people; associates are typically 1 or 2 years out of college. They want continuous feedback, unique motivational methods, and fun. That's what I'm dealing with at the moment. Basically, I'm a strong overall performer, but need to improve my people and "soft" skills. Time to learn more about team motivation, especially when working with the "millennials."

[SiMey]

	Originally Posted by unorthodox To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	What do your subordinates say about your leadership style and management skills?

After I acted in the position for some months, they would rather have me as the manager than our substantive manager.

	Originally Posted by unorthodox To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	How do your managers view your performance in leading a team?

My manager has said she thinks I'm a born leader. That under-estimates a lot of hard work and patience on my part. She said she recognises that while she is the manager, the team sees me as their leader.

	Originally Posted by unorthodox To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	I have strong overall project management, communication, and leadership skills. However, the areas I really need to improve upon would be creating a lighter and more fun atmosphere, setting more attainable performance goals and being more consistent with regard to approachability. At times I get a little too short with people, especially if I've had to explain something several times.

I was recently told that I have the patience of a saint (I said I know) after someone overheard me working with a real dimwit. My previous role involved training people and it doesn't help them to learn if you get frustrated with them. Not everyone is as smart as you or learns in the same way. Reality is some people will need you to explain the same thing multiple times. If you get short with them, they will fear approaching you. I'd rather they at least admit they have a problem or don't know something than try to hide it or make up the answer. Manage your own emotions in this area and go outside and scream at the wall afterwards.

If you are continually dealing with the same problems with the same person, as a leader, you need to take responsibility to help them learn. Okay, some people are just stupid/lazy but I start with the assumption that people want to do a good job and are willing to learn. People generally respond well if you treat them like capable beings.

	Originally Posted by unorthodox To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	I work with younger people; associates are typically 1 or 2 years out of college. They want continuous feedback, unique motivational methods, and fun. That's what I'm dealing with at the moment. Basically, I'm a strong overall performer, but need to improve my people and "soft" skills. Time to learn more about team motivation, especially when working with the "millennials."

Never underestimate the power of genuine complements. Find small ways to say that they have done a good job. "Thanks for getting that piece of work in on time." "You did a really good job on that project." "I like how organised you are." "You bring a good attitude to work". Never stop finding ways to catch the team being good.

Most people were taught to accept praise as children (approval of parents) many are feelers (feed their emotions) and people generally are social animals (want to belong and feel important and respected within a group). Your approval has value. Appreciate the diversity in skills and temperaments your team brings. They can help cover your weaknesses.

I try to identify the "social organiser" in the group. To raise the fun factor, I recognise my own limitations in this area and encourage that person to do things like organise a morning tea once in a while or other social events and fun team building activities. That's just way too stressful and difficult for me. Think of Neelix, the self appointed morale officer on Voyager, though try to find someone a little less annoying. As an INTJ, I think my least likely descriptor by the extroverts would be fun chatty person. Find someone to cover for you and help out, who is still responsible and a hard worker.

Finally I give people permission to have fun. It's my "cartwheels down the corridor" talk with new staff. I say something to the effect of, we spend a lot of our day and lives at work, too much time not to enjoy ourselves. I don't care if you do "cartwheels down the corridor" as long as you take responsibility to get your work done, get along with the team and be a helpful team member and prioritise work that I need done by a deadline.

I even put up with people
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
.

Oh, another thought, social chat and small talk (groan!). Don't just go up and talk to your team when you have work to give them or when you need to tell them they've made a mistake. I try to balance this with walking up and talking to them for no reason (well I have a reason/strategy). If I approach them at their desk, I can initiate a conversation and usually keep it to 2-4 exchanges and politely move on. Sometimes it's worth listening for longer (autopilot mode) although I make every attempt to show a genuine interest. You can also gently move into work topics after this. This builds rapport.

I think it's also called MBWA: management by walking around.

[SShack]

So I'm being headhunted for a potential high-level management position at a media company unhappy with the introvert in the position right now. (The recruiter actually used the word "introvert" when talking about him)

I don't know a whole lot just yet (I'm still deciding whether to apply), but based on what little I was told it really sounds to me like the problem with an introverted leader happens when he or she is an introverted sensor, particularly in a job environment that deals with a lot of ambiguity and fluctuation (which is the case with the media industry).

