Personalities and Teams

Individual Personality Characteristics

Enhancing / Hindering High Performance Teams

By Yousuf Zahid

yousuf.zahid@live.com

January 2012

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Contents

Abstract ........................................................................................................................................... 3

Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 4

What Makes a Team Perform High? .............................................................................................. 5

Individual Personality Characteristics Hindering High Performance Teams ................................. 8

The Case of HBL......................................................................................................................... 8

The Case of the Ministry of Food, Government of Baluchistan ................................................. 9

The Case of MCB ...................................................................................................................... 10

Individual Personality Characteristics Enhancing High Performance Teams .............................. 11

The Case of Karachi Golf City .................................................................................................. 11

Which is the Better Team? Individuals with Similar or Dissimilar Traits ................................... 12

Conclusion .................................................................................................................................... 13

References ..................................................................................................................................... 14

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Abstract

The report makes an attempt to identify individual personality characteristics that may either

enhance or hinder the performance of a team.

Rowing a boat together is not easy because of diversity in personalities. The elements required

making a team perform effectively and the generally accepted characteristics of a high

performance team have been discussed with examples both from experiential perception of the

authors and through exclusive cases from the authors’ workplace. The Big Five Personality

Model (Big Five) and the personality types identified in the assigned course book and material

have been used as a reference to learn about individual behavior in the examples.

The answer to the core question of the assigned project is clear. Teams should comprise of

individuals with dissimilar personality traits. The report explores other aspects as well that lead

to the behavior of an individual in teams; the factors that trigger such behavior and how teams

may be controlled in the long run for the organization’s benefit.

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Introduction

In almost every organization and in every industry, teams are established not only within a

department but also at inter-departmental levels to ensure effective and efficient accomplishment

of tasks.

These two very words – team work – have attained the status of a cliché and people often take its

significant essence for granted that undermines the remarkable results that could be achieved

through a high performance team effort.

In light of organizational behavior, teams dwell on the personality of its members. The success

or failure of a team depends on the individuals who constitute it. This fact is the foundation of

the group project assigned to the authors.

The report makes an attempt to answer questions on the issue of ‘individual personality

characteristics enhance or might hinder team performance’.

1. To identify personality characteristics that are associated with high performance teams.

2. To discover the personality characteristics that hinder high performance teams.

3. To resolve whether it is better to have teams composed of individuals with similar or

dissimilar traits.

Both real world and personal examples will be elucidated by the authors; that will establish the

relationship between teams and personalities.

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What Makes a Team Perform High?

Different authorities focus on different characteristics that define a high performance team but

there are some common elements in every theory. These theories have been time-tested by

organizations and have proved right repeatedly.

The effectiveness of a team is determined by three important factors1.

1. The right mix of skills.

2. The right motivation.

3. The ability to solve the conflict without compromising the quality of the project.

It has been established that the ideal team size hovers around ten to twelve individuals. Beyond

this figure, a team may lose it efficiency. Assuming that a team of ten individuals has been

formed for a specific event management project then it’s imperative that the team members bring

in diverse skills so that each person is assigned a role that corresponds to the skill. This measure

ensures synergy with in the team operations. If however, every member or the majority of them

have similar skills then it kills-off the very purpose of the team and sometimes it’s a recipe for

disaster due to difference in expert opinions powered by personality differences.

A leader, appointed by the management, may motivate the team members as deemed appropriate

but the task bestowed upon the team for accomplishment has to be challenging enough in order

to bring out the best from each team member. Besides, the challenge faced by the team has to

have some interest for the members otherwise motivation levels may go down. Additionally, the

reward towards the end has to have a mix of extrinsic and intrinsic value because that is the

personal goal of the individuals, balanced out with those of the organization.

Absence of trust leads to a fear of conflict. Subsequently, a lack of commitment settles in.

Accordingly, accountability is avoided and the focus is lost2. Positive conflict is inherent to high

performance teams. It increases team effectiveness without compromising the larger picture.

