Stakeholder Types: Self-Proponents
Psychologists Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow had major influence in popularizing the idea of self-concept in the west. According to Rogers, everyone strives to reach an ideal self. Rogers also hypothesized that psychologically healthy people actively move away from roles created by others' expectations, and instead look within themselves for validation. On the other hand, neurotic people have self-concepts that do not match their experiences. They are afraid to accept their own experiences as valid, so they distort them, either to protect themselves or to win approval from others.
What defines a self-proponent stakeholder?
A self-proponent is someone who consistently promotes themselves, dominates conversations with monologues, and seeks to be the center of attention visually, verbally, and in communication.
How do self-proponents behave in group settings?
They tend to avoid dialogue, speak at length without pause, position themselves as saviors, and may take credit for colleagues' ideas.
How should you challenge a self-proponent without direct confrontation?
Use diplomatic naivety, such as asking them to clarify or explain further. This approach can expose inconsistencies without triggering a defensive reaction.
Why do self-proponents create conflict in the workplace?
Their tendency to dominate, claim others' ideas, and seek constant recognition regularly causes friction, particularly with introverted colleagues who prefer collaborative, low-profile work.
What should consultants do when a self-proponent takes credit for someone else's idea?
Document and clearly demonstrate the origin of the idea. Failing to do so risks reputational damage for the original contributor.
Self-proponents are convinced of themselves, are constantly present and are anxious to put themselves in the best light possible. They are self-initiated programs in themselves. You should be prepared for an extremely powerful ego. For one, self-proponents have a single purpose - promote themselves at any rate. Self-advocacy is the professional approach towards speaking about yourself and communicating your worth. Self-advocacy is a trait that comes naturally to self-proponents. Consequently, they take self-advocacy to a whole new level.
Characteristics
Undoubtedly, they are consummate self-effacing artists like no other office character. They try to make every situation their own stage and endeavor to place themselves at the center of the attention. They achieve this at different levels:
- Visual
- Acoustic
- Communication
Visual
Colleagues who belong to this group attach great importance to their appearance. After all, it is their frame of reference through which they perceive others. That self-proponents are purely visual is not only due to their dressing styles or general appearance. But, they also exude self-confidence. They have such great egos that influence their posture.
Acoustic
They are also vociferous to stand out among the crowd. Clear, distinct pronunciation with an above-average volume are markedly key personality attributes of this personality type.
Communication
Self-proponents never shy away from conversations with their colleagues. In general, self-proponents are good conversationalists. However, they like to be in the center, avoid dialogues and lead monologues. Self-proponents can speak without commas & full stops. They are always anxious to appear as saviors. At a result, conflicts could potentially occur between self-proponents and their colleagues.
How to deal with them?
Introverts who prefer to work alone in the background have difficulties collaborating with self-proponents. If you want to deal with self-proponent personalities, do not take everything they say at face value. Therefore, listen attentively and look out for potential errors or inconsistencies. Use diplomacy and challenge a self-proponent by exhibiting naivety:
Can you explain this more precisely? I think I have not quite understood it yet?
Sometimes, such diplomacy exposes a self-proponent as hot air. Do not directly confront self-proponents. But, if you must, be constructive and objective in your critique and arguments with self-proponents. Try not counter the self-proponent with confidence and an artificial extroversion. Such behaviors will only further arouse them and the actual intervention becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy. For this reason, consultants should always try to keep self-proponents away from introverts as possible. Think carefully about the topic of your discussions with client stakeholders of this personality type. Most self-proponents have no scruples to pass on ingenious ideas from their colleagues as their own. Unfortunately, such politics is the order of business in many client organizations and regularly causes conflicts. During such scenarios, you should clearly prove that the idea that the self-proponent stole is actually yours. Else, you should be prepared to live the consequence and possible, a loss of image and your reputation.
As a person faces different situations and new challenges in his life, his insight towards himself may constantly change depending on the way he responds to such life changes. We see things depending on our self-concept. We behave according to how we see ourselves in a situation. Therefore, self-proponent is in a continuous development phase wherein we need to let go of the things and ideas that are not congruent and hold on to those that we think are helpful in building a more favorable perception.
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Stakeholder Types: Self-Proponents
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