Every office is full of different things — stationery, Starbucks’ coffee cups, unhealthy snacks — but it is not full of robots. We come in all shapes and sizes, with our style and flair that we bring to the office.
As a team leader, understanding the personality types of the different members can be extremely helpful in establishing effective relationships within the workplace.
If you’re able to figure out what drives people — a.k.a. their passion — you can potentially bring out their best. More often than not, our motivation factors are usually based on our core personality traits.
We’ve all heard of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator personality test, and whether it is for work or fun, we all would have done some sort of personality test in the past.
Let me introduce you to something cooler; the ‘DOPE’ birds personality test.
D.O.P.E. stands for Dove, Owl, Peacock and Eagle, and yes, it is as cool as it sounds. Let’s ruffle some feathers.
Birds.. Assemble!
Unlike other personality tests, where you have a hard-to-remember number of different personalities from ISFJ to Type 9, the DOPE test divides people into four birds.
These birds represent different personality styles, all of which have different basic desires, emotional needs, controlling factors and characteristics.
Meet the four birds:
#1 Dove: The Peacemaker
Akin to their avian counterparts, Doves are the friendly and loyal type of people. They prefer calm and predictable settings over fast-paced environments, rife with upheaval and change.
Doves often have an innate drive to be helpful. Always quick to volunteer for the sake of others. Whether it is counselling a stressed-out colleague or taking more assignments on behalf of others with patience and empathy, Doves are the one you can count on.
These qualities often make them the colleague everyone loves and get along with. You can also think of them as the strong, silent type. As natural team players, Doves like to be a part of a group and always focus on team success rather than individual stardom. They seek to create harmony wherever they go. How lovely.
To best manage Doves, ensure they have a safe, quiet space to work. You have to give them the freedom to work at their own pace, and always encourage them to share ideas whenever possible.
Recommended roles for Doves: Creatives, Field Researcher, HR, Community Lead, Captain America
If you observe owls in the wild long enough, you’ll notice that they often seem lost in thought, and their human counterparts are no different. While the feathered owls ask, “Who?”, the human Owls ask “Why?”, “What if?”, and “How?”. Naturally inquisitive, their ability to consider all possible angles of a situation makes them invaluable when creating organisational strategy.
While they may have wings, they are also planners who don’t just flap the “wing it” strategy. Once there’s a proper framework or rules in place, they tend to follow the process and systems.
Being detail-oriented, Owls also notice things others would never pick up. With a zest for details and analysis, they are energised by tasks that ensure high-quality results. They have a gift in sorting out problems and communicate in a reserved, careful, and logical way.
Like the owls in the wild, Owls work behind the scenes. They do not need public recognition, and in fact, a spotlight would often be uncomfortable for an Owl. Yes, even if it's just a birthday song.
To best manage an Owl, put them in a place where they’ll be dealing with mostly facts and figures. They succeed in remote environments but do also need collaboration to thrive.
Similar to their counterparts, Peacocks are easy to spot. They are always bursting with vitality and like being the centre of attention. You can always see them motivating the team with nothing but high energy and enthusiasm. Peacocks like to have a good time and will typically boost your morale when times are tough.
Peacocks have highly developed interpersonal skills. They read people; combined with their verbal adeptness, makes them very persuasive. Peacocks are also highly adaptable to different people or situations. These traits enable them to build an extensive network of collaborative relationships in the office.
Peacocks thrive in environments where they are allowed to bring new ideas to life. Their ability to brainstorm and then vocalise their thoughts drives innovation. Handling different projects and people at the same time gives them an energy boost rather than depletes them.
Often misunderstood, Peacocks are often seen as “not as hard-working” as other birds. They make hard work look fun, that’s all!
To best manage a Peacock in your team, supervise them enough, but at a distance, though. Peacocks don’t need lots of management, but a helping hand from time to time would go far.
Recommended roles: Marketing, Sales, Customer Success, Product Management, Iron Man
Just like the raptors in the wild, Eagles aren’t shy. They communicate directly, straightforward, and geared towards their prey. I mean goals.
Eagles are more competitive and enjoy conquering new opportunities. Like any raptors, they function independently with freedom and drives.
As driven individuals, they direct themselves towards achieving results quickly and efficiently, which then opens them to their next opportunity.
While most Eagles work in a dominant style, they can come across as overbearing and unwilling to acknowledge their defeat.
To best manage Eagles, you have to find a way to make sure they are positively interacting with others. They typically work best on their own but can become great leaders during tough times.
Recommended Roles: Sales, Operations Manager, Business Developer, Thor
While we should be aware that every individual is a combination of these four birds, there is likely to be one or two personality types that represent our needs, desires, and even, fear. It would determine the type of environment we will thrive in and the kind of people whom we will connect with best.
Whether you’re a manager or just curious what category you fall into, when you understand these four birds’ personalities, you’ll be better equipped to help your colleagues reach their full potential.
Who said that only birds of the same feather always flock together?
Does any individual come to mind while reading on these different personality types?
As a team leader, treating your members based on their personality can increase the overall productivity and morale in the office, making it easier for your team to reach targets.
However, it is even more vital that you first understand your personality style, so you can alter how you approach different people.
And don’t keep this to yourself. It is essential that as a team, we should be aware of each other’s personality. Each team member requires a unique approach when it comes to leading and managing.
In a nutshell, we are bound to meet people from different cultures, generations, galaxies, personalities, and varying working styles. If we learn how to work with different people and harness each other’s strength, I believe that it would increase success in the workplace.
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