I don't think that's as much of an issue with an IN. I think an enthusiasm for ideas often comes off as a form of extroversion in the workplace, especially for those in leadership positions. When I was talking to him about my project-oriented leadership and drive for innovation, I realized that based on the kinds of discussion we have here, the way an ENTx and an INTx lead might not be all that different, depending on the circumstances.

[Futuremouse]

i managed the systems, processes, workflow, and technology for a semi-large tv production company. contracts ebbed & flowed, so i was in charge of as few as two and as many as 5 people. however, i'd have as many as 30 people ask me to figure out or enable something for them every day.

i'd judge myself as a horrible boss. i'd simply expect my subordinates know what they knew, what they didn't, and promptly learn whatever they knew they didn't know.

'don't come to me with a problem that you don't have a solution for, and i'll decide if your solution is right or not' was the mantra.

i count one of my former subordinates as one of my few friends now, however. although, i hired him (wholly unqualified) because he was a puppeteer and an animator, and i thought he'd be neat to have around. he was.

i also hired (wholly unqualified) a lesbian-ESL-haitian immigrant, and an (wholly unqualified) functioning alcoholic male native american 20-something, just to fuck with our HR people.

we were all 'united colours of benetton' in my department.

[lisakki]

I was going to make a thread asking about the same exact thing. Very insightful, thank you.

What do you guys think helped you most in attaining leadership roles? Were there any books that really helped you out? Did you guys get MBAs? I kind of wish someone would write a "strategy guide" for INTJs, I guess this is the closest I'll get to it.

[wolfticket]

i'm a classic Type A at work, hands on etc. If there is a list of objectives to be completed, we're' johnny on the spot working them as soon as we arrive on location. I've supervised as many as 40+ people, different incomes, ages, and career development. But I am not one to follow the book neccessarily. If there is a way around it or a better way, or a higher purpose to be achieved by circumventing the rules, I will find it and implement it. I have very little patience for lethagry, bueracracy and laziness. needless to say, It makes for an interesting work environment sometimes.

on the other hand, I've never been an arm chair quarterback or a hands off supervisor. I prefer to be in the trenches with my team. I beleive that everyone is important and we all work towards the common goal. a leader not involved, is a leader not informed.

i'm big picture strategist, but i'm very quiet and I can follow the correct leaders, untill I've been shown otherwise, there is no leadership or the leadership present is incapable of fulfilling their duties. Then I charge ahead full steam.

[mind_wander]

Originally Posted by wolfticket To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

i'm a classic Type A at work, hands on etc. If there is a list of objectives to be completed, we're' johnny on the spot working them as soon as we arrive on location. I've supervised as many as 40+ people, different incomes, ages, and career development. But I am not one to follow the book neccessarily. If there is a way around it or a better way, or a higher purpose to be achieved by circumventing the rules, I will find it and implement it. I have very little patience for lethagry, bueracracy and laziness. needless to say, It makes for an interesting work environment sometimes. on the other hand, I've never been an arm chair quarterback or a hands off supervisor. I prefer to be in the trenches with my team. I beleive that everyone is important and we all work towards the common goal. a leader not involved, is a leader not informed. i'm big picture strategist, but i'm very quiet and I can follow the correct leaders, untill I've been shown otherwise, there is no leadership or the leadership present is incapable of fulfilling their duties. Then I charge ahead full steam.

I do believe this mission you listed here. This reminds me of my supervisor, but I know the intentions behind it. We are own leaders and competent to lead full steam[if, I am in it] because we all have our own parts to play. I do play nicely with everyone and can be very sarcastic, if someone started off a sarcastic joke. Quietness is good, so we can get our job done.

Incase our group leader is out because of a meeting, no worries we got it under control. No fist fights, leadership take over, etc. I gladly assist others, if anyone needs help because we are like that. I must say, we are a very unique and diverse group.

[changeAgent]

	Originally Posted by unorthodox To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	Anyone out there (INTJs) in a supervisory position at work? What do your subordinates say about your leadership style and management skills? How do your managers view your performance in leading a team?

I am, and my boss told me that some of my subordinates think I am Satan.

[Facepalm]

First I tell everyone upfront and to their face in my office, if you ever cross me I will have your F**king have your head, and I am infinitely ahead of you in my thought process I don’t care what you know, saw, or have. I will discredit it make a logical augment around it if you ever go above me then you will find your self walked out in the next 24 hours.

