Mix ‘n’ match to build solid team

If a team only consisted of followers but no leader, there would likely be confusion. If a team only consisted of leaders but no followers, there would likely be a lot of people butting heads – and still no work getting accomplished. So, it makes sense the best teams contain a mix of personalities – leaders, followers and everyone in between.

When considering how to create a balanced team of workers, Nick DiBenedetto, co-owner of ND Landscape in Georgetown, Maryland, seeks to find workers with the following personalities:

Entrepreneurial personality: Live in the future, big ideas, easily bored, risk takers, bold thinkers

Technician personality: Execute tasks, hands-on individuals, love to create things, have an “I’ll do it or it won’t be right” mentality

Managerial personality: Think about the past, organize, produce reality, risk avoiders, need facts

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“Everyone possesses a combination of all three of these traits,” he says. “But consider which one is dominant in the person.”

DiBenedetto looks for these traits in his employees and when hiring individuals to his team. He says all three of these traits are valuable in employees. All are needed within a company.

However, there needs to be a balance of entrepreneurial types to technician types to managerial types. If his business has too many of one type, things might get out of hand.

“The managers can’t dominate, or else you won’t grow,” he says. Similarly, if a company were dominated by entrepreneurs, certain risks could be taken – as entrepreneurial types are big risk takers – that could adversely affect a business. “You need a balance. So, put the right people on your team.”