The NCIS team is full of members with opposing personality types, but there’s one mismatched pair that’s actually key to making the team tick. Since the show began, Leroy Jethro Gibbs has been the team’s fearless leader. He’s a man who uses his words sparingly, but he can speak volumes with a look, which is why it’s hilarious that his right-hand man is Timothy McGee, a fast-talking, easily flustered tech wiz.
In terms of their personality types, Gibbs and McGee are polar opposites. For his part, Gibbs abhors technology, and prefers to avoid it at all costs. Meanwhile, McGee utilizes computers to help the team track down criminals and find new leads. He’s also a skilled hacker, whose ability to utilize the internet to the NCIS’ advantage has gotten them out of a number of jams.
But while McGee can handle any type of technological problem, he’s less certain when it comes to human interactions. When he first joined the team, he had a habit of nervously rambling during conversations, and his timid nature combined with his inability to keep his mouth shut made him something of a liability in the interrogation room. And that just happens to be where Gibbs shines.
As the team leader, Gibbs often communicates his mood without saying a word — and his looks are particularly effective when it comes to making people talk. On the whole, he lacks the gentle touch of his co-worker, but his sternness is all part of what makes him one of the NCIS’ most valuable agents.
Gibbs and McGee’s different personalities help them be effective team leaders
When McGee first started out, Gibbs wasn’t exactly fond of him. For a man like Gibbs, who is intensely private and quiet, having someone on his team who not only talked constantly, but also used his co-workers as characters in his novels was basically his worst nightmare. But both characters have grown since their first introduction, and McGee has risen through the ranks to become Gibbs’ second-in-command.
On the surface, their partnership seems like it could be a recipe for disaster, but Gibbs and McGee’s personalities complement each other. Over the years, McGee has learned to talk a little bit less and present a stronger front in the interrogation room. Meanwhile, Gibbs understands McGee’s technological savviness and softer side are assets that help make the younger man an effective leader whenever he’s away from the office.
McGee and Gibbs are living proof that an odd couple pairing within the workplace can lead to increased productivity. Not only do they compensate for each other’s respective weaknesses, they also push each other outside of their comfort zones. And even though they’re fundamentally different people, they share two common goals: catching bad guys and keeping their team safe.