When you’re in a business that requires you to work with others, it’s important to understand their working styles, as well as your own. People have different approaches to work and motivation, and when you can understand these styles, you can create an environment that nurtures success.
Which of these working styles describe you, and those you work with?
- The Doer: These are the “aim and shoot” type people. They get to work right away on the task at hand, but sometimes forget to plan. This type of person may need to team up with someone who is a planner, and who can provide the strategic tasks to the doer that will be most successful. The doer also often needs immediate feedback and positive reinforcement, so having someone who can acknowledge the doer’s effort can be helpful.
- The Leader: The leader is someone who loves to create the vision and inspire others to follow in a certain direction. Sometimes, however, the leader can forget the followers’ perspective, so it’s important for the leader to have someone they trust and listen to who can provide feedback on how the leader’s direction is resonating with others. At the same time, the leader thrives in an environment when he or she can think outside of the box, and explore new journeys, so it’s important for the leader to have people that support the vision.
- The Lover: The lover is the relationship person. They love to connect with others, understand where they are coming from and be supportive. Sometimes, however, the lover spends so much time on relationships that they neglect to move forward. They can lose their way a bit in the challenges of others. Therefore, this person needs to be connected with those who are passionate about moving forward and doing the work.
- The Researcher: This working style loves to study and understand the situation, but needs help creating the plan and following through. The researcher can be exceptionally valuable to the leader, since he or she can provide important information that helps the leader set the course for the team. Researchers often do best when they receive positive reinforcement for their contributions to the team, and can be encouraged to move forward by showing them how their research can be applied towards the goal.
When building your team, it’s important to understand that everyone has unique working styles. Successful leaders leverage the strengths of each style and team styles appropriately in order to help the entire team achieve success.
What working style are you? How do you work with other styles? Would love to read your thoughts in the comments below!