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Every employer needs to know how to effectively deal with various personality types.
In her new book "Personality Style At Work," author Kate Ward introduces the HRDQ Personality Style Model, which says that individuals have “specific, established, stable personalities that drive their behaviors.”
If managers can identify their employees’ personality styles, they can better understand what to expect from them and how to interact with them.
Based on the HRDQ Personality Style Model, here are the four personality types of office workers:
1. Direct. Someone with a direct personality style will have a desk covered with paperwork, though it’s probably organized in piles. They typically prefer to learn independently and are action-oriented, so they may seem impatient or bored in group settings.
Direct personalities tend to use language such as “you must” or “you should.” They also speak loudly and quickly and state their own opinions as facts. Furthermore, these people also have poor listening skills, so if you need to give them instructions, be direct and straightforward in your interaction.
These people constantly feel like they need to be in a hurry and tend to make quick decisions.
2. Spirited. A spirited person usually has a messy desk, Ward writes, with “papers strewn everywhere, along with magazines, receipts, forms, books and other things.” If your employees have a spirited personality, they prefer to learn in groups and enjoy being mentored and attending conferences.
“If you notice someone who resists completing an online self-study program, that is a clue that the individual has a spirited style,” Ward writes.
People with this type of personality tend to exaggerate and talk a lot. They’re very good at beginning new projects, but need a little more encouragement to finish existing ones.
3. Considerate. This type of person’s desk is cluttered, yet they know where everything is. They may also have pictures of serene landscapes, group photos and other personal items prominently displayed.
Considerate people prefer to learn in group settings, especially team-building activities, and they don’t enjoy taking on new projects on a whim.
If you notice “one of your employees requires a lot of hand-holding when you assign her a new project, that is a clue that the employee might have a considerate style,” Ward writes.
People with considerate personalities speak slowly and softly and are often reluctant to offer their own opinions. They listen carefully before they speak and engage in a lot of small talk.
4. Systematic. This personality type usually has a tidy desk clear of papers, except the ones they’re currently working on. They also clean off their desk every night and the only materials visible are job-related, such as graphs and charts.
Systematic people prefer to think independently, may be reluctant to participate in classroom settings and are deadline-driven. They also tend to use precise language and prefer to share facts and data rather than their own opinions. They also have limited small talk and prefer focused conversations.
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