13 Aug Key Personality Traits of a Well-Balanced Test Team
Building a Stronger Test Team Series: Key Personality Traits of a Well-Balanced Test Team
I recently read a great article presenting the common theory that a high-performing team is comprised of a well-rounded collection of personality archetypes (reference and link below). This article, which I’m paraphrasing and revising with my own thoughts (based on 22 years as a CEO, 5 years as a Managing Partner with an IT firm, 14 years in various team lead roles, and 12 years in the National Guard) shared seven specific traits. It has always amazed me how personality traits are overlooked when building a team, typically because the focus is placed on skill sets.
The article list seven specific types.
The leader – People with common wisdom…think ”street smarts” for the business world. The article indicates that qualities of a good leader are strong communications skills, the ability to formulate a clear vision of the project’s end-result, and the ability to motivate others. I’ve always believed that the ability and willingness to be a good follower are also key. Often, it’s best to turn the task over to someone else and let them lead the way. That’s when a confident leader will move out of their way or lend a hand and follow (while still leading from a 5,000-foot view) .
The team player – Those who are enthusiastic at working together to achieve a common objective, eager to help, willing to compromise and diplomatic. These are the members who value group camaraderie and success over their own individual prize .Or perhaps completing the mission as a team is their individual prize.
The researcher – The curious one(s) who are always asking questions and then finding their own answers. Their superpower – they identify and ask the overlooked questions that can avert a future impediment. These individuals are team members who others turn to, not for the answers, but to help find the answers.
The expert – In different organizations in my history we used the term – the guru. The one(s) who possess detailed and current knowledge in a field that your project encompasses. Because technology continues to expand and evolve quickly in so many ways, it’s often impossible to anticipate all the expertise that will be needed and/or have that expertise on the team. I’ve always made it an effort to do two things – 1) to know and have access to that expertise and 2) to nurture a network that can help me find expertise when needed.
The planner – If you spent 30 minutes with my team you wouldn’t need to ask me to point out the planner. You’d know them quickly. I find planners to be tactical. You give them 5 days to complete an assignment and they’ll have it’s finished 3 days or less. Not always a good thing. They’re organized (in their own way) and make order out of chaos.
The creative – I’ve been labeled as a ”creative” a few times. We tend to caught up (lost?) in our world of imagination, problem-solving, strategizing, and conceptualizing. You might accuse us of being daydreamers. Teams benefit from having someone who can deliver fresh ideas and solutions that let the team’s work stand out from the crowd. Look for the original thinker, the person willing to turn the status quo on its head and come up with a new approach to a long-standing goal.
The communicator – We’re talking about the natural communicators, individuals who are naturally inclined to reach out to others and share information with the entire team. Communicators are also good at persuading just about anyone to jump on board and give the team the help it needs. Your communicator might be the person with the longest list of contacts and knows someone for just about anything you need.
Teams aren’t perfect universes, and we don’t always get to work in a group that has one of every one of these personality types. But recognizing people’s strengths (either on your existing team or while interviewing potential candidates) is a worthwhile first step in creating a well-rounded team. And it makes it so much easier to manage the team!
Reference:
Tempo Portfolio Manager (formerly LiquidPlanner)
