Jules wrote a very informative article on Sussing Personalities for the HR Future magazine recently.

She mentions Marcus Buckingham who, in his book ‘The One thing You Need To Know’, indicates that effective managers in this century are the ones who can relate to people as individuals.

She goes on to say that more and more poeple are realising that learning about personalities is not just applicable to those in a managerial field. To quote directly from the article; “Being able to suss the personalities of the people you have conversations with is an extremely useful tool, not to mention that having a deeper understanding of your own personality will equip you with all you need to know about adapting and adjusting when communicating with other people.”. “The point is that the better you understand yourself , the more likely you will be able to adapt, tune in to and read what other people need.”.

The four identified personality types she talks about in the article are:

The ‘driver’, who focuses mainly on acheivements and results before remembering people skills. The best way to manage this personality is to  explain what you mean first in a concise and factual manner, and ensure that you proceed swiftly in a businesslike fashion before you begin trying to build a friendship.

The ‘analytical’ has the same focus on achievement but has a slower reaction time as they are perfectionists who perform tasks in a deliberate and disciplined manner. The best way to approach this personality is to display organisation and patience, and present them with lots of logical and detailed facts in writing.

The ‘amiable’ tends to reject conflict and displays a desire to be accepted as a team member. They are happiest when their tasks and working environment are stable and their relationships harmonious. The way to work best with this type of personality is to support their efforts and accomplishments with personal attention, lots of encouragement and suggestions, and they are fantastic team players.

The ‘expressive’ is impulsive, seeks excitement, acceptance, recognition and attention. To them, relationships and gut feel means more than facts and logic. The best way to handle this personality is to proceed enthusiastically, be stimulating and flexible, yet at the same time, dont comprimise on discipline. Be open about your feelings and opinions and generous in your praise and recognition.

Jules, thanks for another fantastic article - I always love reading what you write!