Some people are planners. They like to come up with a game plan and get things done in advance. Others are procrastinators. There's always tomorrow and they're more than happy to push things off until then. In fact, some people truly believe that they work better under pressure, or so they say. If you have a few employees, chances are you have one or more of these people on your staff. So, how do you manage the different personality types and keep your business running successfully? Keep reading for some tips and to learn how Stockpile easy inventory management solution can help.
The Planners
Those people who love to plan are very organized. They like their charts, graphs, timelines, etc. Before they start any project they want to see a calendar and gather information about various other things going on within the company so that they can account for those factors as well. They may seem like ideal employees, but if they overthink everything they can actually slow your progress down. They do typically strive to get things done in advance so it's unlikely you'll actually miss a deadline, but they may stress other people out with their approach.
The Procrastinators
Procrastinators drive planners crazy. The planners want to get things done but the procrastinators always have an excuse to avoid getting started. If you two strong willed employees on opposing sides of the spectrum, they are going to butt heads when working on a project together. Often procrastinators take a more relaxed approach to work. They aren't worried about things getting done on time. Whether they believe that they can get it done last minute or are just unconcerned about potentially missing a deadline, they aren't stressed about their lack of progress.
Our first tip is to avoid putting these two extremes on the same project if at all possible. It might seem like a good idea to have a planner to push the procrastinator, but in reality they will probably drive each other crazy. At some point things will come to a head and you or other employees will be pulled in to sort things out. If the conflict becomes too heated the stress of trying to complete the project could damage the relationship between the two employees. In extreme cases, it could even spill over to affect other employees who felt the need to take sides. Play to your employees' strengths. Assign the low stress project to the procrastinator who will get it done without getting all worked up about it. Let the planner take the high profile project that needs to be done in a timely manner. If they have free rein to plan and execute the tasks involved they may be happier in the long run, even if they have to do the majority of the work themselves.
Planners are prone to stress. They tend to set unrealistic goals because they want to move deadlines up so that can complete tasks ahead of schedule. Remind these employees that the deadlines they have set for themselves are completely flexible and it's okay if they push the timeline back a bit to reduce their stress level. Encourage them to ask for help when they need it.
Procrastinators have no problem staying relaxed, it's getting things done right and on time that they struggle with. Set periodic checks to be sure that they are on track to get the project done on time. Encourage them to break it up into smaller pieces instead of waiting to the last minute to even get started. When someone is rushed and trying to do too much in a hurry they are more likely to make mistakes. Mistakes can be costly, especially for a small business. You can't afford to lose sales and customers because someone didn't take the time to do their job correctly. If you know that you have a staff member who always wait until the last minute to get things done, consider giving them an earlier deadline. That way you'll have time to double check their work and make any necessary corrections before the actual deadline.
Eliminate Inventory Headaches with Stockpile Easy Inventory Management Solution
Another way to help out your procrastinators and planners is by using Stockpile. Stockpile easy inventory management solution is fully customizable so you can add the fields that work best for your business. Adding items is quick and easy and once you have item records you'll have a handle on your inventory like never before. Thanks to areas and locations you'll be able to pinpoint where items are stored. Why waste time searching for misplaced or out of stock items? With Stockpile easy inventory management solution you'll always know what you have and where you have it. Plus, Stockpile is mobile compatible so you can access your data anytime from anywhere. Stockpile saves you time and money and gives all of your employees the opportunity to focus on other critical business functions. Try Stockpile today!
