As my business grows so too does my network of contacts, clients and friends. Many of my contacts and clients are entrepreneurs and this has sparked me to wonder about personality type. Does it take a certain personality to work for yourself? What type of personality makes one more successful over the other?
Well, I came across an interesting article on Entrepreneur (great website by the way), that details the individual personalities required to be successful in different types of self-employed business. Not surprisingly, the article declares that successful entrepreneurs share similar personality traits including: natural leaders, problem-solvers, and work well under pressure. Individually, entrepreneurs who have proven to be successful in their industry are those who have opened a business suiting their personality type.
Being aware of yourself; knowing your personality type, what motivates you and what doesn’t, is important to the overall success of your business. Opening an Accounting firm when your true passion and talent is photography, for example, may not end in success. Self awareness is the key to not only success but happiness!
As this article explains, people are most often either Generalists or Specialists. Generalists being independent, free thinkers who look at the big picture. Specialists being individuals who are not likely to take risks, instead sticking to what they know and “specialize” in.
Each main personality type has, according to the article, broad personality types. Generalists include “Trailblazer”, “Go-getter”, “Manager” and “Motivator”. Specialists include “Authority”, “Collaborator”, and “Diplomat”. Successful entrepreneurs know how to distinguish themselves according to personality and use their self-knowledge to open a business accordingly.
I do agree with this article and feel knowing myself; my strengths and weaknesses, are integral to succeeding not only as an entrepreneur but in anything I do. Personally, I found myself in both the Specialist and Generalist personality types. A Diplomat with a splash of Go-Getter (feel free to argue this point if you must;)) Read the article to determine which one you are!
