How to get different types of personalities to work together
Who knew getting to know your employee better, understanding and managing different personalities within the team could be the new big thing for HR managers. If thought about it, it really is quite simple. Knowing your employee well will obviously yield you better results at handling them better, making more sense out of their behavioural pattern and utilizing their potential to the best. A Human Resource Manager can start off by understanding different personality types and then devising strategies to deal with them.
1. Sanguine:
Let’s start with the happiest of the personality types. Sanguine are known to be very energetic, very excited and highly interested in staying on the go. While being the most social of the lot, Sanguines tend to make a lot of friends and that too very quickly, however on the not so happy side; they tend to lose interest abruptly.
Pointers for HR:
With their exuberant personality and high volts of energy, Sanguines have proven themselves excellent in creative professions; an HR Manager can utilize these individuals to run tasks that require more creativity. Sanguines love adventure and risk taking, hence they can be employed in travel oriented assignments for example. Sanguines tend to become the heart of the crowd, which can make them good leaders and trendsetters. They also love new things and can be delegated with new short term projects or assigned to work on cultivating work culture changes.
Sanguines look for change, they are easily bored, loose interest fast and prefer moving ahead. It will be a challenge for an HR personnel to engage a Sanguine in building interest in his/her work. HR needs to advise managers who have Sanguines in their team to constantly keep them excited when they are assigned long term tasks . Not just this, tasks which include organizing can be challenging to Sanguines as well. Hence managers need to make occasional pulse checks to ensure things are up to speed. Sanguines set their expectation bar really high and feed on constant love, affection, attention and appreciation hence they can be difficult to please. However once rewarded and motivated with appreciation, they are set to go.
2. Phlegmatic:
People with Phlegmatic personality seems to be slower paced. They are usually introverts with less energy and no thrill for action. Phlegmatics dislike conflicts and don’t argue, making them great peacemakers. They are great observers too where they can clearly spot right from wrong but usually won’t act on it or say anything about it. They are also very loyal to family members, friends and even workmates.
Pointers for HR:
Phlegmatic have a good heart and can prove to be great philanthropists. They are best suited for professions like counseling, nursing, child care or teaching. They are loyal and don’t go around switching jobs. They tend to be dedicated and can be assigned long term projects. They can prove to be good at administrative jobs. HR needs to remember that it will be challenging making Phlegmatics leaders, but it is not all impossible. Since they avoid arguments Phlegmatics tend to overlook small disputes and move the team positively. They like to stay put in one place hence making them focused workers and can work on long term projects easily. The reward that Phlegmatics look forward to is frequent breaks and rest time; which tends to charge them back for more work.
3. Choleric:
The strongest and most hot tempered; this personality type is very demanding and authoritative. They can motivate co-workers but will do it their way. They can never take instructions, because to themselves they are the only ones right.
Pointers for HR:
With their ability to work well around people and being open about taking challenges, Choleric prove to be good leaders. They try to motivate their peers and take the task to completion. To them the end result matters and not the process. They will do anything it takes to achieve what they want and proves them to be dedicated employees. Choleric are best suited for upper tier management jobs where they can sit and delegate work.
Cholerics like either to the point talk or intense thoughtful conversations, superficial talk doesn't interest them; this quality helps getting results faster with productive discussions, zero waste of time and time used up to its maximum productivity. Cholerics are result oriented and usually have a plan of action; HR managers can utilize Cholerics to delegate a team to yield results and delegate projects.
4. Melancholic:
This temperament is quite a thorough one. Placid and thoughtful, analyzing situations and thinking a matter through till the end makes Melancholic a deep and stable personality. However on the contrary, Melancholic people have an extreme side of blues and depression too. They are moody but think to the extent of being philosophical, they like to ponder over laws that govern life, are sensitive and introvert.
Pointers for HR:
Melancholic are people who stick to the values of life, they believe in mannerism, patriotism and loyalty hence can prove to be long term employees who will genuinely contribute towards the well being of a company.
Their non-social and introvert behavior makes them focused workers. However things take longer to seep into them and once in a depressed mood they are tough to lift up.
Melancholics are also extremely orderly, very process-oriented and love things to be accurate. HR can help their managers in identifying melancholics in their team and advise on how to help melancholics excel in their roles.
The HR’s role in getting different personalities to work together
The understanding of these personality types can open great avenues of resource management for an HR officer. If you know your workforce well, you can identify their weaknesses and improvise on them. Similarly knowing their strength, an HR manager can utilize them in a more productive manner.
For instance, Melancholic; people with great values, can be paired with Sanguines. Melancholics will help Sanguines maintain long term interests, while the energy of a Sanguine will take away a Melancholic’s blues.
If utilized efficiently, the knowledge of these temperaments can help an HR Manager put together a strong team; that can take each other forward working with each other’s strengths and weaknesses. as it is said:
“If you want to go FAST run ALONE’ If you want to go FAR run TOGETHER!”
If studied properly, the understanding of these personality types can be of great help to an HR manager. Knowing beforehand; where to employ your tool always comes in handy. A Human Resource manager that has the eye for these personalities can sort his resource pool and put them to task accordingly. not just this, you can handle your employee at the tap of a fingertip if your knowledge of personality types is thorough.