A sizable segment of successful project managers thrive on resolving chaos, solving problems, accepting the high fives, and moving on to the next threat that guarantees more thrills. Their approach is future-centered; they have a clear vision of the completed project, and how to go about getting there. They’re Type Cs.
Think of that cinema epic, “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.” Butch and Sundance keep asking the question, “Who are those guys? Really, just who are those guys?” — referring to the elite posse dispatched to pursue them, as they peer out over the prairie and see the dust cloud of the posse hot on their heels. Well, “those guys,” that posse, are known as Type C guys.
We’ve all heard of Type A personalities. Type A behavior is classically defined as an emotional response brought on by stress. It’s believed to have its roots in Western cultural values that reward people who can produce with great amounts of speed, efficiency, and aggression. This type of behavior involves traits such as impatience, a sense of urgency, and the desire to achieve recognition and advancement. Type A people have an extreme awareness of time and therefore walk, eat, and perform most tasks quickly. They also tend to have traits such as facial tension, rapid speech and tongue and teeth clicking.