What tools and programs are available for using personality types to improve success in the workplace?

You now have a basic understanding of introversion and introversion, how to effectively use this knowledge to better manage your employees, and you are starting to realize that performance could really improve in your company by targeting these personality traits. However, you may still feel a little unsure of how exactly you should go about doing this.

Luckily, there are a number of options for you to take from here. First, if you are actually feeling pretty confident with the subject, you can try adjusting your managing techniques to better serve employees’ needs, adjusting as required. Second, on this blog, as mentioned before, I have reviewed a number of books, a few of which are specifically about using these ideas in a work environment. Reading The Genius of Opposites or Work it Out might give you a better understanding with more detailed explanations rather than just the few posts that you’ve read on this blog.

The third option is to utilize outside resources – tools and programs designed specifically to teach managers how to use personality traits to accomplish what they desire. There are several factors to consider when choosing an outside resource. Below is a list of some types of tools/programs you may want to look for, with some of the benefits of each.

Location:

  • Online (more flexible and opens more options when location isn’t a restraint; less expensive)
  • In-person (more personal and engaging)

Pacing/Direction:

  • Self-paced/directed (good for those who need to go at their own pace and fit it into a busy schedule)
  • Instructor paced/directed (can provide accountability that a self-paced/directed program does not)

Individual vs. Group:

  • Individual (helps you focus on your personal needs)
  • Team/group (can help improve group cohesiveness and success; lower cost per person)

Format:

  • Coaching (more expensive but more personalized)
  • Seminars (straightforward and if online – easy to watch as you find the time)
  • Workshops (interactive and hands-on)

Focus:

  • Case study and theory-based (gives you a general knowledge and practical ways to implement what you’ve learned)
  • Specific solutions-based (helps you to solve problems actually happening in your organization)

Some of these you can do on your own, and others are programs that are meant to be used department or company-wide. Whatever the case, you need to analyze what’s best for your specific situation, weighing the pros and cons to see if the expected results are worth the cost (as well as if it is something that your boss would approve for development where necessary).

For reference, each author of the books that I’ve reviewed offer services like those described above. I am not personally recommending these, but they can give a good example of what programs are available to you: