Do employee personality types differ between hierarchical and flat organizations?


While typecasting people into “personality types” can be rather patronizing and oversimplifying the nuances of the human mind and thought, it is true that some “personality types” are more suited for particular kinds of organizations.

Going strictly by the eight personality types defined by Francie M. Dalton in her September 2000 HRA magazine article “The Eight Classic Types of Workplace Behaviors”, the following inference could be made-

Commander – Being “demanding and domineering” they would need to give orders to thrive, and clearly fit better in a hierarchical organization.

Drifter – Billed to be “free-spirited, disorganized and impulsive”, drifters would feel stifled in a hierarchical organization and would fit better in a flat one.

Attacker – Being “angry, hostile, and cynical” they would find of targets to “attack” in a hierarchical model, and perhaps being in a flat model may help them be more positive towards work as they are answerable only themselves.

Pleaser – As “thoughtful, pleasant and helpful” people they would do well in a hierarchical organization. They may not do so great in a flat one, and they are probably more used to taking orders and pleasing others than being self-motivated and directed.

Performers – Their main source of motivation is said to be “recognition”, so they would probably do well in either kind of organization as look as they get the lion’s share of recognition.

Avoiders – They are said to be “quiet and reserved and prefer to work alone”. They would do well in the lower ranks of the hierarchical model and may even thrive in a flat organization as they can work on their own accord.

Analyticals – They are said to be “cautious, precise, and diligent” and would do well in both types of organizations, as long their role and project demand clinical analysis and logical application.

Achievers – “Content, peaceful, and pleasant” are the words used to describe achievers. They would thrive in of types of organization structures as they can be good leaders, as well as self-motivated.