Personality Types that Thrive under Pressure

Seven different types of workplace pressure were identified in a research study of 170+ participants.

Applied Cognitive Studies and The Effectiveness Group identified five distinct personality types and how each are inclined to deal with workplace pressure in a study called The Big Five (PDF document, requires Adobe Acrobat reader). Awareness of these personality types can help guide the hiring process or placement of executives for specific tasks.

 

Areas identified as having the potential to cause pressure include competition, relationships, work performance, balance between work and home, daily hassles, being a manager and/or the workload affiliated with a job. Depending on which personality types are assembled together, an organization may find themselves with either an explosive, hostile, friendly, relaxed, calm or highly productive work environment.

Personality types that tend to enjoy personal achievements at work and having harmonious relationships are likely identified as creative. They can also be seen as extroverts. Then there are those people who enjoy on-the-job distractions and unpredictable twists in their daily work routine. This isn’t a matter of right vs wrong, but about preference and how a person internally responds to stimulation.

Those who have a low need for stability in their work environments tend to handle daily hassles and their managerial role calmly. Planning and implementing new ideas are common, natural tasks for them. They may present themselves as optimistic, sociable and can even handle multiple tasks within a certain time frame. But these same personality types are anxious when stressed and tend to keep their opinions to themselves.

Some personality types are very concerned about pleasing others. This is called accommodating. These people don’t necessarily want to be in charge as much as they want to get along with others. People who have a small desire to please others tend to prefer working alone instead of socializing with others.

Guiding your organization through an understanding of personality types is an opportunity to identify the strengths and weaknesses of your workforce. Assigning projects and supervisory positions can result in a happier workforce when people are placed in roles that meet their personality style. A personality discovery workshop can strengthen your company’s team by providing a deeper understanding about personality types and how they work together – especially under work pressure.

If you’re looking to strengthen your team through awareness of their personality types, contact us today and let us show you how we can help you with a DiSC personality styles workshop or a custom personality styles discovery workshop tailored specifically to your team and your organization.