THE 16 ‘OFFICE’ PERSONALITY

TYPES EVERY WORKPLACE LEADER

ENCOUNTERS

by Tiffany Bloodworth Rivers on August 6, 2018

Today’s facility managers and workplace leaders are managing people

as much as buildings and technology. They have to be able to build

relationships with many different types of people—and that starts with

having a better understanding of their colleagues.

Once you know more about what motivates someone, it’s much easier to convince them

to work with you, rather than against you.

If you still love watching reruns of “The Office”, you can probably see some of your

colleagues in each of the characters at Dunder-Mifflin. You probably relate to some

more than others. Our friends at Bustle recently put out a blog post mapping each of the

show’s character to one of the 16 personality types determined by the Myers-Briggs

Type Indicator (MBTI), and we thought it was spot-on. While you should be cautious

about using personality testing in the workplace, having a better understanding of

yourself and others has clear benefits.

We took a deeper dive into how to spot each type in the workplace, what motivates

them, what frustrates them and how to help them succeed.

Analyst Personality Types

1. The Architect (INTJ)

How to Spot Them: Architects are described as fiercely independent and private.

They’re typically heads-down, hard workers who would rather work alone than with a

team who will slow them down, but they are brilliant analysts who love digging into data.

They are confident and decisive, but sometimes their sharp minds can make them

appear arrogant or judgmental to others.

What Motivates Them: Architects thrive when tackling an intellectually stimulating

challenge.

How to Work With Them: Give them a clearly defined problem to solve, a timeline and

the tools they need to uncover the answer (such as access to key facility management

metrics). Then leave them alone to let them work their magic!

2. Logician (INTP)

How to Spot Them: Individuals in the truest sense of the word, Logicians are inventive,

creative and intelligent. They’re great analysts and abstract thinkers. However, they are

extremely private, often mysterious and may miss social or emotional cues, which can

make them appear insensitive or eccentric to others.

What Motivates Them: Logicians love exploring ideas and theories and immersing

themselves in technical subject matter.

How to Work With Them: Similar to Architects, Logicians want to be given a challenge

that’s intellectually stimulating and then be left alone. Give them guidance, not rules.

3. The Commander (ENTJ)

How to Spot Them: As their name suggests, Commanders are natural-born leaders.

Their combination of confidence and charisma makes them uniquely equipped to

motivate people to work toward their vision. Like Jan, they are strong-willed and firm.

However, they can also be stubborn, impatient and even ruthless if others aren’t willing

to follow them.

What Motivates Them: Commanders have a singular mission to accomplish their

goals, no matter what it takes.

How To Work With Them: They will listen to others who demonstrate they are equally

competent. Give your recommendation to them with confidence, but make sure you

have the expertise to back it up.

4. The Debater (ENTP)

How to Spot Them: The ultimate devil’s advocate, this is someone who will argue not

necessarily to accomplish a larger goal, but just for the fun of it. Debaters are energetic,

quick thinkers, but their argumentative nature isn’t always welcome, and they can also

get bored easily. Like Jim, they might entertain themselves (and others) with elaborate

pranks.

What Motivates Them: Above all, debaters are motivated by a quest to better

understand the world.

How to Work With Them: Give them some independence. Although Debaters enjoy

being around others, they work best when they’re working in a consulting role or in a

flexible working environment.

Diplomat Personality Types

5. The Advocate (INFJ)

How to Spot Them: Advocates are a rare breed. They can be difficult to get to know

due to their reserved nature, but they are decisive, determined and tremendously loyal

to the ones they love.

What Motivates Them: Like Mediators, Advocates are motivated by their ideals and

pursuit of perfection. When they don’t feel they’re working toward something they

believe in, they get restless and easily frustrated.

How to Work With Them: Be clear about the bigger picture you’re trying to accomplish.

Respect their privacy, and don’t invade their personal space.

6. The Mediator (INFP)

How to Spot Them: Mediators are highly imaginative, intuitive and idealistic, and they

often gravitate toward careers that allow them to be creative. However, their

combination of rich imagination and introverted tendencies means they can live inside

their head too much, ignoring practical matters like deadlines or data.

