The Compliant Composer

People with a core Compliant behavioral style are often sought out because they are meticulous, precise, quality-oriented, disciplined, and prudent. Like composers, they carefully evaluate all notes to orchestrate a seamlessly perfect symphony. They are neutral and objective, making them powerful partners for catching loopholes, evaluating risk and rewards, and playing “devil’s advocate.” They are the “calm and objective yang” to any “out-of-the-box-thinking yin.”  

They can, however, also appear to be inflexible, worrisome, perfectionistic, defensive, or detached (especially if they don’t agree with a specific course of action). Their natural skepticism can make them appear negative, viewing situations from a “glass half empty” perspective. They can be overly critical of self and others and appear judgmental. During conflict, they tend to shut down and become inaccessible, making it challenging to find a mutually agreed-upon solution. When analyzing data, they can get stuck in “analysis-paralysis” mode and fail to execute.

All styles (Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, and Compliance) have strengths and weaknesses (also referred to as shadows). If you picture a volume dial, when strengths are over-dialed, they become shadows, weaknesses, or fatal flaws. The key for all four styles is to maintain the perfect volume set point.

We’re taking a deeper dive into what makes this style so unique. As we do this, avoid judging a style as good or bad. Remember, most people have a combination of styles that contribute to their unique make-up. This overview is meant to isolate this style in particular to show what makes it unique. Proceed with an open mind and consider what is accurate and useful as you interact, communicate, and engage with Compliance people. We’ve added some “flair” to each style to highlight certain aspects.

High-level overview

• Slower Paced – Task focused
• Introverted – Indirect
• Core Emotion – Fear or worry
• Fear – Not performing or meeting personal standards
• Focus – Processes and constraints
• Needs – To comply
• Energizers – Individual contributions, quality-oriented team, information and data, objective and complex problems to solve
• Demotivators – Disorganization, incomplete data, lack of structure or processes
• Strengths – Precise, analytical, comprehensive, researched
• Shadows – Too critical of others, perfectionist, defensive, tends to over-analyze, analysis-paralysis
• Value to the Team – Objective thinker, conscientious, asks the right questions, pays attention to small details
• Communication Style – Organized, accurate, comprehensive, methodical
• Communication Dos – Prepare your case in advance, present specific details (and be prepared with back-up data), respect their personal space and formal style
• Communication Don’ts – Being too casual, disorganized, messy, haphazard
• Conflict Style – Avoids or detaches from conflict
• Percentage of population – 24%

Consider who fits this description. How high or low in Compliance are you (or might you be)? On a scale from 0-100, how high might the other person be? If you’re in one of our Leadership Cadence Programs, you’ll find the answer in your assessment under the Natural Graph.

Unique Characteristics You May Find Fitting or Amusing

• The Vault. Nothing gets out once it’s in. Compliant people can be trusted to keep information and data secure and private. They rarely gossip or speak out of turn, and they won’t release information without appropriate approval or valid justification. In that same vault, however, they also keep a mental record of mistakes (yours and theirs). They often find it difficult to move past a hurt, mistake, or situation where trust is lost.
• Never met an instruction manual they don’t devour. Any how-to manual, process, or system for making something work tends to ignite Compliant people. Asking them (jokingly) to review a complex report as “nighttime reading,” might elicit a genuine “I will” response, as they find this type of reading particularly fascinating. They are by nature “puzzle masters” who love to uncover solutions to complex problems.
• Expect them to find (and point out) mistakes. They are detail-oriented perfectionists. If you send them a technical report for review, don’t be surprised if they return it with technical corrections and grammar, spelling, or formatting issues you might have missed.

