The push for diversity and inclusion is lacking a crucial piece of the puzzle. And I’m not talking about belonging. Yes, belonging is important. Just as equity and inclusion are important. However, to truly have a diverse workforce you also need a diversity of personalities because they bring different perspectives, priorities, and work styles together which can spark conversation and innovation. This is what it looks like when embracing differences is part of the DNA of a team or organization. And employees and the organization alike reap the benefits to the tune of 2.5 times higher cash flow per employee. 

Personality Prejudice  

Profit increase is just one of the amazing byproducts when our differences are celebrated. But the reality is that we often mistrust or disregard people who show up differently than we do. It’s a form of unconscious bias that most humans fall prey to, and when it happens, we are triggered into negative reactions. For example, have you ever worked with someone who came across as too harsh or abrupt? They always managed to pull in the results, but they hurt people’s feelings with their insensitivity. Or maybe you’ve worked with someone who was slow to respond or speak up and so they were disrespected and treated like a doormat.  

It’s possible that you may have experienced a workmate who was forgetful and came across as “flighty”, causing you and your coworkers to disregard their other abilities. It’s even likely that you’ve worked with someone who never showed emotion and preferred to work in their own silo even though, ultimately, it was detrimental to the team’s success. These are just some examples of natural personality tendencies that often rub people the wrong way and over time cause problems within a team or department. 

Soft Skills Are Lacking  

When teammates don’t know how to work collaboratively because their differences get in the way, it can result in prejudice, distrust, and even marginalization. It seems like we should be farther along than we are in addressing this issue, but organizations continue to put people together on teams based on their hard skills. And then they expect them to come together cohesively despite the different priorities, motivators, strengths, and struggles of each individual team member. More often than not, the result is a group of people who struggle to see eye to eye. They can’t relate to each other, and they don’t have the necessary soft skills to fix the problem. 

A proactive manager, on the other hand, would want to provide personality development for the team so that employees are empowered with the knowledge of why they show up at work the way they do and why their teammates show up as they do. A manager would also ensure that the training would provide strategies for communicating more effectively with the different personality types. And most importantly, this type of training would allow employees the opportunity to practice communication skills before they actually have to use them.  

Personality Development Matters

The ability to communicate effectively even in conflict is one of the soft skills most desired by today’s employers. So, if today’s employees want access to more professional development and organizations want employees to have more of the power skills like communication and collaboration, then personality development is a must. This type of development benefits teams as they work together but it also imparts skills that individuals will continue to use throughout their careers. In fact, research from Harvard University, the Carnegie Foundation, and Stanford Research Center found that 85% of career success comes from having well-developed soft skills and people skills. 

To conclude, kudos to every manager who is working to make diversity, equity, inclusivity, and belonging the norm in their place of work. Being a woman and having a Mexican family lineage makes that personal to me. But I also believe that a crucial aspect of this fight for diversity is recognizing that personality plays an important part in how we show up at work. To manage effectively you must understand your own personality as well as the others on your team. It’s the way to ensure that employees feel included, heard, appreciated, and valued. At Brilliant People we believe it’s the cornerstone of a culture that embraces DEI&B wholeheartedly.  

If you’d like to bring personality development to your team, get in touch with us today! 

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Recruiting the right employees and onboarding them so they stay are two of the biggest challenges organizations face today.  This is especially true as Great Resignation shows no sign of slowing down. Something’s gotta give and we think it’s on the organization to step up and lead the way. 

So, what do we mean by the “right” employee? It means they need to be able to check the following boxes. 

• They are a good fit for your company culture  
• They are aligned with your company values & mission  

• They are willing to do what it takes to be part of a high performing team 

All are important considerations as you bring new people into the fold. 

The hiring process is a tricky one, though, because sometimes the best candidate may not be the right candidate. And sometimes the interviewer just makes the wrong choice. Maybe they allowed the resume and hard skills to sell them, or they got caught up in the story the interviewee told. Whatever the case, some candidates make it past the gate, only to crash and burn a few months later. This wastes time and money. Instead, organizations should be putting together a recruiting and onboarding plan to find the right people for the job and keep them. At Brilliant People, we believe there are some key steps to getting this piece right. You want new hires that are in it to win it for the long haul. 

Need a Culture Evolution? 

You might be in an organization who is doing alright, but there might be a few areas where it could improve. If so, an “evolution” is all it needs. Or you might work in an organization that needs a full culture “revolution.” If that’s the case, the job at hand may be a little more daunting but can be accomplished, nonetheless.  

