Building a team is like putting together a puzzle of disparate parts that don't always want to fit together perfectly.  A workplace puzzle never is complete, when one vital piece is lost, another takes its place…and it’s never the same fit.

Having different personalities in the workplace is an advantage. However, managing a range of psyches, emotions, and needs provides some serious challenges.

For seven years I have owned an education business with twenty to thirty employees. Personality was a big reason to hire someone, and the more sensitive types were fabulous in the classroom, but more challenging (at times) to manage.

As I build my marketing team, we will have a smaller core group and will need to work together more closely than what was required of my previous business. I already have a few key individuals on board that I brought with me more for their passion and their cultural fit. At the end of the day, culture is what ensures that the disparate pieces hold together.

The personality puzzle and how to build a successful team

Create a Culture

Culture is the glue that holds the people puzzle together. This summer I had coffee with Metsy Corter, a hiring consultant in the Dallas area who helps companies hire the right people for their culture. Her philosophy is "If you don’t create your company’s culture, someone else will create it for you." If you hire people without a plan for the future culture of your business, that random mix of employees will create YOUR company’s culture without you. They can’t help it. It happens as the relationships form.

And every new employee will have an effect on the culture. Picking the right people on an ongoing basis is critical for maintaining your culture. She shows entrepreneurs how to hire people who are driven by the company’s values and uniquely skilled to complete the work.


Bring Out The Best In Employees

With so many personality types, you may think that you need to manage each personality in a different manner. Not only would this be too complex, it would be un-nerving, and may cause more disputes than it would solve. The difference between a successful workplace and an unsuccessful one is simply engagement.

So how do you engage employees? By allowing them to be their authentic selves so they can leverage their strengths and unique perspectives. What an employee brings to the team may not be what you imagine, however it may be much more.


Don't Dismiss Those Different Than Yourself

How many times have you heard, don't marry someone exactly like yourself?  Well, you shouldn't hire some just like you either; that puzzle piece is already taken. If you are an extrovert, don't discount the quiet introvert.  The quiet influencer may bring the greatest ideas to the business. If you are the quiet type don't be put off by the big, vibrant, personality.


Personalities do not need to be the same to operate in harmony.  If a culture is created and employees are allowed to engage, to be their authentic selves, and to contribute what they do best, then the people puzzle will find its best fit.
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