1 http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-team-effectiveness.htm

2 Patrick Lencioni, Five Dysfunctions of a Team

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But a high performance team will only be effective if the thumb-rule characteristics are observed

and implemented. These rules define the quality of the team3. These characteristics are the

benchmarks to look for at the time of selection of individuals4 who will form the team.

1. Proper distribution of tasks through job descriptions.

2. Clear and open communication.

3. High levels of integrity.

4. Proper focus and a clear vision of what needs to be achieved together with precise

direction.

5. Sincere dedication and passion for work and to excel.

6. Empowerment to take decisions at the right time.

Every team has a personality and these characteristics vary from organization-to-organization but

the basic idea is the same everywhere. Trust, respect and support remain the key words5 for high

performance teams.

Consider the pictures which now follow.

3 Kashmira Lad, http://www.buzzle.com/articles/characteristics-of-a-good-team.html

4 Associates for Professional Development, http://www.slideshare.net/beverlybradstock/Characteristics-of-High-

Performance-Teams 5 Donald J. Bodwell, http://highperformanceteams.org/hpt_bldg.htm

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Whether it’s the pit stop of a formula-one team or the deck of an aircraft carrier, highly skilled

teams are involved that work in unison towards the fulfillment of a common goal. Each player

knows what job is to be performed and which in return complements the team effort. It’s a game

of trust, respect and support all the way. The dedicated passion is there in both the examples.

Integrity is at all time high vis-à-vis dependability and professional responsibilities.

Communication is candid and precise. And last but not the least, various team members are

empowered to take decisions.

In both cases, there’s a ringmaster; the leader who is responsible for synchronization that leads to

optimum performance. But there are human-factors that may hinder the team’s performance and

which sometimes the leader is unable to control.

Due to personality differences, getting along within a team may prove from being mildly

difficult to near impossible.

Agreed that a diverse mix of skills is necessary for a team to function smoothly but the person

behind those skills has a personality; he or she will behave in accordance with their upbringing

and exposure to life. Their values will determine their practical approach. Their attitudes will

govern their behavior. They may feel differently towards different things and to which they may

agree or disagree. They may or may not have a high emotional temperament. The authors have

shared personal experiences in the report which validate the effect of personality on teams.

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Individual Personality Characteristics Hindering High Performance Teams

The human being is imperfect by nature but despite this age-old enlightenment, at the time of

team-building, six personality types are duly considered even though it’s quite difficult to create

the perfect team. The ‘driver, adventurer, energizer, cheerleader, stabilizer and perfectionist’;

these are the preferred personalities6. But too many adventurers in a team take too many risks.

Absence of stabilizers and cheerleaders may lead to irrelevant arguments and a lack of

motivation. At times, the driver or leader will find herself at loggerheads.

Which personality characteristics hinder high performance teams? The answer to this question is

presented through actual cases experienced by the authors.

The Case of HBL

Last year, one of the authors of the report had joined HBL as Head of IT Operations of the IT

Department – Alternate Delivery Channels. The specialized department had pre-existed and had

a total strength of 21 individuals including the author. While reporting to the SVP, the author had

brought in sound experience to the department and with a high-end skill-set. The department

constituted both male and female individuals of different cultural and sub-cultural backgrounds.

The average age group was 32. As expected, the staff, most of which had been with HBL for one

to three years displayed a direct resistance towards their new female supervisor. Due to

experience, the author managed to win over the entire staff soon enough with aid from the SVP.

One individual however, with five years of experience, continues to resist even today and has

utilized all negative tactics to thwart the author’s day-to-day matters. This individual is well

connected with in the bank due community based relations. By-passing the author, delaying

responses, submission of incomplete work and other similar tactics are a daily routine at his end.

6 Kate McFarlin, Demand Media, http://smallbusiness.chron.com/importance-different-personalities-workplace-

10733.html

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Various types of deviant behavior have also been displayed. The author remains tolerant and

patient and continues to persist with the professional approach. The entire department had a

reputation of functioning like a well-oiled machine but after the author’s joining the

effectiveness of the team has diminished to a certain extent.

