What personalities make up your team?

By Myscha Burton
LO Membership and Chapter Coordinator

I recently started binge-watching the television series, The Office. I know, I’m very late to the party on this one and feel as if I’m in a time warp trying to discuss the show with others since the show concluded four years ago. While the show is hilarious and makes for quality Netflix-binging, the characters are a terrific representation of some of the personalities you will encounter at work in an office environment, or even on a landscaping crew. How do you create a healthy work environment with a wide variety of different characters that may not see eye-to-eye?

The Andy or The Kelly

This is the crew member who just can’t help but ask questions. Their intentions are good and their goal is to please everyone, although it may not seem this way as you’re trying to get past the constant questions and impromptu musical outbursts. An Andy or Kelly can bring great energy to the team and their enthusiasm can be motivating, or it can be exhausting, depending on who they are working with. They want to please others and they want to learn. The key is to put the energies of an Andy or Kelly toward something constructive so they feel they have an integral role on the team.

The Stanley

This is the seasoned veteran on your crew. With The Stanley there is no time for drama; there is a job to be done. You might see Stanley appear if there is a large age gap between crew members, or a big difference in number of years experience on the job. The Stanley is a very hard worker and is dedicated to their job, however, they might find the energy and constant questions of an Andy or Kelly exhausting. While The Stanley may prefer more solitary tasks, they also enjoy leadership roles where they can utilize their knowledge and experience with others.
 

While a great worker, you won’t find The Toby leading the way to the company holiday party. He is not a joiner. The Toby is relatively passive and mild-mannered, almost to the point of being incapable of voicing his opinion or asserting themself. To help a Toby feel engaged in their work, try giving them a leadership role or an area of specialization to focus on. This will help them gain confidence and feel they are a part of the team.
 

Remember the cool kids you wanted to sit with at lunch back in school? That’s The Jim. The Jim has a winning personality and is skilled at their job. On the surface, The Jim may seem like a winner. The challenge will be to keep The Jim engaged in their work, feeling challenged and working toward a career, rather than a job. They are personable and help to bring the team together. The Jim wants to know they are moving forward in their professional life. Leadership roles and goal setting are important to a Jim to keep them striving for the best in their work.
 

The Angela is your type-A crew member who is obsessed with organization, schedules, etc. This crew member is not a fan of anything spontaneous and likes to have a plan of action for the workday ahead. They are so focused on work and may not make time for developing healthy relationships with other crew members. An Angela is great to have on the team for their dedication, but others may find them abrasive and hard to work with if they do not share the same obsession for structure. An Angela needs the details of a job site, a list of materials, a schedule and deadline. On-the-fly decisions are stressful for an Angela which can create tension with the team.
 

This is your company lifer. The Michael is extremely loyal and dedicated to the company they work for. The Michael may have some quirky traits, including inappropriate jokes, and have a strong need to be the centre of attention and have exclusive leadership roles. However, they have a strong desire to build connections with the people they work with and are very knowledgeable about their field. While their methods may be unorthodox at times, their dedication towards company success is strong.
 

The Dwight craves authority over co-workers. They have an intense manner even in the most casual of situations, making group interactions awkward at times. They may have unique skills or specialized training and they place an extremely high value on success in the workplace. They view their success as a showing of their leadership abilities over other team members. If you have a Dwight, they will be very passionate and loyal to the company. Use their special skills to your advantage by giving them specific tasks and leadership roles where they can enlist the help of other team members. The more leadership they are given, the more engaged they will be.

While different in many ways, all of these character types share the commonality of wanting to be engaged and challenged to develop in the workplace. Together, these individuals can make a very dynamic team for your company.

All event details are available on horttrades.com, or you can contact me directly at myscha@landscapeontario.com or call 1-800-265-5656 ext. 2333.