The Cocky Show Off Boss/Leader is the ‘look at me, ain’t I great’ personality. They are attention, glory hounds who want the spotlight and the applause. They are braggarts, risk takers, and achievers who get a lot done but then exaggerate the record. Everything about them shouts’ be impressed with me, I’m the greatest’ and if you don’t get the hint, they will tell you in your face how they are simply the best.
They are on a continual roll and there’s hell to pay when things go wrong. They have to be in the center of everything, talking louder and faster than anyone else. They work hard to get along with Bossy Leader and the Ruthless leader by joking around and lavishing praise and being ‘yes’ people. As long as they get to be on stage with everyone watching, they are really enjoyable people. When they are put down, frowned on, criticized, or humiliated, there is going to being plenty of trouble. But they usually try to play the clown and put on the clown face because they need to be accepted and appreciated.
These leaders tend to be flashy but not deep. The ones I’ve known are very ’surface’ types. They are the ones for which the song “If you can’t be with the one you love, love the one you’re with” was written. They never want to get bogged down in detail or consider things in depth which makes it horrible for them to get along with the Detailed leader. Everything is rushed and pressured and there is no time for re thinking anything. No excuses. Move. It’s off to the races and the limelight. They are fair weather friends who will disown you when things go wrong because now you have become a downer who makes them look bad and keeps them off the stage.
The smiling , encouraging face of this leader does get them places. Smile and the world smiles with you. Put on a show, get people to laugh, and the atmosphere is excellent. They are ingratiating to people they need and aggreeable to anyone they want to impress. But they are the ones who wish to be worshiped and adored. They want the glory and simply pretend to go along with the accomplishments and fame of others. They seeth inside when they are not the center of the applause.
This leader can embarrass you with being an attention whore. Needing the spotlight, he or she will be anything to be the center of attention. Even if it means being outlandish or simply rude. I know one for example who would make a huge deal of folding up dollars as tips for the waitrress and then taking time explaining why he did this and ‘wasn’t this just great’? Everyone was supposed to clap and applaud but the first time in a restaurant, it worked. The second or third time it was a downer. This leader can’t take a bow and leave. It has to happen over and over and over and over again.
How do you work for this cocky, show off? First, give attention and acknowledgement to this blowhard when he or she enters the scene—ALL THE TIME. Maintain a smiling face and for god’s sake, laugh at any and every joke, no matter how many times you have heard it. Move quickly, show enthusiasm, and be willing to run at high speed when told. Always remember the goal. Get the showoff in the limelight so you can have some time to take a breather. . Never try to hog the stage or get the glory for yourself. Know your place. You are hired help and can be replaced. Frown for long and you will be placed somewhere, not to be seen. Expect and accept being bullied and pressured to put a rush on when the show off demands it. Don’t walk, run—and right now. By the way, you will be the one sitting at the desk, doing all the work. The show off will not be able to sit still for long and will be prancing and dancing around, rallying the troops, and playing the pied piper. Too many negative comments and forgetting to constantly praise this boss can put you on the street.
OK. You are the Show Off. You are really something. You are puffed up and cocky and sure of yourself. You think you can bluff your way through anything with your willing smile. Sometimes you can. But you better have a lot of ‘think tank’ people behind you and stay out of their way. Make sure you have the people to take care of the details and watch for mistakes because you’re too busy riding in the parade to do it yourself. And watch our for your Jekyll and Hyde personality. When you feel that you have not been appreciated, acknowledged, or criticized in the least, you become a show off with fangs, ripping into anyone who gets in your way. Nobody will like you this way. You expect everyone around to to keep up the pace, have ten balls in the air, and be happy about it. Slowpokes drive you nuts and you have to watch your mouth if being critical at the wrong time, wrong place will put you off the stage. You have to entertain and exaggerate and bull shit non stop , making people around you want to run for cover. Learn to take a break and let others take the attention so you can have a breather. Prancing and dancing are fine in a parade but there are times you have to be serious, concerned, and appropriately quiet. Accept that there is a time and place for laughter and sadness.
So, folks, what do you think of this cocky show off? Am I on target and have you been around one you cannot stand? Are you the cocky leader who is seeing this and bristling for the chance to blow me away? Always e mail with your encounters with the Show Off- also Bossy, Ruthless, and the Detailed Leader.
Remember to keep sending donations which keep me typing away for your enjoyment. Thanks. Sharon