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Susan M. Heathfield

Value Our Differences

By , About.com GuideOctober 7, 2011

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Do you think about the differences between people? I do. Some jump into new situations and technology. Others, like me, read the directions, think about it, and make a plan.

I am rarely the first done with anything because I am still planning when the "jump right in" folks cross the finish line. This is why it is so important to choose the right career for yourself that plays on and emphasizes your strengths, not your weaknesses. Great managers know this rule when leading people, too.

In addition to each of us having a different approach to work, we also operate on different clocks. Some are morning people and some are night people. I'm a night person - always have been and always will be. I can even remember reading under the covers with a flashlight after my mother said lights out during elementary school and high school years.

All through college and for years after, I worked nights in restaurants: waitressing, bartending, cooking, and managing dining rooms. We finished every evening with a 3 a.m. breakfast at a local all-night restaurant. And, many of those mornings, I had to show up an hour away to teach school at 7:30 a.m. I was never late, but I think of those years of early mornings as the "cruel" years. I have to also admit that I have had to show up much earlier for consulting engagements, but somehow early mornings by choice feel a bit better.

I've created a couple of polls to compare our diverse habits. Are you a thinker/planner or a doer? Are you a night person or a morning person? There are no correct answers, just expected personal differences.

Read more about careers in Human Resources including job prospects, salaries, and how to get into the field.

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Comments
October 10, 2009 at 8:42 am
(1) M. L'Etoile says:

There’s a momentary pause, when I try to see when would be best to start, and if not immediately, then how long I have to plan.

Both, it’s pretty even. I like midday naps, so it’s easier.

October 12, 2009 at 10:37 am
(2) Linda says:

When it comes to events, I’m a planner. I like to know beforehand what’s going to happen, and when. For tasks, though, I jump right in and figure it out as I go.

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