Crucially, you’ll also get to the bottom of some of the more difficult challenges and workplace conflicts because you’ll know how the people in your team tick.
If you’re hiring or leading a team, we’ll help you recognise the four main personality types and how you can get the best out of them so that people will choose to work with – and stay with – you.
What are the 4 personality types?
If you’re familiar with the Myers Briggs personality type indicator, you’ll know that no two people are the same. Deloitte’s Suzanne Johnson Vickberg and Kim Christfort wanted something more specific, so they teamed up with neuro-anthropologists and genetic scientists from Rugters University in the United States.Together they quizzed more than 190,000 people and observed more than 3,000 workplace interactions to identify four main personality types.
Pioneers
These people are the risk takers – the outgoing ones who have a reputation for being spontaneous, sparking creativity and adapting to any situation. Often, in leadership roles, they see the big picture and inspire others. Pioneers make courageous decisions, seek adventure, and have boundless energy to keep moving forward even when they experience setbacks. Famous Pioneer: Ernest Shackleton
Guardians
This is the pragmatic, methodical, and detail-oriented person who values rigour, structure, and stability. Guardians are reserved and loyal, keep across all issues and have strong, well-reasoned opinions on everything. Calm, controlled and dignified, they care about order and will know every detail of a project, whilst keeping a firm and principled oversight. Famous Guardian: Queen Victoria.
Drivers
These are the decisive, ambitious, results-driven folk who are focused and competitive. They are motivated by challenge and tackle problems head on. Drivers aspire to lead through sheer determination and discipline and are happy to take charge. They ignore the sceptics and stop at nothing to achieve their vision. Famous Driver: Theodore Roosevelt
Integrators
These are relationship-driven people who value connection above all else, using diplomacy and empathy to build rapport, win trust and gain consensus. They’re non-confrontational, instinctive and inclusive team players who are intrinsically motivated. As effective communicators, they prioritise listening and value the perspectives of everyone around them. Famous Integrator: Abraham Lincoln.
Shared Traits
Some of the observable traits are shared between personality styles. For example, Pioneers and Drivers rely on gut instinct to make quick decisions, while Integrators and Guardians like to take their time and make deliberate decisions. Equally, Pioneers and Integrators value teamwork, while Drivers and Guardians prioritise the value of individual contributions.
Why is it important to have different personalities in a team?
We all want the best performance we can from our teams. Living through COVID-19 and rapidly adapting to changes in working conditions and situations means it’s more important than ever that you understand how the people working for you tick.The Deloitte/Rugters research found that to improve performance, leaders need to effectively tap diverse work styles and perspectives in their recruiting strategy. As Johnson Vickberg and Christfort write in the Harvard Business Review: “Some managers just don’t recognise how profound the differences between their people are; others don’t know how to manage the gaps and tensions or understand the costs of not doing so. As a result, some of the best ideas go unheard or unrealised, and performance suffers.”
To build the best team, you’ll need a mix of the four personality styles and you’ll need to know how to manage the mix in the workplace environment.
Giving yourself – and, crucially, your team - the knowledge to spot different types will mean better appreciation of diverse perspectives. The benefits? A wider range of ideas, better solutions to problems, and leadership that recognises the conditions everyone in the team needs to thrive and do their best.
Why is personality type important in the workplace?
Every team has a mix of personality types, but some types of work or settings can mean a particular style dominates. Identifying this can help you to:- Improve performance. Does your team keep coming up against the same issues? For example, a team that is focused on getting things done but continually rubs other teams or important stakeholders up the wrong way can drain time and energy from managing conflict and clearing up mess. Perhaps this team is dominated by too many Drivers and needs some Integrators to soften and build those key relationships. Or you might have a team of Guardians focused on doing things in the right way. Or a team of Integrators who want to build consensus and get everyone onside, but are missing opportunities to innovate or secure new business because they’re lost in consultation. An injection from a Driver or Pioneer could help pick up speed.
