Are You a Jerk?



We've all worked with them at some point. Loud-mouthed, over-demanding people with whom no one wants to work long term. Pests who take all the credit for other people's ideas. What if I told you that these people most likely are completely unaware of their behavior?!



Ben Saltzman of www.createyourvision.com says the key is to get such people to see how they are affecting other people around them. One of the best ways to do this is to ask colleagues. Some people may be too polite to tell you or simply wish to avoid confrontation. Ask your friends and co-workers "what is the image I've created at work?" Ask for direct feedback.



How do you fix the rumors and impressions already in circulation, you ask? Simple. Start a new rumor! Ben suggests starting a campaign within your organization. Get people talking about you. For example, enlist your co-workers to tell the boss about your success in a recent project.



Ben and I also talked briefly about people who may have difficulty influencing others. This is usually due to being afraid of something - of what? Why? Most likely the first answer is "I don't know." Ben uses the Enneagram, a personality system, to find the underlying why. Its purpose is also to find your hidden decision-making processes. Why do we do what we do? The Enneagram features 9 different belief structures.



The more self-knowledge you have, the more likely you are to eliminate limiting beliefs and behaviors, right? :)



If you'd like more information on the Enneagram, Ben has a couple of free trainings. One of them is How to use the Enneagram in Your Life, which can be found at www.createyourvision.com. Transformational Coaching Audio Training can be found at www.enneagramcoachtraining.com.

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