How to Work With Different Personality Types in the Office
Personality conflicts are a fact of life. But when they happen in the workplace, they can lead to communication breakdown and a slump in morale and productivity.
In a perfect world, staff and management would all get along, enjoying each other as colleagues and friends. But workplaces are microcosms of the real world, filled with a variety of personality types that may or may not be your cup of tea.
Although your communication style or work habits may differ, here are some tips to help you work with the variety of personality types that you may encounter in the workplace.
Remind Yourself of Your Common Goals
Employers want team players. In fact, you will often find this exact phrasing within job descriptions.
While it’s easy to get caught up in differences and the tension they cause, remind yourself that you and your colleagues are working toward common goals and outcomes.
Focus On People’s Expertise
No matter how difficult you may find it to work with someone, recognize their expertise. Your colleagues most likely have different skills and experiences than you, and you can leverage the value that expertise brings. You may find that when you ask for a coworker’s input on a project, they appreciate the recognition and it paves the way to an easier working relationship.
Understand What Makes The Other Person Tick
We all have certain ways we like to get our work done each day. Some people prefer to communicate via email, while others enjoy face-to-face chats. You may need to be left alone during certain work hours, while other colleagues have an open-door policy. Instead of thinking of someone with different preferences as “impersonal” or “unavailable”, try to respect their habits and needs. The more you make an effort to understand your coworkers, the more you’ll be seen as a team player. Your contributions to a positive office environment not only makes things more pleasant – it boosts productivity for everyone.
Choose Your Battles Wisely
Workplace conflicts rarely solve anything and can often come at a great cost. Understand your own priorities and career goals and align your interactions with your colleagues to these each day. To be successful in your career, focus less on proving yourself “right” and more on pulling your own weight to reach a common goal. If conflict is unavoidable, strive to speak directly with the person (or people) involved, rather than stirring up office gossip. Be honest, charitable, and a good listener, and even a tense conversation can be resolved peacefully.
Is working with different personality types easy? Definitely not. But if you follow these tips you’ll be able to handle any challenges that come your way.
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