Communication Strategies Unique to Compliant Styles

• Be prepared and organized. Their “superpower” is their detailed and researched approach. Before any meeting, expect them to have created an agenda with clearly outlined steps and supporting documents. They will expect you to come prepared and organized to make decisions or take next steps. Failing to do so may make them detached, resulting in lost trust and momentum.
• Always attach supporting detail. Before they can make a decision or offer opinions, they will want to read all detail pertaining to the issue. Without this, they are likely to come back with short responses like, “not enough data to move forward,” or “until I have X, I can’t do Y.”
• Expect them to keep a detailed track record. They are masterful note-takers and tend to have a tested and true system for organizing thoughts, conversations, and actions. They get frustrated when others fail to do the same, especially when tasks or deadlines are missed due to others’ inattentiveness.  
• Let them explain; don’t rush the process. They are logical and analytical processors who tend to communicate in this manner. They will start at the beginning, take you through each part in order (often in excruciating detail), and end with the conclusion, recommendation, or solution. This tends to drive Dominant people crazy, as they prefer the solution first (front-loading), often making them impatient or disruptive to the Compliant person’s careful analysis. While it may require extra patience, you’ll do better letting them take you through their process, rather than interrupting their flow.
• Proofread everything (emails, documents, messages). They are likely to judge you by your writing style, and they will make assumptions about your level of professionalism (and trustworthiness) based on how well you write. Spelling mistakes, run-on sentences, and poor grammar create suspicion on their part.
• Avoid hyperbole, emojis, stickers, memes, slang, etc. More formal by nature, Compliant people find casual communications frustrating and unprofessional. It’s not uncommon for them to resist sharing anything personal (even a profile photo), doing so only if required. Concerned with their privacy, they often prefer to keep business and personal relationships separate.
• Complete the thought (and sentence) before hitting “enter” in messages. Treat messages like mini emails. Complete the thought in one sentence before hitting “enter.” Avoid sending five messages when you could send one. While Influencers like to send one thought at a time, Compliant communicators get frustrated with what looks like “stream of consciousness” communications that are unplanned or disorganized.
• Choose email over phone. If the matter is important, choose email instead of a phone call. Remember, they prefer to read and evaluate before responding. If you choose to call, be organized and clearly state what you want from them. Verbal brainstorming is not their preferred communication method.
• Words they relate to: Precise, facts, information, data, proven, analyze, consider, expect, detailed, organized, evaluated.
• Words to avoid: Creative, optimistic, flashy, fun, improvise, out-of-the-box, sort of, most likely, approximately, soon.

 Interactions that Build Trust and Confidence with Compliant Styles

• Keep them informed. No news is bad Because of their gifts of seeing patterns, evaluating pros and cons, and logical thinking, they want to know what is going on, so they can add all factors into their thought matrix and prepare for scenarios. If you fail to keep them informed, they won’t have the data they need, becoming skeptical and assuming the worst. An effective approach is to ask them directly what they want to be included on (or not). Once given direction, follow it flawlessly. Don’t make assumptions or become “creative” about keeping them informed.
• Be thorough and prepared. Building trust with a Compliant person is a long-term process of delivering flawlessly. When preparing for a meeting, always consider the pros and cons, and come prepared for the same. Even if you don’t believe you’ll use certain information, have it ready and at your fingertips. Having it available shows them you’re competent and prepared.
• Stay focused and formal. The Compliant style prefers a more formal relationship (at least starting off and especially in business). Stick to business and the task at hand. Let them open conversations up to more personal topics. The longer you’ve known a Compliant person, the more likely they are to share personal details, but always let it be their choice. If meeting in person, avoid physical contact. Let them be the first to extend a hand in greeting.
• Deliver what you promise. You’ll automatically lose their trust and respect if you fail to deliver what you promised. If you can’t deliver what you agreed upon (deadlines or quality), immediately let them know and propose an alternative. Don’t wait until the last minute to inform them you can’t meet your deliverables. They will see this as a lack of planning and self-management, and it will be “filed” in their mental vault. Too many files in their vault will have disastrous consequences for you.
• Don’t surprise them or ask for their “best guess.” They take pride in their ability to evaluate complex scenarios and offer carefully considered answers. Asking them to give you an estimate or best guess will most likely be met with resistance or refusal. A better approach is to ask for a range considering constraints and factors. Let them know you won’t hold them to the response, but indicate how the information will be helpful to you. They will not want to be held responsible for a “guestimate,” so you must honor your promise to use the data only as agreed.

