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Stubborn Vs. Obstinate: Successful Business Mindsets
November 12, 2024
Which personality traits are common in successful people?
Great business minds and psychologists have studied this question for years. While no single personality trait can determine a person's success in life, there appear to be commonalities among successful individuals across history.
One of the most frequent traits of these individuals is never giving up.
A person determined to finish a task or solve a problem usually receives the label of stubborn or obstinate.
Stubbornness is usually seen as admirable. Obstinance is viewed as annoying or bullheaded.
How can we tell if a determined person is being stubborn or obstinate? What differences do the two approaches have? Let's examine these two personality traits and how business owners can look for these traits when hiring.
Stubbornness vs. Obstinance
What is the critical difference between stubbornness and obstinance?
In many ways, the two traits are similar. Both stubborn and obstinate people are hard to stop and won't give up on their goals. In some cases, their motivations may even be the same.
The difference between these two mindsets is the behavior. Stubborn people are attached to the goal itself, whereas obstinate people tend to latch on to their specific ideas and methods for reaching it.
Stubborn people run a race and are fixed on crossing the finish line. If they have to change course, they will, but they will keep going and persevere until the finish line. An obstinate person is both fixed on crossing the finish line and the specific route they mapped out.
Navigating Disagreements and Challenges
An essential distinction between obstinate and stubborn people is how they respond to disagreements or new challenges.
If someone expresses disagreement with their methods or progress on a problem, obstinate people usually won't want to hear it. They will avoid the conflict and forge ahead with their process.
On the other hand, stubborn people will stay engaged and interested in what the person disagreeing has to say. While stubborn people may not change their minds based on disagreements, they are more likely to have a civil discussion or even reach a compromise.
Disagreements are bound to occur in business and in our personal lives. In fact, to an extent, differing opinions are a good sign, as they mean different minds are working on the problem rather than "groupthink."
That said, stubborn people shine in navigating these disagreements by being more open to hearing the other sides and listening to understand, not simply to respond. In any size of business, a stubborn person who is open to hearing disagreement is an asset.
Outcomes and Success
There will be instances where obstinate people achieve successful outcomes.
In his article "The Right Kind of Stubborn," Paul Graham points out that success from obstinate people can happen and likens it to how a broken clock is still right twice a day.
Stubborn people will likely have positive outcomes in their work far more frequently and throughout their careers. While a big success once or twice in business is laudable, continued success stretched over decades builds consistency and trust.
Hiring Stubborn People
Now that we've considered that stubborn people tend to be more successful than obstinate people, how can we look for the good kind of stubborn people during the hiring process?
There's no automatic formula, as applications and interview questions can only show so much. Yet there are specific questions and answers to look for that may give a clue if someone is stubborn or obstinate.
Interview questions that require the candidate to give a real-life example as their answer remains popular and for a good reason. The candidate's anecdotes and examples can tell the interviewer more about their personality than non-situational questions.
For screening for stubborn people, try out these questions:
- "Tell me about a time when you persevered to accomplish a task."
- "Give me an example of when you realized you needed to change your approach to solve a problem."
- "Have you ever had to persuade a colleague or manager to try an idea? How did you overcome resistance?"
Retaining Stubborn People
A stubborn person is likelier to stay at a company and grow in their role rather than job-hop, right?
Not necessarily.
Even stubborn team players need recognition and direction. If you notice an employee is performing well, persevering through complex tasks, and working well with the team, let them know.
Employee recognition programs almost always improve retention. Even if your business doesn't have a formal recognition program in the budget, regular check-ins and praise from a manager go a long way toward retaining top talent.
Stubbornness in Leadership
Stubbornness and leadership go hand in hand. Screening for persistence and resiliency is critical when hiring for management or other leadership positions.
Some folks may associate stubbornness with "climbing the ladder" and feel that once someone is at the top, they've "made it" and no longer need to be as stubborn. On the contrary, leadership teams must persist by constantly problem-solving, weathering through larger-scale storms that individual contributors may not see, and going to bat for their team.
In the end, an obstinate person will be so intent on accomplishing a task their way that they overlook ways to improve their process. This mindset can lead to bad decision-making and, in turn, poor business results.
When someone is the "good kind" of stubborn, they will chase after a goal and see a task to completion no matter what while adapting to new information along the way. Stubborn individuals are determined and make strong decisions to produce excellent business results.
So...what will you decide to be moving forward? Stubborn? Or Obstinate?
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