Theoretically, this individual has displayed behavior that falls under ‘neuroticism’ factor of the

Big Five. The personality type is similar to Machiavellianism with a risk-taking attitude at the

cost of compromising the team’s performance and his own job security. The individual has

explosive anger trapped inside towards his supervisor. On the other hand, while remaining

perfectly normal with other colleagues and upon receiving advice by them to mend the ways, the

person engages into negative politicking.

The Case of the Ministry of Food, Government of Baluchistan

Another author of the report has been in service of the Ministry of Food, Government of

Balochistan since the last four years. Serving as Assistant Director, the author is responsible for

the ministry section that oversees and manages the timely supply-chain of wheat from farm-to-

mill. The entailing tasks are of critical importance since anywhere from 50,000 to 500,000

wheat-bags have to be managed every month. Illegal inter-provincial smuggling and quota

management also has to be vigilantly observed. Working directly under the author is a team of

16 individuals which constitute a high performance team. Due to diligent documentation, high-

end coordination, transportation issues, limited time and slight understaffing, the margin of error

or delay is next to zero. However, at the field office, a particular team member, decent, aged 45,

appointed years ago through special reference and entrusted with documentation and

coordination with regional office possesses a highly introvert nature to the extent of not taking

any initiative unless asked for. As a result the team performance is hindered, when due to

sensitive field work, important information and activities slip the mind and are not brought to

light by the said individual. Despite reminders to improve coordination efforts, the individual

displays improvement temporarily only.

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An introvert personality possibly with low self-esteem could be one theory. Another possibility

is a weak external locus of control. Either way, the individual’s personality, probably

unintentionally, slows down the performance of a team that is required to operate with speed.

The Case of MCB

The third author of the report has been associated with MCB for over eight years and is serving

in the capacity of Regional Head, Karachi East of the Commercial Branch Banking Group. In

early 2008, the bank had undergone re-structuring which included replacement of branch

banking software and centralization of processing, foreign trade services and credit operations.

An unforeseen problem had sprung up as a result. Instead of selecting the existing and

experienced staff from the branches, the HRD opted for fresh recruitment. Staff redundancy at

branches was imminent and right-sizing measures were announced without taking the staff into

confidence. Subsequently, employee frustration reached high levels and a large number of

individuals left MCB. With this brain drain came in fresh blood in exchange with relatively less

experience. In short, high performance teams in different branches with 15-20 years of

experience left overnight. The word got out and experienced individuals from other banks

hesitated in joining MCB. On the other hand, the newly appointed staff besides low in

experience also had personality issues. Within months, adverse effects had been felt vis-à-vis

bank-customer relationships and an otherwise straightforward re-structuring evolved into a web

of complexities.

Team members, well familiar with the bank and who had been performing above par had left due

to a wrong policy pursuit at head office level. Upon reminiscence, in light of the theory, it’s

evident that the newly inducted individuals had an impatient disposition and possessed a strong

internal locus of control. The unmistakable type-A personality had also been observed among

these persons because of their restlessness. The over confidence and strong headedness of these

individuals added up to create problems for branch managers to control. It was an extended and

volatile ‘storming’ stage all over again.

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Individual Personality Characteristics Enhancing High Performance Teams

The Case of Karachi Golf City

The Dawn Property Investment Show occurred in 2009 at the Expo Center and Karachi Golf

City had been a principle sponsor. The author had been employed with the company for six years

and managed the planning and marketing affairs. The event had been scheduled in December and

a month before the management decided to participate. Within less than 30 days remaining, as a

sponsoring participant, a wide range of tasks had to be performed. The company decided to

create an autonomous project team and sanctioned a budget of Rs.2 million. The team comprised

of three individuals namely a company director, the head of sales and the author but without any

additional human resource. This step was taken to ensure rapid implementation of tasks which

included major jobs such as stall designing and fabrication, POS material development, lighting

and sound, video works, promo and animation development, print media works, survey

development, site documentation, etc. The team started off with a check-list of every conceivable

task and compiled it all on a PERT chart. With financial resources at its disposal and authority to

take decisions, the three individuals invested in excess of 12 hours a day to complete the project

and which it eventually did 48 hours before event launch day.

