Building Rapport in Managing Performance
(Published 12 January 2004)

Building rapport is essential if a manager is going to influence people and start the process of building trust. Trust is vital in Performance Management and if a manager is going to coach effectively and manage performance well then they must have an understanding of behavioural styles and how to build rapport quickly.

This article will give you greater understanding of behavioural or personality styles and suggest ways you can flex your own style to build rapport with your employees and your team. Flexing one’s style can, under certain conditions, be difficult and tiresome, for example, in the case of dealing with stress. It is vital though that a manager leads the way and maintains rapport with employees at all times. I have seen too many managers refuse to change their style because their ego tells them that the employees should be flexing towards their style since they are "the boss". The result is usually a "personality clash" and perhaps you can guess who stands to lose the most in that situation. However, if employees have the same knowledge of behavioural styles as the manager does, they can learn to flex and accommodate too, especially with their own team, colleagues, and customers. This will make it easier for everyone involved.

What are these behavioural styles, how do you identify them, and how do you adapt your style to theirs?

The Four Behavioural Styles

There has been a lot of research on behavioural style, producing many models, but they are all very similar. The model outlined here was developed by Wilson Learning in the United States. I also like the work of Dr. Michael Lillibridge entitled The People Map because it uses up-to-date and corporate language.

Both the Wilson Learning and Lillibridge models suggest that there are four distinct behavioural types. For each of us, our behavioural style can be viewed as our personal comfort zone, or the style we adopt most naturally when not under stress.

It is most important to note that we are a mixture of all four styles but we all have a dominant style which dictates our physiology and our behaviours.

Driver, Controlling, or Leader Style

People who fit into this category are business-like and formal in appearance. Their main priority is the task at hand, and the results achieved. Their pace is fast and decisive. They prefer an atmosphere in which they can control people and processes, and achieve acceptance through their productivity and competitiveness.

Drivers like to be in charge, seek productivity, and dislike loss of control. They want you to get to the point, because they are irritated by inefficiency and indecision. They measure their personal worth by the results they achieve, and their track record.

To influence and work with these people, support their goals and objectives, and demonstrate what your ideas will do, when you will do it, and the cost. They want results.

Analytical, Processing, or Task Style

People using this style appear somewhat formal and conservative. Their main priority is the job at hand, and the process needed to achieve it. Their pace is measured and systematic. They prefer an atmosphere that encourages careful preparation and achieves acceptance through being correct, logical, and thorough.

Analyticals want recognition for being correct, seek accuracy, and dislike embarrassment. They want you to be precise in your dealings with them, because they are irritated by unpredictability and surprises. They measure their personal worth by their degree of precision, accuracy, and activity.

To influence and work with this personality, you need to support their thinking, and show how your ideas will support their personal credibility.

People, Amiable, or Supporting Style

People Style individuals appear to be casual, but conforming. Their pace is slow and easy. They prefer to maintain relationships and avoid confrontation. Therefore, they prefer an atmosphere that encourages close relationships, and achieve acceptance through conformity and loyalty.

They need to be appreciated, seek attention, and try to avoid confrontation. They want to be pleasant because they are irritated by insensitivity and impatience. They measure their personal worth by their degree of compatibility with others, and the depth of their relationships.

In order to influence and work with them, their managers need to support their feelings, and show how their ideas will support their personal circumstances.

Free Spirit, Expressive, or Enthusing Style

Free Spirit style personalities appear to be more flamboyant. They have a tendency to interact within relationships and they dislike any loss of prestige. Their pace is fast and spontaneous. They try to create an atmosphere that encourages flexibility. They achieve acceptance through sociability and creating a stimulating environment.

They want to be admired, seek recognition, and dislike being ignored. They want you to be stimulating because they are irritated by routine and boredom. They measure their personal worth by the amount of recognition and acknowledgement (or complaints) they receive.

Managers who want to be successful in influencing and working with a person who uses this style will need to support their dreams and ideas, and show how they can help enhance their standing with others.

As a manager understanding your own style and that of your team is vital in forming relationships and supporting people to manage their performance. The trick is to know your employee’s style and flex your style slightly towards theirs. This builds rapport and enhances understanding and communication which leads in time to building trust.

The challenge is for managers to do the flexing and not just expect that their employees have to flex towards the manager!

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