Having influence over others is important in the workplace, but how can you accomplish that? You first must understand what kind of person you are trying to influence and communicate with. Let’s break down the workplace into four categories of people. These categories are based on several factors. The first factor is if they are task oriented or people oriented. The second factor is if they are reserved or outgoing.
Here are the four different types of people in the workplace and how to influence them.
- Drivers. These people are task oriented and outgoing. They are driven by results and are often the CEO’s of companies. They like getting all of the details but don’t always have the time to go over all of them. It would be best to give them a summary with bullet points to let them accomplish the rest.
- Expressives. These types of people are outgoing and people oriented. Expressives are typically found in sales and marketing roles. They enjoy having fun and keeping it lighthearted. Be sure to not send them detailed emails. Instead, drop by their desk or give them a quick phone call. Talk with them and keep it light.
- Amiables are reserved and slow paced but still people oriented. They don’t like too much change, enjoy harmony, are great team players, and great listeners. These types are commonly HR professionals. To best influence and communicate with amiables, sit down and have a one on one conversation with them to see how they are feeling. Just make sure you don’t put them on the spot.
- Analyticals. The final type is driven by doing things right. These are your IT professionals and financial advisors. They are detail oriented and reserved. It is best to reach them by email and include lots of details.
It’s beneficial to learn what category you follow under and what category your coworkers and supervisor fall under. Try to adapt your style of communicating to the ones you are working with for the best problem solving and influence. There are a multitude of different types of people you encounter in the workplace beyond these four types, but this is a great framework. It simplifies the types of people you encounter and interact with. The different types of people will depend on the work environment and may include several varying types of factors that we didn’t discuss today. Try to observe your coworker and see what factors they are driven by.
There are also some baseline tips to help influence people that can go across the board for any type. These include, active listening skills, positive nonverbal cues/body language, maintaining a professional demeanor and attitude, confidence, and addressing problems at hand with a solution-oriented mindset. By utilizing these tips you will be positively influencing others in the workplace in no time.