Hot Buttons and Triggers

All styles have hot buttons, or triggers that tend to produce shadow behaviors. Here are some of the most common ones for Compliant people:

• Inaccurate information. They have exquisite radars for spotting mistakes. If you don’t want to activate their shadows, make sure your information is accurate (both factually and stylistically).
• Being pushed to answer before evaluating all data. Compliant people will resist giving an estimate or recommendation based on incomplete data. Pushing them to do so will most likely result in their resisting, halting, or refusing to respond. If these shadows are activated, your best bet is to walk away, letting them dig into the data before responding. There is no chance of them engaging if they feel pushed or threatened into responding before they are ready.
• Criticism or being told they’re wrong, inaccurate, or mistaken. Because they have extremely high standards for themselves, they dislike making mistakes or being wrong. Any challenge to their thoughtful analysis might be perceived as criticism, which can result in defensiveness and detachment. If they report to you, and you have to offer critical feedback, do so factually and concisely. They take negative feedback seriously, tending to move into immediate action to repair, improve, or ensure it never happens again.

Common Shadow Behaviors

• Inflexible
• Unwavering
• Rigid
• Picky
• Perfectionist
• Critical
• Harsh
• Willful
• Hardheaded
• Judgemental
• Close-minded
• Relentless

Managing and Interacting with Compliant Styles During Stressful Times

Under stress, Compliant styles tend to detach or resist. Their shadow responses include: Becoming hyper-critical, perfectionists, and micromanagers. They may worry too much about what could happen, forgetting to focus on the tasks at hand. Keeping these shadows in mind:

• Offer frequent status updates. Let them know “you are on it”—and exactly how you are on it. Don’t leave things “hanging in the air.” Don’t be vague. Remember, over-promising and under-delivering with Compliant individuals can be a disaster.
• Share information that clarifies the big picture. Outline how a particular task or project aligns with their key initiatives or deliverables. You’re more likely to get continued commitment from them if they can see how they contribute to solving bigger-picture issues.
• Discuss pros and cons for making important decisions in advance. Set up frequent meetings where they can share their concerns about important decisions throughout the process or in advance. Exceptional at evaluating risks and rewards, they will dig into any threat or opportunity in advance when given a chance. During stressful times, they will worry less if they have already done some “pre-processing” of the data before making important decisions.
• Get stuck in “analysis-paralysis” or get lost in details. As a common stress response, Compliant persons find comfort in data and analysis, and they may get overly focused on the details as pressure increases. They tend to get paralyzed by their need to continue researching or finding more data, preventing them from finalizing conclusions. To get them out of these “focus holes,” ask them to resolve another task or help re-prioritize their to-do lists, setting deadlines for delivering on each.
• Become frustrated by the need to sacrifice accuracy for speed. Nothing is more frustrating to a Compliant person than having to deliver something they consider incomplete (a perfectly functioning solution to the rest of us). They are perfectionists who rarely are satisfied. When pressure increases and speed is of the essence, they tend to become frustrated. They might opt out of taking responsibility for something they consider sub-par.

How Compliant Styles Respond to Change

Each style has their own unique approach to change. These are the natural responses to change for the Compliant style:

• Needs data and information before committing to any course of action during change. Because they tend to have difficulty letting go of the past, they can be the last to commit to a new beginning or direction.
• Prefers time to think through action steps required to execute the change as precisely as possible. If, however, they agree with the steps and reasons for moving in a new direction, they tend to commit and move forward (reserving the right to change their minds if new data becomes available).
• Tends to over-think or over-focus on the negative aspects of May get stuck in “analysis-paralysis” if not careful. They consider all factors leading up to a new initiative. If those factors change (or more information becomes available), they may have to “recalculate” how they feel about the change. They get stuck in the neutral zone, uncommitted to the new direction.

