Dealing With Different Personalities and Leadership Styles in the Workplace

[The Chief Dreamer]

by Jayesh Ashwin

It is a commonly known fact that organisations, regardless of size, generally seek to recruit the very brightest and the most effective employees. Most workplaces, especially those of larger organisations consist of hundreds or maybe even thousands of employees coming in from a plethora of varied backgrounds. The very fact that we have a massive number of people working together in an organisation naturally results in the existence of a vast array of very different personalities and leadership styles. Therefore, it is essential to recognise the way in which an employee can navigate, though these differences and put themselves in a position where they can thrive in the organisation.

For starters, it is important for employees to recognise that 'diversity' is positive and instrumental to an organisation. Talent isn't tied to any one demographic. Diversity in an organisation brings to the fore the best ideas, which is then followed by appointing the very best employees to process and execute the said idea. Diversity increases the level of creativity, innovation and employee engagement in addition to boosting the organisation's reputation.

Next, employees should view their functioning from a perspective of being a 'team member' and not as an 'independent' authority' thereby taking measures to accommodate the interests of others whilst not compromising on their own. A start to this could be for employees to not view everything as a direct 'competition' or battle and to adopt a mindset of 'mutual growth' benefitting all. In the end of the day, all employees, in theory, are all working towards the same goal: The Success of the Company. If a certain employee would prefer you to call them instead of shooting them an E-mail while dealing with say, matters of importance, taking a step to mutually account for each others' preferences and interests goes a long way in fostering an environment of cordiality and respect.

Moving on, in the course of encountering different personalities in the workplace, it is helpful to recognise that people will behave predictably and repeat patterns of behavior. If you can prepare yourself with a response to a certain behavior, you've won half the battle (Pasche, 2014). Further, it is completely natural to have disagreements in the course of your work. Disagreements are imperative to prove the effectiveness of your proposal because they question the feasibility of it. Never take it as a 'personal attack' and view it as a liberated difference in opinion. It is vital to recognise that such disagreements and deliberation over any issue is highly beneficial to the company as it ensures that only the best and the most effective ideas and measures filter through.

In the event of a contention with a fellow employee, it is important for us to deal with it in a rational and a mature manner. It is practical and healthy to be upfront about it and let the other person know that you've taken offence to their words or actions. Try and find a common ground with them and find a way to effectively resolve the issue. Even if the both of you don't see eye to eye, it is helpful to recognise that more often than not, people's actions come from something that's personal to them. Although this isn't an excuse for bad behavior, it does help understand and sympathise with why they might have acted the way they did.

The issue however, is far more complex when it comes to dealing with varied leadership styles. Due to the differing structure of authority, it is natural for an employee to feel apprehensive while approaching and resolving problems faced on account of leadership. It is important to recognise and credit the fact that some leadership styles work better than the others for some fields of work. For instance, in an industry with heavy regulations or in a field where employees require a significant amount of guidance and instructions, even an autocratic style of leadership, which is generally viewed as highly undesirable, could turn out to be the most apt and effective style. Understanding the fact that certain styles of leadership are beneficial to the organisation as a whole considering its respective field of work enables us to accept and cordially work around it.

Unfortunately, the bitter truth is that an individual employee, especially in the lower levels of the corporate hierarchy, can generally do very little in a situation where they have an objection to a certain leadership style. If the problem lies with an immediate superior, the employee can adopt an alternative such as airing their concerns to a even higher superior or anonymously letting his/her concerns be heard. If the disagreement pans across a sizeable chunk of the workforce, the employees can mobilise themselves as a team and bring to the fore their objections.

Effective measures of dealing with tough leadership styles in a situation where one can't do much to change or resolve their issue is to the make the very best of the existing situation. Firstly, it is essential to alleviate fears, recognise the expectations and diligently follow instructions to deliver well on the said issue. Practicing this over a period of time will build trust and will further enable an employee to convey their understanding and perspective to the leader. An employee performing his/her work with utmost understanding, awareness and diligence goes a long way in aiding professional growth and building great rapport even with a superior who practices an unfavorable leadership style.

In conclusion, personalities and leadership styles are highly complex and varied. Fostering an environment of support and respect in an organisation goes a long way in effectively mobilising the employees to work well with each other. If there exists an adverse situation, it is useful to recognise the best course of action that can be taken to resolve the problem. If there is very little you can do in your individual capacity, 'adapting' and finding means to thrive and succeed is the best way forward.

WORKS CITED
Pasche, M. (2014, August 8). Dealing With Different Personality Types in the Workplace. Retrieved from https://today-magazine.com/dealing-different-personality-types-workplace/

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