It’s in human nature to categorize things or humans. It’s a system that we as humans developed, to help most of us process people’s actions. We create a process that is quicker and easier. Every sourcer you meet; you’ll try to put them into some group. I believe each sourcer is unique, and most workplace tends to a categorize sourcers based on characteristics. So, let’s look inside our box of chocolates, see what kind of flavors we might discover. Of course, my box of chocolates is a small size; I am sure some may have bigger boxes.
The silent sourcer, you know that individual that’s always in their cubical, doing their thing, rarely talks to anyone. When they speak, it’s like you woke up a turtle from their hibernation, and no one knows how to react. If they talk, you know something terrible has happened.
The moody snooty sourcer, dealing with this individual is like playing roulette. You never know what you’re going to get. They’re happy in one moment, mad at other moments, and then crying in some corner. When they’re in a good mood, they’re delightful to be around. However, when it rains, it pours and not just in Seattle.
The dream crusher sourcer, so you come up with a great idea, you’re all excited about it, and then, the other sourcer loves to crush dreams. “It’ll never work out” is one of the favorite phrases of this sourcer. If it does indeed work out, they have a follow up “It only happened because …” At first, you’re not sure if they’re just pessimistic or dislike you. Then you see them doing that to everyone, and then everything’s clear. Also, sarcasm is their native language. I say, cover them with kindness, it will freak them out.
Awe, yes the sourcer companion, when you’re the new person at work, these people make your life easier. They come up to you and talk to you, so you don’t have to put that much effort in. They’re likable, but can sometimes be over the top. They are experts in water cooler chats as well as known to be the office buddy system creator.
The “It’s none of my business” sourcer, this person is here to do their job, and their job only. If you’re having some troubles and need some help, this is the last person you’ll want to talk to. They don’t care about the company overall; they’re just here do to their part and pack their bags at the end of the day. I think when you encounter a sourcer like this, you want to observe, but keep your distance, this person could bring you down and may not even know it. You can respect them, but don’t take anything personally. They, want to focus on their work and beat feet. Although, I wonder how long does that last and if so, I haven’t met them yet.
The slacker sourcer, this person thrives on doing the least possible every single day. They’re just looking for a way to wiggle their way out of a task, and everyone hates doing group projects with them, trust me, I have worked with some in the past, and I didn’t like it. No one even knows what is their role, because they never do anything and soon the veil is lifted, and they end up leaving and not be a good fit all on their own. Think of that one piece of candy in your box of chocolates, and you want to ask why and tend to throw it out because it just didn’t make sense.
The hard worker sourcer, this person is the complete opposite of the slacker sourcer. This person is here to do the work, and they’re always up and running, I tend to think of having several “Franco Espresso” chocolates, but one too many. They still have some new ideas, send work emails even after work. If they’re not working in the office, they’re doing it from home. Their career is what matters to them the most, however, try to help them to create a mindful and lead with good intentions. These people, I tend to try to settle them down a bit, but love their passion.
The motivator sourcer (me) this person is always excited about everything. They love the mornings because they just had their “4 shots of blonde espresso”, looking at each day with the thought of full of opportunities. They are always there for you and want to keep your spirits up, even when the expectations are high. Even when the ship has sunk, they’re singing the old “Dory theme song “just keep swimming, and cheering you on… YOU CAN DO IT!
The responsible sourcer, this person is the ‘parent’ of the team, and nope I am not talking “manager type” either. When you have something serious to discuss, you talk to them because you know they will keep it confidential and provide ideas or is an excellent listener. This sourcer is the one who volunteers to speak to the team manager because they have a sense of calmness, knowledge, etc.
The boss’s pet sourcer, among all the types of colleagues you’ll encounter, we can’t avoid identifying this individual. This individual is here only to impress the manager. We all have one or even two, they will take over your credits, always have shameless compliments for the manager, and still be the most significant tattle tail. I would say these are the kind of dark chocolate with “hot peppers” infused and tends to be that one who is offering it to you, to see if you can handle it. You don’t have to do much with this individual; I would suggest to keep it professional, work with them, stand your ground. Eventually, true flavors come out regardless of how great the “dark chocolate” is.
Look, there is all kind of personalities in the workspace, we have to understand how to get along, communicate, and realize that with every box of chocolates, there is a piece of candy for everyone.