Workplaces and businesses often have diverse personalities and approaches, which can lead to innovative and practical solutions to challenges. However, this diversity can sometimes cause misunderstandings or disputes. Hence, why understanding different working styles can help you become a better leader, team member and collaborator and enables you to focus on the activities in which you will be the most productive, ultimately leading to more success in your professional life.
Let’s discuss the different working styles and how to identify your style for better work and collaborative experience with team members.
What Are Working Styles?
Working styles refer to a person’s way of performing their duties on the job, including organizing their work, interacting with coworkers, and completing tasks. It is influenced by factors such as schooling, family influence, core values, and personality and encompasses your natural work style and personal strengths.
To understand a work style, extensive observation and contact with the individual are necessary and when understood your working style can be very beneficial for achieving professional goals and working effectively with others.
Understanding Your Work Pattern: Types of Working Styles
There are different types of working styles, and understanding them helps you understand your team members and yourself. The types of working styles are as follows:
#1. Logical/Independent Working Style
Members of the team who are capable of autonomous thought or action require their own designated work space. If your working style is logical/independent, you strongly prefer working on projects independently rather than being subject to intense monitoring or micromanagement.
You have a natural talent for analyzing the current circumstances and working backwards to devise an effective strategy. This typically results in ground-breaking ideas that are forward-thinking and beneficial to all parties concerned. If you are someone who prefers to work on their own, you may find it challenging to collaborate with others. That is because excessive guidance and input from others make it difficult to focus on what you’re doing here.
- Pros: Logical/independent workers are excellent problem solvers. They bring clarity and structure to projects.
- Cons: Individuals with logical/independent working styles may struggle in situations that require flexibility and creativity. This is because they often focus on facts and data.
#2. Detail-Oriented Working Style
Individuals with high mental processing levels are systematic, sequential, and meticulous in their tasks. They conduct thorough research and understand every aspect of a problem to provide the most efficient solution. These individuals are valuable contributors to any team and are often referred to as guardians or students, and their characteristics are crucial for maintaining order and consistency in any group.
If your work style is detail-oriented, you approach issues cautiously and systematically. However, you may need help implementing your well-planned strategies, hence, when you collaborate with others who are efficient, you create an unstoppable force.
- Pros: They ensure that tasks are completed accurately and on time, reducing the chance of errors.
- Cons: They may need help in fast-paced environments that require quick decision-making.
#3. Supportive Working Styles
Those with supportive working styles display emotions, offer aid, and demonstrate empathy for coworkers. These individuals prioritize personal connections and friendships and are often called “integrators” or “lovers.” They build harmonious teams and prioritize group work over individual efforts.
A supportive working style makes you sensitive to others’ emotions, enabling you to stimulate team discussions and understand the proper context of issues.
- Pros: They foster a cooperative and harmonious work environment, improving team dynamics.
- Cons: They may struggle in competitive environments or situations that require assertiveness
#4. Idea-Oriented Working Styles
Idea-oriented working styles refer to individuals who can predict a desirable future and inspire others to join them in achieving it. They are creative thinkers who thrive on the thrill of the unknown and are adept at turning obstacles into opportunities. However, they may need to pay more attention to team members or focus on finer details.
Employees with idea-oriented working styles are creative and can perceive the bigger picture of their companies, making them visionaries and pioneers. They are not afraid to experiment with new things, which leads to motivation from others. They always look on the bright side and are adept at making the most of challenging circumstances.
- Pros: They are great at generating innovative ideas and driving change.
- Cons: They may overlook important details and struggle with routine or mundane tasks
Working Styles Assessment: Benefits of Identifying Your Working Style
Identifying your working style can have multiple benefits for both your career development and overall job satisfaction. It can help you in:
- Understanding Strengths and Weaknesses: When you understand your working style, it helps you identify your strengths and areas for improvement. Hence enabling you to plan your professional growth according to your strengths and weaknesses and enhancing your overall performance.
- Making Career Decisions: You can improve your job satisfaction and performance by aligning your natural tendencies with your work environment and responsibilities, allowing for better decision-making and potential future employment opportunities.
