10 Personality Facts that Will Impact the Way You Manage Teams

As a manager, you naturally focus on performance goals and deadlines. But there’s a lot you could learn about your team that can help you become a better leader. Each employee has a unique personality type, and they all think, communicate and solve problems in different ways. A one-size-fits-all approach to management isn’t effective in this environment, but tailoring your approach to different personalities can make your team stronger and more engaged.

This may feel like a daunting challenge, but having a solid overview of Myers and Briggs personality system is a great place to start. Here are 10 personality facts that can help transform your team. 

1. Extroverts Think Out Loud, While Introverts Process First

Think about who speaks up the most during meetings and always seems to have something to say. If your employee happily engages in conversation, listing multiple ideas without missing a beat, that employee is likely an Extravert. Extraverts tend to process their thoughts out loud. They like to use their co-workers as sounding boards and bring a vivacious energy to the office. 

Introverts, on the other hand, take more time to think before speaking. These employees will pause for a few moments before responding to a question or may wait to give their thoughts until the end of the meeting. This delay isn’t a sign of disengagement. These personality types just prefer to deliver the most thought-out answer after processing thoughts internally. 

Tip for managing both personality types: You can create space for both of these personality types by offering a couple of different response methods during meetings. Vibrant, collaborative brainstorms will work well for Extraverts, while written responses or after-meeting check-ins will work well for Introverts. Say something like, “You think about it and let me know,” to give Introverts space to ponder.

2. Sensors Follow Step-by-Step Plans, but Intuitives Want to See the Big Picture 

Each person on your team is either a Sensor or an Intuitive. Your Sensors prefer a traditional, step-by-step approach as they go about their work tasks. These types feel the most comfortable when they understand and follow an established method, without a lot of unknown variables. 

If an employee is an Intuitive, they’ll approach a project with questions. They’ll want to understand the “why” behind the task – why are they spending time on this? – and they’ll care less about the steps it takes to get there. These types work best when they have a clear vision of the end goals.

Tip for managing both personality types: Keep Sensors on tasks with a clear checklist and process to follow. They may be better at handling the details behind a project. Meanwhile, try giving your Intuitives more creative tasks that require out-of-the-box problem-solving. At the very least, paint a picture of the end state and how this project fits into the company’s goals, so they understand the value of what they’re doing. 

3. Perceivers Want Flexibility, While Judgers Thrive On Structure

Judging personality types thrive on to-do lists, organization, firm deadlines and structure. These employees have color-coded spreadsheets, pens and tidy desks. When you give them a deadline, they’ll go after it with verve, turning in projects on time. On the flip side, Judging types struggle with last-minute changes or tasks without set timelines.

Perceiving employees prefer spontaneity in their work, so they don’t mind when you ask them to pivot from task to task. However, while these types can meet deadlines, they might procrastinate if their work feels mundane. Their best-case scenario is to have multiple projects with plenty of variety.

Tip for managing both personality types: Delegate work with clear deadlines to your Judging types. A structured plan is their favorite, and they like delivering one project before starting the next. Working with more flexibility or unclear specifics can keep your Perceivers happy. You can also let Perceivers approach projects with different methods or trust them with last-minute changes that require immediate attention.

4. Feelers Value Group Over Business Results

If you have employees who seem to make decisions based on their personal moral code or consideration for others, they are Feeling types. These employees consider relationships and team dynamics while making decisions, not just the bottom line.  They may struggle to get work done whenever people are bickering or stressed, and do their best work when there’s harmony in the workplace. 

You may notice Feelers asking others how they’re feeling or how they can help when someone seems stressed. They might also try to mitigate tension and improve the overall vibe of the space. Feelers dislike a heavy-handed, aggressive approach to management and do better when everyone (including their manager) is friendly and supportive.

Tip for managing Feeling personality types: It’s hard to achieve harmony all the time, but you can keep Feelers happy by gently addressing issues with them as soon as they arise. If a Feeling type is struggling due to low office morale, encourage an open dialogue with them and ask what they need from you. Above all else, Feeling types want to feel supported. 

5. Each Personality Type is Motivated a Little Differently

This may seem obvious, but it’s surprisingly easy to overlook that other people may act similarly but are driven by very different motivations.

For example, both ISTJs and ENFJs have a sense of duty and may be among your hardest workers, but ISTJs are motivated by a sense of “rightness” and responsibility, while ENFJs are motivated by service to others. Don’t assume that what you find motivating will work for your whole team. 

