We may have qualities of both sides, but lean one way!

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I was talking with someone the other day about personality types and what makes successful entrepreneurs. One thread we started discussing was do you have more of a task-orientation or people-orientation? Obviously most people have a little of both, but here are some examples and what that could look like.

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Task-oriented

Task-oriented people love to-do lists, feel accomplished when getting things done, and have an ability to focus and be efficient with their time (the more efficient, the more tasks they complete). In a time crunch, this person would choose to complete their assignment first over spending 30 minutes chatting with someone in the office. In a meeting, this person usually minimizes small talk and gets straight into business. They often can be more introverted, detail oriented, and analytical types.

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People-oriented

People-oriented folks care deeply about relationships and connections. If a task is due on a certain day, it is not a problem to miss that date if a more important event or meeting comes up where they can have a bigger long-term impact. In a meeting, this person may spend a large portion of the meeting talking and building the relationship before jumping into business. These people tend to build successful long-term relationships. They often can be more extroverted, big-picture, and creative types.

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Being aware of the situation

I don’t believe anyone is completely one or the other, but I do believe we have a type we probably lean towards. Knowing your natural tendency, be aware of the situation and know when you may need to spend a little more time operating out of the other orientation to be successful.

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No one orientation is better than the other; in fact a team composed of both is incredibly valuable for balance. Do you feel you are more task or people oriented?

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