- Improving Team Composition and Performance: Managers who understand their team members’ working styles can create complementary groups, leading to better productivity and a pleasant workplace. This understanding also improves interactions with coworkers, resulting in less stressful and more productive relationships.
- Self-awareness and Personal Growth: Self-awareness is another benefit of identifying your working style. It can set you apart and guide you into a job that maximizes your skills.
How to Identify Your Working Style
Identifying which of the working styles you have can enable you to work more effectively and productively and improve your workplace interactions. Here’s how you can identify your working style:
#1. Reflect on Your communication Style and What You Love Doing
Thinking about how you choose to talk to people can help you figure out which of the working styles you have. Certain working styles tend to have certain traits. For example, someone with a supportive working style will likely be a good listener. If someone’s working style focuses on details, you might expect them to write short emails and keep a straight face when talking to people. On the other hand, someone whose working style is idea-oriented might use a lot of passionate hand movements when talking to others.
#2. Self-Assessment
Assessing your experiences and preferences. Consider how you handle tasks, interact with others, solve problems, and respond to stress. Reflect on what motivates you, what kind of environment you thrive in, your strengths and weaknesses, and what kind of feedback you respond best to.
You can also use assessment tools. to figure out what working style you have. There are various assessment tools available that can help you identify your working style. Examples include the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), the DiSC profile, and the Holland Codes. These tools provide a structured way to understand your working style and can offer insights into how you interact with others, make decisions, and approach tasks.
#3. Feedback from Others
Ask your coworkers and bosses for feedback because they can tell you a lot about your working style. Ask them what they think your best qualities are, what you could do better, and how they think you go about your work. Be willing to hear what they have to say and keep an open mind.
#4. Experiment with Different Methods
You can also determine your working style by trying different methods and seeing which ones work best. For example, you could try different ways to manage your time, such as the Pomodoro Technique or time blocking, and see which helps you be more efficient.
#5. Reflection and Analysis
After gathering all this information, reflect and analyze your findings. Look for patterns and common themes to understand your working style. Keep in mind that your work style can change and evolve, so you might want to do this process again every so often.
FAQs
What Are the 4 Work Styles?
Working styles can be categorized into four types: logical/independent, detail-oriented, supportive, and idea-oriented. Logical workers prefer autonomy and focus on their workspace, resulting in effective problem-solving. They are good problem solvers but may struggle in flexible situations. Detail-oriented individuals are systematic, sequential, and meticulous, maintaining group order and consistency. They ensure accurate and timely completion of tasks but may need help in fast-paced environments.
Supportive working styles prioritize emotional support and empathy, fostering a cooperative work environment. They can foster a harmonious work environment but may struggle in competitive environments or assertive situations. Idea-oriented individuals are creative thinkers who can predict a desirable future and inspire others to join them. They are visionaries and pioneers, generating innovative ideas and driving change. However, they may need to pay more attention to important details and work with routine tasks. Understanding these working styles can help individuals better understand their team members and themselves.
Why Are Different Working Styles Important?
When you are aware of and comfortable with your working method, you will be better able to modify your actions and make the most of the experience of collaborating with others who take a different approach. If you want to work together more efficiently, it can be helpful to understand how your coworkers handle challenging situations. The same is true in the professional setting; becoming a better employee and team player is to become more self-aware of your biases and habits.
Your knowledge of the job you enjoy doing the most will, to a considerable extent, determine the type of work you should pursue professionally and the road you should take to get there. You will be better able to make the most of your assets if you look for jobs where your abilities in planning and preparation will be put to good use.
How to Work With Different Styles?
To effectively work with different work styles, first identify the working styles of your team members through observation, interaction, or asking about their preferences. Understand their communication styles and adapt your approach accordingly. Then, adjust your approach to accommodate each style, such as providing more detailed instructions to detail-oriented workers or allowing more creative freedom to idea-focused workers.
Also, encourage understanding among team members to prevent misunderstandings and promote effective collaboration. Utilize the strengths of each work style to your advantage and find ways to address or compensate for their weaknesses. For example, pair a detail-oriented worker with an idea-focused one to balance their strengths and weaknesses.