What Motivates Them: Mediators seek harmony and meaning in their work. They truly

want to help people but because they can get easily overwhelmed, they tend to invest

most of their energy into a few people or causes.

How to Work With Them: Get them to believe in your mission and give them the quiet

space they need to develop their creative ideas.

7. The Campaigner (ENFP)

How to Spot Them: The campaigner loves people and can brighten anyone’s day. They

can make friends with everyone, floating easily between social circles (and sometimes

talking your ear off.) Curious, energetic and enthusiastic, they have great ideas and

exceptional people skills, but they can fall short when it comes to following through.

They find it difficult to focus on practical, detail-oriented tasks.

What Motivates Them: Campaigners are happiest when they’re exploring new ideas

and working with others.

How to Work With Them: Invite them to your brainstorming session, but don’t hesitate

to redirect the conversation when they go off on a tangent. Help them stay focused.

8. The Protagonist (ENFJ)

How to Spot Them: Charismatic and inspiring leaders, protagonists are warm, friendly

and caring. They find it easy to communicate with others and are known for lifting them

up, making protagonists the ultimate “cheerleader”.

What Motivates Them: Like their other Diplomat companions, Protagonists seek

harmony and will work tirelessly to achieve it. They are great at rallying large groups of

people to join their cause. Like Holly, they may also gravitate toward HR roles.

Sentinel Personality Types

9. The Logistician (ISTJ)

How to Spot Them: Like Angela, Logisticians are masters of order, deadlines and hard

work. Failing to follow through on a deadline or not adhering to an established process

is the fastest way to get on their bad side.

What Motivates Them: A desire for duty, dependability and impeccable personal

integrity is at the core of everything they do.

How to Work With Them: Do your part! Clarify your role and next steps after a

discussion and then make sure you follow through.

10. The Defender (ISFJ)

How to Spot Them: Defenders are loyal, supportive and practical. As their name

suggests, they will passionately defend people or causes that are important to them.

However, they are often reluctant to change and can become easily stressed as they try

to meet others’ expectations.

What Motivates Them: They are motivated by a strong sense of duty to others.

How to Work With Them: Defenders rarely ask for help, so ask them what you can do

to make it easier for them to do their job.

11. The Executive (ESTJ)

How to Spot Them: Executives believe in law and order, honesty and hard work above

all else. They’re often the first person to point out a rule violation, and they detest

cheating or laziness. They are well equipped to lead, but their greatest challenge is

recognizing that not everyone thinks the way they do.

What Motivates Them: Executives are ambitious and motivated by a desire to advance

in their careers.

How to Work With Them: Show them you uphold the rules and are committed to

fairness.

12. The Consul (ESFJ)

How to Spot Them: Consuls spread cheerfulness and positive energy everywhere they

go. They love to help people and spend time with them. Coming to grips with their

sensitivity is one of their biggest challenges. They don’t take well to criticism or rejection

and can sometimes come across as needy because of their constant desire for

reassurance.

What Motivates Them: Above all, Consuls want to be wanted and needed.

How to Work With Them: Make an extra effort to acknowledge their efforts and

achievements.

Explorer Personality Types

13. The Virtuoso (ISTP)

How to Spot Them: Rational, calm and reserved yet also spontaneous risk-takers, the

Virtuoso is a man (or woman) of mystery. You might never really know what they’re

thinking or what they might do next. They’re not known for their commitment; instead

they view every day as a new opportunity to start fresh and always seem to be taking on

new endeavors. Virtuosos have a blunt, sometimes risque sense of humor and know

how to diffuse tense situations with a well-placed joke.

What Motivates Them: Virtuosos value independence and fairness most of all.

How to Work With Them: Something that’s likely to make ISTPs’ day is a random list of

things that needs to be fixed or dealt with. Virtuosos have a knack for tackling

immediate, hands-on tasks with surprising enthusiasm, as long as they are clearly

defined.