I supervise a team of corporate investigators and they view me as cold, distant and uncaring I will not let anyone dump things on them that are not their fault and if they are trying to do their job I will protect them from anyone, I have setup 1% pay cuts for our division and recently cut my salary by 40k to keep one associate from being laid off. However none of them know this.


I do not put up with the "Manager Talk" etc. I am well known to walk into a room and say stop f**king around or You are all morons, or my personal favorite you are f**king useless.

My boss tells me that I should do this or that like you should talk to this person and partner etc... I am 40 steps ahead and that would be counterproductive to my plan his intentions are well however I am not there to be anyone’s friend.

Furthermore I am the most productive and have the best results in the company I am highly sought after by other companies

[Paul Siraisi]

Originally Posted by Facepalm To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

First I tell everyone upfront and to their face in my office, if you ever cross me I will have your F**king have your head, and I am infinitely ahead of you in my thought process I don’t care what you know, saw, or have. I will discredit it make a logical augment around it if you ever go above me then you will find your self walked out in the next 24 hours. I supervise a team of corporate investigators and they view me as cold, distant and uncaring I will not let anyone dump things on them that are not their fault and if they are trying to do their job I will protect them from anyone, I have setup 1% pay cuts for our division and recently cut my salary by 40k to keep one associate from being laid off. However none of them know this. I do not put up with the "Manager Talk" etc. I am well known to walk into a room and say stop f**king around or You are all morons, or my personal favorite you are f**king useless. My boss tells me that I should do this or that like you should talk to this person and partner etc... I am 40 steps ahead and that would be counterproductive to my plan his intentions are well however I am not there to be anyone’s friend. Furthermore I am the most productive and have the best results in the company I am highly sought after by other companies

That was hilarious. I sure hope you are joking.

Ok I take it back. I need to ask what business you're in.

[soleilune]

Originally Posted by SiMey To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

...training people and it doesn't help them to learn if you get frustrated with them. Not everyone is as smart as you or learns in the same way. Reality is some people will need you to explain the same thing multiple times. If you get short with them, they will fear approaching you. I'd rather they at least admit they have a problem or don't know something than try to hide it or make up the answer. Manage your own emotions in this area and go outside and scream at the wall afterwards. If you are continually dealing with the same problems with the same person, as a leader, you need to take responsibility to help them learn. Okay, some people are just stupid/lazy but I start with the assumption that people want to do a good job and are willing to learn. People generally respond well if you treat them like capable beings. Never underestimate the power of genuine complements. Find small ways to say that they have done a good job. Never stop finding ways to catch the team being good. Appreciate the diversity in skills and temperaments your team brings. They can help cover your weaknesses. I try to identify the "social organiser" in the group. To raise the fun factor, I recognise my own limitations in this area and encourage that person to do things like organise a morning tea once in a while or other social events and fun team building activities. That's just way too stressful and difficult for me. Think of Neelix, the self appointed morale officer on Voyager, though try to find someone a little less annoying. As an INTJ, I think my least likely descriptor by the extroverts would be fun chatty person. Find someone to cover for you and help out, who is still responsible and a hard worker. Finally I give people permission to have fun. It's my "cartwheels down the corridor" talk with new staff. I say something to the effect of, we spend a lot of our day and lives at work, too much time not to enjoy ourselves. I don't care if you do "cartwheels down the corridor" as long as you take responsibility to get your work done, get along with the team and be a helpful team member and prioritize work that I need done by a deadline. Oh, another thought, social chat and small talk (groan!). Don't just go up and talk to your team when you have work to give them or when you need to tell them they've made a mistake. I try to balance this with walking up and talking to them for no reason (well I have a reason/strategy). If I approach them at their desk, I can initiate a conversation and usually keep it to 2-4 exchanges and politely move on. Sometimes it's worth listening for longer (autopilot mode) although I make every attempt to show a genuine interest. You can also gently move into work topics after this. This builds rapport. I think it's also called MBWA: management by walking around.

Thanks SiMey for this great reply. So few supervisors/managers recognize the power of positive feedback. I'm admittedly weak in the small talk area, but don't actively avoid it, well most of the time I don't avoid it. You've reminded me of what I need to work on and how to do it. I tend to let myself get lost in the admin and creative side of my job.

