What type of personality do you deem yourself to be? Are you calm? Collected? Or, are you more hot-headed? Do you react quickly and think later?
An office environment is likely to have a whole plethora of different personalities within one space, and because of the high chance of clashes and problems, it’s vital to be able to manage those different personalities with ease. Many employers make an effort to learn more about different personality types, and even go on training courses to be able to identify them. Once you know the type of personality that someone has however, how can you manage them effectively, tailoring your approach to the traits and triggers that particular person has?
It can be time consuming, but in terms of getting the most out of your staff, it is a key area to consider.
It’s this simple - the more effective you are at not only identifying the type of personality someone is, but investing the time to do so, and then managing them in the right way, the more effectively they will work for you. This all ties in with productivity, but also in making your employees feel valued, because you’re taking the time out to really get to know them and tailor your approach accordingly. Flexibility in your management style is vital, but there are a few areas to look into, to help you in this regard.
Identify Personality Types
The first job is to really identify the types of personalities you have in your office. Who are the thinkers? Who are the emotional ones? Who are the logical ones? Thinkers and logical types tend to make decisions based on facts and figures, whereas emotional people make decisions based on hunches and the way they feel. These are both useful skills to have, and by knowing which is which, you can give certain assignments accordingly.
The number one best way to identify the type of personality someone is, is to watch how they react when someone confronts them or disagrees with them. Do they rear up and fight their corner? Do they shrug it off and ignore it? Do they become emotional? Watch carefully and learn.
Take The Time Out to Talk
Having regular catch ups with your staff can help you get to know them better, and therefore get to know the type of personality they are. You can then tailor your management style according to what you learn. This also helps to build trust, a two-way process which works wonders in the workplace!
Adopt The Correct Management Style
When you need to speak to a particular member of staff, take the time before you meet with them to quickly go over their personality traits. If they’re more emotional, avoid being too harsh, and instead talk in a softer, yet firm way. If they’re more confident, you can be a little tougher, without having to worry about an emotional reaction.
Similarly, when you need to give certain tasks to a member of staff, identify the type of task, and then look at the personality traits, in order to match the task to the right person. If a job is about facts and figures, go for the logical one. If a job is more about talking to people, go for the one who is sympathetic and good at listening. Every person has a strength which can be used.
Create a Sense of Teamwork
Teamwork is the number one way to bring everyone together, so look into your office space and office furniture solutions, and how you can create a group work setting. Booth seating is a great way to bring small groups together to discuss a task and brainstorm, as well as a dedicated breakout space. These are all things you can find in commercial office furniture workspaces, as well as bench desks, canteen furniture, and other products which help to fuel a sense of collaboration and team working.
Remember That Not Everyone is Going to Like You
As a manager, you’re not there to be everyone’s best friend. Yes, you want to have a good working relationship with your staff, but there are going to be times when people don’t like a decision you made, or something you had to say. That’s fine, don’t take it to heart. Certain personality types are more fiery than others, and whilst it can be difficult in the moment, remember your role and the fact that not all personalities click and agree on everything.
How have you coped in the past with different personality types within your workplace? Let’s discuss!