The team had a flexible leadership and was highly self motivated with each member specialized

in the domains of analysis, negotiation and field work. Weaknesses were also there on each

individual’s behalf that pertained to lack of creativity, procrastination and cynicism but each

individual’s power areas covered the weakness of the other. Conflicts were a daily ritual but the

primary notion was always to solve a problem and get the job done. From the Big Five, traits of

conscientiousness and agreeableness were in high order. Personality types included self-

monitoring, risk-taking and type-A. Of particular interest was the type-A personality which had

been adopted specifically for the project. In a nutshell, each personality characteristic simply

enhanced the performance of team.

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Which is the Better Team? Individuals with Similar or Dissimilar Traits

According to the Big Five, personality characteristics are linked to an organization’s culture and

preferred in moderation7. Either too high or too low scorers of extraversion, agreeableness,

conscientiousness, neuroticism and openness to experience will create a team climate that is most

inappropriate.

The right mix of friendliness, gregariousness, trust, cooperation, self-efficacy, self-

consciousness, adventurousness and liberalism is required for teams to prosper. Unlike in the

West, a lot of organizations in Pakistan do not engage in personality assessment at the time of

recruitment8. Analysis of personality will tremendously aid in taking on board individuals who

will complement with their abilities in the achievement of organizational objectives.

The better team would be the one with individuals having dissimilar personality traits.

The most important reason for this is the group’s diversity which will more than often be able to

handle complex tasks especially those requiring innovative approaches to problem solving9.

Team members with different backgrounds, areas of specialization and personalities will ask

questions which are always encouraged in high performance teams. What one member may lack

in training and background, another has. They will challenge one another's conclusions and

above all they will possess a degree of mutual accountability.

7 Mark Mallinger and Ileana Rizescu, http://gbr.pepperdine.edu/2010/08/personality-traits-and-workplace-

culture/ 8 Experiential perception of authors

9 Arthur G. Sharp, http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/encyclopedia/Str-The/Teams.html

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Conclusion

In the cases presented, team performance had been directly affected due to the personality traits

of individuals both in a negative and positive manner.

The incidents that occurred at HBL, the food department and MCB happen all over Pakistan but

it no way justifies the idea of building a team with similar traits.

Diverse personalities have the potential to spark a clash but they are the chief ingredient for a

high performance team.

Non-specialized tasks may demand a team without consideration to personality types but sales

departments, construction firms, medical surgery, fire fighters and professional educational

institutes require teams composed of all around diversity.

At the end of the day, it is the responsibility of the management and the team leader to ensure

that the individuals conform to the charter of the group and their skills and talents are utilized

according to a pre-defined game plan to obtain maximum effectiveness and efficiency.

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References

Bocco, D., What is Team Effectiveness, Wise Geek. Available at:

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-team-effectiveness.htm

Bodwell, D. J., High Performance Teams, Available at:

http://highperformanceteams.org/hpt_bldg.htm

Bradstock, B., (2008), Characteristics of High Performance Teams, Associates for Professional

Development. Available at: http://www.slideshare.net/beverlybradstock/Characteristics-of-High-

Performance-Teams

Experiential perception of authors

Lad, K., Characteristics of a Good Team, Buzzle. Available at:

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/characteristics-of-a-good-team.html

Lencioni, P. (2002), Five Dysfunctions of a Team, Jossey Bass

Mallinger, M., Rizescu, I. (2001), Personality Traits and Workplace Culture, Graziadia Business

Review, (4) 1. Available at: http://gbr.pepperdine.edu/2010/08/personality-traits-and-workplace-

culture/

McFarlin, K., Importance of Different Personalities at Workplace, Small Business Chronicles,

Available at: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/importance-different-personalities-workplace-

10733.html

Sharp, A. G., Teams, Reference for Business, Encyclopedia of Business, 2nd

edition, Available at:

http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/encyclopedia/Str-The/Teams.html