24 / WORKING REMOTELY
Understanding
personalities
Assessing personality
When asked to describe their characters,
people often describe themselves as
“introverts” or “extroverts.” In a remote
setting where people can’t interact
in person, these traits can be more
pronounced: extroverts may become
more forceful in their opinions, while
introverts may grow more reticent.
Your role isn’t to label personalities,
but to understand and work with them.
When teams meet, personalities aect
one other. Quieter members feel
intimidated by colleagues who won’t
stop talking, while those who thrive on
thinking out loud get frustrated by those
who prefer their own space. Your goal is
to get everyone working well together.
Getting your team working fluidly together is about more than
meshing skill sets, it’s about managing personalities. The process of
understanding people’s characters is dierent when remote working,
but no less vital. At the same time, be sure not to neglect yourself.
LEAVE EGOS
AT THE DOOR
Every opinion is valid but
“scoring points” against one
another just hurts the team.
Professionalism means being
able to work with others to
achieve a shared goal, so talk to
your sta about leaving egos at
the door—your own included.
Tip
Hmm,
I’m not sure
that’s right
Should I say
something?
No, I’m sure
they’ve already
thought of it
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UNDERSTANDING PERSONALITIES / 25
Managing interactions
When your employees are working apart
from each other, you need to spend more
time making sure everyone is on the
same track. That means more time in
meetings, where personalities soon
become apparent. You may need to rein
In focus
IMPOSTOR SYNDROME?
If you’ve ever felt out of your
depth, you’re not alone. “Impostor
syndrome” was first identified in
an influential 1970s study that
estimated that up to 70 percent of
people will, at some point, question
their ability to do what’s expected of
them professionally. In 2018, former
First Lady Michelle Obama told
an audience in London that she still
experiences impostor syndrome.
The syndrome has no clear cause.
Theories range from perfectionism,
in more vociferous colleagues, or
encourage quieter ones to contribute.
You can discuss how individuals like to
work in one-on-one chats. You will want
to support those who feel uncomfortable
speaking up, but be aware that not
everyone reacts well to being forced out
of their comfort zone. Let people know
they can raise issues privately for you
to address with the group later.
No, I’m sure
they’ve already
thought of it
That’s a really
good point, thanks
for raising it
Before we go into
that, let’s hear Asif’s
take on this
to personality traits such as anxiety,
and early formative experiences
of “not being good enough.” More
important is to understand that
it’s a normal response that can aect
anyone, at any level, in any
profession. If you think you might
be experiencing impostor syndrome,
talk to colleagues and friends, and
get your fears out in the open. They
can help you reframe your thoughts,
and focus on your positive qualities.
You might even discover they have
had similar experiences.
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