It Takes All Kinds: Workplace Personas

Knowing your “workplace persona” can be helpful in every aspect of your career, from approaching daily meetings, to planning the trajectory of your path. “Workplace persona” doesn't refer to superficial identifiers like “the flirt,” “the loudmouth,” or the “over-achiever.” It refers to an all-encompassing analysis of personality type, and a thoughtful application of these traits to the professional environment. When team members at all levels are aware of their workplace personas, it makes productivity and co-worker relationships, much more effective. 

The team at matchstick tried their hands at a few personality assessment tests, and discovered that the office is filled with a healthy mix of personas. Having tried both the Myers-Briggs test, and How the World Sees You, we found that our team is composed of very different, but very compatible personality types. While we all have our eyes on communal goals, our diverse perspectives help us to attack problems from all angles. This is particularly useful for social marketing, as we are able to identify with a larger audience, and create effective solutions when we put our heads together.

Here’s a little taste of what the office personas at matchstick social look like, based on the How the World Sees You quiz:

1. Our CEO, Amber, is aptly identified as the “Maverick Leader.” She has the passion, irreverence, and entrepreneurship that drives our company forward every day.

Rachel, our CMO, is the in-house “Change Agent.” She is inventive, untraditional, and self-propelled. She’s our go-to expert for all things media and creative problem-solving.

Our Senior Content Supervisor, Skelly, is the “The Authentic.” She’s approachable, dependable, and trustworthy, making her the ideal leader for our team of content strategists.

Content Strategist Sydney is “The Catalyst.” She’s a socialite and her energizing, out-of-the-box workplace persona is valuable for bringing new ideas and team activities to the table.

 

Watch out, there’s another “Maverick Leader” in our midst! Content Strategist Steve is constantly creating cutting edge content and inspiring our team with his passionate and entrepreneurial attitude.

Last but not least, Content Strategist Leah (me) has been dubbed “The Wise Owl” of the office. I’m observant, assured, and unruffled. While my style is a bit more understated, my co-workers can count on me for thoughtful and analytical insights.

Being aware of your own tendencies and perspectives will help you to think more objectively about a project, and push you to consult with a colleague who can provide a different point of view. Have you ever felt discouraged by difficulties with a team project or intimidated by a particular co-worker? Diving into a personality assessment like Myers-Briggs will give you the cold hard truth about your weaknesses, and also provide encouraging insights about your strengths. Being aware of your teammate’s personalities is crucial for effective brainstorming and strategy sessions. Realize what strengths you can bring to the table, and lean on your colleagues for help in areas that you may lack in. 

So give it a try! Encourage your teammates to look into personality types in the workplace, and create an environment that everyone feels comfortable in! Also, check out our recent blog about creating a company culture that doesn't suck.

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