The Devil is in the detail — Habits That Set Detailed Oriented People Apart

Keeping an eye all on the little details of everything in life is neither beneficial nor humanly possible. That’s why in there is a lot of emphasis on delegation, empowerment and succession planning. At times, it is unbelievable to see many high-level professions getting into unnecessary detail. In management theory, it is termed as micro-management or transactional leadership.

Can you think about someone you know whom you consider to be detail oriented. When you think about this person, do you feel impressed by their skills or intellect? Or perhaps you feel annoyed by their perfectionism. Or are you the person who first popped into your head?

The proverb ‘The Devil is in the Detail’ means details of a plan, while seeming insignificant, may contain hidden problems that threaten its overall feasibility. The expression derives from an earlier German proverb, which translates as ‘God is in the detail’. ‘The devil is in the detail’ only came into common use in the 1990s.

Similarly, the term “detail oriented” is a buzzword in the job interviewing world– it’s one characteristic that people often pick up of a list of strengths just like “strong communication skills” and “leadership skills”. But what does it really mean to be detail oriented and how does it make you any different from the rest of the world? It is a skill that is worthwhile but the habit needs to be managed and controlled.

How to identify the Detail Oriented People?

The detail-oriented people pay close attention to the small things that other people often miss out. They are diligent in all their tasks and always strive for perfection. Companies like to hire detail-oriented people because they are accurate, organized, and extremely productive. This category of people is normally hired for functions like Finance, Audit and Security.

Now that we know what it means to be detail oriented, let’s look at some habits that people with this characteristic have in common.

1. Body Language Observant

Statistics vary, but depending on the situation, somewhere around 80% of communication comes from body language. However, rarely does this number drop below 60%, making body language a universally critical part of communication.

People who pay close attention to detail notice how others around them are carrying themselves. People who are detail oriented will make it a point to pay attention to how other people are presenting themselves in order to gain a comprehensive assessment of the people around them. Being able to instinctively make this social observation gives detail-oriented people a strong ability to recognize other people’s feelings and respond appropriately.

Even by simply noticing someone else’s facial expression, a detail oriented person can recognize others’ true feelings and sometimes their intentions as well–as studies have actually found that people who keep their eyebrows up just a bit and offer a friendly look to others are seen as being the most trustworthy.

2. Efficiency Driven

This is certainly not to say that people who are detail oriented rush through things or try to find shortcuts. They simply really do not like to waste time. They believe that every minute that is spent on a project matters when it comes to the end product, so time should not be misused.

Also, detail-oriented people can often see patterns or alternate routes that others may overlook that can lead to increased efficiency. When working on a project, a detail-oriented person keeps each small component running smoothly in order to be sure to reach their deadline with a complete final product. They ensure nothing is left behind during the process to prevent having to go back and pick up lost pieces later.

3. Problem Anticipators

People who are detail oriented know that if they fail to look at all of the details, they won’t be able to confidently say that everything will turn out just right. They’re also aware of how every part of a whole ultimately serves its own purpose in a process.

Let’s say you’re planning a party at your house. You know you will be put on the spot to entertain a lot of guests, so you will likely take the reins of the situation and clean your house, plan the food, plan for seating, create some sort of entertainment or focal point of the party, etc. You set up a rain plan, make sure you will have more than enough food in case extra people come or people eat more than you expect, and you make sure you have enough ice and toilet paper to last the entire night. Because if you don’t do this, you can’t be confident that the party will go well.

This process goes through the minds of detail-oriented people for everything that they do. They evaluate every part of a project to prevent the entire thing from falling apart.

4. Critical-Thinkers

While people who pay close attention to detail sometimes overthink things compared to broader thinkers, their propensity to view everything with a perceptive eye often helps them notice things that others don’t.

Detail oriented persons like to ask question in order to make system more efficient, confirm facts, and find the missing parts of an equation.

In order to get to that place, detail-oriented people often ask themselves critical-thinking questions, whether they are working on their own project or reviewing someone else’s. They like to look for gaps in stories, logistical fallacies, and ways to simplify complicated processes. They like to ask questions in order to make systems more efficient, confirm facts, and find the missing parts of an equation. They want to know why things are how they are without making any assumptions.

5. Good Money Managers

People who focus on the details know when a resource is starting to get low. They enjoy using numbers to keep track of things, so, by default, keeping track of money is second nature to them.

Detail oriented people know exactly how much money is coming in and going out of their bank accounts so they can be sure that they’re staying on track with their financial goals.

Because they’re good with numbers, companies look to hire people in certain positions (such as accounting and finance) who naturally pay close attention to detail.

Final Thought

If you want to become more detail oriented, think of some of the above habits and personality traits and try to align your everyday actions with them but with a little caution that excess of everything can turn into a disaster. If you feel like you are already detail oriented, because this is such a buzzword in business, it is often better to show an employer that you fall into this category of people than to simply tell them.

Some people associate being detail oriented with being a perfectionist, but that isn’t necessarily true. It simply means that you’re able to pick up on the smaller details of a project as well as see the big picture, and see how all of those components come together.

Learn how sometimes smaller things in our lives make huge impact and you can take some learnings on a personal and professional level by following me on LinkedIn and on our official website. Also follow us on social media: Facebook, LinkedIn, Medium, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

Muhammad Sajwani is the Founder, Managing Director and Principal Consultant at Evolve HR which aims at transforming, enriching and evolving Human Capital of Pakistan, At Evolve HR thrives in challenging assumptions that hinder organisational aspirations, by creating innovative solutions that yield maximum impact, scalability & benefit to a wider base of stakeholders. As a Business Coach and Organisational Consultant, Sajwani knows how to combine business insights with people insights to transform organisations and put them on the path to growth.