The Cactus and Snowflake at Work: How the Logical and Sensitive Can Thrive Side by Side

By Devora Zack

This hilarious and profound workplace guide proves the rigorously rational and the supremely sympathetic can meet in the middle and merge their strengths. Readers will discover how blending with their opposite opens the pathway to being their truest selves.

Carl Jung's personality typology introduced the distinction that Feelers (who lead with their hearts) put more weight on personal concerns and the people involved, and Thinkers (who lead with their heads) are guided by objective principles and impartial facts. This book calls them Cacti and Snowflakes—each singularly transcendent. But can people with such fundamentally different ways of making sense of and engaging with the world work together?

Yes, says Devora Zack! The key is not to try to change each other. Zack says we can directly control only three things: what we say, what we think, and what we do. The best use of our energy is to focus on our own reactions and perceptions rather than try to “fix” other people.

This book includes an assessment so readers can learn where they are on the Thinker/Feeler spectrum—and because it's a spectrum, readers might well be a snowcactus or a cactusflake. Then Zack helps them figure out where other people might be, guiding them through a myriad of modes of communication and motivation based on personality type. She includes real-life scenarios that show how to nurture one's nature while successfully connecting with those on the other side.

As always, Zack fearlessly and entertainingly dispels myths, squashes stereotypes, and transforms perceived liabilities into strengths. And she once again affirms that, like chocolate and peanut butter, we are better together.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc.
• Release date: Nov 2, 2021
• ISBN: 9781523093380

Devora Zack

Devora Zack is CEO of Only Connect Consulting, Inc. a leadership development firm with over 100 clients, including the Smithsonian, Australian Institute of Management, Cornell University, John Deere, US Department of Education, and Mensa.

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

Traversing the Great Divide

TAKE A SELF-ASSESSMENT & EXPLORE THE RESULTS

Dream in a pragmatic way.

—ALDOUS HUXLEY

The ubiquitous snowflake . An astounding meteorological phenomenon that floats, rather than plummets, toward earth. Featuring spectacularly nuanced patterns, snowflakes are luminous, delicate, and ethereal. Or that’s how some would describe them. Others assess the very same mode of precipitation as fleeting, fragile, and frail.

Enter the cactus . Representative of an entirely divergent climate, cacti are sturdy, hardy, and resilient. Indisputably prickly, cacti epitomize a tough exterior. Uninterested in kumbaya, they prefer we keep our distance. To some this toughness is admirable. Others find it hurtful.

Human Snowflakes are wont to wonder Why?? Why am I a Snowflake? Such pondering does not plague Cacti. They merely go about their business.

There are challenges to surviving both the wintry tundra and the blazing desert. Ahead, we’ll take tours of each, including what happens when the two cross paths. For we are surrounded by a random assortment of each style, resulting in a Cauldron of Confusion. And very few of us wear signage designating the nature of our preferences.

As we proceed, I’ll share my dual intentions. Snowflakes, no feelings will be bruised. And Cacti, no time will be wasted.

A MATTER OF DEGREE

If we were all either pure Snowflake or pure Cactus, life would be a lot simpler. Not to mention, this book would be a lot shorter. You could start ripping out entire chapters! Slow down, speedster. As hinted at previously, there are not two cut-and-dried versions of disposition. Most people identify with Snowflake over Cactus, or vice versa, sometimes quite strongly. Everyone has at least smidgens of both primary styles. Plus, we stir into the mix all kinds of additional temperament components. It’s a veritable potpourri of personalities!

There are degrees. Our natural nuances exist along a continuum. Envision an invisible silky thread traversing the terrain between desert and ice caps. It doesn’t have to be silky, simply makes it more pleasant to wind around your wrist.

At one end stand a group of Cacti, tapping their feet, waiting for you to get on with it.

The other end is populated by a cluster of Snowflakes, politely introducing themselves to each other. These two groups represent those with strong preferences for one side or the other. There are also individuals a bit removed from these far ends, others edging toward the center with moderate preferences, and some very close to the middle, with slight preferences.

