PwC's NZ CEO Survey 2017 recently revealed that 53% of CEOs will be increasing the headcount of their organisation this year. With new recruits comes the task of integrating them into the organisation - not just in terms of work but also socially.
While most employees are recruited based on their appropriate skills and experience, it's critical to also consider the role of personality in the hiring process.
75% of NZ CEOs stated that it is difficult to find people who are adaptable in the workplace, while 55% expressed difficulty in finding people with problem solving skills. But what if leaders nurtured the combination of personalities in a team to develop these skills?
How does your leadership team stack up to others in New Zealand? Find out how a Senior Team Analysis can guide productivity in your organisation.
In his recent Harvard Business Review article Dave Winsborough says, “In our own work we have found that psychological team roles are largely a product of people’s personalities.”
He says teams need a variety of roles filled to function effectively - from motivation, organisation, relationship building and innovative thinking. If all members of the team are innovators, there may not be anyone to develop the team which can lead to less team cohesion and less productivity.
“Anything of value happens as the result of team effort, where people set aside their selfish interests to achieve something collectively that they could not achieve by themselves."
“Leaders who group a variety of personalities together allow members to adapt to different situations with the guidance of other team members (based on their strengths).”
But what if the variety of personalities leads to conflict? Not all differences need end in conflict. People work well and more productively when they are able to bounce information and ideas to alternative ways of thinking. "The most successful teams get the mix of personalities right."
But none of this means anything if there is not the appropriate support network in place. Leaders need to understand what makes an effective team, and they need to continuously nurture the team for it to grow.
So, what is your leadership team doing to support the people in your organisation?
Winsborough has launched their New Zealand Leadership Survey to uncover just how effective New Zealand's leaders actually are. The study aims to give insights into what characteristics or behaviours are present in effective teams, and the perception leaders have of their teams. You can find out more about the survey, or participate here.