July 2007

Identify and Align Employee and Customer Personalities for Harmony and Growth

The graphic arts industry is one of constant daily interaction with many types of people. Whether you’re dealing with clients, suppliers, shop floor employees or other co-workers, the ability to effectively navigate many personality types is vital to a company’s success. Despite the importance of recognizing and handling disparate personalities, most managers resort to guesswork to help them determine personality types.

• Drivers are organized, opinionated and achievement-oriented. They enjoy being "the boss" and seek sole design-making authority. As such, they tend to dominate other personality types, especially Relaters.
• Relaters are nurturers and team players. They are risk-averse and make decisions only after they have consulted those around them. Relaters dislike the top-dog mentality of Drivers and the self-centered nature of Socializers.
• Thinkers are thorough and methodical, preferring to make decisions by weighing all facts. They prefer predictable behavior, sound reasoning and work equally well alone or within a team. Thinkers are able to maintain their methodical approach in varied circumstances.
• Socializers are goal-driven, friendly, enthusiastic and independent. They are often thrill-seekers and jokesters, and enjoy being the center of attention - they're the reason why the company picnic was invented. Socializers can be impatient and unpredictable, which may rankle Thinkers.

Although you can’t necessarily choose the personalities of those around you – especially those of customers and suppliers – you can use mapping exercises to align compatible personalities. For example, customers who exhibit the personality traits of a “Driver” may walk all over the “Relater” in your customer service department. Personality mapping can also help you avoid conflict and maximize productivity among shop floor personnel.

There are many personality mapping and assessment tools available. To get you started, try this Jung Typology Test: www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes1.htm or call Grow Sales, Inc at 301-294-9900 for a consultation. Disclaimer - The advisors at Grow Sales, Inc., are not psychologists, and we do not play them on TV. The information contained above is culled from our experiences in helping graphic arts companies assess and organize the various personalities within their plants.

What Grow Sales, Inc. Can Do For You
Grow Sales, Inc. has been advising graphic arts companies on everything from sales strategies to intelligent team building since 1996. In addition to our industry-focused advisory services, we provide outbound marketing, sales support, web design and public relations leadership. To learn more about how we can help you grow your business profitably, call us at (301) 294-9900 or email info@growsales.com.

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