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Within any business there are two different types of employees. There's no difference between a huge corporation and a small business in this aspect - there are still going to be employees that fit these two types.
Type 1 - These employees have an agenda. They may want to rise up to a higher position, or make themselves more marketable for future opportunities. They start new initiatives. They mention their ideas to management about how to improve the company. They form relationships with coworkers they might not normally interact with. They lead projects. They raise their hands in meetings and say "I'll figure it out and get it taken care of." They make things happen.
Type 2 - These employees literally watch the clock. They do what their told and then waste the rest of their time sitting around and doing nothing. They complain to coworkers. The standard response when asked to do something new is "That's not my job." They get their work done, but there's no new ideas, no progress or improvement.
I think there are a few employees that fall in between the two types that I mentioned. Maybe an employee that falls into the second group presents a new idea once in a while. Maybe one of the best employees gets in a rut for a period of time and just kind of "does his job."
The organizations that are going to succeed are those with the highest percentage of Type 1 employees. Think about it for a minute. Are you helping your organization succeed? What kind of employee are you?
I used to be a type 1 employee until I realized that climbing the ladder and getting someone else rich just wasn't working out for me. I am now doing time at my company for just a while longer knowing I am quitting in favor of my own company. I want to have a large enough cushion saved to ride out any rough times.
I think most employees fall somewhere in between these 2 extremes, and the move back and forth between them over the course of their career (sometimes even in the same week!). And remember, it's not only the employee's personality that determines which group he is moving towards. There can be external issues that affect the employees actions also.
A go-getter employee can move into the second group if they are in a ill-fitting job, or have issues at home. They can simply get there after going the extra mile for years and noticing that it's not getting them anywhere.
An employee in the second group can suddenly shine if they get on a great new project, get a new and better manager, or move to a job that is a better fit.
Some responsibility falls on the employee to recognize which group they are in and change, if needed. But good company management will also be aware of how to help employees achieve more.
I used to be a supreme Type 2 ... Now I find that I am closer to a Type 1. It's how I know that I'm headed in the right direction. I used to literally watch the clock, and now I find myself working diligently towards the end of the day wondering where exactly the time went.
It's a good gauge of how happy you are with your work. Are you closer to Type 1 or Type 2?
That's a very simplistic way of viewing employees - it's also very much a concept lifted from Theory X and Theory Y :-)
The truth is that as human being we adapt to our environment. Yes we may have some built-in tendencies, but that does not mean that we follow them all the time, thus putting someone in one category all the time is an incorrect categorization of our motivations and tendencies.
Also having a binary state is also not how we function. Most of us are somewhere in the middle and we move closer to one end or the other based on external stimuli. Here's an example: you might have a go-getter who is constantly giving you new ideas, works hard, works extra hours (without pay), and if your company cheerleader.
Now if others in the company are not go getters and they just clock in, wait and clock out, eventually the go getter will change his or her behavior to that of the company in order to fit in. It may be that the other employees say "cut it out! you're making us look bad", or it may be that the company does not reward that extra effort, so why should this individual care to go the extra mile?
The human psyche is messy - we can't easily be categorize as one or another, and even if we can - it's only momentary
You spend too much time at work in relation to the rest of the things you do in life to not spend as much mental energy as possible in getting to a better position. Being a cog in a wheel for the sake of getting a paycheck is just a poor existence in my mind. I guess that makes me Type 1.
Granted, if I've got a kickass company backing me, I'll do what it takes and more to make them successful, just like I would if it was my own company. But mediocre companies aren't the place of extraordinary folks doing extraordinary things.
I just had a conversation about this yesterday. I generally agree with these two polarized categories of employees, but I think you're classification of a Type 2 is much too negative.
First off I'm definitely a Type 1 - whatever project I'm leading, I dedicate all of my time, thoughts, emotions, etc., figure out everything I don't know quickly and effectively, and work around the clock.
However, I think that the majority of employees are Type 2s, and I don't think that's bad. I disagree with the statement that they're just looking to get out of work and offer no progress or ideas. A lot of people want to come to work, do what they have to, go home, and do what they want. Type 1s are doing what they want while they're working because that's what they like, but not everyone can or should be expected to do that. Great Type 2s figure stuff out on their own without having their boss hold their hand, stay away from work drama, keep out of the spotlight, and become experts in their area. A boss could only wish to have a team with a lot of these employees.
Also, I don't agree that having more Type 1s makes your company more successful, just having better ones. Sometimes you want to have a meeting to get everyone on the same page and get working, not waste time throwing out ideas for improvement that may even be detrimental to the company. You could have ONE really great Type 1 and run an extremely successful company.
A mix of these personalities is probably the best.
I think there is a lot of truth to what you are saying. I consider myself a Type 1, but I have also experienced times when I have been in a rut. I think the worst thing that could happen is to not give a Type 1 enough work. Inevitably they get stuck, and though they want to try harder, and even attempt to make it happen sometimes that is just not enough.
I seriously just wrote a post where I talk about an experience at a supermarket last week. Type I and Type 2 employees from a slightly different angle.
Stop using your companies pre-printed thank you notes. Hand write a thank you note! Hand writing is much more personal and it shows you care. More...
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