Submitted by csours on
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BLUF: I am a bad "procrastinator", but is this a psychological weakness or handicap OR am I waiting on something [guidance, approval, permission, wisdom, knowledge, comprehension, requirements, motivation etc.] that will never come? How can you train yourself to make do with less reliance on outside motivators? Can you train your directs to do the same? Is this part of Delegation or Coaching or both?
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Background: There are two High-D + High-Cs where I work that are very technically effective. I am a High C, Middle S, Middle I, Low D. I am good at the technical stuff and I try hard to recognize what people need from me and my systems. I have not been very good at recognizing what I personally need to be effective, and thus I have procrastinated quite a lot for years.
After thinking about the DISC model over the last few weeks, I realized the the two High D+C guys JUST DO STUFF. I have been waiting for them to give me guidance, permission, and approval for every thing I do. I realized that they will never provide this, because they just don't see the need, because they don't think that way.
After pondering this I realized I don't actually need all the input I have been waiting for. This may seem very obvious to many of you, but it was like a blinding flash of insight to me.
Your thoughts?
PS. An aside; I realize that 'Procrastination' and 'Waiting for something that will never come' may actually equate to each other, but it seems useful to me to think of them differently.
High C downfall cast
Have you listened to the High C downfall cast?
http://www.manager-tools.com/2009/11/high-c-manager-simple-downfall-part-1
I don't think it tackles your question head on, but highlights how you need to think different. There is a series and it tries to get the high-x to consider other ways (I wasn't really paying attention - but I am a high D).
Being a High D then my "just get stuff done" is great - until I get something wrong. That is where process and procedure help to protect the company and yourself from a good intentioned "I'll just do this ...." - which subsequently deletes the whole accounting system.
So yes, if you have all the input (or a good 95+% of it) then carry on. Don't ignore your High C warnings, just apply a level of practicality to it.
And if possible try and introduce procedures and practices. That will make you a little more comfortable AND may protect the High D's
Mark
My Opinion -> Psychological Weakness
I am also a self-professed procrastinator. After I read the book "Eat That Frog", which I highly recommend, I realized that for me the issue is the motivation to tackle the work I need to complete that isn't exciting. I found that if I make a list of three items at the end of each day for me to focus on the next.
In my role I am always relying on others for information or other deliverables. When I work with the co-op students assigned to me I coach them to always stay on top of the committments from others who owe us these things. Follow up is our responsibility regardless if we are waiting on others or not.
I hope this helps. Best of luck!
J. Michael Stahl, P.E.
DiSC: 2275
Great high c perspective for a high d to understand
Csours, what a great post to give us high D's some perspective what it feels like from a high c working to a high d. I guess what looks like procastination to us from your part to you is waiting for the right data. I have a high c that works for me and i tell him: just do the calculation, i know it is not going to be exact (because the input data is not exact) but i need a number and we will improved on from there, but i need a first calculation to define better where to concentrate the efforts on getting extra data. I know it is very unconfortable for him. I try to make it easier by me assuming the risk of Making An. Aproximate value calculation and not him.
I hire a high c for the group (i had tôo many high i's and d's in the group). I could tell from the interview she was a high c and a perfeccionist. I wanted to find out if se could get things done. She told me she puts deadlines for her self and because she is very methodic she likes to get things done as planned, and that includes meeting deadlines. She told me because she doesn't like to just change the plan if she doesn't have the data or the resources she needs to get things done, she purposely puts in the plan reviewing the strategy to get things done some other way if the input or the instrument she was waiting for didn't work out. I was really impressed, also because she has just graduated. I guess following a plan and meeting the final deadline has got to be a got incentive and motivator. I believe this is precisely what manager tools recomend managers do for high c directs: set a deadline and do not extend it. High c's can do it for themselves.
I believe something else that can help is to add uncertainty value into the calculation. Something like: i will get a number, or i will get it done, if i don't have all the input data to get the value with 100% precision i will get one number based on the most probable input value. This way your calculation is exact, you transfer the error into An Uncertainty in the input value. And you can even come up with say three results, one if the input value is x, another if y and só on. This way you eliminate the waiting for the right precise data for the activity to be perform, and the motivator is you get to do there calculations and you can even add An. Extra chart showing The tendency.
Nara
Thanks for the procrastination input.
@Mark, thanks for the podcast suggestion, listening to it now =)
@Micheal, thanks for the reading selection.
@Nara, it has been hard for me to get used to the idea that I will have to do the "same" work more than once. I now realize that I may have to do more than one iteration to get closer to what the customer or team wants, but it is still tough.