14. The Adventurer (ISFP)

How to Spot Them: Like Virtuosos, Adventurers live in the moment and enjoy pursuing

their various passions. They are often unpredictable and aren’t great at planning for the

future, but they have a zest for life and a certain irresistible charm. Adventurers who are

outwardly focused can act with amazing charity and selflessness, but they can also lean

toward the other extreme, pursuing their own interests above all else. (We see both

sides of Robert in The Office.)

What Motivates Them: Adventurers are on a constant quest for personal fulfillment.

How to Work With Them: Harness their spontaneous nature by sending them on an

important mission, whether it’s joining a sales meeting or attending a conference to get

the scoop on a big competitor.

15. The Entertainer (ESFP)

How to Spot Them: Look for the man (or woman) with the microphone! Entertainers

crave the spotlight, whether it’s performing onstage or giving a presentation. They are

social butterflies, and their charisma and originality also make them great at sales,

hospitality and people-oriented careers. However, they can become easily bored and

lose focus, especially if they’re working alone.

What Motivates Them: For Entertainers, there’s nothing better than being surrounded

by people they love and making them laugh.

How to Work With Them: Appeal to their sense of fun. Talk to them about their latest

vacation or tell them a joke before getting down to business.

16. The Entrepreneur (ESTP)

How to Spot Them: Entrepreneurs are true innovators and risk-takers. They will plunge

headfirst into a promising new opportunity, sometimes without thinking through the

consequences. They thrive in social settings and love learning new things but often feel

stifled in corporate environments. They believe rules were made to be broken and won’t

hesitate to speak out or rebel.

What Motivates Them: Entrepreneurs live for new experiences, new ideas and new

technology.

How to Work With Them: Get them excited about what your company is doing that’s on

the cutting edge, whether it’s a new product or workplace technology to make their jobs

easier.

Making Sense of Many

Workplace Personality Types

Working with so many different types of people is part of what makes life interesting. As

you notice some of these characteristics among your colleagues, acknowledge and

appreciate what makes them who they are. Whenever possible, workplace leaders

should create a workplace that supports everyone’s needs. That might mean moving

toward an activity-based working model that caters to both introverts and extroverts, for

instance.

Above all, recognize that while understanding these 16 personality types can be helpful,

no one fits neatly into a box. Everyone is an individual and deserves to be treated that

way.

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CONFLICT

Most Work Conflicts Aren’t Due to Personality by Ben Dattner

May 20, 2014

Conflict happens everywhere, including in the workplace. When it does, it’s tempting to

blame it on personalities.  But more often than not, the real underlying cause of workplace

strife is the situation itself, rather than the people involved. So, why do we automatically

blame our coworkers? Chalk it up to psychology and organizational politics, which cause

us to oversimplify and to draw incorrect or incomplete conclusions.

There’s a good reason why we’re inclined to jump to conclusions based on limited

information. Most of us are, by nature, “cognitive misers,” a term coined by social

psychologists Susan Fiske and Shelley Taylor to describe how people have a tendency to

preserve cognitive resources and allocate them only to high-priority matters. And the

limited supply of cognitive resources we all have is spread ever-thinner as demands on our

time and attention increase.

As human beings evolved, our survival depended on being able to quickly identify and

differentiate friend from foe, which meant making rapid judgments about the character

and intentions of other people or tribes. Focusing on people rather than situations is faster

and simpler, and focusing on a few attributes of people, rather than on their complicated

entirety, is an additional temptation.

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Stereotypes are shortcuts that preserve cognitive resources and enable faster

interpretations, albeit ones that may be inaccurate, unfair, and harmful. While few people

would feel comfortable openly describing one another based on racial, ethnic, or gender

stereotypes, most people have no reservations about explaining others’ behavior with a

personality typology like Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (“She’s such an ‘INTJ'”),

Enneagram, or Color Code (“He’s such an 8: Challenger”).

Personality or style typologies like Myers-Briggs, Enneagram, the DISC Assessment,

Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument, Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument and

others have been criticized by academic psychologists for their unproven or debatable

reliability and validity. Yet, according to the Association of Test Publishers, the Society for

Human Resources, and the publisher of the Myers-Briggs, these assessments are still

administered millions of times per year for personnel selection, executive coaching, team

building and conflict resolution. As Annie Murphy Paul argues in her insightful book, The

Cult Of Personality Testing, these horoscope-like personality classifications at best capture

only a small amount of variance in behavior, and in combination only explain tangential

aspects of adversarial dynamics in the workplace. Yet, they’re frequently relied upon for

the purposes of conflict resolution. An ENTP and an ISTJ might have a hard time working

together. Then again, so might a Capricorn and a Sagittarius. So might any of us.

