Spouters (21 percent of survey respondents) are charismatic and exciting, saying more than members of any other group that people “tend to follow what I do more than they follow others.” The typical Spouter considers him or herself a “creative person.” They are fun to be around, and their natural energy can enliven tough situations. The ways in which they express their feelings, wearing their emotions on their sleeves, undoubtedly cause them to be responsible for a seemingly disproportionate share of the emotional incidents in the workplace.
Whether or not someone is enjoying their company, Spouters can take up a lot of air in the room. These people tend to challenge themselves and – primarily – others, often blaming colleagues for whatever is going wrong. They tend to feel they have insufficient power even though they believe they see the big picture more clearly than others. Spouters believe that their success is mainly about luck, rather than performance. They talk more than they listen. They are considerably more anxious than any of the other groups. They tend to be heavier drinkers and smokers than other groups and would rather hit something for the sake of catharsis than reach compromise through conversation.
Interestingly, compared to people in the other three groups, Spouters are far more accommodating of tears in the workplace, and not just because they tend to provoke them. Spouters also cry at work themselves significantly more than any of the other three types.
Keep in mind: Most of us are hybrid types. We may want to imagine that we are clearly one type or another, but it’s the rare individual who is one pure type. Most of us probably hope to be members of the optimistic Solvers or Believers categories, but remember that the attributes of an Accepter or a Spouter are also valuable assets in a productive work environment. And no one group reported being happier than another.
