Being Personable

With all the interviews that I have done so far, three attributes stick out that have helped guests from my show develop their careers. The attributes are Being Personable, Learning, and Communication.  I will explore each one of these attributes individually and in detail in this and subsequent blogs.

In this particular blog I will talk about being Personable - getting along with others how some of my guests have done it, and why it is important.  In this blog, I will talk about working with people and how it works in policing. I will discuss team building, how it is developed, how it works, and how it is tested. Being Neutral is not a sign of weakness rather it is a sign of strength. Respecting others is the key to success. Being approachable will put others at ease and this will make a win-win.

Working with People

In my interview with Gino Arcaro https://www.thecareerguy.ca/episodes/a-career-in-law-enforcement-and-much-more-part-2, he talks extensively about being asked what the best thing to do to get a job in policing is and he states ”get a job”. Any job even if you start a small business mowing people’s lawn. In essence, get real-life experience. The person working in customer service has developed skills in dealing with people that are more relevant than a psychology degree or any other formal training.

 In policing this is paramount because police officers are dealing with people in the worst scenario.  Therefore, a recruit who demonstrates the capability to be able to deal with people will be favored. Also, is a person trainable or coachable?  In essence, police departments know how they want to train people. So how a person will be able to follow through and execute instructions is measured and looked at as well.

This all then leads to being part of a team. As a police officer, you are part of a squad.  Can a potential recruit work with others? They do not want anybody to become a “head case” as Gino puts it. Policing is hard work so having the confidence and humility to work within the parameters of a fine line where the individual has to serve and protect the public is required. Nothing beats good practical experience in this type of situation.

In addition, he also has another excellent suggestion, and that is not to make situations personal. Some of the most hardened criminals he arrested he disliked but were also some of his best informants. As he explains, he put his personal bias aside, which helped with his job. This is extreme however at times someone may cross our paths that we do not like personally but may be able to help our careers. They may show us something or know something that can help us. Basically, “never burn your bridges” as they say.  Learning to get along with others and put our personal biases aside can help us.

Team Building

To be able to work with others requires adaptability and flexibility it is the ability to accommodate others' needs in trying circumstances, this is true team building.   As Jared Stanley explains in his interview working in the film industry https://www.thecareerguy.ca/episodes/working-in-the-film-industry. Hours are long, and there are many occasions when scenes are shot in a variety of locations with diverse weather conditions. It is this that the combination of long days and working in remote locations can initiate an unstable atmosphere which can elevate stress levels in some. So being able to accommodate others’ personalities is vital to working in this industry and doing well. This is true team building and it is with these trying circumstances that they are tested.

Too many organizations say they have team building but it is in ideal situations so it appears to work.  It is when individuals in that team are tested as in Jared’s case in the above example the integrity of a team comes through. Getting along when things are good is easy it is when they are not so good that a team is tested.  

Being Neutral

Being neutral is not a sign of weakness rather it is a sign of strength as Bruce Voigt explains https://www.thecareerguy.ca/episodes/serving-the-public-radio-broadcasting-to-real-estate-and-still-growing in his interview. Bruce worked in radio broadcasting for over 30 years.  This industry as he explains is known for its lack of empathy, as it is very competitive especially now with the infuse of technology.  He describes learning to deal with people by catering to them does not mean that we lower our standards. It is an opportunity to raise them by seeing other perspectives. Understanding what someone else is saying may open up other avenues or possibilities that may be able to solve issues or problems better, we don’t know it all.  This skill has helped him transition his career into being a relator where this is paramount.

Respect

Respecting people’s experiences is vital especially when starting as Paul McNeil explains https://www.thecareerguy.ca/episodes/a-passion-for-dinosaurs-working-as-a-paleontologist. Graduating from Queens University with a degree in Geophysical Engineering is not easy. It can be comforting to let our egos go and think we know it all. When Paul moved his career to Northern Alberta to work in the Oil Sands, he realized that he was alone in that his skills from his education would only carry him so far. He could remain humble and learn from the more experienced personnel which enabled him to prosper not only as an engineer but as a leader as well. 

Approachable

Dexter Martin is a photographer. Working with his clients is key to his successful photography business as he explains https://www.thecareerguy.ca/episodes/techy-artistic-and-personable. In his situation what people are looking for is a photographer that is approachable that makes them feel comfortable. Be friendly with others do not try to intimidate others as they will open up and, in his case, they will get better portraits which makes it a winning situation. 

Conclusion

I would like to add my personal experiences with associates, friends, and colleagues from work and podcasting. The people who can and do get along with others do better in the long run. This does not mean that we give into everything however, knowing how to alleviate arguments or in some cases just walking away from them is a skill. The key is not to take situations and other opinions personally.

Knowing our triggers based on our emotional intelligence is a quality that is not talked about much. However, it is an important skill that needs to be exercised regularly.  A good tip maybe what my thoughts are and how they make me behave would be a good start. There will always be someone else who does know more or comes from a different perspective. Understanding how to deal with these types of challenges will set us apart.  This is why being personable and being able to maintain relationships is the hardest thing to do and this is why it is so important.  Above all, we all work better in the team as we can share ideas and this helps us overcome hurdles. Thanks for reading this blog I hope it helps.