When the Golden Rule Backfires: Are You More Like Maverick or Iceman?

by Jeff Pearson

Hello, Iceman. You like to be in control. You follow checklists and use labels. You’re organized. Accomplishing goals, even small ones, gives you satisfaction. Iceman, you are a Judger (J).

Hey, Maverick. You go with the flow. You’re excellent at adapting. You don’t waste your time on unnecessary rules and structure. You enjoy starting projects, but you only finish the important ones. Maverick, you are a Perceiver (P).

Welcome back to my current series, When the Golden Rule Backfires. Last time, we examined the differences between Feelers (guided by feelings and values) and Thinkers (guided by objective analysis). We discussed how Feelers can seem illogical and too sensitive. And how Thinkers can seem distant and insensitive.

Here, we look at Judgers (J) and Perceivers (P). The conventional Myers-Briggs approach is to use the words judging and perceiving to describe how one organizes their world, but here, I’ll use the letters J and P. And I’ll use Iceman and Maverick as examples, but feel free to substitute their names with the appropriate family member, friend, or coworker. 

Not sure if you are a J or a P? Consider the following:

Iceman (J) likes control. J’s want things done their way. They can hold strong opinions about how things should be done. They set goals and often reach them. They dress well with a neat, finished appearance.

Maverick (P) likes to keep options open. P’s are ok with control, but don’t usually seek it. Nor do P’s always want it. P’s can be playful and casual in appearance. They start many projects, but rarely finish them. 

Iceman (J) sees Maverick (P) as not serious enough, unreliable, and disorganized. Maverick (P) sees Iceman (J) as too resistant to change, stubborn, and inflexible.

The main difference between J’s and P’s is in how they tend to organize their world. J’s want control and predictability. P’s value personal freedom and independence. 

Sure, we can be more like Iceman (J’s) in some situations and more like Maverick (P’s) in others. The concept is that we have a tendency (or default mode) to be either a J or a P. And, as with Feelers and Thinkers, there is a spectrum between extreme J’s and extreme P’s, with some of us near the middle.

So how do you recognize whether a person is a J or a P? In addition to what’s mentioned above, here are a few tips.

During vacation, a J wants an itinerary. J’s want to do the things they planned, as planned. For P’s, that’s not a vacation. P’s want to explore. It’s about the journey, not the destination.

At work, J’s want specific guidance and metrics they’re expected to meet. P’s want freedom to do their job with little oversight or interference from others.

We’ve all worked with both J’s (Iceman) and P’s (Maverick), right? They can add value in their own way. In the military, my job was to provide timely, accurate advice to commanders, during both peacetime and combat. In response to an unexpected event while stationed overseas, a commander looked to me for advice. I responded, “Sir, there’s no manual for this.” He responded, “Excellent. Sometimes you don’t want one.” And he then smoothly navigated us through what could have been an international crisis. Tell me -- was I advising Maverick or Iceman?

My commander was the right person for that situation. But there were times when he wasn’t. In those times, I had to work even harder to get it right. In other words, to help our team and our mission, I had to know my commander and how he organized his world.

Knowing whether you’re dealing with a J (Iceman) or a P (Maverick) is the first step. Next, you need to know how to speak their language.

Iceman (J) expects you to stick to the plans. Be organized, prepared, and efficient. 

Maverick (P) wants you to give him options and discuss opportunities. Don’t rush his decision or burden him with unnecessary rules.

Iceman (J) expects you to dress well and maintain good posture. Be advised, Iceman (J) likes to make decisions and be in charge.

Maverick (P) expects plans to change. You should too. Respect Maverick’s personal freedom and independence.

I’ve hit my word limit again, but hopefully, for you, the pattern is clear. If not, stay tuned. We’ll pick this up in another article on When the Golden Rule Backfires.