Posted by Ilmar on November 23, 1998 at 10:30:05:
In Reply to: Re: Threes. (TITANIC Revisited) posted by Derf on November 22, 1998 at 11:42:05:
: When I think of "workaholics," I think of the space between 1 and 2.
Ones can be workaholics. The difference is that Ones try to do one thing really well and Threes
try to do lots of things very fast. (Which is why Ones tend to think that Threes take it easy.)
But you're right to mention Twos. Threes can be understood as a variant on Twos compulsive
helping, or as a variant on Fours lack of self-esteem.
: Consider this: say you're an entranced Three, and a great inventor offered to let you flaunt the work he did.
I imagine the Three would either:
A) take the credit and move onto another project or
B) promote and sell the invention like mad.
If the agreement prevented the Three from doing either of those things, the Three would cheat and do them.
: Entranced Threes are much better at flaunting themselves than doing actual work.
They're much better at doing work that is publicly visible and has concrete results than useful productive
work. An Unhealthy Three would quite happily say 'I have represented the company at twenty-one separate
events this last week' even if no benefit resulted to the company. But he'd have worked flat out to get
to those twenty-one useless events.
: Most entranced Threes would rather cut corners, take responsibility for achievements they delegated to others... and enjoy the applause. They're not workaholics. They're just vain.
Threes certainly cut corners to get things done, certainly take credit for acheivements that they
delegated (so they could move onto something else) etc.
But stick around to enjoy the applause? If you stick around, they'll notice you're a fake. Achieve
something else to distract them. (Unhealthy behaviour is self-defeating.)
Threes believe they are what they do. If they stop doing, they're nothing.
You're partly right, Threes are vain. But it seems to me that it is highly misleading
to focus on this.
: If the admirers that they covet prize a workaholic, then they'll at least act like one. But, "strictly speaking, they are not." (Those are Riso's words, BTW.)
I have negative respect for Riso. I am sorry to say that was what I expected him to say.
Ilmar