Navigating the workplace iungle

By Dan Stockdale

THE workplace is full of many difI ferent personality types. When you can identify the different types of those who work for or with you, you can better learn how to deal with and understand them.

While there is no direct correlation between people and animals, you will clearly recognize some character traits and behaviors-perhaps even in yourself-in the following five animals that will help you to work with others.

1r Snakes

Snakes have a reputation for being sneaky and manipulative. In reality, they are very independent and highly adaptive. In the workplace, the snakes are not the office gossips or troublemakers!

Rather, they are the people who prefer to keep to themselves and do their work. lying low in their quiet. unassuming way. Like their animal counterparts, most office "snakes" are beneficial to the environment and pose no danger to anyone.

To handle human snakes, you must be observant: What does this individual perceive as threatening? They hate sudden disruptions, so avoid abrupt changes and try not to spring anything on them out of the blue. Snakes rvork best when they feel as if they are always in the loop about matters that could affect them. Just because they're quiet doesn't mean that they don't rvant and expect to be involved. Include them in all relevant decisions and make sure they're aware of the status of projects so that nothing sneaks up on them.

Zr Donkeys

You can't be truly successful if you're surrounded by "yes" people all the time. and no teiun can function at its best without a variety of penpectives. Donkey types bring that to the table. They keep you and the team honest and thinking about other options.

Performance you can measure.

They are committed and want to do what is right. Unfortunately, donkeys often think that their way is the right way.

Find ways to give donkeys complete individual responsibility for a project.

Let them know that they will be held entirely accountable for the project, whether it works or not. Give them the flexibility and latitude to do whatever they want to get results, but also make them accountable for the end product. They may learn eventually to listen to feedback from others, especially when they see that their way doesn't always work.

3q Ehphants

These majestic creatures are similar to humans in manv wavs: they have similar life spans and maturity phases, are bright, empathetic and have great memories. Their massive size gives them tremendous power. lf you've ever seen the aftermath of a stampede, you know that a lot of inadvertent damage can occur to the surroundinss.

Office elephants throw their weight around, exercising power simply because they can. They may or may not even realize the damage this behavior can cause. Usually, they have acquired this power over time, but they don't have an official role in which to use it. For instance, a manager may change positions within your company after a number of years. Knowledge of the organization's history and politics can be powerful. What's more, even if the current role doesn't give the elephant any real authority in the new position, he or she may hang on to the power inherent in the former position.

When you work with or supervise an elephant, consistent contact is essential to help ensure that they won't use power and authority to make decisions that negatively affect you or projects. Stay in communication, speaking to the individual frequently, presenting ideas I and getting feedback. Even if you're not always able to use elephants' ideas, at least you will help them to feel included in the process, and they will be more likely to tread lighr ly than stampede.

4r Uultures

In the office, human vultures are committed to their projects and the company's goals. You can identify office vultures by looking on the sidelines, where they tend to lurk, waiting for an opportunity to gain favor, sometimes at others' expense. If you have vultures on your team, let your boss know often what you and each individual on the team is doing, so that a vulture can't fly in and steal credit.

If you're supervising vultures, communicate with each team member through informal one-on-one status updates. Ask what exactly they are involved in and how they feel the team is working together. You'll find that vultures' language will be full of "I's" and not a lot of "we's." Even when questioned about the team, they'll focus on what they are accomplishing rather than what the team is achieving.

Human vultures simply have huge egos, and to deal with them most

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NaYigating the Workplace Jungle

(Continued from previous page ) effectively, you must stroke those egos and make them feel like they're very important. Assign them personal projects and individual responsibilities, so they can shine on their own. not through taking credit for others' work.

5r Meerkats

These animals sprang into the popular imagination in animated form in The Lion Kirig. Intensely loyal to their colony, meerkats take turns vigilantly rvatching out for predators. Office meerkats are the same way. alrvays looking out for each other and the good of the entire group. They are excellent at developing and nurturin-s relationships. and rvill do rvhatever it takes to make sure the group functions as a team. unlike these animals. you have been trained and adapted to your environment. The key is knowing how to train others on your team or in your employ.

When workin_e rvith meerkats. you must avoid doing anything that seems inconsistent rvith the -eoals of the orsanization. Such behavior is likely to incur their rvrath. They are happy to inform the _eroup if they discover behavior that undermines the group.

Because meerkats are not necessarily the shorviest of office animals. you must remember to recognize and appreciate them. They deserve attention for consistently being present rvith the right attitude and the risht rvork ethic.

