Naomi Humber, Head of Mental Wellbeing at Bupa UK, on what managers need to know about personality dynamics to help their team flourish
- Get to know your employees: Take the time to understand each of your employees’ personalities, strengths and weaknesses. This will help you determine which personality type they fit under. Some employers use a test, such as the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), to gain insights into their employees’ personalities and behaviours.
- Adapt your leadership style: Be flexible in your leadership approach to adapt to different individual working styles and their methods of communication.
- Build relationships: Make time to talk to your employees individually in work and after work at team socials to get to know about their personal lives and career goals.
- Prioritise shared goals: Highlight common objectives to connect the team and reduce potential conflicts arising from differing personalities.
- Embrace differences: Encourage an inclusive and diverse work culture that values the unique strengths and perspectives of everyone. This can lead to increased innovation and productivity.
- Avoid negative labelling: Be mindful of negative labelling when interacting with individuals who have different communication or behavioural traits. Focus on understanding and appreciating their strengths and differences.
- Be flexible with communication: Adapt your communication style to suit the preferences of the team as a collective. Being flexible in how you communicate can help bridge gaps between different personality types.
- Involve employees in decision-making: Create an environment where your employees’ opinions are valued, seeking their input can be advantageous.
