Balancing talent on your team

May 24, 2021

Each person on your team has their own talents and natural behavioral style. The combination of styles on your team are your team's unique toolkit. Are you confident that you have tools you need to be successful?

Birds of a feather flock together. Managers tend to hire people who are like-minded. This may result in an unbalanced team that is heavy in one group of skills. Each team's recipe is different depending on the type of work they wish to accomplish, the pace at which they must make decisions and the amount of collaboration needed. It is important to know the talents and temperament of your team members and identify where you may have gaps.

TTI Success Insights^® Wheel uses the most behavioral styles to identify eight positions with unique characteristics and skills that contribute to a well-rounded team.

Implementor

The Implementor on your team is your creative brain-stormer. You know, the person on your team that needs all of the information? They can be slow to start, wanting to make sure to gather all of the facts. They are the team members who ask challenging questions, but they have an open mind and use balanced judgement. You can count on an Implementor to help your team make sound decisions, but they may struggle under heavy pressure. Small talk doesn't get very far with them, the Implementor is focused on the task at hand. They are too busy systematically drawing out their path. Quality is of the highest importance. The Implementor wants to get it done and get it done right.

Conductor

Have you ever known someone who had never met a challenge they didn't like? Were they an individualist who was confident taking risks? Chances are they were a Conductor. A Conductor is a great asset to your team. They can be a change agent, pushing their team toward results with a unique sense of urgency. Conductors work hard and play hard; they focus on the task. They can have a hot temper and their direct communication sets some people on edge. Luckily, their bite is not personal. When the challenge is over, they will be friendly and charming with no bitterness or hard feelings lingering. They just like to win.

Persuader

Persuaders are good talkers, their warmth, optimism and energy draw a crowd. You can often find them speaking with large, sweeping gestures, trying to motivate people toward their vision - they are energized towards action. Persuaders have great people skills and can recognize the talents of their teammates needed to reach a shared goal. Straight-forward and fast-paced, Persuaders are process oriented and seek out problems to solve. Although affable and friendly, they can be argumentative, and their impulsive nature may cause them to jump to conclusions. They want to get the project done and be recognized for their work.

Promoter

The Promoter on your team is defined by their optimism and their trusting nature. Self-confident with high verbal skills, they will actively seek and build relationships with a variety of people. Extroverted by nature, they are sociable and good at mixing. Promoters can see the big picture. They are not fearful of change and can persuade others, which makes them a good choice to be the enthusiastic voice to champion new ideas both internally, to your team and the rest of your company, and externally to your clients and the community. Promoters enjoy being a part of a team and are motivated by praise.

Relater

Every team needs glue to hold it all together. A Relater is open, friendly and sensitive to the feelings of others. They are a good listener and enjoy supporting the other members of the team. They enjoy building lasting relationships and effective collaboration. They can be gregarious and social or steady and even-tempered. For this reason, Relaters can work well in a variety of situations and teams. They are cooperative and accepting and will work with persistence toward a shared team goal.

Supporter

Who do you go to when you need a kind ear? As people-oriented introverts, Supporters are your team's good listener. They are relaxed, have control over their own emotions and are very loyal once you have gained their trust. Supporters don't like to cause big waves but although they are very accommodating, they can sometimes be resistant to change. Most often, a Supporter will wait out a problem hoping the situation changes for the better rather than start a confrontation. They enjoy a team environment but do not feel the need to be the center of attention. Supporters can slow down and focus on the details, breaking down challenges logically and systematically.

Coordinator

The systems person on your team who is self-disciplined and slow to change is most likely your Coordinator. Good listeners and loyal team members, Coordinators often stay with their company and in their positions for a long length of time. They are often motivated toward traditional procedures, have high standards of performance and quality and may be skeptical of new ideas. They appreciate those with similar ideas and views. Often the team perfectionist, you can rely on Coordinators for their accuracy, organization and consistency. They are product-oriented able to work independently for long periods of time.

Analyzer

With a high standard for quality, the Analyzer may be seen as a perfectionist. As critical listeners and thinkers, Analyzers are fearful of risk usually preferring to stick with proven systems. They are alert and sensitive to problems and errors, paying close attention to rules and regulations. Their communication is often non-verbal, and they may be soft-spoken and avoid confrontation. If you are impulsive or tend to make decisions quickly, the Analyzer on your team will provide good balance and insight when trying to make big decisions that may affect your team long-term.

With so many different attributes, how will you know what mix your team needs? Remember not every team needs every position on the wheel, but every team needs a mix of attributes and strengths. Building a team with members representing a variety of positions to balance each other out is beneficial no matter what the focus. The key to functioning together as a whole is strong communication and awareness that everyone is bringing something unique to the table.

TTI Success Insights^® is a registered trademark of Target Training International, Ltd. The Universal Language DISC is a trademark of Target Training International, Ltd and its content is a copyright of Target Training International, Ltd. TriMetrix® is a registered trademark of Target Training International Ltd.