When team members clash, disaster strikes. Project deadlines are missed, HR referees team members, the boss is angry for a week, and the raises everyone expects vanishes in the face of discord. These clashes typically occur because the teams personalities get in the way. Each team member has their own unique personality mix which contributes to their ability to communicate, work under stress and make decisions. Wouldnt it be great if the team could harness their personality for productive sessions rather than battling sessions? Personality is defined as a collection of emotion, thought and behavior patterns unique to a person. Personality tests have been around for years. There are many types and variations, Briggs-Meyer, Enneagram, Keirsey-Bates, Hippocrates, Spangler, Jung, etc. Most separate personality into four categories. In this article, I will be discussing the Keirsey Temperament types: Artisan, Guardian, Rational, and Idealist. Statistically the workplace is made up of the following mix: Personality Type (% of the population) Guardian: 40-45% Artisan: 35-40% Rationalist: 5-7% Idealist: 8-10%Of course this is based on population statistics and your workplace may be different, depending on the type of employee targeted. In an accounting firm; the number of Guardians would be higher, in a graphic design company; the number of Artisian's would be higher, etc. Which personality is getting in the way of meeting the project deadline? No bet here, has to be the Guardian personality. Guardians Guardian personalities make up 40-45% of the population and populate the science, technology, and engineering fields. These personalities pay attention to detail and provide a measure of security to projects. They are the ones who make sure that "i"s are dotted and "t"s are crossed. Guardians are great listeners and love the details. They make sure that any new proposal contains sufficient information to act. On the flip side, this employee can sometimes become so cautious that projects end up delayed while they ensure themselves that everything is complete. They trust their judgment and are reluctant to trust others. This is also the employee who loves to remember when... And you can always count on them to ask you where you were when man landed on the moon or when JFK died. Supervisors can get better performance from a Guardian if they: Encourage him/her to speak their mind. Teach them to delegate responsibility. Provide all the information to make a decision. Check on them often when under a deadline. Respond respectfully to their questions.Guardians in Brief Value to the Team: Guardians are detail-oriented.
Major Strength: Accurately analyzes data.
Major Weakness: Cautious, loses sense of time.
Communication: Good listener
Emotional Response: Measures his/her response. Sensitive.
Decision Making: Reluctant to commit, needs lots of evidence
Behavior Under Stress: Guardians, when faced with high levels of stress, will avoid the stressor.
Being a Better Team Player: Guardians need to speak their minds. They will feel more empowered and a member of the team. Guardian Personalities
Colin Powell Martha Stewart Mother Teresa Warren Buffet Sam Walton Ed Sullivan President GW BushFor more on Teams and Personality, see the second article in this series: Team Building: Why Can't Artisans Get Along? |
