Many hybrid workers don’t spend as many time with their co-workers as they did in the pre-Covid days. This can lead to us being less adept at dealing with the diverse personalities in our office.
It is said that variety is the spice in life. Nothing could be more true when it comes to teamwork.
There are many ways to increase team productivity. Kolb’s research gives us insights into our personalities and Kolb’s questionnaires help us categorise how we learn. This information can help us understand our colleagues better, as well as helping us understand ourselves and identify areas for improvement.
Belbin’s research reveals that every team needs 9 different roles in order to function effectively together. If one is missing, the team could become dysfunctional. It is possible to miss deadlines. There may not be enough creativity to solve the problem.
Each of the nine office personalities have a role and should be respected. This article will discuss how to recognize these office personalities and how to work with them to reach your team’s goals. Recognizing each person’s unique value and personality type is important, as most people are a mix of them.
The Plant
These people are creative thinkers who may also be able to communicate well and prefer working alone.
They’re great for your company:
They think outside of the box and come up with creative solutions no one else has thought of.
Here are some ways you can help them.
Allow them to think through. Encourage them to express their opinions and to listen objectively to others.
The Monitor Evaluator
Monitor Evaluators rely on logic and facts to make decisions. However, sometimes they forget that their coworkers have feelings.
They’re great for your company:
They are objective and do not rely on their gut instincts. This can help to cut through personality conflicts and disagreements.
Here are some ways you can help them.
Remind them from time to time of the 80-20 rule to help them prioritize tasks. Otherwise, they might get lost in their quest for all the facts to make a decision.
The Specialist
Each team should have at least one specialist. A Specialist is the “go-to person” on a specific topic (quite often, how do you use Word / insert your team’s application!). Although introverted, they will be an excellent source of knowledge once they get involved in the discussion about the subject.
They’re great for your company:
A Specialist in your team will allow you to get more detailed answers to important topics faster than if your team had only general knowledge.
Here are some ways you can help them.
Your Specialist should be able to see the bigger picture so that they don’t get lost in details. Help your Specialist see the big picture and make sure everyone understands the importance of their expertise.
Resource Investigator
Resource investigators, who are outgoing and outgoing, are the people we trust to find exactly what we need. They often have access to a wide network of contacts they can tap into.
They’re great for your company:
You can get the resources you need when you need them, sometimes even before you realize you have them.
Here are some ways you can help them.
Encourage them to share what they have learned with the rest of their team. They will become enthusiastic! They will be engaged and can keep going until they lose their enthusiasm.
The Teamworker
Your team’s Teamworker is a key member of the coordination team. They are usually people-oriented and can get along with all members of the team. They are flexible, hardworking, and enjoy working together.
They’re great for your company:
They are great at finding the root cause of problems among colleagues and helping everyone get along.
Here are some ways you can help them.
Sometimes, teamworkers can become indecisive and try to avoid making controversial decisions. It is important to help teamworkers understand that their decisions will not be taken personally by co-workers.
The Coordinator
The Coordinator is usually a highly organized person who understands the objectives of the team and works with delegates to make sure that everything is done within the given time frame.
They’re great for your company:
The Coordinator is known for being organized. They are great at getting the best from their colleagues to help the team achieve its goal.
Here are some ways you can help them.
It may be time for your Co-ordinator to step down from delegating. He or she can step back from delegating and become more active in coaching the other team members. Win-win!
The Shaper
A Shaper is a key member of every team. The person who inspires and motivates us to achieve our goals.
They’re great for your company:
They are extremely effective at seeing through tasks to the end and will bring the rest of the team along with them.
Here are some ways you can help them.
They can lose sight of the needs of their coworkers in their drive to do the right thing. They’ll need to remind themselves that they are working with people and not robots when this happens.
The Implementer
Once all the brainstorming has been completed, and the ideas have bounced around, how does one turn the ideas into action? The Implementer is your guide. The Implementer is the ideal person to help you turn your ideas into a plan.
They’re great for your company:
Your entire team would be made up of Plants. You’d have lots of ideas but not much action. The Implementor ensures that your team has a strategy to get things done.
Here are some ways you can help them.
Changes in plans can be a pain for implementers. Even if the change is slow, help them see the benefits.
The Completer Finisher
The Completer Finisher is sometimes known for being a perfectionist. The Completer Finisher will do the right thing and make sure that you all feel satisfied at the completion of your project.
They’re great for your company:
The Completer Finisher ensures that your team produces a high-quality product every time.
How to work with them
Another team member may need to be reminded about the 80-20 rule. High standards are important but efficient delivery is equally important. The Completer Finisher must know when to draw the line.
Know yourself and your team
You will be better able to work together if you understand your workplace personality. Your motivations may differ from your colleagues. Recognizing that each person has a different role in the team will improve the effectiveness of your teams.
Maybe you identify strongly with one of the personality types in your office. Recognizing your preferences can help to identify areas of development. Why not take on a new team role for your next project? It is amazing how much you can learn from stepping out of your comfort zone.
