Leading teams and understanding individuals
Every team member brings a unique blend of personalities, interests, and preferences. While job roles define responsibilities, a leader’s true challenge lies in addressing individual needs and preferences to create a collaborative and equitable team dynamic. When these needs are met, teams can thrive and deliver results. When they’re overlooked, conflicts and setbacks can arise. As a result, managers and leaders (of teams and projects) must constantly navigate these dynamics, balancing strengths and guiding their teams toward success.
The role of leadership
Effective leadership is essential for managing diverse personalities and work styles – and the need for this is only becoming more relevant. Using two current leadership challenges, this article gives an overview of how our leadership simulation Playmakers® equips leaders to address these complexities, help their teams thrive and boost performance.
Bridging generational gaps
Generational differences often surface when new hires join a team. They are a hot topic these years, as Gen Z, often at the start of their careers, join the workforce and bring fresh ideas and enthusiasm and sometimes challenge established cultures. At the same time, more seasoned or experienced colleagues might prefer established methods, be sceptical about untested approaches, or feel directly challenged in their concept of professionalism and ‘how things should be’.
No matter the situation, an important first step for every team is recognition to establish trust. The need for
recognition is important for all employees, no matter the generation. Without it, some may feel that their work is undervalued, tedious, or overlooked. However, even with this understanding, we know people interpret recognition differently. Reports show Gen Z and Millennials need more ‘
microdoses‘ of recognition that are authentic and genuine as opposed to Gen X and Baby Boomers, who typically require recognition as little as a monthly basis for moments of their larger projects or achievements. Team and project managers should pay close attention to this, as a lack of recognition can lead to adverse outcomes, including reduced motivation to complete tasks, reduced sense of belonging, and increased other frictions or conflicts in the team.
Understanding diverse personalities
While the value of diversity in teams and the workplace is well established, it is important to remember that this also calls for a stronger focus on how to be leaders in diversity. Whether neurodivergence or simply the fact that people have varied personalities, individual performance is often tied to how well their needs are understood and met. For example, as we have already mentioned, the need and format for recognition may differ. The same applies to autonomy, collaboration, direction setting or clear guidance. In other words, the current discourse on diversity may be new, but people have always been different.
Playmakers® is a playground for practicing leadership
Playmakers® helps leaders practice identifying and addressing team members’ individual needs, balancing attention and resources while ensuring progress on projects and tasks. The simulation places participants in a realistic fictional setting, managing a team of individuals with different personalities and needs. It also allows leaders to navigate these situations and try different leadership styles that might be effective for them to use with their team. This requires strategies to engage with diverse personalities, understand how individuals impact team dynamics, and identify traits often overlooked in others.
For example, participants will face challenges and cases where they lead team members requiring more recognition of their work than others. Playmakers® will allow them to practice engaging with individuals who share this need and respond better to improve their performance and contribution to the team.
Expanding the leader’s toolbox
Through open communication and tailored strategies, Playmakers® fosters growth, collaboration, and understanding. It also promotes a shared language, supports DE&I, and ensures everyone feels valued and aligned toward a common goal.
Furthermore,
Playmakers® offers a hands-on approach, immersing participants in real-world challenges. Leaders learn to recognise and address unmet needs effectively, build skills and grow their toolbox to strengthen team collaboration. The result is a step towards a workplace culture where everyone feels supported, valued, and empowered to succeed.
Lastly, Playmakers® dives deep into different leadership theories that shape the simulation. From learning more about situational leadership, for instance, the leadership styles described by
Daniel Goleman, to the
dysfunctions that can appear in teams. Also, giving and receiving
feedback, along with creating a space for diversity and inclusion to
thrive.
Embracing difference brings success
Above all, strong teams are built on understanding needs and effective leadership. Playmakers® offers the tools to navigate the complexities of diverse workplaces, sharpen the leadership skills needed to drive successful projects, build high-performing teams, and foster a culture of inclusion. It is important to value generational diversity and foster an environment where everyone feels included and comfortable to voice their opinions and needs. By embracing differences and supporting growth, teams can collaborate and achieve success together and leverage the strengths of differences across personalities as well as generations.
