Difficulties in your life do not come to destroy you,
but to help you realize your hidden potential and power,
let difficulties know that you too are difficult.
Leadership can be tough, especially when you inherit a team of people who may not be working at their peak performance. Yesterday we started talking about the ways in which leaders can benefit by being able to identify the types of personality characteristics of team members. By understanding the basics of personality types, the new leader can help use the individual strengths of members for the good of the whole team. A brief overview of the different values and working styles of the four main personality types demonstrates the importance of this knowledge being part of your successful leadership toolbox. And, as I cautioned yesterday, keep in mind that these are guidelines. None of us can be pigeonholed all the time. The four types of personality will be described using the colors Gold, Blue, Green and Orange.
Types
The strong Gold employee takes work and responsibility very seriously. Gold personalities want to contribute, be a part of the team, and to be successful and productive in all they do. They respond well to recognition, rewards and incentives. But, and here’s the important key for a new leader, Gold team members need well defined responsibilities, structure, firm expectations and timelines. They also require some authoritarian reassurance along the way that they are on the right track.
The strong Blue personality needs an open and more social atmosphere to be able work well. Relationships are extremely important to them. They need the freedom to be able to nurture relationships with their coworkers, customers and employers. Conflict and intense competition are painful for a strong Blue. But they will thrive in a positive, creative, service oriented atmosphere.
A strong Green personality is more noted for expertise rather than people skills. They are great when they are working with facts, data, research and analytical projects. Greens shine in their ability for designing, understanding complex systems and strategies. Facts are of utmost importance for the Green. Greens tend to be focused on the routine, and can be somewhat insensitive to and in social interactions.
Orange team members are noticeable by their high energy, skill and creativity. A key factor for an Orange is the freedom to be able to use their skills and abilities freely. If there is too much structure, or their leader is overly authoritarian, the Orange personality type will feel blocked, and cannot function well. Orange personalities like people and work well in a spirit of teamwork, competition and camaraderie. They are action orientated. They are easily bored and become impatient if the process gets bogged down with excessive and prolonged talking and burdened with lots of detailed administrative tasks.
Which of these types fits the way you work and move best?
A leader, by understanding the true colors of their team mates, can use this knowledge to blend the team members into a single, unified, well coordinated picture poised for success. By facilitating each team member to function in their areas of natural strength and motivating them by communicating in a way that inspires them individually and collectively for harmony and team work, the leader is well on the way to achieving extraordinary results.
Thoughts?
Photo Credit: kittybabylove via Compfight cc
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