To win the war for talent, you must shape the culture so that your company attracts the right people. As the Great Resignation has proven, unhappy workers whose employers aren’t cutting it are quitting in droves. In fact, one-quarter of employees resigned over the past six months and the No. 1 reason listed for quitting was “toxic company culture.” Things like a lack of recognition, favoritism, unhealthy communication, gossiping, and poor management skills can all contribute to a toxic culture. So, what’s an organization to do when it can’t completely start from scratch? Embrace the potter’s philosophy. It’s an old metaphor, but an apt one when it comes to creating culture. And it only involves three steps: pick the clay, center the clay and mold the clay.  

Step 1: Pick the clay 

There are four different types of clay that potters use: Earthenware clay, Stoneware clay, Ball clay, and Porcelain. All can be used but the end result for each will be different from the others because of its color, texture, and flexibility. In business, it’s no different. To create a culture that will attract and retain the best employees, you must first pick the right people to be a part of the culture. Building diversity is key. Individuals with different backgrounds, life experiences, personal characteristics, skill sets, and viewpoints are necessary to construct a high-performing team.  

Of course, people differences often trigger people problems, so it is important for a manager to choose people who are supportive and collaborative team players, but also results-driven. And it is just as important that the manager provides opportunities for the team to get to know each other’s personality types and work styles. Taking the time to choose the right people and then creating cohesion by helping them to get to know each other to build trust will create a solid foundation for the team. 

Step 2: Center the clay 

Once a potter has chosen the type of clay they will use, it’s time to center it on the potting wheel. This involves getting a ball of clay to evenly distribute across the middle of the potting wheel. It doesn’t sound hard but it’s actually one of the most frustrating parts of preparing the clay. Centering the clay is like aligning employees to the mission and values of the organization, so it’s an essential step. Employees have always wanted to know that what they do at work is important, but for many, this desire is now one of the biggest factors contributing to whether they stay at their job or take their skills elsewhere. Basically, the pandemic caused a shift in how we view work. So much so, that fifty-two percent now say they question the purpose of their day-to-day job. And 92% said the pandemic made them feel life is too short to stay in a job they weren’t passionate about. 

Sadly, when employees feel they have little purpose, they begin to disengage. They care less and so lose the desire to do their job well. This lack of motivation trickles down and causes productivity to suffer. Ultimately, unhappy people create an unhappy workplace culture. A good manager, however, will start during the hiring process to make sure that all team members know just how much their work matters and how it ties in with the mission statement and values of the organization.  

Step 3: Mold the clay

Molding the clay is where the potter works the centered clay on the potting wheel to create the sculpture of their choosing. One aspect of this step is the act of smoothing out the clay with the fingers. This process is like the idea of providing feedback to employees in order to help them become the best that they can be at their jobs. And yet it’s one of the things managers struggle with the most.  

Over two-thirds report that they are uncomfortable with giving feedback to those they manage, especially if it’s negative feedback. But this is hands down the best way to help mold employees into high-performing members of the team. When feedback is given regularly and appropriately, it models a two-way communication loop which decreases office conflict and helps people feel valued and recognized. This is so important that nearly 60% of employees surveyed stated that they would like feedback on a daily or weekly basis — a number that increased to 72% for employees under age 30. Regular feedback (mostly positive!) by management is a necessary component of building a high-performance team.  

3 Steps to Success

A beautiful piece of pottery represents skilled craftsmanship, not unlike the manager of a thriving workplace culture. The potter chooses the right clay and the manager chooses the right people. The potter centers the clay and the manager centers the team by aligning them to the company’s mission and values. And lastly, the potter molds the clay, just as the manager uses feedback to mold the members of the team. All three steps are necessary to create high-performance teams that will sustain the company culture.  

To begin this process, contact us today! We provide a comprehensive continual learning model that achieves results! 

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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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Your Personality at Work

Curiosity kills conflict. It sounds morbid, I know, but hear me out. When you take the time to truly understand what has led to the conflict, you can typically deflate the conflict. This is good news because conflict in some form is inevitable when humans are involved. At work, managers spend about 25% of their time resolving workplace conflicts, eating into valuable time that could be used elsewhere. And recent research shows that conflict between employees is on the rise.  

Get Curious About Personality Type  

As we’ve said before, people differences trigger people problems every day everywhere. Most of the time it’s because people don’t understand how and why they show up at work the way they do. And if they don’t understand themselves, it’s highly unlikely that they will understand how and why their workmates show up the way they do. This sets the stage for miscommunication that often leads to conflict. 

Manager Tip:

Do you know what your personality type is and how it might be affecting your management style? Many don’t, but there is an easy fix. All you have to do is take an Everything DiSC assessment. Then you’ll receive a 20+ page report outlining your particular personality style including your priorities, motivators, challenges and stressors. This in depth information will shed light on how your personality affects your management style. The assessment will also offer you tips on how to work with the other personality types. 

Get Curious About How Your Team Feels About Conflict 

Managing a team will be easier if you create norms around conflict. Norms can be extremely beneficial because they provide rules or patterns around how the individuals on a team should respond in conflict situations. Once a norm or set of norms is embedded into the social fabric of the team, it will be much easier for each individual team member to hold themselves and each other accountable.  

Manager Tip:  

To create norms around conflict, you must first get to know your team a little better. Find out how each teammate feels about conflict. For example, do they run headlong into the fire, or do they run away from it? And if there is unresolved conflict, do they hold a grudge, avoid the other person involved, or just let it go? What behaviors do they believe are acceptable and which ones are unacceptable when engaging in conflict? Then hold a team meeting to discuss the answers to these questions and vote on the norms that the team would like to see implemented around how conflict will be handled going forward.  

