What do I know about myself in work situations:
- I dislike being asked to come up with a solution to a problem that is raised in a meeting, if I haven’t had a chance to think about and research things first.
- I really like to have things organized in a list with lots of information and data – which is one of the reasons I really like research.
- I have a very small social battery and ‘peopling’ for long periods of time can really drain my resources.
Now imagine that our organization’s Leadership Team has just been in a training session all day, followed by a leadership team meeting. During the meeting, one member of the executive team brings up a problem that needs a solution but doesn’t have the specific details of the situation. They ask everyone for their inputs and ideas.
I won’t be able to contribute fully in this meeting, because my social battery is already tapped out. I don’t have the specifics of the problems, so can’t look at any data or research and won’t feel like I can contribute because I don’t have a clear understanding of the problem. I haven’t had a chance to think about the problem and research potential solutions ahead of time, so won’t be able to bring ideas to the discussion.
Someone who doesn’t know me, may think that I am not invested in the success of the organization and not paying attention, when in fact – this situation has not set me up for success. As leaders, it is imperative that we understand our own personality / leadership styles, as well as those of our team members. We need to recognize that while one way of doing things may work for us, it may not work for others.
There is value in ensuring that we as leaders are setting our teams up for success, and we help support that success by understanding each person’s style and needs. I know of many organizations that have their team members complete various personality / style assessments, so that they have a better understanding of themselves, and how to work with each other. One organization I know puts everyone’s MAD Personality profile animal on their zoom screen or outside their workspace, to support the success of collaboration and teamwork.
Leaders need the knowledge, skills, and abilities of formal leadership principles to ensure the success of their teams and the organization. Before they can do that, however, they also need the knowledge, skills and abilities about their personal style, and how that impacts them at work. Are you introverted / extroverted. Do you prefer to talk through your ideas or think about them in your head?
4 Quizzes/Assessments to Understand Your Leadership Style
Here’s a few quizzes/assessments that can be valuable in helping you to understand your own style, and that of your team members:
- Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
- DISC Assessment
- Make a Difference Personality Profile
- Big Five Personality Test
I’m a D type INTJ camel – what are you?
