TMPQ Summary:
My TMPQ assessment identified me as a Concluder-Producer with complementary inclinations which place me solidly in the "southeast" quadrant of the assessment wheel. The TMPQ assessment very accurately described my personality, outlook and working style as "single-minded, determined people, who like to see tasks through to the very end without distractions" (Team Management Systems, 2010). I am driven, task oriented, scheduled and easily distracted. My world is black and white, and I am uncomfortable with change. I like a predictable routine and much prefer to operate in sync with that routine. I have a low tolerance for tardiness and interruption, and must always be convinced of the wisdom and correctness of a course of action by hearing or seeing the facts. Evidence is what drives me.
Leadership/Membership Skills Learned and Used:
This is not a new idea to me, meaning it's not some "aha" experience I just had, but it is a lesson I learn again and again, and I suspect it is a lesson I will continue to learn for the remainder of my life. That is that my way of doing things is simply that... it is my way of doing them, which means it is not necessarily anyone else's way. Furthermore, it is not the case that my way is the only way. Indeed, my way may not even be the best way. It's just my way. It works for me. It is what I am most comfortable with.
For seven years, I had a 90 mile commute each direction. About a year into my job with this firm, I also got a good friend hired on, and we began carpooling. If this friend were to take a TMPQ, he would be 180 degrees out from me. Everything my TMPQ is, his is the opposite. I'm schedule driven. He gets there when he gets there. I leave when I leave. He will pull things together to leave when he gets around to it. My world is binary. His is a thousand shades of grey. We are polar opposites in so many ways. Day after day, I would be pacing the parking lot waiting for him to be ready to go. I can be packed up and on the road in five minutes. Frequently, I waited 30 to 45 minutes for him to be ready to hit the road. I can feel the anxiety rising in me even as I type this.
Now, here is the point:
I can remember discussing my frustration with another coworker, and in this conversation, I made the comment, "Mark is just not a good car-pooler." My coworker wisely disagreed, saying, "No, Damon. Mark is not a good car-pooler for you!." That was a slap in the face I sorely needed. It was profoundly true, and a real eye-opener; one I have never forgotten.
Everyone contributes from their own uniqueness and according to their gifts and abilities, and the variety of input creates something beautiful in the end. Just as the MGI team needed the creativity of the founders and the business savvy of the Harvard students, every team I'm on needs the varied talents and multifaceted viewpoints of every member on it.
Skills to Acquire
Put very simply, slow down and loosen the reigns a bit. Trust your teammates to do their job and do it well. Relax and enjoy the ride rather than being anxious and uptight. Yes, deadlines are important, but two of the most important words in the English language can at times be, "Oh well." Relax, Damon. Sip your coffee, breathe deeply, and relax. That's the skill I am leaning and will continue to learn.
Response Guidelines
Read the posts of your peers and respond in a substantive manner.
1) Identify themes that seemed to emerge among the skills and functions that were developed and still need to be developed among your peers.
2) Explain how you account for those themes.
3) What relationships do you see between your peers' assessment results, the skills they acquired, and the skills they still need to work on?