There are plenty of ways to become a better leader. But at some point, you also have to believe that you belong in the role.
That’s what we’re digging into next.
In October we’re diving into a topic requested by a reader: What each personality type needs in order to feel confident leading.
For the sake of diving deeper into each personality type, we’re going to switch up the usual challenge format for this series and instead work our way through all 16 personality types.
And for every type, we’ll look separately at Assertive and Turbulent leaders – because two people can share the same four-letter personality type and still have a very different relationship with their own abilities. (More on that below.)
If you’d like to join in on this series, be sure you’re subscribed to get everything right to your inbox. We begin Friday (October 2nd)!
The Identity Factor
If you’ve ever taken our personality test, you may have noticed that your result doesn’t stop at the four-letter type code. There’s one more letter at the end: A or T. That final letter is your Identity trait.
Our Identity trait – Assertive (-A) or Turbulent (-T) – has a lot to do with how readily we trust ourselves and how much outside events can shake that trust. It also affects how the rest of our personality shows up, which is why two leaders with the same four-letter type can experience leadership very differently.
Broadly speaking, Assertive leaders tend to have an easier time backing their own judgment and moving on from setbacks. Turbulent leaders are more likely to question themselves, but that same tendency can make them highly aware of what could be improved and motivated to keep getting better.
Neither is the better way to lead.
Both come with strengths, and both have places where confidence can work against them.
As part of this series, we’ll discuss each Assertive and Turbulent personality subtype separately.
What’s Coming in October
We’ll publish one article for each of the 16 personality types, with a separate section for Assertive and Turbulent leaders.
For each personality type, we’ll look at the particular things that strengthen their confidence, the tendencies that can quietly chip away at it, and what can help them trust themselves without having to become a completely different kind of leader.
By the end of the series, you’ll have:
A clearer sense of what your confidence tends to depend on
A better understanding of where you’re most likely to doubt yourself – or trust yourself a little too quickly
Practical ways to build confidence that fit the way you lead
A more nuanced look at how Assertive and Turbulent leaders of the same personality type can differ
My hope is that this series will help you build the kind of confidence that lets you lead as yourself, without changing who you are.
How to Join Us
If you’re a paying subscriber, you’re all set – the complete Leading with Confidence series will arrive in your inbox throughout October.
Free subscribers will get the first personality type in full, then brief previews of each article after that. To read the complete series, you’ll need to upgrade your subscription.
Still a free subscriber? Take advantage of our Big Birthday Bonanza to save up to 63% on an annual subscription!
Upgrading will also give you access to our full leadership archive, including series on:
Leading well after a layoff
Managing employee disengagement
Human leadership in the age of AI
Adjusting to management as a new leader
Mastering 1:1 meetings
Leading multigenerational teams
Leading well as an Introvert
The top 5 leadership challenges each personality type faces
Leading through uncertain times
Managing stress at work
Leading remote (or hybrid) teams
Managing up to your boss
We Begin Friday
I’m really looking forward to this one. Earlier in my career, I spent a lot of time wishing I felt more confident as a leader. I know now that confidence doesn’t always arrive first – sometimes you have to grow into it.
I’m glad the Leadership Council gave us a reason to dig into that more deeply.
If you’d like to submit a topic idea of your own, you can learn more about joining the Leadership Council here.
Talk soon,
Carly from the 16Personalities Team
P.S. Not sure whether you’re Assertive or Turbulent? You can take our free personality test before the series begins, and your results will tell you.