I am in mgmt. and my staff are insanely loyal to me. I believe this is due to being fair and even-tempered, having them actively involved in all aspects of our area, openly giving credit where credit is due, and fostering a supportive environment, but not in a touchy-feely way. I've been told too that I am queen of the $h!t sandwich, bookending corrective feedback/disciplinary action with positive feedback. As SiMey mentions, people really do want to do a good job and focusing solely on weaknesses/failings increases the likelihood they'll occur again. They do need to be accountable for said weaknesses/failings though. Ultimately I am responsible for anything that goes wrong in my area, whether it be through a failure in training or communication, lack of foresight or simply not providing my staff with the respect, confidence and trust they need to respond quickly and appropriately in any given situation. Oddly there seems to be a direct correlation between staff performance and the amount of time I spend in the trenches with them or just shooting the poop.

rwyatt365 mentions having formerly been a micro-manager. I would be the polar opposite. I understand the need to clearly define expectations and check in somewhat regularly to see that they're being met, but because it annoys me to have my superiors check in on me or give me a significant amount of direction I assume everyone feels that way. I know this isn't true but I'm unsure how to determine where the line between being adequately involved and micro managing lies.

So in response to the original question, I'm not sure what my staff would say is my leadership style, but my nit-picking, control freak boss would say I'm too hands off and our GM thinks I'd be a better leader if I were "shiny" and more outgoing. (Apparently they haven't heard some of my peers express their wish that I was their boss.)

[psychobabble]

I have worked for INTJ bosses in three different positions. The common strengths of these three individuals included vision for their teams, an active, adaptive management style, generally diplomatic and impartial relation to others, and a clear grasp of what was needed to achieve high productivity.

The most significant common weaknesses of these three managers were in the areas of communication and people skills.

As N-type people in management positions, you will want to guard against the tendency to unintentionally leave out relevant details when you explain things; work to be specific about what you want done. As I-types, your reluctance to share your ideas can be frustrating to those who wish to support your work but cannot read your mind, and you will want to make an effort to be more involved by keeping communication frequent and open. As J-types, beware of your tendency to jump to conclusions. This can easily result in either over- or under-estimating people based on first impressions, which can slow your work, lead to missed opportunities, etc.

The easiest way to avoid potential management pitfalls would be to seek frequent input from those who have preferences different from your own. S-type people will be especially helpful, since they can help you distinguish between reasonable and unreasonable work expectations and point out things which need to be communicated to others. F-types will help you better understand your employees and group dynamics. E- and P-types will help you "lighten" the atmosphere in your workplace and improve your communication with others.

All of these actions should make it easier for you to implement your strong TJ managerial skills in support of your NJ vision.

My 2 cents.

[Brittle]

Researching something else entirely, I came across an interesting report yesterday that showed that the four most prevalent personality types in management positions were: ESTJ, ISTJ, ENTJ and INTJ.

INTJs were one of the types most likely to hold upper/senior management positions, rather than say ESTJs who were most likely to be in middle management.

Given the percentage of INTJs in the general population, clearly we're doing something right.

[gdh8tsu]

When it comes to managing people it is kind of “meh” for me. I can do it but it seems easier if I do it myself and then to explain what I did. Which really is not to beneficial for the people working with me at time since most people learn better from doing then watching?

I get irritated with little things when I see people do it and I come off as nitpicky but then again I really don’t care I basically tell them to suck it up stop bitching and do it this way, or I just redo it myself and really don’t give them a word on it.

[psychobabble]

Originally Posted by Brittle To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Researching something else entirely, I came across an interesting report yesterday that showed that the four most prevalent personality types in management positions were: ESTJ, ISTJ, ENTJ and INTJ. INTJs were one of the types most likely to hold upper/senior management positions, rather than say ESTJs who were most likely to be in middle management. Given the percentage of INTJs in the general population, clearly we're doing something right.

Yeah, typical xxTJ folks are natural managers. And xNTx folks like to improve the structure of things/ implement new ideas, so they're more likely to be at the helm. TJ + NT = well, y'all and the ENTJs. :-)

[aliendawn]

I lead a small team and I like doing so. From time to time the EXXX in the group points out what I do wrong, but generally I am accepted as the leader of the group.

The positive things they said about me was that I create a good working atmosphere and know how to deal with different people and their strengths/weaknesses, also that I am open for diskussions in which I do not necessarily need to leave as the winner just because I am the boss.

The negative side in my case is that I often think aloud which mostly tends to sound negative and pessimistic. I belive it's just that I think a lot ahead and take any possible situation into account which ends up with 28 dead ends and 2 good options..., but I guess that it still something I need to work on. ;-)