4 Unique Working Styles: What's Yours?
To get more out of your team, first
figure out how your employees (and you) work best--and then assign tasks
accordingly.
There is nothing more frustrating
than listening to people haggle over different definitions of what constitutes
"work." Catty conversations about who's working harder, who's working
smarter, or who's not working at all are more about judging others than solving
inefficiencies.
I'd like to steer you away from this
all-or-nothing dialogue ("I work all the time and you never work") to
a more robust conversation about what work really is. And, in the
process, help you to appreciate not only your own unique working style, but
also the working style of others on your team.
As my thinking has developed over
the years, and after perusing many, many personality tests, I believe
that there are four basic working styles: Doing, Leading, Loving, and Learning.
The best teams have a balance of all
four styles. And the best organizations have many well-balanced teams who are
confident in their working style and understand the necessity of divergent
types or work. So, what's your style?
Doing
Doers execute. They come alive when
tasks are complete, lists are checked, or projects are tackled. They typically
have intense focus and are detailed in their efforts.
Doers are usually so focused,
however, they may forget to look up and communicate what they're doing.
Doers also tend to dive into work with little forethought. They believe that
everyone should "Shoot, Fire, Aim" and tend to devalue the important
work of planning.
Leading
Leaders create the vision and
inspire others to believe in it. You can't help but listen to, admire, and
follow the Leaders. Without Leaders, we would be spinning in a hamster wheel
with no real vision.
Leaders can be detached from others,
not completely understanding all that goes into executing their vision.
Because they're out in front, they sometimes forget to check in with the people
following them.
Loving
Lovers are relationship-builders.
Believing that we're stronger together, they thrive in harmony and work hard to
manage relationships and build consensus.
People strong in the Loving working
style are sensitive and empathic. They have an unconscious finger on the pulse
of every other person on the team. If you want to know how others on your team
are really feeling, ask the Lover.
But Lovers can suck at follow
through and more detail-oriented work. Left to their own devices, they can
out-empathize anyone and make people feel great, but not provide
"tangible" work.
Learning
Learners are the researchers. These
engineer types love learning and meticulously understanding the nuances of a
problem.
They are deliberate, disciplined,
and tend to think more strategically than most people.
Without others, however, Learners
wouldn't get much done. In order to execute their best-laid plans, they need a
team ready to act. Their strategy is only as good as the problems they actually
solve--not in theory, but in reality.
Theologian Howard Thurman says,
"Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do
it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive."
So, let's get over the notion that
all work looks one way. It does not. Nor should it. You need many people doing
many things to accomplish many goals.
Everyone has unique strengths that
become super-charged once they're aligned with other people's strengths. Rather
than critique someone who you believe "isn't working," make sure you're
living out your unique contribution in a powerful and sustainable way. Just do
what makes you come alive.
Dr. Shelley Prevost is a co-founder of Lamp Post Group, a venture incubator in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
http://www.inc.com/shelley-prevost/4-unique-working-styles-whats-yours.html?cid=em01014week12a
To get more out of your team, first
figure out how your employees (and you) work best--and then assign tasks
accordingly.
There is nothing more frustrating
than listening to people haggle over different definitions of what constitutes
"work." Catty conversations about who's working harder, who's working
smarter, or who's not working at all are more about judging others than solving
inefficiencies.
I'd like to steer you away from this
all-or-nothing dialogue ("I work all the time and you never work") to
a more robust conversation about what work really is. And, in the
process, help you to appreciate not only your own unique working style, but
also the working style of others on your team.
As my thinking has developed over
the years, and after perusing many, many personality tests, I believe
that there are four basic working styles: Doing, Leading, Loving, and Learning.
The best teams have a balance of all
four styles. And the best organizations have many well-balanced teams who are
confident in their working style and understand the necessity of divergent
types or work. So, what's your style?
Doing
Doers execute. They come alive when
tasks are complete, lists are checked, or projects are tackled. They typically
have intense focus and are detailed in their efforts.
Doers are usually so focused,
however, they may forget to look up and communicate what they're doing.
Doers also tend to dive into work with little forethought. They believe that
everyone should "Shoot, Fire, Aim" and tend to devalue the important
work of planning.
Leading
Leaders create the vision and
inspire others to believe in it. You can't help but listen to, admire, and
follow the Leaders. Without Leaders, we would be spinning in a hamster wheel
with no real vision.
Leaders can be detached from others,
not completely understanding all that goes into executing their vision.
Because they're out in front, they sometimes forget to check in with the people
following them.
Loving
Lovers are relationship-builders.
Believing that we're stronger together, they thrive in harmony and work hard to
manage relationships and build consensus.
People strong in the Loving working
style are sensitive and empathic. They have an unconscious finger on the pulse
of every other person on the team. If you want to know how others on your team
are really feeling, ask the Lover.
But Lovers can suck at follow
through and more detail-oriented work. Left to their own devices, they can
out-empathize anyone and make people feel great, but not provide
"tangible" work.
Learning
Learners are the researchers. These
engineer types love learning and meticulously understanding the nuances of a
problem.
They are deliberate, disciplined,
and tend to think more strategically than most people.
Without others, however, Learners
wouldn't get much done. In order to execute their best-laid plans, they need a
team ready to act. Their strategy is only as good as the problems they actually
solve--not in theory, but in reality.
Theologian Howard Thurman says,
"Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do
it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive."
So, let's get over the notion that
all work looks one way. It does not. Nor should it. You need many people doing
many things to accomplish many goals.
Everyone has unique strengths that
become super-charged once they're aligned with other people's strengths. Rather
than critique someone who you believe "isn't working," make sure you're
living out your unique contribution in a powerful and sustainable way. Just do
what makes you come alive.
Dr. Shelley Prevost is a co-founder of Lamp Post Group, a venture incubator in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
http://www.inc.com/shelley-prevost/4-unique-working-styles-whats-yours.html?cid=em01014week12a
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