Shaking Things Up

You know the saying, "A team is only as strong as its weakest link," but really, a team is only as strong as its ability to work together. From improved workplace morale, employee retention, and company culture to increased revenue-generating opportunities and innovation, there are numerous benefits to having varied personalities within teams.

Common Personality Types

Teams in the workplace are often composed of six different personality types: driver, adventurer, energizer, cheerleader, stabilizer, and perfectionist.

• Driver: Keeps the team on task, getting them to the finish line.
• Adventurer: Helps the other team members take calculated risks.
• Energizer: Keeps the momentum going on a project.
• Cheerleader: Motivates the other team members and boosts company culture.
• Stabilizer: Helps take care of any disagreements.
• Perfectionist: Detail-oriented, ensures the task is done as efficiently as possible.

Balancing your teams with individuals who embody each of these roles can result in higher success rates for companies.

Enhanced problem-solving and creativity

There are often two main personality archetypes: creative and analytical. Creative employees can help teams and businesses design new products, marketing campaigns, and different business methods.

Analytical team members, on the other hand, are vital for ensuring that projects stay on-task and within budget. Both archetypes are critical for successful problem-solving and creativity, and when you combine the two, you get a winning combo.

Broader range of skills

When you hire individuals with different personalities and experiences, they can all contribute something unique. For example, an analytical team member may be excellent at analyzing data and creating spreadsheets that are easy to read.

In contrast, a creative team member may be skilled with visual presentations or communication. These two skill sets can combine so that individuals can take on pieces of the project within their wheelhouse while outsourcing the other aspects of a project to other team members.

More profits and revenue

With more creativity, skills, and problem-solving abilities, diverse teams have a competitive advantage. Because these teams can provide comprehensive solutions to complex problems, they can help increase sales and overall revenue for the entire company. Better solutions improve the success rate of projects, impacting the bottom line positively.

Challenges of Diverse Teams

While there are several benefits to having different personalities on one team, it can also come with its own set of challenges, listed below:

• Communication issues: Employees with different personalities may communicate differently. While some may prefer more direct communication, others may want more positive feedback.
• Slower decision-making: If you have communication or cultural differences, it can influence how quickly or efficiently a team can complete a project or make a decision.
• Risk tolerance: Some personality types have a great affinity for innovation, pushing the envelope, and taking risks, while others are more of a traditional rule-follower. This difference could delay agreement on key action steps and the speed at which the team should operate.

Final Thoughts

While they may face challenges now and then, teams with several different personality types have a competitive edge over teams where everyone is similar. Instead of exclusively focusing on individuality, diverse personalities can unite as one team – becoming essential components of a larger system. Learn how Workzinga's employment assessment can help you align teams and create a more positive and productive working environment.