Butler Brian and 10 other character traps I’ve fallen into

Since the start of my career in consultancy I’ve worked for a variety of clients, meeting many different characters along the way. From everyone I’ve interacted with, I’ve learned a lot… even if it was just to test my own patience ;-)

Throughout this journey I’ve made many mistakes, but fortunately I also learned about the below mindsets that increased my productivity.

Productivity is not about efficiency.

Productivity it is about being effective – doing the RIGHT things on a consistent basis.

Knowledge is important, but attitude is crucial.

If you want to become more productive, read on and don’t fall into the trap of behaving like Butler Brian.

1) People don’t know – don’t blame them. Ideate!

When I started my career, I thought: now the serious stuff begins. The multinationals with all its knowledgeable people. I was curious and my expectations skyrocketed.

Oh boy, it was so different. Managers keeping a straight face while it’s clear they are in the dark. Senior Managers steering a team with limited domain expertise. Directors making decisions based on analyses fluffier than cotton candy. What a surprise to me.

This is not a disapproval of the companies I’ve worked with. Rather, it is a critical look at my past blaming behavior. People don’t know everything, and that’s perfectly normal. The vital question is: how do you deal with it as an employee?

Don’t be Gossip Gabriel. Don’t blame others for not knowing stuff. Don’t focus on what is lacking. Spend your energy wisely and come up with ideas to improve the situation.

2) Solve the problems of your manager

Find out what are the concerns of your manager. Think proactively: how can you help him/her?

By proactively taking away obstacles and creating value for your manager, you are crafting a path of new opportunities for yourself.

Don’t be Apathetic Arnold.

3) Meaningful Meetings

For every meeting invite, ask yourself two questions:

• Can I bring significant value to others in this meeting?
• Does this meeting help me significantly closer to my own goals?

If the answer is ‘No’ to both questions, then don’t attend the meeting.

When I started asking about my role in each meeting, I was astonished to find out that my participation wasn’t necessary in the majority of the meetings. Suddenly, the gate to productivity heaven opened. There it was: t-i-m-e.

Don’t blindly attend every meeting you are invited to.

Don’t be Aimless Aida.

4) Made a mistake? Own up to it yourself.

Don’t be Cover-up Christina.

Bringing up your own mistakes creates immense trust. This is especially crucial in cases where people are unlikely to find out about that mistake.

Also, don’t forget to bring a solution: see Butler Brian.

5) Don’t get lost in the Outlook jungle

Don’t let your inbox set your priorities.

Before you do anything else, write down your most important tasks for the day. These will ground you in case of unexpected meetings and make it easier to set expectations with others. OneNote, Word, or an old-school written piece of paper will do. Find out what works for you.

In the beginning of my career I was focused on clearing my inbox, rather than coming up with ideas to improve the business.

I was terrible.

• Work is not about answering emails.
• Work is about bringing value.
• How can YOU become more valuable?

Don’t get lost in the Outlook jungle.

Take a liana and swing like Tarzan to the higher priority tasks.

Don’t be Distracted Dimitri.

?6) Connect with others and build valuable relationships

People often behave differently in a professional setting compared to their personal life. Why?

Business is about personal relationships – people connecting with people. Many people wear a metaphorical mask every weekday, pretending to be people that they aren’t. Counting down for the weekend, so they can finally get their life back.

Be genuine, and talk to a colleague like you would with a friend outside of the office.

Don’t be Fake Fiona.

7) Build a reputation

Build your personal brand. Make sure that people know what you can offer them. Your colleagues should be aware of your strengths and understand how you deliver and add value in the company.

This is instrumental for getting the opportunities that will propel you towards your career vision.

Don’t be Unknown Ursula.

8) Don’t be perfectionistic

Work is never done. Think about the value of the last 5% of an activity. How much time does it cost you? And how much value does it really bring? Evaluation of these two questions often leads to one simple answer: move on to your next activity.

Don’t be Perfectionistic Peter.

9) Wish the best for others

Always celebrate, even if you don’t win. Have an abundance mindset. If you were the one deserving of the promotion, take a step back and reflect on what you could’ve done better to ensure you won’t miss it next time. Be aware that you are the only person responsible for the way you deal with the situation.

Don’t be Jealous Jenny.

10) If you present a problem, always come with a solution.

Don’t be Butler Brian who delivers the problems on a silver plate. 

Be the guy who brings the silverware to cut the problem into pieces.

11) Make decisions. Make them quick.

Business is not science; don’t wait until you will have 100% certainty. Cause you will wait forever.

As Theodore Roosevelt said beautifully:

“In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.”

Don’t be Indecisive Ishmael.

I wish I was Godlike Gilbert so I would never take any of these roles. However, of course I am guilty of behaving like these characters every now and then. I am especially prone to falling into the trap of Indecisive Ishmael.

Be honest with yourself.

Which character trap do you fall into most often?

Let me know in the comments.

?My name is Gilbert Eijkelenboom and I work as a consultant and trainer for Capgemini. I believe that by growing a little every day, you can drastically improve your relationships and performance at work.

In a series of articles I share my experiences and struggles. My goal is to inspire one person a day to take action towards a personal goal.

I enjoy writing about human behavior and personal development. If you are interested in reading more, see below for my other articles:

• Tiny choices. Immense impact.
• How to steer Mondays from Miserable to Magnificent
• Five career lessons I've learned as a professional poker player
• Productivity and the price of peanut butter
• How I took fear's hand and let it guide me