A handful of years ago random Facebook surveys were all the rage. “Which Disney princess are you?…Which Hunger Games character are you?”, etc. While quizzes like these are mostly in good fun, they also can reveal some truth about the personality of the survey participant. In a more serious realm, tests like those of the Enneagram and the Working Genius also shed light regarding how each person best works and functions with other people. 

Whether in the professional realm or just for entertainment, there’s something enjoyable about answering questions that show truths about our nature. It’s also revealing to gain key insights into how the people around us think. In the end, these types of quizzes help us evaluate and understand both ourselves and others. 

Stephen Schwarzman is the CEO of the Blackstone Group, a global private equity firm he established 40 years ago. His net worth is estimated to be between around $40 billion. Over the years, Schwarzman has shared numerous thought provoking ideas around business, entrepreneurship, and more. A few years back I read a short list from S.S. that I now use to evaluate myself and others in my orbit!

4 Types of Employees

Schwarzman proposes that there are 4 types of people…that, for all intents and purposes, every single person in the workplace can be placed into one of 4 categories:

• 7s- Serviceable, but must always have supervision. These people can produce, but they put unnecessary strain on both their managers and coworkers. They force managers to use MORE time and energy than should be required to get them to complete their work on time and up to standard. They do not give their best effort. They are not making their organization better. If they were to be fired, someone better could most likely be hired to replace them.
• 8s- Do what they’re told. These people can also produce, and what they need is clear direction from their leader. Clear processes, step-by-step guides, ongoing feedback…give them the tools and they will do what is asked of them. They do not go above and beyond, but they add real value by being consistent and predictable. In reality I’m not sure that “America runs on Dunkin”, but it does run on the shoulders of these 8s across organizations everywhere. Having enough of these people can be the difference between success and failure.
• 9s- Clever, hardworking, can produce with communication from a leader. These people produce tremendous results, and they do it by following the vision of the person above them. Point them in the right direction, and they will spread their wings and fly. They look ahead and take action to neutralize problems before they pop up. 9s find ways to constantly innovate and to streamline processes, and they can take their organizations from good to great!
• 10s- Sense danger, feel opportunity, hire, inspire loyalty, nice, build/accelerate growth. These people are current and future leaders who are at the very top of their organizations. They are out at the very front with everyone following behind, and they self-manage and lead in every function. They have God-given ability and possess high levels of leadership IQ. 10s hold an innate ability to know what can make AND break their organizations, and they act to capitalize on the former and avoid the latter. People want to be part of whatever they lead, and because of this their results accelerate year after year. Without 10s, the other three groups would not be able to function effectively. Some organizations do not have any 10s, and because of this they shrink and eventually die.  

You will notice that Schwarzman doesn’t include 6s. These are the people who physically show up to work but don’t actually show up TO WORK. They are some mixture of lazy, selfish, unmotivated, dramatic, and short-sighted. 6s must be avoided at all costs. Being able to spot the difference between 6s, 7s, and 8s is what sets elite talent managers apart from mediocre ones.

In Closing

Which group are you in? Which group are your employees/coworkers/bosses in? Is your team one that is set up to WIN at a high level of consistency for a long time? If not, what action would have to be taken to have MORE 8s and 9s and LESS 6s and 7s? Does your organization have one or more 10s?