Diversity is a keyword that appears every single time during discussions about company culture. And it does make sense to mention it since creating a diverse culture takes many different types of people who add different values to an organization.
A workplace without differing people would be quite boring, wouldn’t it? It’s vital to maintain the health of the organization by recruiting personality types that are not identical. People who have different characteristics, skills and traits complete each other well and succeed better in getting things done together. Diverse and authentic personality types have a positive impact on work productivity, problem-solving, and innovation, and they create a positive atmosphere to work in.
Read More: Why You Need Thought Diversity in the Workplace
So, what are some personality types that come to your mind when you think about the organization you work at? Can you identify, for instance, drivers, planners, extroverts or creatives? In this article, we cover these personality types, their pros and cons, and why these opposites attract and work best when in collaboration.
1) Drivers vs. Supporters
Drivers Are Strategic Thinkers
Let’s start with the advantages of having employees with driver personalities. Drivers are very responsible, business-oriented people who really go for the win. They are good at strategic thinking and are likely to bring innovations to the company. Drivers are able to achieve their goals, thanks to their incredibly good communication skills. Drivers are those employees who have the most ability to build trust with others, to motivate others, and to help them become the best version of themselves.
On the other hand, drivers may seem too confident and charismatic, and this can serve as a reason to generate disapproval and dislike in others towards them. Due to the fact that they make decisions mainly based on their head (and not their heart), they can appear as insensitive and apathetic, which can hurt company culture.
Supporters Are Great Team Players
It’s easy to cooperate with supporters because they are very good team players. They pay attention to tiny details which helps them in problem-solving. They develop relationships and build trust with their colleagues easily. Supporters have the ability to give well-reasoned, constructive feedback to others, due to their excellent listening skills – a talent which is important for the success of any internal communication strategy. In an organization, supporters add value by positively affecting the work environment and, perhaps, by bringing some mindfulness to a team.
How about the disadvantages of supporters? They most likely don’t have tons of new and innovative ideas and therefore they may not be the best choice for team leaders. Supporters would rather want to be equal with everyone else instead of standing out and leading projects or teams.
Why Is it Good to Have Both Drivers and Supporters in Your Company?
To lead through an exciting project, you need a driver to guide, innovate and create a motivating atmosphere, while you also need a supporter to pay attention to overlooked details, to succeed with problem-solving and to bring internal communications onboard.
2) Improvisers vs. Planners
Improvisers Are The Best Problem-Solvers
Improvisers are the best problem-solvers in an organization. They are able to react quickly as a flash to any unusual situation that needs a solution as fast as possible. Quick decision making comes with risk-taking, as well. However, as they go with the flow, an improvisers’ way of thinking is flexible, which means they are not afraid of modifying ready-made plans and adapting newly developed situations. Improvisation itself is a great training for the brain, and so, it’s a valuable skill to have.
Unfortunately, improvisers may seem unprofessional to others, because they might not be able to explain their decisions in a thought-out manner. Due to the fact that they need to quickly react under pressure, their decisions can be less thoughtful and improvisers may end up making wrong decisions.
Planners Are The Most Organized
When you need information about an upcoming project, who do you turn to? Yes, the planners! They know every single detail that affects future projects. Planners are well-organized, trustworthy people who always think far ahead. They’re up-to-date on current and future goals, events, company-related knowledge, and latest trends. Planners know what’s on their plate, and whom to contact regarding different matters.
The possible downside of being a planner is, for example, having too high expectations of things. A planner may “rehearse” a work situation in their head several times and later, if events begin to unfold differently than what was expected, they may become very frustrated. This frustration may then spread around in the workplace and others can get affected by it, too. This can have a negative impact on organizational culture.
Why Is it Good to Have Both Improvisers and Planners in Your Company?
An improviser will say yes to taking risks or changing their plans on the go. However, they may not come with an actual roadmap to a solution, and this is where the planner steps in. They will create a real, well-functioning plan to solve the problem the improviser already promised can be solved but didn’t think about how to execute that in practice.
3) Extroverts vs. Introverts
Extroverts Are Masters of Creating Good Vibes
Extroverts are very outgoing personalities who are open to experience and who like to network and share knowledge with others. Extroverts are masters of creating good vibes in the office, which adds great value to organizational culture. They thrive in team meetings and therefore, can function as true motivators for others. Their opinions are strong and they can greatly contribute to employer branding efforts.
On the other hand, at times, it can be difficult to work with extroverts because they want to be heard and be in the focus point all the time. Since they aren’t afraid of giving their loud opinions to others, they can be offensive while directly confronting their colleagues. Let’s make it clear: being an extrovert doesn’t mean to be always kind and motivating. On the contrary: when extroverts become frustrated, their loud attitude negatively affects others in their surroundings.
Introverts Are Extremely Thoughtful
Introvert employees always think before they talk and the meaning of their words is impactful. They are able to give solid reasons for their opinions which means they are very thoughtful. Their observation skills are extraordinary, so they clearly see details that others may overlook. Introverts are goal-oriented and usually engaged in their work and therefore they are likely to succeed in their tasks.
What are some disadvantages of introverts? Since their networking ability is limited, they most likely don’t take an active part in building up company culture. Introverts may not be efficient in team working either and rather, they need space to develop their own ideas individually. There’s a high chance that introverts’ opinions won’t be heard by others, and this may cause negative emotions to bundle up inside introverts. As a consequence of that, introverts may leave the company without any vocal warning signs.
Why Is it Good to Have Both Extroverts and Introverts in Your Company?
In a team building workshop, an extrovert will be able to create a fun and comfortable atmosphere and motivate team players, while an introvert will quietly contribute to the success of the team by pointing out details and create a well-functioning strategy.
Related: How to Foster a Growth Mindset in Your Organization
4) Creatives vs. Analyticals
Creatives Are Passion-Driven
It’s safe to say: creatives are your most authentic employees! Their open-mindedness is limitless, so they always have tons of brilliant ideas. This makes them effective problem-solvers, which is a crucial characteristic for business success. Creatives are passion-driven souls who largely contribute to shaping organizational culture.
Being constantly preoccupied with new and fresh ideas, creatives may reach a point where they simply get lost in their thoughts. Other personality types who have different ways of working may not understand the creatives’ minds clearly, and things could become complicated. Remember also, that being “creative” doesn’t necessarily mean being effective. One well-executed idea from a less creative mind is better than twenty brilliant ideas which never became more than just thoughts.
Analyticals Are Rational Thinkers
Analytical people represent logical thinking that is deep and thoughtful. They can always corroborate their truth with numbers and statistics. Analyticals never make decisions based on their heart but based on their rationality. They are trustworthy and knowledgeable, which managers can find as attractive personality traits.
Analytical thinkers may be too critical and harsh with others. They are number-focused and may not pay attention to other influential factors like gut feeling or sympathy. Because of the same reason, they can’t handle emotional situations well, and that can have a negative impact on the company culture.
Why Is it Good to Have Both Creatives and Analyticals in Your Company?
A creative will spice up organizational culture with limitless new ideas to choose from, and at the same time, an analytical will shut down the non-functional ideas by explaining everything with their numbers, instead of gut feeling.
If you want to build a motivated, problem-solving and well-cooperating company culture, recruit people from all the above-mentioned types of personalities. They will lead your business towards success!
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