- Manage conflict. We all know the old saying … ‘too many cooks spoil the broth’ … too many of the same personality type can be a recipe for clashes and inhibited productivity. Equally, throwing people who are polar opposites into a project together without giving each the space to understand how the other likes to work can also create tension. The best workplaces carefully balance people and personalities. Their teams recognise different working styles, respect and understand how each member likes to work, and everyone knows the contribution they themselves and their co-workers make.
How do you communicate with different personality types in the workplace?
Once you have identified the personality types in your team, you need to think about how best to get everyone working together. Here are some top tips from the Deloitte research to help you.Top tips on getting the best performance out of your team
Pioneers + DriversThey are both inventive and quick thinkers, but make sure Drivers get the logic behind Pioneer’s big ideas. Both types need to consider the implications of decisions and ensure they don’t take on too much risk. Pioneers will appreciate Drivers’ decisiveness, but will need time to explore possibilities, whilst Drivers mustn’t let scepticism get in the way of new ideas.
Pioneers + Integrators
While Pioneers enjoy thinking about new possibilities, Integrators need them to bring their ideas back to Earth with actionable next steps that provide clear direction. Integrators appreciate Pioneers’ creative ideas if they’re put into context but must have space to explore nuances and share people’s stories to illustrate points. Both share a big imagination and are comfortable with ambiguity, but they need to consider how things will get done. They need to resist the urge to engage everyone and try to accomplish everything all at once.
Pioneers + Guardians
When Pioneers are working with Guardians, they need to tame their intuitive side and stick to the facts. They need to be patient, structured and sensitive to how Guardians work. The Pioneer should give the Guardian space to respond and not be tempted to fill the silences or interrupt. Equally, Guardians need to resist the urge to go deep on detail and try to go with the flow of the conversation. They need to be open to new ideas and changes of direction, while providing some structure as needed.
Guardians + Drivers
Guardians and Drivers appreciate each other’s reliance on data and analysis. The Driver will want to skip to the bottom line and focus on what makes sense for the future rather than what has worked in the past. They need to be patient with a Guardian’s need to get into the details. They can help Guardians see the big picture and don’t short circuit the process.
Guardians + Integrators
Integrators see the forest; Guardians see the trees. Integrators can help Guardians see the big picture, and in turn Guardians help Integrators see the detail. Guardians need to take the time to connect with Integrators before diving into the plan. Both need to be clear on timing, responsibility and the criteria for decision making.
Guardians + Guardians
Guardians working with other Guardians like to do things the right way but need to make sure their approach achieves objectives. They can accelerate their work together by focusing on what is necessary to move forward rather than the unknowns. Guardians are the most introverted type. For them, silence is productive and an important part of any conversation. It gives them time to think and plan their words carefully before they speak.
Drivers + Integrators
Drivers need to remember to connect on a personal level as well as towards the end goal. They can help Integrators make a decision but need to be patient with others’ need for building consensus. Integrators appreciate a Driver’s focus on the big picture but must get to the point quickly and back it up with logic. They should also be careful not to take the Drivers’ directness personally.
Drivers + Drivers
Drivers love debating each other, but there can be power struggles knowing who is in charge. Encourage them to consider the context and the human implications of their decisions so they don’t ‘drive the bus without anyone on board.’
Integrators + Integrators
Integrators connect easily but need to temper their desire to explore all alternatives if they want to move forward quickly. If there’s an elephant in the room, they must address it even if it feels uncomfortable.
Conclusion: Remember we’re human
People are people and no two are the same.We have shown you how to recognise the key personality types in the workplace and how to manage them. Hopefully, you’ve also spotted which type you are and can now start surrounding yourself with diverse perspectives.
Ultimately, each person in your workplace is human and has their own style, preferences and ways of working.
Developing a better understanding of the personality mix in your team is the best way to ensure a productive, creative, happy and conflict-free workforce; a place where people want to work with - and stay with - you.
Want to learn more about understanding your team? Check out employer resources. Find out more about your style: https://bcfyws.com/ Take the quiz here to understand someone else’s style.
