5 Challenges of Managing Personalities in the Workplace

When it comes to managing personalities in the workplace well, I think I’ve encountered the full rainbow! It’s a tricky thing to do and it’s never easy as we all have our own styles and interpretations, in fact I’ll let you into a secret, it’s one of the areas of my role I love the most – understanding people. I always say if I had my time again, I’d study psychology. I have taken my interest through NLP right through to qualifying as a practitioner and then Master practitioner a few years ago, something I’m pretty proud of actually, I always forget to be proud of my achievements. 

That path led me to understanding how and why we need to manage people differently, to get the same end result. Today I want to share with you some insights I’ve picked up along the way. 

  1. People have different communication styles, and this can create misunderstandings or conflicts in the workplace. Some people prefer to communicate directly, while others may be more indirect, or even passive aggressive. It’s important to do a bit of research and understand how the person you’re communicating to likes to receive information and tweak your style to suit, if you want things to land properly.
  2. The workplace is often a diverse environment, with people from different backgrounds and cultures, with different values and beliefs. This can lead to misunderstandings and conflicts if people are not open-minded and willing to learn about others’ perspectives.
  3. People have different work styles, some prefer to work independently, while others prefer to work collaboratively. When these different work styles clash, it can cause friction and conflict.
  4. Workplace dynamics can sometimes be competitive, with people vying for promotions or recognition. This can create a tense environment, and people may become defensive or even aggressive to protect their position.
  5. People bring their personal issues to work, and this can impact their behaviour and interactions with others. Personal problems such as financial difficulties, relationship problems, or health issues can all contribute to a difficult work environment.

As HR and People Leaders it’s our role to recognise these 5 areas within our teams and understand how to adapt our approach to individuals when communicating. By getting to really know your employees you can understand what works for them, and by making small adjustments you’ll be able to engage them much sooner and build more trusting, valued and deeper relationships which will lead to a more engaged, productive, and happier team. 

As someone who has been in the HR industry for a while and has a deep understanding of NLP, I wanted to make your life easier. That’s why I’ve gone ahead and put in the hard work for you! I’ve created a dedicated section of resources on the MPC platform to help you engage with employees faster. Check it out here and fast-track your learning journey!

5 Challenges of Managing Personalities in the Workplace