When you hear me tell you to treat people differently, what do you think? Am I crazy? Well, sometimes… but not when it comes to how we treat people.
It’s so easy to treat everyone the same. It’s why we schools struggling. It’s easier to try to treat all the kids the same when there’s a massive number of students in the classroom.
But all that does is create confusion and frustration. The students don’t all respond or learn the same way. Yet, we keep trying to treat them the same.
Photo by Timon Studler on Unsplash
The same goes for your organization.
You can’t treat everyone the same. Everyone is different. However, they do fall into personality types. And that can help.
Treat People Differently
I want you to think about treating your people differently. You can’t treat them as robots or cogs in the machine. That’s not what they are.
Instead, get to know your people. Find out who they are. What they love. How they respond.
You can make this a lot easier when you get to know them. Especially their personality type.
Experts disagree on exactly how many personality types there are. You may be a believer in the OCEAN personality trait system. Or you may follow 16 Personalities and the belief that there are 16 different personality types. Or maybe the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator is more your speed.
Whichever personality system you trust, go for that. It will help you break down the barriers from hundreds of thousands of people to a specific type of people.
Imagine trying to treat the hundreds of people you lead differently. That seems overwhelming. And it can be.
But…
Think about breaking them down into personality groups. These groups help you grasp how they feel about certain actions, what motivates them, and how they react. If you have 5, 10, or even 20 of these groups, you can quickly understand your employees’ personalities and treat them in a way that best works for them.
Imagine this:
Don’s been underperforming lately. It seems like he’s been off in his own world. He’s not the optimistic, outgoing, and social guy you once had on your team.
His personality has changed but you’re not sure why.
You begin talking to Don. Don opens up after you invite him out for a cup of coffee. He begins to share how there’s trouble brewing at home and that rolls over to work.
You now know what’s bothering Don and can begin working with him to create an action plan to help improve his performance around the office.
What Are The Four Main Personality Types?
The Four Temperaments describes four personality types. Don’s personality type could be described as sanguine in this example. Here are all four of the Four Temperaments:
- Sanguine – Outgoing, sociable, and enthusiastic. Sanguine individuals are typically talkative, optimistic, and enjoy being the center of attention. They’re often described as warm, cheerful, and lively. Their spontaneous nature makes them fun to be around, though they may struggle with follow-through on tasks.
- Choleric – Strong-willed, decisive, and goal-oriented. Choleric individuals are natural leaders who are driven, ambitious, and independent. They tend to be quick thinkers who take action and seek control. While they’re excellent at accomplishing tasks, they may appear domineering or impatient.
- Melancholic – Analytical, thoughtful, and detail-oriented. Melancholic individuals are often perfectionistic, sensitive, and deeply appreciate aesthetics and order. They tend to be introspective and may appear reserved, but they feel emotions intensely and form deep connections. They excel in planning and organization.
- Phlegmatic – Relaxed, peaceful, and easygoing. Phlegmatic individuals are patient, consistent, and diplomatic. They avoid conflict, maintain a calm demeanor, and are often seen as the peacemakers. While they may appear passive, they’re actually steady and dependable, preferring a harmonious environment.
Even thinking in terms of these four groups will help you lead your people better. The next time you have a conflict in the office, consider which personality type or temperament your employee has. Then, work on treating them according to their personality. You’ll find you get far better results.