The real reasons for conflict are a lot harder to raise — and resolve — because they are

likely to be complex, nuanced, and politically sensitive. For example, people’s interests

may truly be opposed; roles and levels of authority may not be correctly defined or

delineated; there may be real incentives to compete rather than to collaborate; and there

may be little to no accountability or transparency about what people do or say.

When two coworkers create a safe and imaginary set of explanations for their conflict

(“My coworker is a micromanager,” or “My coworker doesn’t care whether errors are

corrected”), neither of them has to challenge or incur the wrath of others in the

organization. It’s much easier for them to imagine that they’ll work better together if they

simply understand each other’s personality (or personality type) than it is to realize that

they would have to come together to, for example, request that their boss stop pitting

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them against one another, or to request that HR match rhetoric about collaboration with

real incentives to work together. Or, perhaps the conflict is due to someone on the team

simply not doing his or her job, in which case talking about personality as being the cause

of conflict is a dangerous distraction from the real issue. Personality typologies may even

provide rationalizations, for example, if someone says “I am a spontaneous type and that’s

why I have a tough time with deadlines.” Spontaneous or not, they still have to do their

work well and on time if they want to minimize conflict with their colleagues or

customers.

Focusing too much on either hypothetical or irrelevant causes of conflict may be easy and

fun in the short term, but it creates the risk over the long term that the underlying causes

of conflict will never be addressed or fixed.

 So what’s the right approach to resolving conflicts at work?

First, look at the situational dynamics that are causing or worsening conflict, which are

likely to be complex and multifaceted. Consider how conflict resolution might necessitate

the involvement, support, and commitment of other individuals or teams in the

organization. For example, if roles are poorly defined, a boss might need to clarify who is

responsible for what. If incentives reward individual rather than team performance,

Human Resources can be called in to help better align incentives with organizational goals.

Then, think about how both parties might have to take risks to change the status quo:

systems, roles, processes, incentives or levels of authority.  To do this, ask and discuss the

question: “If it weren’t the two of us in these roles, what conflict might be expected of any

two people in these roles?” For example, if I’m a trader and you’re in risk management,

there is a fundamental difference in our perspectives and priorities. Let’s talk about how to

optimize the competing goals of profits versus safety, and risk versus return, instead of

first talking about your conservative, data-driven approach to decision making and

contrasting it to my more risk-seeking intuitive style.

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Finally, if you or others feel you must use personality testing as part of conflict resolution,

consider using non-categorical, well-validated personality assessments such as the Hogan

Personality Inventory or the IPIP-NEO Assessment of the “Big Five” Personality

dimensions (which can be taken for free here). These tests, which have ample peer-

reviewed, psychometric evidence to support their reliability and validity, better explain

variance in behavior than do categorical assessments like the Myers-Briggs, and therefore

can better explain why conflicts may have unfolded the way they have. And unlike the

Myers-Briggs which provides an “I’m OK, you’re OK”-type report, the Hogan Personality

Inventory and the NEO are likely to identify some hard-hitting development themes for

almost anyone brave enough to take them, for example telling you that you are set in your

ways, likely to anger easily, and take criticism too personally. While often hard to take, this

is precisely the kind of feedback that can help build self-awareness and mutual awareness

among two or more people engaged in a conflict.

As a colleague of mine likes to say, “treatment without diagnosis is malpractice.”

Treatment with superficial or inaccurate diagnostic categories can be just as bad. To solve

conflict, you need to find, diagnose and address the real causes and effects — not

imaginary ones.

Ben Dattner is an executive coach and organizational development consultant, and the

founder of New York City–based Dattner Consulting, LLC. You can follow him on Twitter at

@bendattner.

Related Topics: Managing Yourself | Organizational Culture

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