How to Handle Conflicts with Compliant Styles

Natural Response: Avoid and see if it gets worse
Conflict Approach: “Tell me the issue; tell me why it’s important; and tell me what you expect of me”

Their conflict approach is to avoid conflict to see if it gets worse before addressing it. This approach can be effective for smaller conflicts, but tends to snowball deeper, more complex issues into full-on avalanches, making them complicated to resolve. Never attempt to have a conflict conversation with a Compliant person who isn’t ready, willing, or open. They tend to shut down, detach, or refuse to engage, which wastes your efforts.

• Collect, organize, and check your information for accuracy in advance. There’s nothing more frustrating for this style than addressing uncomfortable issues haphazardly and without careful consideration. Unless your information or perception of the facts is as accurate as possible, they might focus on one mistake, wasting the conflict intervention in the process.
• Focus on facts and data—not emotions and feelings. Kicking off a conflict session with a Compliant person by sharing your hurt feelings is a sure-fire way to trigger their detachment. They are likely to dismiss emotions as unnecessary (or even destructive) to the conversation.
• Respect their need for physical space. Compliant people are formal, preferring plenty of physical space during the best of circumstances. During a conflict or challenging conversation, distance becomes even more important. It’s not uncommon for them to sit at the opposite side of the table to intentionally create space. Or they will sit away from the camera if the meeting is virtual. Observe and respect their need for distance. Violating this unspoken request will result in their detaching, which will get you nowhere fast.
• Leave the conversation with a clear agreement for moving forward. This action step is especially important for the Compliant style. They do not want to have the same conversation twice. By clearly agreeing on next steps, they will own their part (and expect you to do the same). Then move into action to resolve it.

Delegation Strategies for Compliant Styles

The Compliant employee is a great team resource because they consider pros and cons, are logical and analytical, and keep everyone’s feet firmly planted in reality. To help them thrive, consider the following delegation strategies:

• Delegate complete projects whenever possible. Compliant people detest inaccurate or missing They can become resistant or detached if the project appears to be last minute or haphazardly organized.
• Offer clear expectations for the delegated activities. Once deadlines are set, chances are they will deliver on them without your needing to follow up.
• Don’t hesitate to stand firm on deliverables and deadlines. Because Compliant people don’t want to promise something they can’t deliver, they tend to resist being put on the spot when making a decision or commitment. Don’t let this deter you from pushing for results and timelines.
• Offer critical feedback in private. Avoid putting them on the spot publicly when addressing performance issues.

When YOU’RE Compliant

Self-Management Strategies for Complaint Styles

If you’re Compliant yourself, and you need a check-in to make sure you’re as effective as possible, you’ll find these strategies helpful:

• Share your tips and tools with others for preparing, planning, and executing a successful timeframe. Technical know-how, attention to detail, and analytical thinking are unique strengths that serve you well. Other styles may not be so lucky.
• Reach out and ask for assistance. Steadiness or Influence team members may be great resources for specific activities. The Dominant individual may be able to remove perceived obstacles, get things done quickly, and help determine what to keep working on and what to move away from.
• Avoid using words that may be perceived as negative, unmotivated, or skeptical. During stressful situations, it is easy to misinterpret intentions, so we have to be especially careful. Try substituting a statement with a question. For example, instead of saying “This is incorrect,” try “What could you adjust to make this correct?” This trick will allow you to build rapport, while helping the other person self-reflect and learn from mistakes.

Under stress

• Beware of your perfectionistic tendencies. During stressful times, others may view you as overly critical or pessimistic. Ask yourself: “How can I accomplish this task efficiently and quickly?” “Does this task require this level of accuracy?” “Is my desire for perfection helping or hurting this process?”
• Keep your natural “devil’s advocate” talents to a minimum during stressful times. When over- extended, these strengths can undermine others’ motivation, suggesting you’re not a constructive team member.
• Team up with another high Compliant person you trust. Set time to troubleshoot or proof one another’s work. Other high Compliant individuals will appreciate your level of detail and are likely to offer valuable feedback about your effectiveness.