Whether you're the organization's c.e.o. or a member of a project team. you have at least a little bit of one of these animals in your personality. maybe even more than one. Horvever.

No one likes to feel dictated to. no matter rvhat their animal "type." Like animals. ferv humans really enjoy being told what to do. but rve rvill all do many things willingly rvhen rve feel as if doing so is our orvn idea. Anvtime vou can make them feel as if the idea you're presenting to them is theirs. not yours. you rvill be far more successful at getting rvhat you want from them. When that happens. you'll have flocks of happy employees rvho positively contribute to the company's bottom line.

- Don Stockdale, speuker, au!hor, cortsultant and e.uttit' ttrtinal trainer. is president of Adventures in Leadership, an educational frrn tfutt spe<'iali:es in applting principles of positive reinJorcenent kt orquniaatiorrs. He cun he rea<'hed ut (800) 640-TICER or viu x'rnr'.dal.sloctdale.con.

AMERICA'S UGLIEST DOOR wi I be replaced by a new one from Therma-Tru.

America's Ugliest Door?

Thernra-Tru Doors. N{aurtrcc. Oh.. held a conlcst lirr' "Arncrica's uglicst ckrol"'anrl lirunrl u rvirtner in C'lvnrcr'.

N.Y.. ut tlre home ot Dalrcll ancl Malie Dunrtcrr old. Thc ullrrtl prizc lr ir.tr.tcls \\'cfc lur-rnour.rccrl April | 5 cluring a lirc broacl cast of "On the Holtse." ir horlc inrprovenrcnt nr(l io show hostccl by thc Carcy Blollrcls. C'hoscn by a lranrl ol tkxrr cxperts inclLrrl ing Bcrnic Felt'arr. ir plorluct rranagcr at Huttis BLlildin-u I'ro tl ucts tlrc Dunrrcrr oltls rvill receivc lr 'l'lrclnra 'l'ru clool s1'slcnr rvorlh 53.000 to s.5.(xx).

"lt's anrazinq hou nrr-rch dillcrcnce a nc\\ cntr'\ of patlo door nlrkcs 1o the orclull look ancl valuc ol' thc hornc." saitl Sara Thcis. public rclations n.uu.r agcf lt'l'hclntr-Tru. "Just lrt lcplacing thc rkxrr. rvc can incrcasc thc cullr appeal arrrl valLre of thc honrc immensclr."

Rhino I)eck cornposite decking ancl railir-rg systems include planks, posts, rails, birlusters, fascia, flashing, and joist covers. Rhino Deck is splinter free, slip resistant, and does not need painting or staining! Materials install with traditiorral wood tools and are covered by a 1O-year warranty.

Glen Oak Brands Hardwoods

Glen Oak Lumber & Milling, Montello. Wi.. has designated Red Leaf as the official brand name for its newly expanded line of select rvhite maple products.

The Red Leaf lumber and millwork products include boards, mouldings. trim. door jambs. panels and stair parts.

While the manufacturer has been producing maple products for years. the rising popularity of maple millwork in upscale new construction and remodeling led Glen Oak to upgrade the maple used in its program and brand the enhanced products rvith a name that is easy to recognize and remember. A corresponding logo. rvhich features a brilliant red maple leaf centered in black stylized text. is stamped on the ends of Glen Oak's hardrvood boards and is applied to product samples and packaging.

The mouldings are now made from #l white soft maple. in a rvide variety of trim profiles. Also available are a solid door jamb in select rvhite soft maple. and a rvhite hard maple veneer door jamb that gives pre-hung door units a desired all-white-wood look at an affordable price point.

Solid S4S Red Leaf 1"x2" through 1"x8" select white maple boards by Glen Oak have a notable grade specification of clear rvhite one-face. two edges. Clear two-face select white hard maple l"xl0" and l"xl2" veneered boards produced in 16' and l8' lengths round out the line. These extra-long boards are ideal for skirt boards. stair stringers and false ceiling beams, or any place rvhere installation of long, uniform boards rvithout a splice is desired.

Large Distributors Dominate

Sixty lumber rvholesalers in the U.S. have annual revenues exceeding $100 million and control about 50% of the market, according to a new study by Research & Markets.

About 5,500 lumber wholesalers operate in the U.S.. rvith combined annual revenue of $65 billion. Most are privately held rvith annual revenue below $10 million. About 900 companies have annual revenue greater than $10 million.

Only the largest companies have more than 100 employees, rvhile the typical wholesaler employs an average of 10.