Get Curious and Show Empathy

Sometimes when there is conflict, it’s best to just listen. We all want our side of the story to be heard, and we almost always feel justified about our emotions and how we remember things. So taking the time to listen to teammates that are experiencing conflict can serve to not only meet that emotional need, but also help to show empathy. A study by research firm DDI found that empathy is one of the most important drivers of overall performance among managers. And managers who show higher levels of empathy toward their team are viewed as better performers by their bosses as reported in another recent study. Honing your empathy skills by listening to your teammates is a win-win. 

Manager Tip:  

When conflict occurs, take the time to talk to everyone involved and really listen. Active listening involves being attentive and letting it show by looking the other person in the eye and leaning slightly forward. When they seem to have finished with what they want to tell you, simply say, “Hmm. Tell me more.” They may falter for a minute as they realize that you truly want to listen, but then they’ll continue with more details. Continue with ‘tell me more’ until you feel that there is nothing more to share or be gleaned from the conversation. It’s rare to be listened to with such intention, so doing it will help create psychological safety for the team member. And it will show that you have empathy for their situation.  

At The End Of The Day

There is no way to get rid of all conflict in the workplace. But you can work to lead the team toward productive conflict where individuals can openly discuss their opposing ideas in a respectful manner and without fear of backlash. This will take time but it’s totally doable. And the reward will be a team that works together instead of against each other. To get started you just need to get curious about  personality, how the team feel about conflict, and showing empathy. These strategies will help you reduce the time spent dealing with negative conflict.

If you’d like to understand more about how you show up as a manager, reach out to us today for a DiSC assessment and put yourself on the path to success. Because the Culture (R)evolution starts with you!

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Your Personality at Work

Faulty perception shows up in almost every conversation or scenario at work and can wreak havoc on our relationships with coworkers.  Maybe you’ve experienced one of the following situations:  

• Approaching a coworker (your boss, a peer, or even the front desk admin, who’s usually the most upbeat person in the office. But for whatever reason, they don’t respond to you as you were expecting) 
• You ask for advice or pose what you consider to be an urgent question, and your coworker doesn’t seem to care 

• There’s a deadline, and you feel you need extra support, but your manager can’t be bothered 

Now let’s flip it around. Have you ever been stressed, sad or angry at work and  

• Responded abruptly to a coworker?  
• Ignored or avoided a colleague because you didn’t have time for them?  

• Agreed to something to avoid conflict but then didn’t carry through? 

These are all common scenarios at work where misperceptions occur because, as humans, we often don’t realize how the people around us perceive our actions. Unfortunately, how we think we show up for others is not typically how they experience us. For instance, in one of the earlier examples, you need support from your manager, but you ‘perceive’ that he/she doesn’t care, solely based on their response to the situation. You are offended, but your manager is clueless. Your manager has no idea that his/her response (or lack thereof) has caused you to alter reality and start making stuff up in your head. You tell yourself things like: they just don’t care – they’re mean – they’re only out for themselves!

Are We Speaking The Same Language? 

Although perceptions like these are often incorrect, it’s what we do when we are not speaking the same language of as our coworkers.  I don’t mean languages like English, Spanish or French. I’m talking about the language of personality. Because when we don’t understand why our coworkers show up the way they do, we cannot effectively communicate with them. To communicate effectively we need to understand their emotional needs. And, yeah, I know – talking about emotions is not necessarily encouraged at work. But we aren’t talking about being touchy-feely. The research shows that we show up in the world and respond to our environments based on our emotional needs.  

Understanding the four major DiSC types can give you insight into the emotional needs of each person in your organization. For example, the Dominant personality type has a need for control and accomplishment, whereas the Influencer’s needs are all about appreciation and acceptance. The Steady needs to feel valued and listened to, whereas the Conscientious has the need to be correct and prefers to work alone. If we aren’t aware of these needs for ourselves and our coworkers, communication is difficult with misperceptions happening constantly.  

Stories Can Be Dangerous 

When a misperception occurs, our brain moves into storytelling mode. This is because we’re neurologically wired to make something up when we’re confused about how a conversation or event played out or how someone responded to us, especially if there were negative undertones. Our brain needs for the situation to make sense. It’s a safety thing. And, the brain is so incredible that it will reward us (through a dopamine hit, as an example) when we create a story around a situation that makes sense. And that is whether the story is true or not!  

Once we’ve made up a story, a new narrative based on that story affects how we respond the next time we interact with the same person. It can even influence how we treat the next person we see or talk to. Ever snapped at someone about something, only to realize later that it wasn’t them you were frustrated with? It was the person you spoke to BEFORE them. They just happened to get caught in the line of fire. So, misperceptions allow us to create some impressive storylines, but most of the time, they just aren’t true. And they can be seriously detrimental to our work relationships. 

Stories With A Happy Ending

If we want to improve our experience at work, though, we need to be willing to get curious when we feel our emotions being hijacked. When we notice our discomfort or confusion because of a coworker’s response to us, it’s an opportunity to dig in a little before we go down the path of some made-up story. Because the reality is there are always two sides to a story.  

This isn’t about making excuses for their behavior. Instead, it’s about trying to understand why they responded the way they did and why you reacted the way you did. Take some time to reflect and consider how you can show up in a way that meets both of your needs. This may require a conversation and some studying up on the DiSC personality types. Not only will this lead to improved communication, but it will also create connection.

When you show you care enough to get to know someone else’s emotional needs, you begin to create a bond of trust. Since trust is the basis of any good relationship, it’s a worthy spend of your time and energy. And the next time your brain goes into storytelling mode, you’ll be able to realistically create a happy ending.  

If you’d like to improve the storytelling in your work environment, give us a call. We provide DiSC assessments and training on the Diversity of Personalities. 

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Your Personality at Work

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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Your Personality at Work

Download the PDF

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Your Personality at Work

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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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! 

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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