Start by taking an honest look at where your company stands on the evolution/revolution meter. Asking these questions is a great place to start. 

• Is this an organization who builds trust with their employees, makes sure everyone feels a sense of belonging, has excellent communication standards, as well as transparency?   
• What type of culture do you want to build?  

You’ve probably heard the saying ‘culture eats strategy for breakfast’, and it’s true! Poor workplace culture is a breeding ground for gossip, discontent, conflict, disengagement, and voluntary attrition.  In fact, 86% of job seekers avoid companies with a bad reputation.  New hires who realize after the fact that the culture is bad, will leave. These early exits cost companies 6-9 months of the person’s salary. How many times can your company afford to make the wrong choice? 
 

Don’t Believe the Hype 

Let’s be honest. We’ve all likely experienced an embellished resume, whether our own, or someone we were considering for a position. The reality is that you must learn to look beyond the resume. It rarely tells the whole story.  

There are very easy ways to get the information you need by just taking the time in the interview to find out what makes the candidate tick. Finding out what motivates them, what their priorities are, whether they have hobbies, or a family or even play sports can help you determine whether they’re competitive, perfectionistic, collaborative, helpful, empathetic, etc.  Then take the time to ask about career goals and how they envision this particular job helping them meet those goals. When you allow someone to share about themselves, you’ll see a different side than how people typically show at work, and this is a good thing. These kinds of conversations allow for an opportunity to open up, be real and shift from selling mode to connecting mode. And if the candidate seems too good to be true, they probably are.  

Looking Through a Different Lens 

Diversity in the workplace is important but we aren’t just talking about differences in age, ethnicity, sexual orientation or education levels. It’s also crucial to have diversity of personalities to build high performance teams.  

But of course, people differences trigger people problems. Where personality is concerned, the different personality types view the world and approach it differently. So, looking for team additions that fill a gap is essential. Rather than seeing it as a chore to onboard this person and get them up to speed, look at it as an opportunity to view the world through their lens. You just might find innovation and creativity.   

Make or Break the New Hire Experience 

Having a solid onboarding program is key to a new hire’s success.  Research has shown that the retention rate of new employees can be increased by as much as 40% with a solid onboarding program. They’ve also shown that having a proper system in place allows for a smoother process as new hires ramp up in their role, rather than expecting them to successfully hit the ground running. This almost never happens so here are a few things you can implement to make the onboarding process work for both the new hire and the hiring manager. A robust onboarding program should include a lot more than these ideas but hopefully this gets you thinking about ways to support your newest additions to the team.  

• Create an onboarding checklist that allows both the manager and new employee to track progress 

• Designate a timeframe for mile markers: Create a 30-, 60- or 90-day plan that gives the new hire the time needed to get through the various items on the list and gives management the time needed to evaluate their efforts and guide them if they falter 
• Assign a mentor, possibly even from a cross functional team. This will create an opportunity for the new hire to meet someone in the company they may not have a chance to get to know otherwise. It will also give them access to someone they can go to when feeling stuck or in need of a little guidance that doesn’t warrant going to “the boss.” The mentor can also help chart out developmental goals they can focus on in their first few months at the company. 

An additional thought for implementing an onboarding system is to give your new hire a voice. As we’ve said before, when you allow employees to weigh in on a process or decision, you’ll more often than not get their buy in, so check in at certain points along the way to see how it’s going for them. They may be able to give some insight that helps you tweak the process which might help to make the process and the person more successful. Afterall, the goal is to create an environment in which your new hire will want to stay and being thoughtful about the path may just be the right move in ensuring you’re hiring the right folks and folding them into your organization in the best way possible. 

Map That Plan! 

Mapping a plan for recruiting the right folks and getting them set up for success once they’ve been hired can take some time, but it’ll be worth the effort. Understanding who you are as an organization and what you want the culture to be like is the first step that will lay the groundwork for attracting the “right” people.  

As you go through this process, it should become clear whether your company could benefit from a culture evolution, or a full-on revolution. Either way, this focus will take your organization to the next level, ensuring that when you find the right people, they’ll be more likely to stay. 

Don’t be afraid to get real during the interview process. Yes, it might take more time and energy to really get to know each candidate, but the effort will help you read between the lines and not get lost in the story you’re seeing and/or hearing via their resume or an interview. True colors shine if you just take the time… And, whether those true colors compliment your company dynamics or not, this step is crucial for making the right choice in the hiring process.  

