How to Lead Assertive and Turbulent Personalities Through Stress

Hint: One Is Much More Sensitive to Stress Than the Other

Image from 16personalities.com

TLDR:

• Assertive personalities are more resistant to stress while Turbulent personalities are more sensitive to it

• When stressed, Assertive types maintain confidence but may miss warning signs, while Turbulent types stay vigilant but can spiral into self-doubt

• That “overly confident” Assertive team member isn’t being arrogant – they’re maintaining stability under pressure

• That “anxious” Turbulent team member isn’t being dramatic – they’re processing potential problems that others might miss

• Small adjustments in your feedback approach can improve each type’s stress resilience

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Assertive individuals tend to be self-assured, even-tempered, and resistant to stress. They don’t worry much about past actions or decisions and feel more confident facing daily challenges.

Turbulent individuals, on the other hand, tend to be self-conscious, perfectionistic, and eager to improve. They’re more sensitive to stress, prone to self-doubt, and constantly pushing themselves to do better.

Do these descriptions bring certain team members to mind? Since it can be easier to recognize a single personality trait in someone than to identify their full type, today we’ll focus on one trait pair: Assertive vs. Turbulent.

Today, we’ll cover:

• How to spot Assertive and Turbulent team members under stress

• Why “confidence” vs. “vigilance” are both valuable stress responses

• Specific support strategies that work for each Identity style

• One practical leadership approach for helping each type maintain resilience under pressure

Let’s get started!

How Assertive Types Tend to Handle Stress

An Assertive team member experiencing stress may:

• Maintain outward confidence even during significant challenges

• Continue as normal when others are clearly feeling pressure

• Resist acknowledging when they need support or assistance

Assertive types’ natural confidence acts as a buffer against stress, helping them maintain effectiveness even when circumstances deteriorate. This resilience makes them valuable during crises that require steady performance – they’re the ones still making level-headed decisions when everyone else is panicking.

However, this confidence can become a double-edged sword. Assertive types may ignore their body’s stress signals, dismissing them as irrelevant distractions from the task at hand. They’re likely to push through exhaustion, skip breaks, and work longer hours without recognizing the cumulative toll. Their tendency to “power through” can make them vulnerable to unexpected burnout.

Just 33% of those with the Assertive Identity say that it’s hard for them to not let a moderately stressful event negatively affect them, compared to 82% of those with the Turbulent Identity.

How Turbulent Types Tend to Handle Stress

A Turbulent team member experiencing stress may: