Figure Out Your Work Style

Male and female doctors working on reports in medical office

Your work style includes the attitudes and behaviors you apply to work tasks and relationships. Your approach impacts how you respond to the work environment, solve problems, and manage colleague and coworker relationships.

Understanding your work style helps you adjust your behavior when interacting with colleagues and coworkers. This approach allows you to act more effectively, collaborate, and be a team player.

Figuring out your work style helps determine the types of professional situations and environments you thrive in. These factors affect the duties and responsibilities you should look for in your next position.

Learn about different work styles and tips to figure out yours.

Types of Work Styles

Logical

If you have a logical work style, you enjoy analyzing problems and finding solutions. You are data-oriented, results-driven, and enjoy overcoming challenges.

Your linear thinking lets you focus on your goals and efficiently accomplish your tasks. However, your concentration may cause you to overlook the importance of planning and communication.

Detail-Oriented

If you have a detail-oriented work style, you enjoy being strategic, organized, and sequential. Because you prioritize order and stability, you slowly and thoughtfully approach situations to minimize risks.

Although you are reliable and rarely make mistakes, you might struggle to execute your carefully constructed plans. However, working with more actionable colleagues or coworkers improves performance and productivity.

Supportive

If you have a supportive work style, you enjoy integrating your work with colleagues’ and coworkers’ work. You prioritize building relationships and collaborating to add value to the organization.

You are sensitive to others’ feelings and support open communication. Your friendliness and active listening skills encourage you to help others as needed.

Idea-Oriented

If you have an idea-oriented work style, you enjoy creating a vision and inspiring others to believe in it. You prioritize leadership, big-picture thinking, and innovation.

You thrive on considering possibilities and taking risks to develop and implement your ideas. However, your passion for overcoming obstacles can result in overlooking details and not following up with colleagues or coworkers.

Tips to Figure Out Your Work Style

Consider How You Plan Your Day

Your approach to structuring your day impacts your work style:

  • Considering your top priority at a given time suggests a logical work style.
  • Careful planning and rarely missing deadlines are typical of a detail-oriented work style.
  • Making time to help others throughout the day indicates a supportive work style.
  • Valuing spontaneity implies an idea-oriented work style.

Evaluate Your Preferred Communication Method

Certain communication methods are preferred in specific work styles:

  • Discussions focused on data and results are expected in a logical work style.
  • Concise emails and non-emotional interactions are typical of a detail-oriented work style.
  • Active listening often is preferred in a supportive work style.
  • Passionate hand gestures while talking are shared in an idea-oriented work style.

Determine How You Handle Conflict

Your approach to resolving conflict affects your work style:

  • Welcoming debate indicates a logical work style.
  • Discussing the facts and finding a solution support a detail-oriented work style.
  • Finding a compromise suggests a supportive work style.
  • Focusing on the result to find a solution indicates an idea-oriented work style.

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