And lastly, once that new hire is in the mix, give them a path to follow that will set them up for success with a super solid onboarding process. They want it and you’ll appreciate the outcome.  

Whether you need a culture EVOLUTION or a full on REVOLUTION, Brilliant People has your back. Call us at 512-423-2384 or find us at mybrilliantpeople.com and allow us to help you create high performance teams.  

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The Hiring Process 

The hiring process are key if you want to create or maintain good company culture. This means you can’t just hire with hard skills in mind. Companies often take on new recruits simply because of their hard skills. Yes, they’re important. However, to contribute positively to an organization, a new hire needs to also fit into the culture. Culture shifts a bit with each new person added to the team.

To make sure these shifts are enhancing the culture, managers should look for candidates that have both the hard and soft skills necessary. Hiring should be about finding people who can learn the hard skills, are team players, and who can embrace the current company culture and work to enhance it. To do this, there are three things that hiring managers should do.  

Hiring Process #1

First, a manager should explain the company values and culture, how they are brought to life, and how they relate to the role that needs to be filled. Candidates also need to know how their role plays a part in the overall success of the company. If the perspective employee understands what the culture is like up front and the part they are expected to play, they may back out of the hiring process if it does not resonate.

If they are a good match, they will know from the get-go that helping to build connection and community is expected from the start. As a bonus, employees who feel connected to the company values are far more likely to recommend their employer as a great place to work, and far less likely to look for a job elsewhere! 

Hiring Process #2

The second thing a manager should do is have an onboarding process mapped out that includes getting new hires to weigh in on how they can positively contribute to the role and the company or team. After all, teammates who have the chance to weigh in are more likely to buy in. This is important if you want employees to embody the culture in their daily work lives. And it shows that the responsibility does not just belong to the leaders in the organization. The onus for creating and maintaining company culture is on each individual staff member.  

Hiring Process #3

This is not always easy, as we all show up differently in the workplace. Our differences are based on life experience, but also on personality. In fact, research shows that “a whopping 50% of the variability in employee engagement was explained by a person’s personality.” And since engagement affects culture, the third thing a manager should do is to help new hires acclimate to their new teammates. One way to do this is to offer DiSC assessments.

Each DiSC assessment provides over 20 pages of in-depth information on why an individual shows up at work the way they do. It also offers insight into how to interact better with each of the other personality types. This is invaluable knowledge that can be used immediately in any new role or organization.  

Hire For Culture

Culture does not always determine whether a company succeeds but it absolutely affects whether quality individuals will stay in the roles for which they were hired. When clear expectations have not been set about company culture early on (not only what it means to the organization but to the new employees’ success within the organization), new hires are set up for failure from the onset. Individuals who learn after they have been hired that they are not a great fit for the culture tend to leave. This is a waste of valuable time, energy, and money.  

But, taking the time to talk about the company culture and your expectations will help you bring people on board who are committed to doing their part. We can’t always stop people from moving on to greener pastures, but we can choose to be intentional in our hiring practices, so they won’t want to. Doing so will make it so that as a manager, you won’t have to experience the frustration and failure caused by hiring square pegs to fit into round holes. 

Brilliant People offers individual DiSC assessments as well as personality development. To learn more contact us today!

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We’ve all heard about personality tests and it’s likely we’ve taken at least a few of them during our career. From DISC to Myers Briggs to Tilt and The Enneagram, personality tests have been used to better understand character traits in the workplace for years. And they are still some of the best predictors of behavior.

However, these assessments are not best used as a stand alone product, although there are many organizations using them in just this way. Well intentioned people leaders (HR, managers, Learning & Development leaders or even individual team members wanting to up their game) think that taking the assessment is all that’s needed. But it can’t stop there. It’s much like the quote: Knowledge is power. The reality is that knowledge alone doesn’t bring power… A more realistic way of looking at it is: Knowledge applied is power. 

So, when organizations find themselves looking at the possibility of another assessment in hopes of bringing their teams together, what should they do? Well, what they shouldn’t do is assume the employee will know what to do with the information about themselves, much less how to utilize it for a better employee experience. If you think about it, leadership development is close to a $400 billion dollar industry worldwide and close to $200 billion in the US alone yet, a majority of these programs have failed to create the desired results. Why is that? Because a good many organizations aren’t willing to do the follow up work required to embed the information learned in a way that creates a common language among employees. This is the path to sustained behavior change. This is the path to true organizational health. 

