BUILDING A BALANCED, EFFECTIVE TEAM

As your company scales, so does the size of your teams. Many founders start out working with people they have existing relationships with (former colleagues, trusted peers, even old friends) because they already know these people to be competent and capable. At a certain point, however, your organization will grow into a structured company that has a greater breadth of operations, requiring more seats to be filled. This is when expanding your team and placing the right people in the right seats becomes crucial to positioning your business for success.

In my experience, building and expanding your company works best when each team member is not only placed in the right seat but also valued for their innate approach to working with others. This starts with your Senior Leadership Team (SLT) and should echo throughout your entire organization.

Read more: 4 Personality Types That Can Decide Your Company’s Future

As a framework enthusiast, I’ve found that leveraging certain models for evaluating and appreciating people’s individual personality types can play a vital role in finding and retaining your Ideal Team Members. These models, such as the Jung/Myers model and David Keirsey’s four temperaments framework (my linked blog goes into detail on these), help you create balanced teams made up of great people who can work together effectively and efficiently.

PERSPECTIVES

“There is no such thing as a self-made man. You will reach your goals only with the help of others.” — George Shinn

“You are not the work you do; you are the person you are.” ― Toni Morrison

MARK MY WORDS

Different roles are best performed by different kinds of people. And I don’t just mean skill sets — I mean dispositions, tendencies, and approaches to working with others. Truly great organizations are made up of a unique mix of personality types. Some are introverts, some are extroverts, some are more logical and calculating, and some are more innovative and future-focused. Building a strong and balanced SLT (along with every team that follows) requires knowing how to blend these different personality types together.

Navigating personality types successfully requires increasing our emotional quotient (EQ) and understanding ourselves as much as those around us. Open and honest communication is necessary for organizational health, so adapting your communication style with personality types in mind helps everyone get more output with less conflict. 

Different personality types will be beneficial as your company evolves through the Stages of Development. Keep in mind that what you need now will change as you continue to scale. You may need thinkers today but doers tomorrow, or vice versa. Remembering the need for various types of leaders and work styles in your organization is key — and by embracing that balance, your teams will truly be able to focus, align, and thrive. 

STAY TUNED

Get ready to delve into the critical importance of frameworks. From explaining their conceptual structure to discussing their practical applications, I’m providing insightful examples and touching on the psychological comfort and clarity that frameworks provide, particularly when navigating unknowns.