5 Personality Types You Need On Your Team [Quiz]

There are many different types of professionals that you will come into contact with during your time as a manager. Understanding the different ways these personalities operate and how you can get the best out of them, is key to having a successful team.

The most effective teams are made up of the right combinations of these personalities, as many professionals need the right type of workers to collaborate with in order to reach their full potential. This may be people that are similar to them or, more commonly, that are in complete contrast to their own working style.

Allowing the members on your team to identify what personality type they are can be a good exercise to see how you can improve the way you work together. Of course, you should also find out what category you belong in to see how your management style will affect the personality types you are leading. Once you know this, you can adapt aspects of the way you manage to get the most out of each member on your team, and help them realize their full potential.

The Visionary

This is probably the type that most managers or leaders fall into. The strongest skill of a Visionary is that they are able to take a project from the start to the finish, and able to resolve problems along the way. They are able to see the bigger picture and this is crucial when it comes to bringing together different departments or roles for the same project. Visionaries can also be mentors and are able to use their skills to motivate and encourage people to meet deadlines and realize their true potential.

The Worker

Every team needs people that can just get stuff done. It's not glamorous but it's essential to getting projects finished on time. Workers are good at managing their own time but often need telling what tasks need doing over a period of time to give them direction. Clear and unambiguous instructions are a great way of getting the most out of Worker types and they are unlikely to clash with others on the team.

The Innovator

Innovators are incredibly valuable to a team but need the right management to make sure they aren't creating chaos on a project. They are fantastic at coming up with new ideas and different ways of doing things and can bring a breath of fresh air to any team. However, they should work closely with the Visionary to ensure any suggestions aren't throwing off the bigger project.

The Communicator

The Communicator has incredibly strong people skills and can use this to effectively interact with clients, as well as other team members. Introducing tools like Slack can really help empower the Communicator and ensure that their skills are being utilized in the best way. They are often the heart of the team and want to make sure everyone is up to date with what's going on in the project.

The Analyst

Analysts should work closely with the Innovators to find new and more effective methods for the team to operate. They are able to see problems, which means they also work well with the Visionary to ensure any potential pitfalls are avoided. The Analyst has strong problem-solving skills and should have the autonomy to make decisions in the team.