With that in mind, the first step is deciding on the best assessment and training for the challenges you might be facing in your organization. From there, want to know the best way to help your people digest and utilize the information individually and collectively as a team? Keep reading as we lay out the issue from both sides of the management coin: the perspective of the manager as well as those developing them.  

Know Thyself  

First, let’s look at how an individual manager can take the information gleaned from a personality assessment and use it to become a better manager. Before you can understand others, you’ve got to understand yourself. Reviewing the results from your completed report and owning the parts that resonate is step 1. After that, bringing your direct reports together to share all team member results is step 2. Understanding how each individual affects team dynamics is crucial and opens the door for conversations around how everyone on the team is wired.                

For example, what motivates one person may shut another person down. And, the emotional needs of one are likely the complete opposite of another’s. In fact, unfulfilled emotional needs at work are one of the biggest contributors to poor performance and engagement. So, a crucial step in the process is to explore the results of your team’s assessments together, looking at them from all angles to understand the people who work for you and allowing them to understand everyone else on the team, including you. As a manager, your willingness to be open and honest with your own results, is the foundational step toward building trust on the team. From there, it’s a matter of finding ways to keep the conversation alive. Include an icebreaker at the start of your weekly meetings that is based on information gleaned from the completed results. Encourage people to revisit the information weekly or monthly. Challenge them to consider areas for improvement based on their assessment results. Creating opportunities to purposely and mindfully use the information will continue adding to that foundation of trust. In addition, it will encourage effective communication skills along the way. That should be the long-term goal.

Challenge for the Manager Who’s Large and In Charge: 

• What can you do to help your team implement the information so that it becomes a common language embedded in your overall team dynamic?  
• How can you lead by example as a manager?

A Growth Plan For Managers

When we think about the people responsible for an engaged workforce we may immediately lay some blame on the managers. We’ve likely all had a manager at some point in our career that we felt was the cause of our own personal hell. In some situations, it might have even been true, but the responsibility isn’t typically only in a direct manager. It also lies with those who develop managers. As you may have witnessed (or possibly had this happen to you), sometimes individual contributors get elevated into management positions they just aren’t ready for. In our current post pandemic environment and on the heels (or possibly still fully in the middle) of The Great Resignation, some companies just need warm bodies to fill the void that is happening from a mass exodus. We get it. You’ve got to do what you’ve got to do, even if it means elevating someone who’s not yet there. But, elevating someone to a management position should only be the beginning of their journey. Organizations have to do better at empowering emerging leaders with the skills necessary to manage others to success.

Unfortunately, a lot of organizations don’t have any follow through when it comes to learning and development. They think a “one ’n done” deal is going to do the trick and when it doesn’t, they blame the training or program, rather than realizing that they didn’t support the system. For sustainable change to occur, you have to provide opportunities for employees to keep these Learning & Development conversations alive in the organization, creating a common language for the entire staff. 

Which brings me to another issue: the assessments being used. When teams within an organization are not learning the same language, it might be something akin to the Wild West. You’ve got a bunch of teams all out for themselves, and not for the greater good of the company! 

Leadership needs to decide a path forward and get the buy-in from their teams so that each team is getting the same information, and applying it in the way that works best for  their teams. All while speaking the same language. Without buy-in you’re just checking a box for giving the assessment and assuming that employees

will (1) want to dig into the information they get from their completed reports, and (2) be compelled or even understand what to do with the information.  A leader should never assume the information learned through the assessment will be ingrained in the employee’s mind immediately.  

Growth Plan Challenge:

For true, sustainable behavior change, the information gleaned through the personality profile needs to be woven throughout the organization, in a variety of ways. 

• Encourage managers to understand the individual dynamics for each of the personality types on their teams, starting with their own. When people know who they are in the mix and why they show up the way they do (from their natural wiring to life experiences), it often opens a door of possibility. It creates some ah-ha moments in an individual, allowing them to get to that next level – actually caring about why someone else shows up the way they do and wanting to learn more about that.
• Inspire managers to make space for empathy. When they have learned who they are and who others are on their teams, as well as why they show up the way they do, empathy around those differences goes a long way.
• Motivate managers to use their teams completed reports to have more effective interactions with their direct reports, teammates or even their boss. The information included in these reports can be the game changer in an effort to level up their relationships at work both horizontally, as well as vertically. 

