Allison Mooney - Pressing the Right Buttons: People Skills for Business Success

Fog-bound at the airport personality types in action

Imagine a cold winters day at the airport, the fog slowly rolling in. In one of the many frequent-flyer lounges, an announcement over the PA brings everyone to a standstill. Ladies and gentlemen, the airport is now closed due to fog, and all aircraft are grounded. We apologise for any inconvenience caused. A further announcement will be made as soon we get an update on weather conditions.

This was a regular occurrence in my role as a manager of one of these frequent-flyer lounges. No two days were ever the same, and we always had passengers who added extra flavour and colour.

Its easy to visualise the pandemonium that follows one such announcement and how different people react to it. Lets go there for a moment

The most noticeable person is an attractive, very flamboyant lady, her clothes screaming look at me, look at me!. Its an outfit you couldnt help but notice, completed by dangly earrings, matching necklace, perfectly applied make-up and eye-catching matching shoes. She limps as she walks because those shoes dont necessarily fit, but she is such a package that it is obvious she is not about to complain about them. No shoe is too small when fashion is involved!

As she reaches down to her handbag to answer her cellphone, you cant help notice the tattoo, positioned in a conspicuous place: a happy little logo, nothing dark or devious, that would bring a smile to anyones face. It seems to be there solely as a conversation starter.

Her handbag is open, spilling with copious amounts of stuff things like plasters, paper clips, insulation tape, a bountiful selection of pens, a rotten apple core (mouldy), a knife and a couple of toothbrushes, phone numbers written on serviettes and scraps of paper, belonging to long-lost friends that she has yet to ring. Her wallet is another story, bulging with receipts, old concert tickets, speeding tickets yet to be paid. The handbag describes her to a T open but only because its so over-full that it cant close.

Her well-manicured hands, decked out with jewellery that demands compliments, move continuously as she speaks. In fact, even if you taped up her mouth, you could still understand her message through all the gesturing and animation.

She is a warm, friendly soul, smiling at everyone, and loud with it. Her voice has lots of inflection and variety of pitch, to the point of nearly singing. You can hear her above everyone else. But what is most notable about her is her ability to initiate contact with people. She is fascinating to observe, giving a free lesson in the art of networking, speaking with ease despite all the commotion, whether people are listening or not. Despite the setback, its obvious that shes in top form: not the least bit concerned who is approving or disapproving, nor about her next plan, but interested in the new friends she might meet because of the disruption.

As an airline staff member passes her, she suggests he might like to open the bar even though its only 7 a.m. Obligingly, he puts on the light, fills the jugs with iced water and without words opens his arms to indicate go for it.

Our standout takes her cue, rising quickly and abandoning her handbag on the seat. She quickly joins the others who are heading in the same direction, carrying a handful of business cards, ready to form new relationships. It seems a natural course of action to initiate contact with all those who have the same idea. Her mouth never stops moving from the moment she is in earshot of anyone prepared to listen.

Another group of people also catches the eye, a mixture of men and women who have a strong, commanding presence. They congregate at the service desk, demanding immediate attention, in unison or over each other, their fists are hitting the counter, their eyes moving quickly and necks turning red. Flashing their gold elite member cards, they are insisting they get priority attention and be moved to the front of the queue, expecting immediate recognition and favours. Their authoritative voices turn heads. Power and prestige radiate from them.

The airline staff member being confronted looks grateful for the protection the desk provides as she tries desperately to recall the last customer service conflict resolution course she has been on. You can see her muttering under her breath words like nodding, listening, eye contact, show empathy and engagement as they all talk over each other, not even aware of her lips moving. They point their index fingers right at her. Their body language speaking louder than their words: pursed lips, puffing chest, pacing back and forth, at the same time speaking in a tone that would send most people scurrying for the nearest exit.

When is the fog going to lift? (As if the poor staff member knows!)

I have a meeting to take, a very important meeting!

What are you going to do for us?

I havent time to sit around here!

How long does it take to drive to ?

Doesnt this card stand for anything?

This group, while making unreasonable demands of the poor airline staff member, are also talking into their phones, doing business. Very rarely are the words please or thank you mentioned. Comments like Incompetence!, I dont have the luxury of spare time, Im stuck at the airport, I am too busy to have this happen! and I am interested to see what the airline is going to do about this mess convey a sense of importance to those surrounding them.

Its interesting to see that these types, when they shoot from the mouth and give orders, seem to get what they want probably because those who they are talking at want to get rid of them as quickly as possible!

Moving from the high-tension situation at the service desk which looks more like a stock exchange with tickets, voices and arms jostling for position to the other end of the lounge, a more unobtrusive group is forming. These people are searching for a quiet area, a mobile-free zone. They are definitely not sitting together, but moving as far away from the noise as they can possibly get.

These are impeccably dressed types, with high-tech accessories. The women look as if they are straight out of Vogue magazine, with straight bob haircuts and dark, well-made suits. The men have hair so manicured it looks as if it is kept together with hairspray and starch. They look ready to step out on the Armani catwalk. Nothing is out of place for these very controlled, formal, well-mannered types. As they get up out of their chairs, they dust their clothes and adjust them, from ties and cufflinks to socks, checking to make sure everything is presentable.

Their laptops are open on the tables, and they are intent on checking their diaries, palmtops, tablets, voicemail etc. Everything they carry is state of the art. Displayed on the screens of their PCs are two lists, one highlighted in red and one in black: Plan A and Plan B.

Its not the words that are said, but the quiet muttering under their breath, the tsking, the sighing, the shaking their heads in exasperation, that shows what they might be feeling. Their purposeful body language is easier to read than what they have to say. It is evident that they are not pleased about this interruption to their day.

When an airline staff member approaches one of them, the conversation as she hands him his ticket is intriguing to say the least. This passenger asks so many questions. Every time the airline employee attempts to move away, he says, Oh, by the way Its as if he is dumping all the data that is on his mind onto her, as he is forced to rearrange his schedule. He adopts a more calculating face, showing signs of concern, as he sits back down and revisits his thoughts, processing them then updating his mind.

This is in direct contrast to the group over at the bar, who seem to have abandoned any thought about getting to the next destination. Theyre sharing stories about the last time this happened to them and all that went on, embroidering the conversation with anecdotes about lifes little disasters. You can see these people are enjoying themselves as they explode into great belly laughs, encouraging others to join them by searching for someone giving them eye contact. Some have arms around each others shoulders, giving reassuring hugs, within moments of making a connection. Theyre obviously there to have fun and arent the slightest bit interested in leaving such a fascinating group of people, or the lovely place in which they have to wait it out. The impeccably dressed formal types are watching in disbelief.