A criterion that influences the way an employee is noticed or not by his superiors.
It is often believed that what matters to progress in a company is technical skills, creativity or the ability to take initiatives. However, another much more subtle element comes into play: the way in which everyone manages their relationships to others. And there is a particular profile which has more harm than others to cross the steps leading to a promotion.
This invisible factor takes root very early in life. Psychologists call this “attachment style”. In other words, the way we learned from childhood to manage close relationships and our emotional reactions. There are four main types: anxious, avoiding, disorganized and secure. These categories were first studied in the context of intimate life, but they are also observed in professional exchanges. According to specialists, this influences the way in which we collaborate, which is faced with stress or which we assert ourselves. And they play a very real role in the prospects for evolution within a company.
Some configurations can be an asset. People with a secure style, for example, seem sure of themselves without excess, know how to express their needs clearly and weave relationships of trust. Nancy Roberts, behavioral analyst in the workplace, stresses that they are perceived as “Open and honest”which makes them naturally credible for management or management positions. Their emotional balance and their ability to cooperate make the difference in environments where social skills count as much as technical skills.
Conversely, other styles can complicate progression. Anxious profiles, notes clinical psychologist Elena Touroni, tend to “Over-replication, lacking in self-confidence or having trouble setting limits”. They may be hesitant in the face of decisions or constantly seeking the validation of their superiors, which can limit their credibility with a team. People with a saving style, for their part, often find it difficult to collaborate fully: they prefer to keep their distance, sometimes flee collective responsibilities and be little inclined to share their difficulties.
In reality, the character trait that weighs most about a career is none other than the disorganized style, including being too emotional. In a context where companies are looking for stability, people who reveal strong emotional reactions are generally considered less capable of directing or representing their team. Their sensitivity is not a defect in itself, but it becomes a brake when it gives the impression of a lack of mastery.
This is why, among all the styles of attachment, the latter remains that as being perceived the most unstable and the least conducive to a promotion in the business world. So, the next time an emotion will cross you at work and you are looking to benefit from an increase, think about it!