Conclusion:

Personality assessments have been around for years and will continue to evolve allowing us to better understand character traits in the workplace. The trick will be to pair them with appropriate training that solidifies the information gleaned through the completed report. 

Well intentioned leaders who use them as stand alone products do their employees and the organizations they work for a disservice.  The information has to be embedded in the fabric of the workplace, creating a common language for all. So, how does that happen?

Organizations have to be willing to provide ongoing follow up that embeds the information learned in a way that creates a common language among employees. The path to sustained behavior change really is that simple. 

As a manager, or a leader developing them, remember these strategies for building cohesive, collaborative teams.

1. One off training sessions don’t work and usually just end up irritating employees because it takes time away from things they feel need to get done. Providing assessments and training around a given challenge, helping them understand who they are in the midst of that challenge, allows them to see how they might play a part in the solution. 
2. Never assume that learning of any kind will be ingrained in your employee’s minds after one exposure. For sustainable behavior change the information must be woven into conversations across the organization on a continuous basis. 
3. Get into the habit of reflecting on the different personality styles of your team as a group. How do they solve problems?  What motivates them?  How do they respond to conflict? 

At Brilliant People, we are constantly striving to bring fresh solutions to the complexities of human interaction. Call us for a quick chat. We’d love to help you navigate your way to sustained organizational health.

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Giving feedback is crucial to work performance. Every action we take causes a reaction and the reaction or feedback we receive helps us learn whether or not to repeat the action. In essence, to learn and improve we must receive and then act on the feedback we’ve been given. In and of itself this information is a learning tool and isn’t positive or negative. 

Yet most of us cringe at the idea of receiving feedback, especially if it’s critical in any way. And many leaders hesitate to give it because it can be hard to hold people accountable. Feedback is often viewed as a necessary evil only given during the annual review. Some choose not to give it at all, at least in the formal sense. And yet, feedback clarifies expectations, helps people learn from their mistakes, and builds confidence. All of which are important to succeeding at work and building a positive workplace culture. 

A study by Zenger/Folkman revealed that 72% of the participants believed that if their employers provided constructive feedback, work performance and productivity would improve. In addition, 57% of the participants felt that constructive feedback is better than just focusing on personal qualities and work wins. But of course, how the feedback is given is critical to whether or not the recipient can learn and grow from it. One way to ensure that the message encourages growth is to learn to speak to personality type. 

Giving Feedback by Personality Type

Personality type largely determines how people show up at work because it impacts individual motivation, reactions to stress, and emotional needs. Since individuals on a team most likely have a range of personality types, this may seem daunting at first. But it’s worth the effort! Providing regular positive & critical (less is more) feedback to employees improves trust and engagement, which ultimately leads to more profitability.

To get started, we encourage managers to become familiar with the Everything DiSC model. There are 4 major personality types and they each show up differently at work. To meet each individual where they are, it’s important to understand how to communicate most effectively with each type.

Giving Feedback to The D-type

When giving feedback to the D-type personality remember that they prefer to have direct discussions. They don’t need you to walk them around the block to get to the point. Instead, they’ll appreciate it if you get right to the point and honestly relay the information. They don’t need the chit-chat and may not want to linger to discuss. Of course, the D-type personality does have feelings, so remember to first point out the things you appreciate about their efforts.

Giving Feedback to The i-type

These are the extroverted, fun-loving, idea-generating, social butterflies on the team. They tend to have a lot of words and need to get them all out by the end of the day. To some, this might come across as attention-seeking and they would be right! The emotional needs of the i-type include attention and also appreciation. Giving feedback then should always begin by asking how they’re doing and or feeling. It will break the ice and help them to be more comfortable. This should be followed by focusing on what they’re doing well. And when giving critical feedback make sure that you offer a tangible process for tracking improvement and then check in with them often.

Giving Feedback to The S-Type

These people are the quiet workers, often in the background making sure everyone else feels included and smoothing teammate’s ruffled feathers. Really, they’re like the glue that holds the team together because they have a need for stability and harmony. Since they’re typically quiet and happy to work in the background, some managers and teammates may assume that they don’t need accolades. But boy, would they be wrong! One of the main emotional needs of the S-type is to feel their worth on the team. When giving feedback then, first make sure they know how much you value their work, their calm presence, and their ability to work behind the scenes. 

