Managers have more responsibility than overseeing project scope and client delivery. People Management can be the hardest tasks on a manager’s job description.

Every employee is different. Successful managers recognize employee strengths and different types of communication required. This is not an easy task. You must first understand the different personality types.

According to Gallup’s State of the American Manager: Analytics and Advice for Leaders report, there are 6 types of personalities.

Personality Types

Judging

Judgers want work to be neat, orderly, and established. They want the workplace to be predictable.

Perceiving

Perceivers are more openminded than judgers. They can change to your office’s situation and respond well to unpredictable events.

Extraversion

Extraverts are lively, energetic, and always looking for ways to interact with other coworkers. Extraverts are often involved in brainstorming sessions and work well with others.

Introversion

Introverts are the opposite of extroverts. They would rather perform tasks by themselves. They are independent, reserved, and focused.

Thinking

Thinkers are the analytical employees in the office. They will think of how to improve projects and are detail oriented. Thinkers are often experts in a single field.

Feeling

Feelers are the opposite of Thinkers. A Thinker is compassionate, warm, and supportive. They often go out of their way for other employees. Their motivation is often for people, rather than facts.

How-To Manage Different Personality Types

The first step is to assess, not assume. View every new hire as a blank slate. After you discover their personality type, you will be better able to manage for each employee’s strengths and talents.

Some simple way to gain some insights as to their personality type is to ask them to describe a job or project that they really enjoyed, and ask them what specifically made it such an enjoyable experience. You can also ask the opposite question of a job or project they enjoyed the least and what made it so terrible. Their answer will give you clues as to what is most important to them and how best to manage them.

The Meyer Brigg’s Personality test can provide a more accurate depiction. Speak with Human Resources to discover if testing is available for your employees.

Managers are the backbone of the company. Make it clear that your employees are all working toward a common goal. You may need to reassign your employee’s tasks for their strengths. Doing so, might be timely but will contribute to the success of the project.

By narrowing down your employee’s strengths, they will feel more successful and appreciated. Everyone wants to feel appreciated. Your team could work harder for you which increases productivity. Do not punish your employees in public if they are not achieving their goals.

Learning to manage different personality types can be rewarding and improve employee happiness and the productivity of your company. If you are hiring, know what skills you require. As a recruiter, I can help create appropriate personality questions to find the best employee for the job position.

Memorial Day is this weekend! This means, it is a three-day weekend for many of us. As you launch into summer it is important to develop a great work/life balance. A healthy balance helps you to spend more time doing the activities that you love.

The following tips can help you build a balance to enjoy your summer while working productively:

Schedule Your Day

We often fail to schedule our day or modify our schedules when we get distracted. To work efficiently, create a schedule (every day!) and stick to it. This could cut hours of work.

Tips to Schedule Your Day

1. Morning Ritual – Create a routine that makes you feel best throughout the day. Get up half an hour early to exercise or meditate. Eat a healthy breakfast.
2. Plan Your Daily Tasks- You can save time if you have a plan for the day. Know what tasks are a priority and create a Google Calendar to organize your day.
3. Plan Your Meetings in the Afternoon – Get the important tasks finished in the morning and save the afternoon for meetings and important phone calls.

Stay Healthy

Do you often miss your kid’s summer baseball games or concerts in the park from working long hours? Maintaining a healthy body can help you cope with work’s pressures to prevent working more than 40 hours per week.

Tips to Stay Physically Healthy

• Eat Healthy
• Avoid Stimulants
• Exercise Regularly
• Get Plenty of Sleep

Unplug After Work

Most of us are connected to our smartphones. We even use our phones as alarm clocks. However, when we are connected to our devices, it can prevent us from being present with our friends and family.

After you leave work, put your phone to the side. If you can’t ditch your phone, turn off email notifications and put it on silent while you go on the mountain bike, golf game, or hike with your family.

Do not answer work calls after you leave the office. Your friends and family will appreciate your presence.

Delegate Your Tasks

We often take responsibility for tasks “just to get it done” or “because we can”. Eventually, accepting too much responsibility leads to burnout. You will then get stressed, tired, and overwhelmed.

It’s okay to delegate tasks. Hire a contractor to avoid the costs of a full-time employee or for temporary projects. You can hire contractors online from websites such as Fiverr and Upwork. And if you are in Regulatory Affairs or Quality in the San Francisco Bay Area, I can help you find contract help as well.

Take a Vacation

It’s summer! Have some fun! Go on that much needed vacation. A vacation helps you feel refreshed.
Encourage your employees to take a vacation also. Your employees will be more well-rested and energized to enjoy their work. Happy employees generate a productive company.

Wouldn’t it be great if you weren’t constantly forced to train new employees? A great way to maintain your employees is to build a thriving company culture. Doing so, influences your employees to work cohesively as a team, therefore drive productivity and business success.

Creating a great company culture is not easy. However, the benefits from investing in your team can improve the performance of your company and keep employees with you longer.

Learn from the Past

Your past can be your greatest teacher. If your company struggles with culture, review the mishaps. If they are reoccurring then consider the root of the problem. Was it a lack of communication or management oversight? On the other hand, consider when you had great company culture. What cultivated the success?

Create a Culture that Aligns with Your Core Values

This is your business. It is important to find staff that aligns with your values. The first step is to figuring out what is important to you.

Core Values to Consider

• Teamwork
• Quality
• Innovation
• Customer Service
• Sense of Urgency

Hire Employees Who Complement You

Identify your strengths and weaknesses, and then fill in the gaps. You should hire for what your company needs. The employee will adapt much better to your office when they feel important. Doing so, will create a more well-rounded team.

Communicate With Your Team

Communication is key in relationships – even business relationships! Make sure you are communicating with your employees and they are communicating with each other. Important communication should also be in-person, rather than over email, phone, or text.
If your company is struggling with communication then consider the following tips:

• Hold Weekly Meetings
• Offer a Platform, such as Officevibe, for Anonymous Feedback
• Watch Your Body Language – Remember to smile, maintain eye contact, and keep your arms uncrossed.
• Know When to Listen
• Keep Your Door Open

Carefully Evolve Your Culture

Building a great company culture will not happen overnight. First, make sure that you have a clear vision for what you want. Second, introduce those changes to your employees and seek employees with the same values.

Build Excitement About Your Company

Your employees must believe in your company. To build excitement about your brand, you must show your own excitement!

How-To Build Brand Excitement

• Hold an Event. For example, celebrating the release of a new product or service.
• Individually thank employees for a job well-done.
• Create beautiful marketing material – Videos, Facebook Posts, or Guest Blogs.

If you create a culture where people love coming to work then you can expect to see an improvement in company performance, and most important, an improvement of your happiness and the happiness of your employees.