What to Do When Personalities Clash

Throughout your leadership journey, this will happen.

You will have team members, peers, and even leaders that you may not personally like.

I’ve been there!

And I don’t think there is a leader out there that hasn’t had this experience.

There may be:

1. Personality clashes: Sometimes, different personalities don't mesh well, and this can lead to interpersonal conflicts or a lack of rapport.
2. Communication barriers: If a team member has a different communication style than your own. You may be bold and direct. While they may opt for a more indirect approach. Opting for harmony.
3. Misaligned values or priorities: Their values or priorities are not the same as your own.

It will happen.

And that’s ok.

It doesn’t make them or you a “bad” person.

It makes you both different from one another.

If this happens, start by taking on the following:

*** Self-reflection: Assess your biases and try to understand if personal preferences influence your perception.
*** Focus on strengths: Instead of dwelling on personal differences, shift your focus to the strengths and skills they bring to the table. Find ways to leverage their abilities and contributions for the benefit of the team.
*** Encourage open communication: Foster an environment where open and honest communication is encouraged. This can help bridge any gaps and allow them (and you) to express concerns, ideas, and perspectives.
*** Learning: Look at what you can learn from them and they can learn from you.

And keep going back to #1.

I’ve learned some of the best lessons from those that I may not have personally liked.

And a lot of that time, it was about myself.