Workplace Personalities, Part 3 – Want It Done Right?
Want a job done right? . . . who ya gonna call? A MELANCHOLY!
That’s right, the melancholy personality will get the job done right, and with attention to detail.
The Pursuit of Perfection
Anyone familiar with this temperament knows that they seek out perfection as if it was a buried treasure. They add a new dimension to the phrase “well done.” This is an employers dream. A melancholy on the job pays attention to detail and will polish a project until it shines bright. The one draw back to this personality is that sometimes the meticulous nature of these employees prevents work from being done quickly. Melancholies do not do well with deadlines unless they are given plenty of time to do the job well. They are stifled when working under pressure.
The Solitary Environment
Melancholy personalities are natural introverts and thrive in positions that have limited exposure to co-workers and the public. I don’t mean to make it sound like this temperament is anti-social, but it is important to remember they are drained by people. I know many melancholy people who have a great senses of humor, but unlike the sanguine, they usually share it on a limited basis.
They also work better in a quiet environment. If you are a melancholy, have melancholy co-workers, or supervise any melancholy personalities, do your best to find a quiet place for projects/duties/responsibilities to be done with peace and quiet. This allows this meticulous mind to function at its best.
Creative
Many great writers, composers, and philosophers have some from this personality type. Their sensitive and deep-thinking nature lends itself to creating fantastic pieces of work. When they harness their artistic side and apply the detailed tendencies, you have a great mind that accomplishes incredible projects. The difficult part of these creative people is that they can be moody, over critical of others who do not have the high standard, and they need PLENTY of time so that their “creative juices” are not stifled.
For a time my husband was a scheduler. He was responsible for making sure that different departments all finished their work within the same time frame so that the project would come together in the end. As a choleric doer he was frequently frustrated because the scientists he oversaw never met their deadlines . . . it’s hard to rush the creative mind seeking perfection!
The Perfect Positions
As with all the personalities, if you get the melancholy in the right position, the sky is the limit! Here are some potential careers where this precision person can thrive:
- Anything artistic
- Researcher
- Scientist
- Financial Analyst
- Mechanic
- Engineer
- Plumber (or any position requiring a highly-skilled craftsman)
Stay Away!!
There are certain career avenues a melancholy should needs to avoid.
- Customer Service
- Public Relations
- Human Resources
- Sales
When a melancholy personality is matched with the right career, there is no limit to what this person will accomplish because they will do the job RIGHT!
©2012 Shona Neff
Tags: melancholy, perfectionist, personality mechanic, shona neff, want a job done right, workplace personalities
