Coming Up Next: Understanding the People You Work With
Introducing Our New “Identifying Personalities at Work” Series
You asked, we listened. In our past feedback survey, many of you mentioned wanting help identifying different personality types at work. So instead of our usual challenge format next month, we’re shifting gears to focus on something that affects your workday in countless ways: the diverse personalities on your team.
Starting in April, we’ll be exploring how to recognize and work effectively with all types of colleagues. Specifically, we’ll cover how to:
Recognize each personality type in your team
Spot personality traits in yourself
Figure out your boss’s personality type
This new series starts TUESDAY (April 1). Be sure you’re subscribed to participate.
What’s Coming Next Month
We’ll spend April exploring how personality theory transforms everyday workplace interactions. By understanding the core principles behind these 16 types, you’ll gain practical skills that you can apply at work:
Recognize why certain colleagues might approach problems differently than you do
Tailor your communication style to be more effective with different personality preferences
Anticipate potential misunderstandings before they happen
Transform personality differences from sources of friction into valuable diversity of thought
16 Types Over 16 Days
Throughout April, we’ll explore one personality type each day, mixing it up for variety. Rather than grouping similar types together, we’ll weave between different categories to keep things interesting and show the full spectrum of personalities you encounter in your workplace.
On any given day, you might learn about:
An Analyst type like the INTJ, INTP, ENTJ, or ENTP – those logical, systems-focused thinkers who always want to improve how things work.
A Diplomat type like the INFJ, INFP, ENFJ, or ENFP – the relationship-oriented colleagues who often sense the emotional undercurrents in your team.
A Sentinel type like the ISTJ, ISFJ, ESTJ, or ESFJ – the reliable team members who value structure and keep everything running smoothly.
An Explorer type like the ISTP, ISFP, ESTP, or ESFP – those adaptable, hands-on colleagues who excel when things get dynamic and unpredictable.
This varied approach means you’ll regularly encounter fresh perspectives and make unexpected connections between different types as we move through the month.
We’ll also include a section on identifying your boss’s personality type – because that relationship shapes your work experience in significant ways.
Why This Actually Matters
Let’s talk about what happens when people start to understand personality differences at work.
Those moments where you’re banging your head against the wall because your colleague “just doesn’t get it”? They become a lot less frequent. You start to see that the detail-oriented team member isn’t actually trying to poke holes in your ideas – their brain is just wired to think through all the specifics before moving forward.
Team projects get smoother too. Instead of everyone trying to approach problems the same way (and getting frustrated when others don’t), you begin recognizing different strengths. That big-picture thinker and the practical implementer suddenly make a great pair instead of constantly irritating each other.
Meetings become more productive when you know how to communicate with different types. You learn when to lead with data versus stories, when someone needs time to process versus talking things through, or when a colleague needs to see practical applications before they can get on board.
And honestly? Work just feels better. There’s something liberating about realizing that most workplace friction isn’t personal – it’s just different operating systems trying to work together. When you stop taking these differences as personal affronts, the whole environment gets lighter.
How to Join Us
If you’re a paying subscriber, you’re all set – the complete series will arrive in your inbox throughout April.
Free subscribers will see brief previews of each article. To get the full series, you’ll need to upgrade your subscription.
Still a free subscriber? Claim your welcome discount to save 30% on an annual subscription.
Upgrading will give you access to this Identifying Personalities at Work series PLUS our complete leadership development archive, including articles on:
Starting 2025 off strong
Leading with emotional intelligence
Navigating workplace change
Earning the respect of your team
Developing resilience as a leader
Managing up to your boss
Developing personal leadership skills
Leading remote (or hybrid) teams
I’m really looking forward to exploring these ideas with you starting next week! In the meantime, I’m curious – have you noticed how different personalities affect your daily work? Drop a comment below if you have a specific personality type you’re hoping we’ll cover.
Talk soon,
Carly from the 16Personalities Team
P.S. This new series takes the personality identification guide that we just released to paying subscribers and dives even deeper. If you haven’t grabbed your copy yet, don’t miss out – it’s a quick, handy guide to spotting all 16 personality types at a glance!
So excited for this month! It will be very useful to understand better my team members