Researchers in Australia looked at the social media output of almost 100,000 Australians and inferred their personality, happiness and engagement levels. They found there was a correlation between the person’s personality being a good “fit” for their role and the person being happy and engaged in their work.
(The research seems a little hazy on what constitutes job “fit.” It says they “determined which of the 624 roles was the closest in terms of personality fit with their inferred personality” and ranked the other roles. Pocket has a layman’s explanation.)
If you don’t have that fit, maybe you need to look for a new job. Or … you could figure out if there is a way to “bloom where you’re planted.”
Mom and daughter invented job-fit analysis
Regardless, it does seem logical that certain personalities are a good fit for certain jobs. It’s part of the reason Katharine Briggs and her daughter Isabel Briggs-Myers created the Myers-Briggs assessment: to help a World War 2 home front figure out where they would best fit in a labor force in need of workers.
And I’ve certainly seen job fit first-hand: In my automotive retail work using the DISC model of behavioral styles, I have only met one office manager who was NOT a C (Conscientious) style. It turns out analytical, structured people make great office managers.
So if your personality is a good fit for your job, congrats! Research indicates you have a better chance at happiness, and you’re probably more engaged in your work.
If you don’t have that fit, maybe you need to look for a new job.
Or … you could figure out if there is a way to “bloom where you’re planted.”
Home Depot’s CEO exemplified job-fit analysis
I always think of Frank Blake as the example of this. He was a soft-spoken corporate lawyer who also did stints as counsel for the EPA and a vice president. And then Home Depot’s board tapped him to replace the CEO.
I’ve heard him interviewed, talking about how he read his first book about leadership (specifically, casting a vision) on the plane ride to start his job.
Which he knocked out of the park. If you’re a fan of Home Depot’s customer service, it probably reflects Blake’s fostering of that culture during his tenure. Stock price–and employee morale–skyrocketed.
Blake did it his way. He visited the stores to see the front lines. He wrote handwritten notes of appreciation to individual team members. And he made sure to share with the entire company the stories of employees who were nailing customer service.
Any personality type can succeed as a CEO. You just have to make sure all the behaviors needed for a team to succeed are represented.
DISC illustrates this well. Much like a good reporter answers the “Five Ws,” good teams answer at least four particular questions when making decisions. And it so happens that each of the four DISC styles is naturally attuned to ask one of those questions:
- C: Why are we making this change?
- I: Who might be impacted, and who needs to be on board?
- S: How are we going to implement?
- D: What are we going to do?
Look back at that list of questions. They apply to teams making decisions. But they also apply to individuals trying to make decisions.
In other words, you don’t have to be a certain style to succeed in a certain role. It may help–but you’ll be using all the styles to answer the important questions.
Job crafting: an alternative to finding a better fit
Instead of you finding a role that fits your style, my suggestion is that you craft your current role to fit your style.
“Job crafting” is what happens when you get proactive and intentional about modifying things so you have a better fit between yourself and your work.
Tasks, relationships, perceptions–it’s all up for changing to better align to your values, strengths and preferences (e.g., your DISC type).
And that should lead to increased job satisfaction, engagement and well-being.
There are three main dimensions of job crafting:
- Task crafting: modifying the content, scope or nature of your job tasks. It can include adding new tasks, changing the order or timing of tasks, or eliminating tasks that are less enjoyable or don’t align with personal interests.
- Relational Crafting: shaping relationships and interactions with your colleagues, supervisors or clients. It can involve seeking out new collaborations, building stronger relationships or altering communication styles to enhance social connections and support.
- Cognitive Crafting: shifting your mindset and perception of your job and its meaning. It involves reframing the way you think about your tasks, finding deeper purpose or significance in their work, or reinterpreting challenges as opportunities for growth and learning.
An example: Years ago I read about a call center that engaged in job crafting. The call center was in California and had a problem with high turnover.
But the call center was in California: lots of aspiring actors on staff. The team decided to redraft their call center work as opportunities to work scripts and engage in improvisation. Turnover decreased, customer satisfaction increased and there was much rejoicing.
How to craft that fit
Contact me if I can help you navigate job crafting for you or your team. A basic flow involves the following.
- Reflect on your current job: Assess your current tasks, relationships and perceptions of your work. Consider what aspects you find fulfilling and what areas could be improved.
- Identify your strengths and interests: Recognize your unique skills, strengths and interests that you would like to leverage more in your job. (Do you know your StrengthsFinder or DISC results? I can help you with that.) Think about how you can align your work with these attributes.
- Brainstorm changes: Generate ideas for modifications in your tasks, relationships or perceptions that would create a better fit. Consider both small adjustments and more significant changes.
- Seek support and collaboration: Engage in open conversations with your colleagues, supervisors or mentors to discuss your ideas and seek their input or support. Collaboration can enhance the effectiveness of your job crafting efforts.
- Take action: Implement the changes you identified gradually. Start with small adjustments and monitor the impact they have on your satisfaction and performance. Adapt and refine your approach as needed.
- Reflect and evaluate: Regularly reflect on the outcomes of your job crafting efforts. Assess the changes in your job satisfaction, engagement and overall well-being. Adjust your approach based on your observations and feedback.
Remember that job crafting should be done within the boundaries of your organization’s policies and goals. It’s essential to maintain open communication with your supervisors and ensure that your modifications align with the overall objectives of your role and the organization.
That being said, if you are a more engaged employee, everybody wins. Go craft that fit!