The Enthusiast

Overview:
The Enthusiast is a well-liked, energetic individual who usually attains his position as a manager through his up-beat personality and expertise within a given area. His responsive, enthusiastic style is well suited for fast-paced environments where the manager plays the role of a team leader.

He is comfortable in environments where his key responsibility is to develop a harmonious, cohesive team who will be part of the decision-making process. He is less comfortable where he will have to take a tough stand with staff or take sole responsibility for high-risk or unpopular decisions.

Motivating:
The Enthusiast is passionate about his work and will share this passion with the team. With his high sense of urgency he will excel at keeping the team pumped but his enthusiasm for new ideas may result in the team's becoming unfocused.

His supportive people-oriented approach, combined with positive feedback, will make the team feel like he is definitely on their side. However, he may be reluctant to provide constructive criticism or deal with problem employees, which, over time, may result in his being taken advantage of.

Delegating:
The Enthusiast has a structured, by-the-rules approach to completing tasks and when delegating he will expect the i's dotted and t's crossed. He is reluctant to hand over total authority for a task and will want to keep involved in the day-to-day activities to ensure things are going according to plan.

His empathy, combined with a generally non-assertive nature makes him sensitive to the workloads of others and, if the task is a major one, he will get the buy-in of the people involved. His natural tendency to leave things to the last minute may place undue pressure on his staff, but his enthusiastic approach will generally keep the spirits up.

Dealing with Conflict:
The Enthusiast has a strong desire for harmony and, when dealing with conflict in the workplace, will be attuned to the emotional issues of parties involved. He will seek a compromise that is satisfactory for all concerned.

He has a tendency to get involved in the emotional side of issues and this may become stressful for him at times, hindering his ability to make objective decisions. Additionally, his desire to please, combined with his reluctance to challenge others, may result in difficulties keeping stronger personalities in check.

Decision-Making:
The Enthusiast is empathetic and will take the people factor into account when making decisions. He is risk-averse and will use past-precedent and team input prior to moving forward on issues. He advocates a "we're all in this together approach" to decision making.

His high sense of urgency combined with a cautious nature can send mixed messages to his staff and peers: his initial enthusiasm for an idea is often followed by hesitation to take the bold steps needed to push it through. This can lead to the impression of flip-flopping in the eyes of his team.

Developmental Recommendations:
To compensate for his generally non-assertive nature and reluctance to make "tough" decisions, he would be well-served by courses in...