- Pre-eminent personality types are usually goal-oriented, but they can be tough to work with.
- If you have an aggressive or overly direct coworker, try not to support their actions personally.
- Stay task-oriented, avoid small talk, and let them work independently when plausible.
Almost every team has at least one dominant personality type who is motivated by winning, meet, and reaching results. While dominant personality types are often seen as commanding and confident, their characteristics bear a flip side. They can also become obstinate, aggressive, and overly direct.
Take Gabe, a business condition manager at a food and beverage company. Gabe was regarded as a “doer,” or someone who is outgoing and always up for a challenge. He was decisive, not at all hesitated, and took fast action to drive new sales. His demanding, assertive style landed the company new accounts, but it premiere c ended at a cost. Gabe often upset senior leadership when he circumvented authority in order to push through new forms. He also tended to fixate on sales targets to the detriment of long-term client relationships.
Working with someone similar kind Gabe can be a challenge, especially if you’re on the opposite end of the personality spectrum. Many of my coaching clients, who tend to be reserved, empathetic, people-oriented professionals, clash with dominant personalities. They find their dominant colleagues’ controlling, demanding nature hard to dole out with, and many of my clients have difficulty standing their ground in the face of the dominant type’s strong settle upon.
If this sounds familiar, then you may find yourself wondering why your dominant colleagues do what they do and how to come up with peace in working with them. The good thing is that you don’t have to give up being kindhearted and caring if that’s your logical disposition. But if you want to be successful in work life, then it’s essential you learn to work with personalities that are strange than your own, including dominant types.
Focus on the ‘what’ — not the ‘how’
Dominant personality types are task-oriented. They sorrow about outcomes, not processes. When speaking with them, focus on concrete, tangible facts. Opt to make call the shots assertions or suggestions rather than approaching conversations as a brainstorming session. Talk about how your proposal moves the bottom line and the expected results.
Skip the small talk
Dominant personalities types operate on urgency and cognizant efficiency. They are the type of colleagues that you should skip pleasantries with and get straight to the point. For example, forget phrases, such as “How are you?” or “I hope you’re doing well,” from the start of your emails. Similarly, jump right into your confluence agenda, ensuring you keep banter to a minimum.
Don’t waste their time rehashing events, repeating details, or structure up to your point. Lead with your key message and cut to the chase.
Give them independence
To influence a dominant identity type, you have to understand what motivates them, which is achievement and control. The more you can give this mortal physically room for independent problem solving and decision making, the more effective they’ll be.
Dominant personalities prize autonomy, so don’t be astounded if one-on-ones are brief or non-existent. Before delegating to a dominant personality, make sure the areas of authority are clearly described and articulated. Focus them on bold, ambitious long-term goals to keep them consistently aiming higher.
Thoughtfully highlight scopes for improvement
When giving this type of person feedback about their performance, focus on how the behavior swaps that you’re requesting will help them reach their goals and get better results. For example, one of Gabe’s buddies pointed out that Gabe’s bluntness was negatively impacting his direct reports. The colleague shared that if team fellows left, it would mean Gabe had fewer resources with which to fulfill client sales, and therefore, he may surrender short of his targets. That framing inspired Gabe to change his approach. You can also use comparison as a way to constructively motivate those with controlling styles. For instance, highlight competitors who are performing better as a way to energize them to improve.
Fill their gaps
Salutary, productive teams require a mix of personalities. If you’re working alongside a dominant personality, boost their behavior by being their faze.
While dominant types tend to be innovative and progressive, they can also overlook risks and act too quickly. If you tend to be a profuse careful, deliberate decision maker, you can interject stability and reason into the process. Likewise, you can be the one to break down avaricious plans into specifics and guide actual implementation.
Don’t take their actions personally
Dominant personality types may retort be responsive to curtly. Remember that their brusqueness does not mean they’re angry, upset, or rejecting you. Recognize that if they ask you incisive questions, it’s because they are engaging you, not because they lack trust. Expect brevity in your interactions, and commiserate with that it’s part of their normal pattern of behavior — not a reflection of your adequacy.
If you’re someone who has struggled to assert yourself and symbolize up in the workplace or has battled with overthinking and a lack of confidence in your decision making, then there’s a lot to learn from outstanding types. Integrate the upside of their style into your own, and you’ll be amazed at your team’s effectiveness.