Do you sometimes find it hard to deal with all the different personalities in your office? Every office has co-workers with extreme personalities. And in order to work well can take some insight into the different characters.
“Workplace personalities can be paralleled to a 5th grade classroom. There are leaders (bosses) and followers (employees). There is at least one aggressor (bully) and one victim, and at least one class (group) clown,” explains Dr. Fran Walfish, a child, teen, parent, and family psychotherapist and author of The Self-Aware Parent: Resolving Conflict and Building A Better Bond with Your Child. “There are also the worriers, the fearful, the ones with self-doubt. And there are those who are confident.”
“While every job has things to complain about, if you focus on what you are thankful for and stray away from the things and people who aren't, it'll make your life and job much more peaceful,” says Chantay Bridges, who as a senior real estate specialist deals with various temperments not only in the office but with her clientele at L.A.-based Clear Choice Realty & Associates. “Embrace happy, successful people and run from negative, never-satisfied folks. Stay away from the 'Followers' who because they don't want to lose their job, their reputation or your friendship they support everything regardless of what it is without fuss or issue. Avoid the company gossiper who is quick to spread 'unverified' rumors. Make sure you are on the side of individuals that are receiving promotions and bonuses even in a time of recession and layoffs.”
Walfish, "Be kind to your colleagues. How we treat others sets the model for how they will treat us. But balance kindness with setting/holding boundaries. Also, create an open discussion. Talking creates open pathways and is the glue that holds relationships together."
In her book, How to Read A Client From Across The Room: Win More Business With The Proven Character Code System To Decode Verbal And Nonverbal Communication, author Brandy Mychals lists various personalities:
• Class President: Goal-oriented, competitive and likes to win. He or she may move quickly from one accomplishment to another without stopping to reflect on their achievements – or anybody else’s.
• Cheerleader: They are often great presenters and can handle impromptu situations or respond quickly in a pinch...In business they are upbeat, friendly, keep spirits high, a natural motivator and people-person, often challenged by the details, paperwork, and follow-through.
• Actor: The Actor is always noticed in the room. In business they prefer to fly solo and often top the leader board in sales. They can become easily angered or feel wronged, often disrupting group dynamics.
• Scholar: They are great at trouble-shooting and have high executive reasoning skills. They are task-oriented, methodical, systematic, and appreciate fact-gathering and data collection. In business they are not fast movers, don’t want to take on more than they can handle, not interested in the office social scene, and prefer to complete their work the “right” way.
• Activist: They can be well-balanced, good communicators, and sensitive to the feelings of others. In business they can be great peacekeepers and prefer group dynamics to solo effort. At times, they may be overly sensitive to comments from coworkers.
• Artist: They consider themselves out-of-the-box and disdain a “cookie cutter” world or corporate environment. In business they most often work for themselves or in a job that allows them license to create their own path. They like having the time needed for their creative process and to not be rushed.
