Personality plays a huge role in the way a person performs at work and interacts with a group. Understanding the different types of personalities and how they interact with one another is an important part of building an effective team.
Different Personality Types
A balanced team of people will require certain people to take different roles to ensure that the job gets done right.
- Leaders. Every team needs a leader. Leaders are able to motivate, communicate, delegate and keep the team moving forward at all times. Leaders understand the bigger picture and help the rest of the team share that vision.
- Planners. Planners are able to see the long-term effects of different decisions and can make plans accordingly. Planners know how to anticipate problems, perceive outcomes and judge timelines based on the progress that the group has made thus far. Planners help keep the team on task.
- Researchers. Researchers like numbers, statistics, charts, graphs and facts. Researchers enjoy asking questions and finding the answers on their own. Researchers play a critical supporting role by supplying the information that the rest of the team needs in order to succeed.
- Creatives. Creatives may have their head in the clouds for much of the project, but they also tend to produce the most interesting (and sometimes outlandish) ideas. Creatives earn their keep by producing raw and sometimes random theories that can help drive your team forward.
- Communicators. Communicators help build connections between the team members and also build connections between the team and the outside world. Communicators are also persuasive, which can help sell your team's product to potential clients.
Build a Diverse Team
Because different members of the team will fit into different roles based on their strengths, passions and personality type, diversity is key to building a successful group.
- Know your group. Spend time talking to each member of your team to get to know their strengths and weaknesses. You may even consider giving your team members personality tests to find out where everyone lies on the spectrum.
- Assess your group’s weaknesses. Once you know the personality types of your group, you’ll know what holes exist in your team. This is a good time to start recruiting for a new hire to round out your team.
- Recruit for the right personality. Judging personality can be tricky in interviews. Asking past behavior questions in interviews can help you find out how a candidate reacts in certain situations and therefore what personality type that person possesses.
Know Where You Fit
Don’t forget that you are a critical part of your own team. Do you know your personality type? Many people have a skewed perspective of their own personality. Taking the same personality test you administer to your team members may tell you a lot about who you are and where you fit in the team dynamics.
Assign Different Roles for Different Projects
Some people will get tired of playing the same roles day in and day out for every project. In addition, many people possess different skills and strengths that can contribute to the overall success of the project. Rotating roles for different projects can help your people flex their under-utilized skills and grow as team members.
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