Disruptive Behaviors

NOAA’s Dealing with Disruptive Behaviors describes ten different kinds of people who can disrupt meetings and gives advice for handling each. I’ve been a big fan of this taxonomy since I first encountered it several years ago, but going through it again yesterday, I realized that there’s a fair bit of overlap between some of the types. In order to slim it down, I grouped them as follows:

I then picked one from each group, looked at the result, and added Clam back into the mix because I felt this type was distinct enough from Crab to merit inclusion.

This came up as part of an exercise to analyze how people are responding to AI mandates (both positively and negatively) and how to manage those responses. If you have seen other work that looks at this, or have feedback on how I’ve slimmed these categories down, I’d be grateful for feedback.

Talkative Blowfish

Blowfish is a very chatty, assertive people person. Blowfish wants everyone to feel comfortable and positive about the process. They have a tendency to be overly talkative (almost compulsively) because they are enthusiastic, want to show off, or are well-informed and eager to use their knowledge. Blowfish can dominate the floor time at the expense of other group members. While they frequently have good ideas and strong contributions to make, they also ramble, monopolize the discussion, and do not give others an opportunity to express their thoughts.

Subsumes Dolphin: Blowfish rambles about the work, Dolphin diverts from it.

Eager Sea Otter

The sea otter is a passive people person and wants everyone to get along. Sea otters are super agreeable, overly positive people who are optimistic, very reasonable, sincere, and supportive. They are people-oriented and aim to please those nearby (for instance, by always saying yes). They seek approval by giving approval. This may cause difficulty in group situations because they overcommit or are unreliable.

Subsumes Flounder: the Sea Otter is eager to please, not detached.

Dominating Shark

The shark is aggressive and focused on efficiency and the task. They can be hostile and dominating and might try to intimidate and bully people. They make cutting remarks or throw temper tantrums when they do not get their own way. Some hostile individuals will be task-focused and want to get the job done while maintaining control. These individuals will generally have a more focused attack on the failure of others to complete a specific task or take necessary actions. Others may explode and attack other people in a more random fashion, which is typically done to command attention.

Subsumes Jellyfish: the Shark’s aggression is about domination, not intellectual sport.

Complaining Crab

The complainer can come in many forms: whiner, critic, or obstructionist. Crabs are passive and task-focused, and they want to get it done. Despite the negative connotation, this person is often motivated by perfection. Negative, complaining people may seem to object to everything, asserting that ideas proposed will not work or are impossible. The complainer may completely deflate any optimism others express for a project and may block others from accomplishing goals. Crabs gripe and do little to improve the situation, either because they feel powerless or because they refuse to bear the responsibility for an imperfect solution.

Subsumes Octopus: the Crab complains outward rather than freezing inward.

Arrogant Sea Lion

Sea lions are assertive and need the group to accept their expertise, and they can become know-it-alls when questioned. They believe that they have more credibility than has been acknowledged and want everyone to understand and agree with them. The sea lion knows a lot about the topic but does not contribute in a way that sits well with other participants, sometimes using their credentials, age, length of service, or residency to disparage an idea. With cockiness and an inflated ego, the sea lion can be condescending, imposing, pompous, or arrogant toward others. In all likelihood, this behavior will make others feel as though there is no point in contributing.

Shy Clam

The clam is shy and quiet, passive, and task-focused. Clam wants to get it right. Shy individuals may be reluctant or afraid to express their ideas in a group setting, so they may appear to be unresponsive.