The difference between being an average manager and a great manager is really understanding your employees. Everyone has a different personality type, so adapting your management style to suit different employees is vital. It will help your team to run more efficiently and bring out the very best of each employee. Here is our guide to managing some of the most common personality types in the workplace.
1. The 'straight to the point' one
Those no-nonsense employees can sometimes be relatively easy to manage. They get on with their work independently and are always honest with their feelings. However, it is essential to address this attitude before it starts rubbing people up the wrong way. Let them know that you appreciate their direct nature but that maybe being a little more personable would strengthen relationships with colleagues. Little things such as small talk at the beginning of meetings can make a big difference.
2. The shy and quiet one
The timid team member is often someone new to the business or an entry-level employee. It’s often a confidence issue, so always be sure to offer praise when they’ve done something well. Coach them on asking questions and the best way to speak up, and over time you will see their confidence grow and their work blossom.
3. The competitive one
There’s nothing wrong with a little healthy competition. Not only does it create a team spirit among workers, but it can also raise the bar for everyone, improving their work. However, sometimes the employee takes it too far, turning every little task into a competition to the detriment of other team members.
Overly competitive people often struggle with a scarcity mentality, believing that there’s none left for them if someone else gets praise. Be sure to let them know that there’s room in the team for everyone to succeed, and a colleague receiving compliments doesn’t downplay their work at all. Structuring monthly goals to work towards encourages healthy competition that also requires teamwork.
4. The distracted one
Do you have a team member that comes across as distracted or is constantly missing deadlines? The first thing to do is look at yourself and your management skills. Are you setting unrealistic deadlines? If the workload is reasonable, it’s time to look at new ways of keeping them motivated.
Laziness isn’t usually the root cause; it often comes down to a lack of time management skills. Set up a recurring meeting at the start of the week and have a clear calendar or to-do list that breaks down all the tasks into manageable chunks. Be careful not to micro-manage but ask them to keep you updated with the status of projects. Once they get into the habit of the tracker, it will become second nature and require less input from you.
You wouldn’t wear the same coat daily – you would always change it with the weather and the seasons. Management is no different. It’s not a one-size-fits-all approach and should be flexible to meet the needs of everyone in your team.
If you want to understand your team’s personality styles better, DISC personality profiling is a fantastic way to do this. Find out more about DISC here.
Author: Gemma Rolstone | Published 12th July 2021
