What’s your type? Understanding people
styles can help you avoid conflict on the job

by Bill Clayton

Why are some people at work so easy to get along with and others just drive you crazy? Often it’s because people have different personal styles, which translate into different ways of working. And  how you respond to these various styles might be very important to success – yours, others’ and your  employer’s.

Your style is the way others see you behave – not the way you see yourself. How you categorize a person’s style depends on two things: assertiveness and responsiveness.

Assertiveness is a measure of how forceful someone’s behavior is. Responsiveness is a measure of how aware some one is of the feelings of others. Knowing your own style and the styles of others is the first step toward controlling damage in your work relationships. Next time you encounter conflict on the job, stop and ask yourself – is this just a matter of style?

The combination of these two measures, assertiveness and responsiveness, creates four basic working styles: Analytical, Driver, Amiable and Expressive. Everyone is a combination of these four styles, but has a dominant style with its own set of potential strengths and weaknesses. Of course, everyone is unique, but people with a particular style have some characteristics in common.

Analytical Analytical folks are known for being systematic, well organized and deliberate. They like to have information, take time making decisions and like to be alone. They’re usually punctual for appointments but often late for meetings. Amiable Amiables are good team players, friendly, generous with their time and known for being peacemakers (even though they might be raging mad inside). They’d rather talk face to-face than on the phone, and they’re usually unwilling to criticize others. They’re often conscientious but indecisive and not particularly enthusiastic.

Expressive Expressives are very assertive and emotional, energetic and often restless, outgoing and good team players. They’re not particularly interested in details, even when they’re vital to their success. They’re good speakers but tend to monopolize conversations – and they’re not shy about saying what they do or don’t like. Unfortunately, they tend to act first and think later. Driver Drivers are practical folks who focus on getting results. They can do a lot in a very short time. They usually talk fast, direct and to the point. And they don’t talk about theory - they like to talk about what has to be done.

Analyticals in backup and secondary backup

Usually quiet and not very emotional, Analyticals under stress tend to avoid interpersonal involvement, become  even more quiet and less emotional, and try to work alone. In secondary backup mode, they become forceful and autocratic.

Drivers in backup and secondary backup

Under stress, Drivers become unemotional and controlling, and tend to make plans that are flawed. Normally focused on results but sensitive to people’s needs, Drivers become tyrants. And in secondary backup mode, they avoid people and goals.

Expressives in backup and secondary backup

Expressives, who are usually social and cooperative, become quick-tempered and hotheaded in backup mode, and they frequently make life hard for others. In secondary backup mode, Expressives become very passive and uninterested in helping others.

Amiables in backup and secondary backup

Amiables, who typically try to avoid conflict, become  even more passive and agreeable in backup mode. But they’re not really genuine in their spirit of cooperation. What do these peaceful people do in secondary backup mode? They attack.

In the presence of extreme stress, each person adopts a "backup style" – it’s a natural defense mechanism to reduce stress. Unfortunately, folks "in backup" often make poor decisions and create stress in other people. Also, if stress continues to build, people in backup modes might shift into "secondary backup styles," which normally are complete reversals of their typical behaviors.

Style flex is a way of tailoring your behavior so that it fits better with a coworker’s style. Style flex is all about adapting in a way that makes it easy for someone to work with you – without giving up your objectives and opinions. This isn’t always easy, but it’s worth the effort. So, how do you adapt your style to mesh with those of coworkers? There are four basic steps. First, identify the other person’s style. Second, make a plan. For instance, if you have to flex your style to fit each aspect of an Analytical’s style, you’ll have to be on time (Analyticals are time-conscious), get right to business (they don’t like small talk), and be prepared (they like information and know what they’re talking about). Third, implement your plan. Fourth, evaluate what happened so you can identify to flex your style is a process. What’s your style?

Here’s a systematic way to figure out your style. For each statement, simply circle the letter that better describe show you think others see you. (Remember: Your style is how others see you, not how you see yourself.) Each statement has the comparative word "more" or "less" that, for this evaluation, means more or less than half the population.

1. a. More likely to lean back when     b. More likely to stand straight or lean forward when making a point		2. c. Use hands less when you talk     d. Use hands more when you talk
3. a. Show less energy     b. Show more energy		4. c. Control body movement more     d. Control body movement less
5. a. Make less forceful gestures     b. Make more forceful gestures		6. c. Show less facial expression     d. Show more facial expression
7. a. Speak more softly      b. Speak less softly		8. c. Seem to be more serious     d. Seem to be less serious
9. a. More likely to ask questions     b. More likely to make statements		10.c. Less inflection in voice      d. More inflection in voice
11.a. Less likely to push for action      b. More likely to push for action		12.c. Less likely to show feelings     d. More likely to show feelings
13.a. More hesitant when making a point     b. Less hesitant when making a point		14.c. In conversation, put more emphasis on tasks     d. In conversation, put more emphasis on people
15.a. Fix problem situations more slowly      b. Fix problem situations more quickly		16.c. More likely to depend on facts and logic      d. More likely to depend on feelings and points of view
17. a. Slower-paced       b. Faster-paced		18.c. Less likely to use small-talk or use anecdotes     d. More likely to use small-talk or use anecdotes

What’s the score?

If you answered "a" most of the time, then your dominant style is Analytical. If you answered "b" most of the time, then your dominant style is Driver. If you answered "c" most of the time, then your dominant style is Amiable. If you answered "d" most of the time, then your dominant style is Expressive. After you’ve evaluated yourself, have someone fill this out for you. Compare the results. And remember: No style is bad; it’s simply unlike the others. If you’re interested in reading more about work styles, the information in this article comes from the book "People Styles at Work, Making Bad Relationships Good and Good Relationships Better" by Robert Bolton and Dorothy Grover Bolton, AMACOM books, 1996

Bill Clayton is an Ann Arbor freelance writer

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