Tip for managing motivations: Pay attention to cues your employees give you and don’t prioritize a one-size-fits-all approach. Try holding a meeting to ask individual team members what motivates them most, then proceed accordingly. Personalized motivation suggestion boxes may also be a fun, easy way to get employees engaged here. And, of course, you can have your whole team take a personality test and, if they're comfortable, share the results. It can be eye-opening when everyone on the team begins to see not only what motivates themselves, but also what drives their coworkers and their boss. 

6. Thinker-Judgers Will Tell it to you Straight

Employees with Thinking and Judging preferences – that’s INTJ, ENTJ, ISTJ and ESTJ – make their decisions based on logic and cold, hard facts, and they tell it to you straight when you chat and make decisions. These types look for the objective truth, and they prize honesty. They won’t mind telling you exactly what they think about a problem in the office, and they mean well, even if they’re blunt. So, if you need intel about any office politics or morale, these are the types who won’t sugarcoat the situation.

Tip for managing TJ types: Be upfront and honest when discussing with TJ types as they have no patience for talking around the edges of an issue. These employees can offer you valuable, unvarnished feedback on your management style and other office goings-on. As a side note, you may need to help manage differences when Thinking types unintentionally rub Feeling types the wrong way, since their communication styles are vastly different. 

7. Feedback Lands Better When It’s Tailored to Personality Type

Personality type heavily influences how each individual responds to constructive criticism and feedback. In fact, you may notice a split in the office — a Thinking type will appreciate straightforwardness, and will trust your feedback if it is rational and based on evidence (they respond less well to criticism that lacks evidence, like a personal attack). Meanwhile, a Feeling type will be much more receptive when you deliver constructive criticism in a kind and encouraging manner, by highlighting what they’re doing right as well as how they can improve. 

Tip for giving feedback: Read up on your employee’s personality type before offering criticism, as this will ensure your message lands without disrupting the peace. Feeling employees take feedback more personally than other types – you’ll find tips for delivering feedback to your Feeling employees here.

8. Your Own Personality Type Influences The Way You Manage

Sometimes you get so caught up in managing your team that you fail to consider your own personality type! You may try to shape your management style to fit into a particular box, but your personality traits affect how you approach management more than whoever you’re trying to emulate. 

Knowing whether you’re an Introvert who leads with quiet power or an Extravert who puts a lot of emphasis on meetings and brainstorming is a start. Then, consider, are you a structure-loving Judger or a flexible Perceiver? Do you rely on information, facts and your environment to process information (like a Sensor), or do you use gut feelings and patterns (like an Intuitive)? Are you a logic-loving Thinker or a human-centered Feeler? Whatever your type, knowing your preferences can help you understand where your style is working for your team and where you need to make adjustments for other personality preferences to create a harmonious workplace.

Tip for knowing yourself: It’s as simple as taking a personality test, then noticing which management decisions come naturally to you and which ones feel like more of a stretch. The easy ones often highlight your strengths, while the harder ones point to areas where you may need to adapt for the sake of your team.

9. Personality is Not About Work Performance, But About Work Style

It is simply not true that ENTJs make better leaders, or that INFJs are always the most insightful — every personality type brings valuable qualities and can shine in a wide variety of roles. Sure, people with certain traits may gravitate toward a particular type of job, but that doesn’t mean every person will fit that mold.

As a manager, it’s much healthier for everyone if you recognize that personality type is more about a person’s work style than their work performance. No one trait determines how dedicated or successful an employee will be; it simply shapes how they prefer to work.

Tip for managing different work styles: Avoid assuming that someone is too slow, too fast, too analytical, too dramatic, too quiet, too bold, too…whatever. As long as they are producing the results expected of them, does it matter how they got there? You can however support each person’s natural work style by assigning projects based on people’s natural inclinations. For instance, you might give an urgent project to someone who thrives under pressure, and save your research and operational support tasks for someone who prefers to work behind the scenes. Following this approach may boost office productivity as well as morale.

10. Everyone Likes to be Appreciated in Different Ways

Just as people have various work styles, they also have unique ways they value recognition and rewards. Some personality types (e.g. ENTJ, ENFP, ESFJ, and ESTP) love when management gives them a shoutout for a job well done – these types like to be praised in public. More Introverted types might cringe at being singled out and prefer quiet acknowledgment or a handwritten note over a public display.

Appreciation can also have a specific framework. For instance, Feelers love it when you highlight their interpersonal impact on the team, whereas Thinkers love hearing about the results of their work. When you find the best way to personalize your praise for your employees, they’ll feel seen and valued as an individual, rather than just another person on the payroll.

Tip for showing appreciation: Why not ask team members how they like to be recognized? If praise is offered to the group, rotate your methods to ensure everyone feels valued in their own way. And don’t forget the power of a sincere “thank you” tailored to the individual’s unique contributions. Everyone, of all types, wants to feel seen and valued for what they bring to the team.