FSB Author Article
Why Soloists Get -- And Keep -- The Job
By Jonathan Littman,
Co-Author of I Hate People!: Kick Loose from the Overbearing and
Underhanded Jerks at Work and Get What You Want Out of Your Job
Nearly half a million Americans lost their jobs in June. Here's what you need to know: They were not Soloists.
Without knowing it they became the soft middle of every bloated enterprise, men and women who smile, try to please the boss and look to be team players. But companies are done with being accommodating because you're nice, finished with favoring those who just appear to work.
Employers are seeking people who can get stuff done. No BS. No hand holding. It's not a time for smiling.
Enter the Soloist. He's been here all along. The Soloist only attends meetings when absolutely necessary. Sticks to the agenda like a magnet. Has little time for office politics.
He's anything but the office curmudgeon. The Soloist is popular -- among those who pull their weight. He sees big teams for what they are: Outdated organizational models. Dead ends where mediocre employees try to hide their lack of productivity and talent. The Soloist attracts like-minded Soloists in Ensembles -- tight, focused anti-teams of 2 to 4 people. Making progress alone or with one or two ensembles is the heart of being a Soloist.
The Soloist knows the work of Maximilien Ringelmann, a French engineer who more than a century ago exposed the problems with big teams. Ringelmann had men pull on a rope. Surprise, surprise, three pulled only as hard as two and a half individuals, and eight didn't pull as hard as four working on their own.
The forces at play have come to be called coordination losses and "social loafing." That's why the Soloist minimizes his time spent on big teams and makes his mark through Ensembles, where everyone pulls and individual talents have leverage.
The gifted Soloist has a knack for skirting office sink holes. And not just big teams. They know that the greatest risks to their continued employment are the more than 70 interruptions a day that cripple productivity -- e-mails, phone calls, unannounced visits. The Soloist doesn't believe in interruptions. He only answers e-mails that pertain to his projects, specializing in single word or one line replies. He blocks off chunks of his day free from dealing with e-mails or calls. He makes critical progress by working directly with his Ensembles or solo.
The gifted Soloist also realizes some projects are better started -- if not finished -- alone. When office interruptions can't be avoided, he'll Island Hop, commandeering an empty office, meeting room, or Starbucks to get a critical leg up. And when the pressure is on he'll dig his cave, shutting his door or sending subtle and concrete signals that he's not to be interrupted. Body language works (if you look busy, you will stay busy). Headphones are amazingly effective, as is hanging a sign, "If it's not an emergency, e-mail me." Or actually saying it, "I'm Busy."
The Soloist doesn't say he's sorry. He's too busy working. He knows the company will keep him on if he keeps producing.
Sound too radical? Intel tried training employees to be more efficient about e-mail and interruptions. They even developed a software program that was supposed to help. But their "second generation" non-technical approach has been a lot more direct and effective: Two 4-hour quiet periods a week where workers shut themselves off from e-mail and phone communication.
Are you too polite to repel the human interruptions slicing hours off your day? Consider that one study found that the recovery time is almost as bad as the interruptions. Nearly half of all interruptions knock you off balance for five to fifteen minutes, meaning that your sailboat is bobbing about without any wind for large chunks of the day.
The Soloists doesn't take a poll, ask permission or call a meeting to reach a consensus. He plots a course through his day, finding the currents and winds that speed his journey. The Soloist sees every office interaction for what it is -- either an opportunity to contribute and demonstrate your value or a lost cause. He puts work above meeting etiquette, arrives as late as possible and leaves whenever he can. If this sounds risky, consider this fascinating discovery from a recent study. Over achievers hate meetings the most. It's the bottom rung of employees who love meetings.
Trying to play it safe is no longer smart in today's harsh economy. Your best chance at getting and keeping a job is to be a Soloist, ready to put work and your career ahead of all other distractions.
©2009 Jonathan Littman, co-author of I Hate People!: Kick Loose from the Overbearing and Underhanded Jerks at Work and Get What You Want Out of Your JobAuthor Bio
Jonathan
Littman is co-author with Marc Hershon of Little Brown's I Hate
People! and the business blog, IHatePeople.biz. A
contributing
editor at Playboy, he co-authored the Ten Faces of
Innovation and the
Art of Innovation.
For more information please visit www.IHatePeople.biz