Career Advice - Opposites at Work

How Opposites Can Successfully Work Together

By
Relationship Advice Expert April Masini

I just got hired to manage a new team at work. I'm really excited except for the fact that my co-manager is completely my opposite as far managing style goes. I really like him as a person and we get along; I'm just worried our work styles and idea are going to clash too much. Do you have any advice for how we can make our opposite styles work well together?

Sincerely,

Opposites Attract at Work

Dear Opposites Attract at Work,

One of the biggest obstacles to job retention is office dynamics, and opposites at work can lead to creative opportunities or miscommunication, fights, and job losses. Here are some tips for dynamics at work when opposites work together:

Opposites can make wonderful managers and bosses if they are compatible in their values and overall goals.

The problems with opposites are:

* Opposite styles and rigidity about compromise.

* Opposite styles and lack of appreciation of other styles.

* Focus on micro-management instead of overall goals.

The beauty, however, of having opposite styles of running a company is that within a company are employees with all kinds of styles, and if they have two different managers or owners who can mentor and appreciate them, the chance of employees feeling successful at their work, and being successful at their work, is great. There is no greater expression of team work.

The trick to making opposite styles work is:

* Open-mindedness about different ways to meet goals.

* Appreciation of various ways to meet a goal.

* Focus on the goal and not the micro-management.

April Masini -- nicknamed "the new millennium's Dear Abby" by the media, is author of the best-selling books Date Out Of Your League and Think & Date Like A Man, the two (just released) step-by-step dating and relationship manuals, Ideas for a Fun Date and Romantic Date Ideas, and the critically acclaimed dating and relationship online magazine www.AskApril.com.

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