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The Office Personality

Published on: 20 Oct 2016

office

Would the ‘in the office working’ you recognised the ‘out of office’ you? We all adapt our personalities for different social situations- for our friends and family, the formal event, the interview scenario, the fun evening out, on holiday and in the workplace.

Understanding our ‘core’ personality, which remains fundamental to our sense of self (even though behaviours may change and adapt as necessary) can be an invaluable tool. The better you know yourself, the greater understanding of the way in which you work with others will be.

There are countless types of personality testing, from ‘Six Thinking Hats’ to Myers-Briggs. Regardless of which you choose and are tested by, time spent getting to know yourself is never wasted.
Occasionally, the results may surprise you- you may think you plan well in advance, only to discover that actually you thrive best under pressure. Or you may find that your preferred method of learning is by trial and error, rather than watching a demonstration.  Learning more about yourself can help you know your strengths and weaknesses more effectively.

You may also find that some companies use personality or psychometric testing upon interview, in which case it is a good idea to be familiar with the concept. Employers will look to see if you can do the job, will do the job, and will fit in with everyone else in the workforce.

If you can persuade your company to invest in training for you, your colleagues or PA network, it could not only create a more cohesive working environment, but potentially increase the success of the business team. Learning that your colleagues like in-depth detail, whilst your boss is a big picture visualise, can help you communicate more effectively between the two, and could ultimately make a difference to the ‘office you’.

 

Abigail Jones

 

Abigail Jones is a career Executive Assistant, with almost two decades' of experience. With three degrees in the Arts, she started working at the V&A Museum, Tate, Christies, Sotheby's before moving into Healthcare, Charity, Fashion/Luxury Retail (L'Oreal) and is currently working for American Express Global Business Travel as EA to the MD.