Diversity of Thinking Styles- A case study
Consider diversity of thinking patterns first
I was recently having a client conversation and the dentist concerned was telling me about a team member whose cv showed they changed jobs every 2-3 years, and their pre- 1-2-1 questionnaire contained many things that they were unhappy with. The dentist wanted to know how to approach this, the nurse seemed unhappy, to have itchy feet and the dentist is concerned that they would leave, and the recruitment cycle starts again, with all the disruption to the team and expense in time and money involved, could this be averted?
As a caveat I have not seen the questionnaire, I don’t know If the complaints are valid feedback,( knowing my client I suspect not.) Nor have I have not completed a detailed profile yet.
I would like to use this as an opportunity to discuss thinking pattern diversity and how It determines behaviour at an unconscious level.
Thinking pattern diversity may be new to you and I know you won’t have been taught It at dental school. Yet It Is Important to recognise how people think differently as Individuals, and how that determines, mindset, behaviour, and language patterns, all of which can be decoded.
When looking at think pattern diversity, I focus on thirteen thinking styles and today I want to focus on just two, attitudes to change and difference.
There are no right or wrong thinking patterns only patterns that serve or sabotage you. thinking patterns are also context specific so a pattern you have at work, may not be the same as at home. When building a team because each thinking pattern profile has Its light and shadow a high performing team will have a balance of different thinking styles.
Change thinking.
An Individuals attitude to change Is calibrated on a linear scale. at one end is stability, the other end Is revolution and mid-way is development. As I describe the characteristics, consider where you are on that line In the context of work.
Stability
Are motivated when things stay the same.
Don’t like change.
Provoke major change every 15-25 years.
Predictability, constancy, stability
Development
Motivated by evolution.
Like gradual change.
Provoke major change about every 5-7 years.
Development, Improvement, better.
Transformation
Are motivated by radical change.
Love fast and constant change.
Provoke major change every 1-2 years.
Revolution, different, new
Difference Thinking
Different thinking is also on a longitudinal scale and different people sit in different places. At one end are those who like to find what matches at the other those who notice the mis matches, and there is a blend inbetween. consider where you are in the context of work.
Match
Notice what Is good.
Notices how things are similar.
What fits.
Overlook mistakes.
Rose tinted spectacles.
Good, same, commonalities.
Mismatch
Notices what Is wrong.
Notices how things are different.
What does not fit.
Overlook what Is working.
Constant fault finder- never happy
Bad, different, missing.
To demonstrate differences here are examples of the patterns of four practice owners for change and matching. Notice how they vary.
How practice owners think differently
So back to our nurse what do the thinking styles help us?
From the Information provided we can make an Informed judgement that the nurses thinking style at work is transformation and mismatch.
So, what can the dentist do?
Knowing that the nurse likes significant change every 1-2 years, If they want the nurse to stay, they will need to ensure that there is a career pathway, significant role change or some other way that the nurse feels that change Is happening In the 1–2-year time frame. If change Is not an opportunity at the practice or It does not happen fast enough the nurse will leave because It Is In their make-up. Profiling the nurse and showing them their thinking styles may help them recognise patterns that sabotage them and give them an opportunity to develop less radical approach to change.
Feedback on the mismatching can be harnessed to improve the practice. The nurse can also be encouraged to be conscious of their pattern and coached to focus on what Is good, matches and what is working well.
Team thinking patterns.
It Is a valuable team exercise for the practice to complete Individual thinking pattern analysis, because this will help the team understand themselves and their colleagues better. You will be able to Identify and prevent potential sources of conflict, and create a team that gels, functioning more effectively and efficiently.
Team thinking and recruitment.
Imagine the dentist had completed the thinking pattern analysis and knew up front that the candidate wanted to change every 1-2 years and was going to provide feedback that could be perceived as highly critical only pointing out what was wrong. They could make Informed decisions, knowing what patterns were already represented In the team, what the strengths and weaknesses would be and whether the nurse would be a long-term team member or not.
Team thinking analysis Is a powerful tool that can enhance your recruitment and your teamwork.
