Personality Types–and Their Competitive Advantages

LOS ANGELES–Knowing your personality type and those of your co-workers can give you a competitive advantage, behavioral expert Dan Silvert said here at the MBA Commercial/Multifamily Servicing & Technology Conference.

Silvert leads Velocity Advisory Group, Chester Springs, Pa., which guides organizations through cultural transformations so they can build more accountability into their workplace cultures.

Silvert noted having a “framework” for working with your colleague can “demystify” why people say and do the things they do and can help your team can maximize its potential. He shared one such framework, a simple four-style behavior model based on bird personality types: eagles, parrots, doves and owls.

The key is self-awareness, Silvert said. “Chances are good that at one point in the past or currently you are a difficult boss to somebody,” he said. “Why? Because when people look in the mirror they see a distortion.”

But if you are self-aware, you know what your gifts are and what your shortcomings are, Silvert said. “You see where you’re lacking,” he said. “You’re so aware that you go out of your way to surround yourself with people who have the skills you lack. Instead of that being threatening to you, you appreciate it.”

This leads to healthier relationships, which leads to happiness, Silvert said. “A lot of research focuses on happiness or lack of happiness being a choice,” he said. “It’s not what happens to you but how you interpret what happens to you. Your brain releases neurotransmitters that wire your brain to learn, to innovate, to be resourceful–and to cut yourself some slack when things are not going well.”

When we are unhappy or irritated our brain floods our bodies with chemicals that actually make us less smart, Silvert said. “The goal of these chemicals is to enable you to survive,” he said. “Your brain thinks, ‘I’ve just got to get through this.’ In that state a person is not open to learning; they just want to muddle through. So, happiness is a big deal. When you’re happy you’re smarter than when you’re not happy.”

Silvert called relationships the number one determinant of happiness. And he cited four “metaphors” to help illustrate workplace relationships: the eagle, the parrot, the dove and the owl.

“The eagle is a ferocious predator,” he said. “One generally thinks of a lone eagle. In the workplace, people with this personality type tend to be goal focused. They don’t go to work to make friends but to get things done.”

If you stand between an eagle personality type and his or her goal, you’ll be “dealt with,” Silvert said. “I suggest that you shouldn’t excuse obnoxious behavior, but don’t take it personally; that’s a waste of time. Without some eagle energy in the workplace little gets done. Eagle personality types focus on delivering. Eagle energy is awesome once you understand it fully.”

Some workplace personas are more “parrot-like,” Silvert said. “Parrots might talk a lot and be open with their vision. They tend to be optimistic. Richard Branson from the Virgin Group is a parrot, and he infuses his organizations with plenty of parrot energy.”

Parrot energy is powerful but can often be misunderstood, Silvert said.

“When you think of doves, you probably think of peace and calm,” Silvert said. “Doves nest in groups. They mate for life. Loyalty is built into their DNA. Doves tend to value stability in the organization’s culture.”

But do not think dove personality types are passive, Silvert said. “Check out James Collins’ classic management book Good to Great,” he said. “It explains there are five levels of leadership. Level five leadership is all dove traits.”

The last workplace personality type is owls. “Owls are smart and wise,” Silvert said. “They have big eyes that can spot prey two football fields away and swoop in silently to take it out. Owls can be intimidating in the workplace. Owl-style people focus on the details and are known for precision and accuracy. So they can unintentionally intimidate other styles. Owls can also sometimes get annoyed when they are around folks who do not focus on details.”

Most people represent a blend of the four personality types, Silvert said. “Some are eagle-parrots. Others are eagle-owls, or–rarely–eagle-doves.”

To create more harmony in the workplace, Silvert suggested “matching the moment” rather than what you see in the mirror. “When you’re with an eagle, it doesn’t matter if you’re not an eagle, match that moment and become an eagle for that moment,” he said. “You’ll make good things happen.”

Silvert called this process “leaning in” toward the director of others. “Don’t be phony,” he said. “But honor the people you’re with [in the workplace]. It will improve your relationships and everyone will be more productive.”