#LONE WOLF PERSONALITY HOW TO#

Using the four-letter typology developed by Isabel Briggs Myers, there's a strong chance that your lone wolf employee will test as an INTJ, INTP, ISTJ or ISTP, although other types may also have difficulty working in teams. Usually, those reasons relate to his or her personality type-the 'lone wolf' is typically introverted, self-motivated, and is extremely focused on completing her own tasks. In most business environments, the independent-minded person who works better alone has good reason for doing so. Though these two groups can work together cohesively when they need to, they typically accomplish much more when allowed to do things their own way. You, your employee, and your team will be all the better for it.There are two types of employees: those who thrive in a team environment, and those who would rather work alone. Take the steps now to address the situation. New managers are generally loath to work with an uncooperative member of their team. When you understand their skill set, what they like to do, and where they could enthusiastically contribute, you can begin to explore better opportunities. You may well discover that the employee is poorly assigned and that they (and the company) would be better served if they had a different role.

The purpose of this discussion is to make sure the employee is crystal clear on their goals, role, how they are expected to contribute, and the path the team is taking. Is this a goal they can identify with, commit to, and actively support? Do they feel the team is committed to the goal? Do they have a clear idea of what they are expected to contribute to the goal? Review what the team is trying to accomplish and why it exists. Try to learn more about them – their interests, their strengths, their career goals, and their motivators. Your goal is to gain some insight into your employee’s behavior. You may uncover a distracting problem in their personal life, confusion over their role, a lack of confidence in their ability, a mismatch for their talents, or even a sense of isolation from the rest of the team. Begin the conversation with a tone of friendly, supportive, and genuine concern. You owe your employee a chance to explain what’s going on in a one-on-one meeting. There are any number of explanations for the lone wolf behavior. Until you’ve had a chance to explore the situation, beware of jumping to conclusions.

If you have a lone wolf on your team, take these steps. One bad player in the bunch can undermine the morale of the rest of the team and decrease their overall productivity.

New manager training teaches new people supervisors that their success is measured by the effectiveness and performance of their team.

#LONE WOLF PERSONALITY HOW TO#

How to Handle a Lone Wolf on Your Team – Step by Step Whatever negative behavior a non-team player is guilty of, you can’t let it continue if being a team player is an essential part of your culture and strategy for success. They focus on their own work, neglect team responsibilities, do not collaborate well with colleagues, rarely contribute at team meetings, and do not join the effort when the team is under a deadline and needs extra help.

One of the challenges for new managers and one that is often not practically covered in training is how to deal with a lone wolf on your team – an employee who contributes only marginally to the team goals and accountabilities.

Lone wolf personality