National and regional wholesalers usually have several offices that serve local customers. Most companies operate locally, often serving both local retailers and local mills. Large wholesalers are more likely to serve large customers. rvith operations in multiple markets.

Leading Decking Suppliers

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I)cck & Railirtg,-\ssoeiirtrttn. It's lrlso lr goorl idea to rcuri tnrrlc pLrblications t() \11\ crlrrclrt on tIcncls. changcs. sllctt issucs. ncw prorlucts. ar.tcl r.nolc. 'l'o inrprovc l,our- sclvicc to thc rkr it I, oLrr-scll'cr or clcck bu ilclcr'. pror icle a ,le. l.,l..irttit)S l)1,':-tlrtlt ill \(,ttt \lr)l'e.

I)cckTools is a qls'ut ('.\l) plo,'ram that is clrsr to lc-atr.r. lt tlnrrr s tlccks in rcll tirnc .l [) uncl sir cs lrccullrtc takcol'l's lrrrcl plie irrg using \oul ou n SKL,. l'hc lurrrtrcr-t urcl cart hltr c lr nlr\1cr licc-nsc urrtl givc or scll sublieclrsc\ t() voul clcck bLriItlcrs.

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Lurrbcr'\lrrtls lrlso cnrr connccl rr itlr bLrililcrs arttl supplicrs bt hostinq u tlcck builcling elinie. \\jhat u sfcirt \\ ir\ t() clo sonrc nctr orkinS lrrtl linrl out t hirl's ltot in ,r ()ur irrca. Classcs eottltl bc offclctl. its rcll us NAI)llA sirrr-rrps. satctt irri lr-cncss. and ltrtrtl ucI srlcs.

I hopc thesc suggc\tions rrill start \or.l oll \'oLlf \\ at to bce or)tiltS thc lcltlins tlcck supplr slorc irr r oul neck ol'tltc t oorls.

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DAY AT THE RACES for the Los Anoeles

Hardwood Lumberman's Club April 15 ;t the Santa Anita Race Track, Arcadia, Ca. (1) Charley James, Ken & Jo Tinckler. (2) Doreen Reel, Don Reel. (3) Tony & Amy Moyer, Shelly Nelson. (4) Alan Arbiso. (5) Dan Bohannon, Kit Rohm. (6) Rebecca & Jeff Johnslon. (7) Paul & Candace Pendergast, Nancy & John Hipple. (8) Mike & Linda Long, DeeAhna & Steven Long, Beverly Perite. (9) Pat Gentile. (10) Bruce & Kathy Jauman. (11) Kathy & Bill Fitzgerald. (12) Anellina & Carl Henoch. (13) Andrew Nelson. (14) Diane & Dennis Johnston.

llews Briefs

(Continued from page 24) lion annual rate. while multi-family jumped 15.7Vo ... regionally, starts were down l5.5Vo in the West... permits slipped 5.5Vo

Tolko Industries, Yernon, B.C., will spend $20 million this year upgrading its mill complex in Kelowna, B.C.

BlueLinx Corp. has released its new Web-based deck estimating software to support LP WeatherBesl composite decking

PlyVeneer Products Inc. was among eight companies honored with an APA Mill Safety Award for operating 33,486 hours at its Springfield, Or., veneer plant with no accidents

Huttig Building Products is increasing its distribution of Therma-Tru exterior fiberglass and steel doors from 31 to all 40 of its millwork locations Therma-Tru has had all of its residential fiberglass and steel entry door systems National Fenestration Rating Council certified and qualified for Energy Star partnership

Owens Corning has become the first insulation manufacturer to qualify for the new GreenGuard Product Emission Standard for Children and Schools

KerJkore presented Distributor of the Year awards to Louis & Co., Brea, Ca., for largest volume and greatest dollar increase, and Lumber Products, Tualatin, Or., for greatest percentage increase

Weyerhaeuser Co., Federal Way, Wa., acquired 4O-year-old Budres Lumber Co., Grand Rapids, Mi., from Ed Elderkin; the facility takes rough-sawn hardwood lumber, then grades, sortso dries and surfaces it for resale ...

Contact Lumber, Portland, Or., won a Best in Show honorable mention from Green Builder Magazine for its participation in this year's National Green Building Conference.

Have a notice of your recent expansion, promotions or other company changes published in the next issue of The Merchant Magazine.

Just Fax your news to 949-852.0231 or email to kdebats @ building-products.com. h heesevice)

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