Small businesses depend on their employees being flexible. Because they are still growing, roles may not be as defined in the beginning and they need their employees to be able to take on different roles as they move through the growing process.
It takes a certain type of person to be able to step onto a team and understand that their role is fluid. That a small business can be an all-hands-on-deck environment. In this article, we will discuss the 5 personality types that work best for this sort of workspace.
That’s why it is important in the hiring process to get a good feel for the personality and experience of the potential employee.
Consider a person who has spent the past twenty years with a Fortune 500 company. Their roles have most likely been narrowly defined. Their job descriptions have been clear and their days are probably similar from one day to the next.
Now consider the small business employee. They may be hired to be an assistant and quickly find themselves moving into the role of a web designer or human resources or janitor. Although small business owners are working with the goal of narrow job descriptions, it takes some time to get there.
Personality Types For Small Business
1. The Team Player
A small business is more like a team than any other size business. Team members have to be able to work together and to step up the plate on projects they never expected to work on. A team player can understand their role within a team but is willing to step outside of that role to work collaboratively with others.
Although lone wolves can thrive in a bigger business, the small business setting won’t be good for them or your business.
2. The Go-Getter
The second personality type that works well in a small business is the go-getter. This type of person is driven and motivated to succeed. They are always looking for new opportunities and ways to improve the business. They are the ones who take extreme ownership of their task and the business at large. These are the employees that are most often mistaken as partners in the business.
Usually, the go-getter has some entrepreneurial experience. This means they truly understand the dynamics of a small business and what is needed to make it run.
3. Problem Solver
Small businesses are usually running with just a handful or two employees. This means that problems can fall on any member of the team. Having someone with a problem-solving personality is a huge benefit for a small business. This type of person is always looking for ways to solve problems and improve efficiency. They are also great at coming up with new ideas and solutions.
Be careful with this personality type though because they may get off task easily. We see this a lot with problem solvers who have just a little tech experience. You may have hired them for customer relations but instead, they are the ones you call when the network goes down, the printer stops working or the computer is giving you a hard time. The problem solver isn’t experienced enough to solve these problems quickly. That leaves your customers waiting to be taken care of while your employee is doing something that is outside their scope. This is often what prompts business owners to call Gryphon Consulting for outsourced IT.
4. Communicator
Small businesses cannot run without strong communications. So adding someone with the fourth personality type of communicator is essential for making sure your business continues to run smoothly. This type of person is great at communicating with others and building relationships. They are also good at networking and promoting the business. Best of all they recognize the communication gaps and are always looking for ways to improve them within the company.
During the pandemic, companies with strong communicators were able to pivot to a remote office situation much more quickly and effectively and might even find that they can continue with this model today. Communicators can be overlooked until that moment when they truly save the day.
5. The Leader
One business owner we spoke to explains small business ownership, as working towards putting themselves out of a job. This is generally the goal. The owner wants to build the business and be able to let their employees run it. But to do this, you have to have a strong leader.
A person with a leadership personality is able to take charge and motivate others. They are also great at problem-solving and making decisions. To find a leader’s personality, it is important to consider this employee’s experience. In their past, can you see a time when they were a leader? Leaders are often leaders from a young age. So, look at the clubs and organizations they belong to. Ask questions about conflicts within these organizations and how those were handled. Ask about their goals and what drives them.