Giving Feedback to The C-Type

The C-type focuses heavily on getting things right. They work hard to make sure all t’s are crossed and i’s are dotted. But doing so may cause them to take longer than they had anticipated. In fact, they often underestimate how long something will take them to complete. They also tend to show very little emotion. They look at the world logically and have little patience for workplace drama. And so they often just to prefer to work alone. Giving feedback to the C-type should be based on numbers and facts, and held in private. These people also need to know that you are there to support them if they need it. They rarely ask for help, so it’s important that a manager pay close attention to how they handle their workload. 

To Wrap It Up

Providing feedback based on personality type is an excellent way for managers to show team members that they care about them personally. It reveals that managers are willing to meet their people where they are, and help them move forward. But managers can’t stop there. They have to get into the habit of giving feedback on a regular basis. The combination of regular personalized feedback is what is going to improve individual performance and team dynamics. This is especially true for teams with remote members. As the ‘great resignation’ continues, this one process is key to a manager’s success. 

At Brilliant People the foundation of our programming is personality development. Reach out to learn how to put this information to use in your workplace!

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Employee mental health has been all over the news lately because as a society we are still struggling to adapt to the loss, change, and prolonged instability caused by the pandemic. In response, organizations across the nation are working to ensure that employees have the resources they need. In fact, 73% of employers are increasing their behavioral health investment in 2021. This is welcome news, but at Brilliant People, we believe it’s just as important to treat each other with care. We all have emotional needs that don’t go into hibernation just because we’re at work, which means it’s important to understand you and your coworkers’ emotional needs. Looking into their DiSC personality style is a great place to start.

Emotional Needs of The Dominant

The Dominant or ‘D’ style is known for their competitive nature, focus on results, and take-charge attitude. I mean, these people take charge even when they aren’t in charge! Control is important when you’re afraid of being taken advantage of. This is why the D type thrives on competition and needs to be first and/or the best. It can create problems when they step on or over those around them in their efforts to win. Their blunt, ‘do-it-my-way-or-the-highway’ attitude can also ruffle some feathers. 

They can come across so confidently that it’s sometimes surprising to many that realize that they have emotional needs just like everyone else. In fact, their willingness to take charge is actually a clever way of camouflaging their need for control. 

To meet the emotional needs of the ‘D’ style make sure they know you appreciate their go-get-it attitude, and their laser focus. Allow them to take the reins when possible, but also help them to develop their people skills. That way they’ll have the necessary finesse to collaborate well when needed.

The Influencer

The Influence or ’ style is cheerful, optimistic, and very social. They also tend to be amazing idea generators. These people spend their time checking in on other coworkers, organizing birthday celebrations, the weekly happy hour and the holiday food drive. Their desire to be liked and accepted is what drives their behavior. I would venture to say that all people desire to be liked and accepted but for the ‘i’ type, this is a true emotional need because they fear being rejected and ignored. And when these needs aren’t met, you may notice that their cheerfulness, optimism, and activity go into hyperdrive. This isn’t melodramatic behavior. It’s a cry for help. 

So, take the time to let the ‘i’ type on your team or in your department know that you appreciate them. Give kudos for their ability to continually innovate, and appreciation for their non-stop optimism. Interact often to let them know you care.

Emotional Needs of The Steady

The Steady or ’S’ style is the laid-back member of the team. They strive to provide a supportive atmosphere for everyone, making them great collaborators and mediators. They crave stability, peace, and appreciation. This means they don’t like change or conflict. Many Steady types find it hard to voice their opinions, especially if other more vocal members tend to talk over or ignore them. If conflict is constant, this can become a vicious cycle of silence and resentment for the ‘S’ type. And in regard to change, you can help to combat their fears by having a private conversation when change is coming. Giving a heads up early will allow the ’S’ style time to come to grips with the change. As a result, they’ll be less likely to dig their heels in and resist. Then they can use their calming demeanor to help ease the transition for others. 

And lastly, if team members spend too much time pushing their own agenda, they’ll miss out on the fact that the Steady needs to know that people sincerely appreciate their contributions to the team. This could be verbal or in writing. The main thing is to make sure you state specifically what it is that you appreciate them for.  

The Conscientious Style

The Conscientious or ‘C’ style is typically the most logical and analytical person on the team. They approach work and work relationships with a straightforward and unemotional demeanor, purposefully steering clear of high drama or emotion. Instead, they prefer to work alone researching and making sure there are no mistakes or inconsistencies. The emotional need for being correct or even perfect drives the C type and causes them to be sidelined by ‘analysis paralysis’. And in some cases, if the work others are doing doesn’t meet their standards, they may just decide to do it all themselves. What most people don’t realize, however, is that their emotional need for perfection comes from a fear of being wrong or having to settle for less. 

