Having a team to support the pastor and assist with the work of ministry (Ephesians 4:12) is a win for any leader, and knowing your team’s personalities is even more helpful. Knowing your own personality as well as the personalities of your team helps in communication, accountability, conflict resolution, and more.
Although we don’t have space in this column to completely unpack every type of personality, we will look briefly at the DISC personality model so you can identify your personality type as well as the personalities of your team members.
Look through the circular chart below and identify which list sounds most like you. You may display characteristics from more than one section, but try to identify your main personality type. Once you identify it, think about a particular team member. Try to identify which list sounds most like them.
Once you identify the main types, consider the following suggestions that may be helpful.
Communicate with other people according to their personality type. When communicating with a dominant personality type, it helps to speak up and get straight to the point. When dealing with inspirers, being lighthearted or even slightly sarcastic can get their attention. Speaking to a steady personality type is best in a nonconfrontational situation, with carefully selected and kind words. Conscientious personality types appreciate a reason, facts, and data to back up what you are asking.
If you communicate with others based on your own personality preferences, you are likely to have misunderstandings, offend, build walls, and hurt feelings (especially in a confrontational conversation or when dealing with conflict). Learning to communicate with people according to their personalities helps minimize these feelings and resolve conflict more easily.
Learn their pace and priorities. Dominant personalities tend to be fast-paced and task-oriented. Inspirers are usually fast-paced but people-oriented. Steady personalities lean toward a slower pace and are people-oriented, while conscientious types are slower-paced and task-oriented. Knowing these tendencies will help you understand others and how they get things done and react to them appropriately.
Understand directness and openness. Dominant types are usually direct when it comes to dealing with others but more guarded when people confront them. Inspirers are also direct when approaching others, but they are more open when others approach them. Steady personality types tend to be more indirect in dealing with others but open when others deal with them. Conscientious types tend to be indirect and guarded.
Identify natural leadership style. When it comes to leadership style, each personality type handles things differently. Those with dominant personalities tend to lead with authority. They say things like, “This is what I think we need to do, and here is how we can do it.” Inspirers lead through relationships by saying, “This is what I feel like we need to do, and we can have fun doing it if we all pull together!” Steady types lead by consensus: “This is how I feel; what about everyone else?” Conscientious personalities lead by organization: “This is what I think, and here is all the data showing how we can accomplish it” (presented with a multi-page manual).
Every personality type has strengths and weaknesses. Every type needs to learn to accentuate strengths while minimizing weaknesses. When things are in harmony, leading according to our usual type is comfortable and preferred. However, during times of transition or difficulty, each personality type needs to lead according to what the situation requires.
Dominants need to pull back and not charge ahead too forcefully. Inspirers need to be more serious and display confidence. Steady types need to write out their vision and present it without interruption, so more forceful personalities don’t talk over or around them. Conscientious types must learn not to bore others with too many facts and figures. Adaptation is key in leadership.
Proceed With Caution
One important word of caution: we should never use our personality type as an excuse for bad behavior or poor leadership. Although some personality types are more outspoken, we cannot run over other people less aggressive or outspoken. Dominants and inspirers may need to learn to dial it back, while steady and conscientious types may need to push themselves to speak up, especially when it comes to important matters.
There isn’t a right or wrong personality type. Every person is wired the way God created him or her. However, in certain situations, all personality types must learn to step beyond their comfort zones as necessary and adapt in making decisions, resolving conflict, and addressing situations.
