Employees with a Type A personalities can seem like a lot to deal with at first, but often, all they need is someone to understand them. If you give them the right guidance and work with them in ways that suit their personality as well as yours, you just might find yourself with the most dedicated, hard-working employee you’ve ever had.
Consider some of these ways that you can work alongside your Type A employees and not against them.
1. Use direct language
People who have a Type A personality are straight talkers. They are upfront and prefer to speak to people who are direct in their language. When you are speaking to employees with Type A personalities, you should be upfront and honest. They aren’t looking for small talk and would rather be told exactly what is needed of them so they can get on with their work.
2. Stay productive
Employees with a Type A personality thrive in environments where everyone around them is being productive. If they feel that someone isn’t pulling their weight or is slowing the team down, they will likely become very agitated. The key to working well with a Type A personality is to keep busy, work hard, and produce results.
3. Encourage competition
Type A personalities thrive in competitive work environments. Try to create a friendly level of competition among your team members. This will motivate Type A personalities immensely, and they will do some of their best work knowing that there is a competitive aspect to what they’re doing.
4. Reduce stress factors
If you create a constant sense of urgency or competition for your team, the Type A employees will be exhausted. Type A personalities have an unrealistic sense of urgency and are even more competitive than the average person, so this sort of environment will cause undue amounts of stress for them.
Offer opportunities for weekend getaways, spa treatments, or days off, or simply ease back on the number of tasks you assign these employees every now and again. You need to give them a chance to take a break and reduce any aggressive behavior that may be caused by the stress factors.
5. Create goal-oriented tasks
Type A personalities are incredibly task-oriented. They love to make lists and to multitask. If you want to get the most out of your Type A employees, create goals for them to reach with clear steps that can be taken to accomplish these goals.
6. Give them leadership roles
Type A employees don’t hesitate to let their voices be heard. They like to take charge in team settings and are incredibly self-motivated. This sort of personality could very well be suited for a leadership role in your company. Since Type A personalities are motivated by personal achievement and recognition, giving them a leadership role is exactly the sort of incentive that could lead them to produce even better work.
7. Never be late
Type A personalities hate to be late, they hate wasting time, and they are highly irritated when you waste their time. Show respect for their time, and they will feel like they can trust and respect you in return.
8. Have a timeline
Since Type A employees are so task-orientated and they value their time heavily, it is important to give them a timeline for different projects. They also hate uncertainty. Simply telling them to have it in “when they can” or “at their earliest convenience” doesn’t sit well with them. They work best when they can align their lists with tangible deadlines.
What is Type A
Type A personalities are often characterized by their ambition, their intensity, and their competitiveness. While every person is different and reacts to situations in different ways no matter what their personality type, those that have a Type A personality share certain traits that are very distinct.
They’re competitive
Type A people are usually very competitive and incredibly self-critical. They work best when they are striving toward a goal, and they feel immense joy when they can accomplish that goal. People with this personality type are not only competitive in the workplace, but in their personal lives as well.
Time is of the essence
Type A personalities have a constant and unrealistic sense of urgency. They feel like they are always battling against the clock and are incredibly impatient if they are delayed or their time isn’t used productively. They like to have timelines and work best when deadlines are set. Unfortunately, this mindset usually leads to them trying to do too much in a short amount of time or scheduling things too close together.
They are multitaskers
A person with a Type A personality is highly conscious of all the tasks that they are working on. Since they are so concerned about time, they are able to work on multiple tasks at the same time without sacrificing quality. This, however, often creates a stressful situation where they are trying to balance too many things at once.
They are controlling
Type A personalities hate to be out of control of situations. They take charge in team settings and often butt heads with others who attempt to do the same. This causes them to frequently interrupt people in the middle of what they are saying.
They are workaholics
Type A employees do not usually have a good work-life balance. They are heavily involved in their work and have an intense drive to succeed in their careers. They often cannot see that they are overly involved in their jobs.
They are perfectionists
Due to their goal-oriented mindset and intense dedication to their careers, Type A personalities are perfectionists. They work at something until they feel it is the best that it can possibly be. They have unreal expectations for those around them and feel that everyone should be as driven as they are. Any type of blemish, mistake, or inconsistency frustrates them.
They can be hostile
With so much intensity building up from their need to be perfect, the immense amount of time they spend at work, and their stress over timelines, people with a Type A personality are often easily angered. They have very little patience for those who do not see things the way that they do, which can lead to frequent hostile situations. This type of aggression often manifests itself as envy, anger, lack of compassion, or in the bullying of those around them.
They love to plan
Type A personalities are the planners of the group. They like to make lists, create action plans, and make goals for themselves. They thrive on being able to check things off their to-do lists.
Interrelated with this is the lack of balance in their lives. This is characterized by a high work involvement. Type A individuals are easily “wound up” and tend to overreact.
They’re highly conscientious
They might be stressed all the time, but Type A personalities really care. They want to make sure they never miss a deadline, never miss a birthday, and never make anyone wait for them. Their intense drive to plan and succeed is because they are thinking about the success of their company, their colleagues, and themselves.
They’re not big talkers
The Type A personality communicates in a more non-verbal way. They give the people around them cues with the way that they look and act. When they do communicate, it is very clear and direct. They often don’t enjoy small talk, seeing it as a waste of valuable time. They understand non-verbal cues and body language very well and are observant of the people around them.
They might be making themselves sick
Type A personalities stress over how they are spending their time, whether they can meet all of their deadlines, and keeping up with everything that’s going on in their lives. This, unfortunately, means that many Type A personalities have high blood pressure. Constantly striving for perfection may lead to heart disease and strokes among those who demonstrate these traits in their work and personal lives.
Type A personalities can often feel impossible to work with, but you should strive to understand them and see things from their point of view. If you manage the situation right, these people will become incredibly loyal assets to your company.