Therefore, to improve relationships with the C type, give them as much independence as possible and keep the office politics/drama to a minimum.  But do encourage the ‘C’ type to actively be a part of the team by communicating often, preferably in person. This will go a long way in helping them feel a part of the team. 

The Importance of Meeting the Emotional Needs of Our Teammates

There is no star personality type. They each have strengths particular to their type. And where they lack strength opens a door of opportunity for another type to fill their gap. But we won’t see this happen in the workplace unless we get to know our coworkers and take the necessary steps to help them feel like a valuable asset. One important way of doing this is to meet their emotional needs. In fact, employees who feel heard and understood are 4.6x more likely to do their best work, and they’re more fun to be around.  When we don’t show the care others deserve, people can quickly devolve into their worst selves. Behaviors like barking directives, steamrolling over others, ignoring teammates and conflict, missing details or deadlines, and retreating to our own silos become commonplace. Over time, these behaviors destroy company culture. 

However, placing an emphasis on meeting each other’s emotional needs will build rapport and trust. And since trust is the foundation of all cohesive teams, it’s a great place to start. In today’s mental health climate, it’s important to get this right. 

Need help identifying the emotional needs of your teammates? Call us today. We offer DiSC assessments combined with personality training to give you the insight you need.

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Your Personality at Work

5th installment of a 5 part series:

YOUR PERSONALITY TYPE AND STRESS RESPONSE  

Read Part 4!

Meet Brilliant Billy

As a Conscientious personality type, Billy’s real strength as a workmate is his aim for perfection. When he does something, he does it right. He’s deep and thoughtful, serious and purposeful and even (at times) prone to genius. Billy’s talents also lie in his creative abilities, which means he’s great to have in a brainstorming session. He can also be self-sacrificing and sensitive to others. He takes other’s feelings into consideration even when they’re not around to speak for themselves. 

Morphing into Back Down Billy

On a typical day, Billy needs a good balance of space and silence to be his best at work and at home. Unfortunately, he’s still having to work remotely which isn’t conducive to supporting these needs. Working from home has been really challenging for him. And, although for the most part, he’s settled into a routine, he’s finding it difficult to connect with his team and manager. 

To top it off, when Billy needs support, he isn’t likely to ask for it. Instead, he prefers to  go it alone, so he can control the outcome. The problem with this is it takes teamwork to make the dream work. And because Billy is primarily working from home, it’s hard for those he works with to recognize the signs that he may need some support. 

Billy’s New Normal

Though Billy has pretty much adapted to his new normal the pandemic is still an ever present threat.  And, splitting his time between working from home and going into the office isn’t helping, especially with his penchant for perfection. The ambiguity around what that’s actually going to look like is making his anxiety worse and he feels like his head might explode. His need for perfection is not achievable, and Billy feels himself begin to descend into total chaos. 

With this much stress building up, his awesome attributes are about to take a leap right out the window. Under stress and emotional duress, he becomes an altogether different person, shutting down and going into avoidance mode. This way of dealing (or NOT dealing) with stress doesn’t help Billy at home or at work.

It’s Time to Give Billy Some Attention

Billy’s normal M.O. is an aim for perfection but this situation is far from perfect.

So what’s a guy to do?

If you are feeling a kinship with Billy, try these tips on for size:

1. Adjust those perfectionist expectations. Recognize and verbalize that things aren’t “business as usual” right now and focus on what you can control and affect. That includes keeping those emotions in check and being aware of how you’re showing up for your coworkers. This will even come in handy for those loved ones you’re currently sharing your living/workspace with. 
2. Give more praise and less criticism because, come on, there is enough of that in the world right now. Instead, channel your inner empathy. This will demonstrate how much you value others. And it will build up others, creating general feelings of positivity and wellbeing. 

If you live or work with a “Billy”, support his need for control and structure amidst the chaos. The simple act of respecting his time can go a long way in bringing his brilliant side to the surface. Preface a conversation with “Is now a good time to talk?” and in this way, help him prepare for a purposeful, productive and positive discussion. You can also offer to help when you see that he’s overwhelmed. He may not take you up on it but the fact that you offered, will go a long way with him.

