What’s Your Team Player Type?
Your ability to work on a team and to interact with others effectively are an underlying part of your career success. Together, people can accomplish what one person alone cannot. When teams operate at a high level and achieve top results, they reach what is called synergy. However, it isn’t always easy. Understanding your team player type and the type of others you work with is a great first step in building a cohesive team and reaching synergy.
Part 1:
Check one response under each statement below that best reflects your needs, feelings, attitude, or behaviors. The responses are listed randomly, so don’t try to figure out what you think is the right response. There is no right response. You are seeking self-awareness about your genuine team player style.
1: A driving need for you is:
2: A primary need for you is:
3: Which of these things interests you?
4: You respect:
6: You like:
7: You’re good at:
8: You want:
9: You prefer to focus on:
10: You value:
11: You make decisions by relying on:
12: You enjoy:
13: Your work stressors are:
14: You appreciate:
15: Your leadership style is:
{Note – if we can tally these for them, it would be awesome]
Part 2: Scoring Example
Tally the points you noted beside each letter in the assessment above. Be careful, as the letters are not always in order. In our sample, we would add 4 points to the A column, 2 points to the B column, 3 points to the C column, and 1 to the D column.
Scale
4 = Most like you
3 = A lot like you
2 = Somewhat like you
1 = Least like you
1: A primary need for you is:
Scoring
A | I I I I |
B | I I |
C | I I I |
D | I |
Your Score
A |
|
B |
|
C |
|
D |
|
Total (As) ________ Total (Bs) _________ Total (Cs) __________ Total (Ds) __________
The letter with the highest total is most like you. What letter are you? ___________________
The other letters are your next preferred styles. If your numbers are within 5 points, you probably find it easy to vary your style to other categories. If your numbers are far apart, or one is much lower than the others, you will find flexibility more challenging. Continue to Part 3 to interpret your results and gain understanding about your team player style.
Part 3: What Type Are You?
We are a blend of all types, navigating around different styles as circumstances and our comfort levels dictate. We are more of a mixture than distinct ingredients. You may behave in a very organized manner at work, while you may use less structure at home. However, you might become more organized when stress at home increases. You will also gain insight into how to connect with people who favor the other descriptions.
Mostly As – Inquiring Rationals
Inquiring rationals prefer jobs like banking and engineering. They enjoy figuring out how things work. They value the structure and design of things. They process information instinctively and see the big picture. These are visionaries, like Albert Einstein and Bill Gates. They apply logic to decisions and aren’t often persuaded by emotions. If they don’t respect you, you won’t keep their attention. Experience and competency are critical to inquiring rationals.
This temperament profile makes up approximately 5 to 7% of the population. Other notables in this group are Ben Franklin, Margaret Thatcher, and Napoleon.
To speak to inquiring rationals, demonstrate your expertise in your introduction and opening. Quote experts and cite your sources. Get to the point and your content quickly. Broad statements are acceptable if you can support them. Have your statistics and data available. To maintain attention, use facts and figures first and personal stories later.
If this is your preferred speaking style, your strength will be the structure of your speech. Science is the foundation of your ideas, not hyperbole. Your presentations will be logical and creative, and you’ll use evidence to support your theories. To keep things interesting, don’t hesitate to add stories and quotations.
Your weakness as a speaker is predictability. Relying too heavily on logic might mean giving a presentation that only inquiring rationals can understand. Incorporate humor and make your presentation interactive. Use stories to add depth and warmth. Avoid reading PowerPoint slides and step away from the podium to engage your audience.
Mostly Bs – Authentic Idealists
Authentic idealists are teachers, counselors, and leaders by nature. They are helpful and intuitive. Typical focuses are world poverty and humanitarian issues. Idealists love metaphors, stories, and symbols, over statistics and figures. They make decisions that reflect values and rely on emotion and instinct. They look for significance and seek the truth.
About 10% of the world’s population are authentic idealists. Notable people in this group include Eleanor Roosevelt, Mahatma Gandhi, Jane Goodall, Princess Diana, and Albert Schweitzer.
To connect with the authentic idealists, share values and personal convictions. Be authentic and share stories that demonstrate empathy. Appeal to personal ethics and values. Show you care about the people in the room. authentic idealists are more interested in how much you care than how many statistics you can cite.
If authentic idealist is your primary speaking style, you will make emotional connections with your audience. You’re a good storyteller and find innovative ways to present information. You are eager to share your wisdom. Your humble demonstration of your knowledge makes you likable.
Your weakness is your sensitivity to audiences. You interpret meaning behind everything. You may get distracted by audience reactions and can lose track.
Your speeches can be powerful but might lack humor and become emotional. You may believe speaking from the heart is fundamental, and you may not plan your presentation well enough. You might try to go off script. Avoid that temptation.
Mostly Cs – Organized Guardians
Organized guardians are loyal and dependable. They play by the rules. They possess a strong work ethic and favor routine. They are orderly and thorough. They might be too serious sometimes. They take good care of other people. They are drawn to bottom line results and appreciate facts. They can often be your most judgmental audience members.
Organized guardians prefer graphs and charts. They will remain more attentive to very detailed presentations than most people. They may lose interest if there is a lot of emotion presented and might become bored with stories. 40 to 45% of the population shares this temperament. Examples include George Washington, Queen Elizabeth II, Mother Teresa, and Field Marshall Bernard Montgomery. They favor leadership, the military, and law enforcement. They tend to pass traditions to their children.
To connect with organized guardians, be concise, organized, and support your statements with information. Present information in logical sequence and don’t get lost in tangents. Quote other experts.
As an organized guardian speaker, you will be very logical and organized. You’ll probably use PowerPoint with precise bullets and numbers. Avoid the temptation to use too many slides.
Weakness can be predictability and dry delivery. Your data may be correct, but your presentation may lack entertainment. You might tend to have too much material. That could result in speeches that are too long and lack humor. Include your personal compassion to add emotional depth to your presentation.
Mostly Ds – Resourceful Artisans
Resourceful artisans live in the moment and crave action. They are social, confident, and persuasive. Winston Churchill, Donald Trump, and Bob Dylan are notable resourceful artisans. They’re witty, playful, and fun. They enjoy playing to an audience and welcome opportunities to be on stage. They also perceive the world concretely like organized guardians. They become bored with visionary speeches. They prefer relatable stories and tend to be inner-directed. 35% of the population shares this temperament.
To relate to resourceful artisans, be spontaneous and real. Don’t stand behind at a podium and read your notes or slides. Engage the audience with questions and discussion. Use engaging personal stories and show your creativity. Deliver an experience, not just a speech.
If you’re a resourceful artisan as a speaker, your strengths include energy, personality, and creativity. You will give a show. You enjoy the emotional connection between you and the audience. Use interaction to leverage spontaneity. You are a natural storyteller.
Your weakness might be your lack of attention to organization and structure. Because you are living in the moment, you will avoid the homework that goes into the development of a brilliant presentation. You might skip the preparation part because you want to rely on your spontaneity. Be careful not to be so spontaneous that you miss a good opportunity to deliver a message. Have fun, but stay on track.