I call those with the strongest identification on either end off-the-charters. Those approaching the middle of our glistening thread present notably differently than their more extreme brethren.

While bearing in mind variations, this illustrious volume highlights the far ends of our continuum. This enables my gentle readers to best understand distinguishing factors of each style. We’ll garner insights by focusing on these defining traits.

Tipping it another way, grasping the foundation enables attunement to more subtle distinctions.

WHO ARE YOU?

First things first. Let’s discover where you land in all this.

You may get a kick out of taking the upcoming self-assessment featured in this chapter. After all, few things are more thrilling than yourself. Alternatively, the assessment may get on your last nerve. How dare I reduce your explosive personality into a handful of questions?

Either way, I will now commence to peer-pressure you into devoting a few moments to completing the survey. You’ll be glad you did for the rest of this book and beyond.

There are no right or wrong responses and no good or bad results.

Assessment Instructions

Welcome to your very own personal style survey. Hereby dubbed the Cacflake Instrument. Free with purchase (shipping and handling $6.99).

Each numbered item offers two options to complete a sentence. This system enables you to indicate how strongly you identify with each option. Consider the degree to which the choices resonate. For each sentence pair, point distributions are 3 and 0 or 2 and 1.

If you agree entirely with A and not at all with B, assign A=3 and B=0. If you agree somewhat with A, yet more with B, assign A=1 and B=2.

Respond based on your natural point of view, not aspirations or adaptive behavior. If you engage differently at work and at home, answer as you are at home, in your natural habitat.

While there are three points to distribute for each sentence pair, half-points such as 1.5 are banned, under all circumstances! I run a tight ship.

The Cacflake Instrument:

Cactus & Snowflake Self-Assessment

The Cacflake Instrument:

Self-Assessment Scorecard

Be alert! These columns contain both A’s and B’s.

Strong Preference: 39–45

Moderate Preference: 29–38

Slight Preference: 23–28

Congratulations! You put the pedal to the metal and completed your assessment.

We will now dig into your Cacflake Instrument results.

Strength of Preference

You have two pieces of data to analyze—your primary style identification and the numerical strength of your preference. I suppose that summation is Cacti-centric. Here’s an alternate for Snowflakes: Now you can commence an exploration of your unique inclinations.

Spoiler alert! A strong preference does not indicate you have a stronger character than others, and a slight preference does not indicate any type of deficiency. This terminology is merely shorthand personality lingo, referencing placement on that recently discussed silky thread.

If your results total 42 or higher on either column, we can safely call you off-the-chart. You have a robust affinity for your dominant style.

If your results are 25 or lower for your dominant style, your results indicate you nearly split attributes of both types. No need to seek treatment; this is not indicative of a muddled mind.

Nor does it correlate with being wishy-washy or weak. I’d need to see you bench-press to determine the latter. Drop and give me twenty. (I do understand push-ups are not bench-presses.)

For your edification, following are summaries of strong, moderate, and slight preferences on each side of the spectrum.

Strong Preference for Snowflake

Land here? You have strong identification with virtually all the cornerstone Snowflake descriptors. Harmony, acceptance, and higher purpose are all intrinsic to your well-being. You seek meaning in daily tasks and encounters. Your inner circle will report that you also attribute symbolism to experiences that others breeze past. Acutely sensitive to conflict, feelings reign supreme. You care deeply about forging community and positive relationships. Perceived slights weigh heavily in your mind, and—if you were the inadvertent perpetrator—on your conscience.

Irrespective of a full schedule, you find time to help those in need. Heartfelt praise flows freely. In turn, you crave appreciation and revel in acknowledgment of your own contributions.

Moderate Preference for Snowflake

While a Snowflake, you identify with certain Cactus characteristics. You lead with your heart yet simultaneously seek a balance between values and practicality. Feelings outweigh logic in most matters. You strive to ensure decisions both make sense and buoy positive relationships.

You’re a caring individual who moderates discussions by taking into account overarching constructs. Productivity and meaning combine to make you