Moving Forward as a Billy or With a Billy

As you’ve discovered throughout this series, personality plays a big part in how we show up in the world. And it directly relates to the behavior we exhibit when stress and pressure are just too much. If we were Tom Hanks living on an isolated island with only Wilson to talk to, this wouldn’t be a problem. But that’s not how we live and operate. When our personality bumps up against someone else’s in a not-so-friendly or unhealthy manner, there will be negative consequences for both parties. And this type of thing could happen several times during a typical day even under the best of circumstances. 

Being confined to your home with your family, figuring out how to work remotely, and not knowing what the future will look like, makes for some major stress. Our human need for immediate release may cause us to act out by barking orders, yelling, giving in or avoiding. Or we may find ourselves on the receiving end of one or more of those responses. 

We all know that sometimes maintaining your own brilliant self is easier said than done. And this has never been more true than now. The world we are living in may require some serious adjustments from all of us, so take a deep breath and just do your best. Remember that as we cautiously navigate life during this pandemic, we need our relationships at work and at home to remain on solid ground. Because that’s how we will continue to move forward. 

The future will be what we make of it, so if you’re ready to get the personality development training your team(s) need, contact us today. 

The Culture (R)evolution starts with you! 

You can also keep up with us here to receive insights, tips and relevant ways to connect through personalities, employee engagement, leadership and more.

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4th installment of a 5 part series.

The Steady personality type under stress will often dig their heels in and stick to their old routines. They need a stable environment and are very reluctant to confront change and conflict.  If they feel that their environment is in danger of change or that they have to engage in conflict, the Steady will typically avoid the situation and potentially hold a grudge. Take Brilliant Belinda for example.  

Brilliant Belinda tends to be introverted and wants her life to be calm and predictable. She prefers to move at a steady pace, taking things gradually and implementing them. Belinda doesn’t like personal confrontations or difficult conversations, but she is really good at mediating for others. She also really dislikes change. She prefers to get into a groove and stay there. Brilliant Belinda embodies the old saying, “slow and steady wins the race.” 

Under Stress Brilliant Belinda Becomes Begrudging Belinda 

Belinda has had to navigate a lot of changes over the last year because of the Coronavirus. She’s a writer and has always loved the flexibility of working from home. She likes the quiet and she doesn’t have officemates to distract her. However, her roommate, Kelly, is now having to work from their apartment too. Kelly took over the kitchen/den area leaving Belinda with nowhere but her bedroom to work. Belinda agreed to the arrangement, but now she’s not happy about it.

Kelly spends all day on conference calls walking around and talking loudly. And the lack of silence is driving Belinda crazy. She doesn’t like being cooped up in her bedroom, or having to listen to Kelly’s phone calls all day. I mean, she’s trying to come up with a storyline for Pete’s sake! Belinda’s stress level is climbing and she’s having difficulty expressing her feelings because she thinks it will create conflict with her roommate. Outwardly, she seems fine, but inside she’s starting to boil, as Begrudging Belinda takes over for Brilliant Belinda.

Belinda wants Kelly to notice that she’s not happy with the situation and to offer to do something about it, but she seems to be completely unaware. And Kelly comments all the time, on how great it is to work from home! Yesterday, Kelly was on a call til 7pm and Belinda felt like a prisoner in her own home.  She was so angry that she left the apartment without saying good-bye and slammed the door behind her. 

Tips For The Steady & Those That Work With Them

The Steady personality type is normally even keeled and all about collaboration, but when stressed out, they can go quiet. They crave peace and are unsettled by conflict. The reality though, is that everyone should be able to share their feelings in a way that allows for issues to be solved diplomatically and effectively. So, if you are a Steady type, remember that holding onto frustration or anger is just delaying a future explosion, and one that you won’t be in control of. Taking the time now to express yourself calmly will help to prevent this from happening. 

If you live or work with a Steady, remember that they are incredible team players and want to be a part of the solution, not the problem. So, encourage them to speak their mind and then give them thoughtful feedback that shows you respect their thoughts and feelings. We can all work together to keep a Brilliant Belinda from becoming a Begrudging Belinda! And if you or your team needs a little help navigating the personality waters, reach out to us today. 

The culture (r)evolution starts with you!

Next Up: The Perfect/Conscientious Personality Type Under Stress

This post was originally published on April 26, 2020.

You may also like:

It Takes A Village

Building Resilience Amidst Uncertainty – Part 1

Diversity & Equality: Our Story

Your Personality at Work