Individualization in a Nutshell
People with Individualization see people as individuals, not categories. They notice what makes each person different and treat them accordingly.
People with high Individualization are interested in differences. They don't apply one approach to everyone. They tailor, adapt, and personalise based on who someone is. They're allergic to one-size-fits-all.
At their best, people with high Individualization bring out the best in different people differently. They see how to unlock each person's capability. They build diverse teams that work well together precisely because differences are understood and utilised.
Your Key Contributions
- Reading each person: You understand what makes each person different, and figure out how to get the best from them specifically
- Strategic placement: You know where each teammate's strengths matter most, and deploy them accordingly
- Personalised coaching: You adapt the way you give direction and feedback for each individual, so each person can take it in
Watch Out For
- Spending so much time understanding individuals that you lose systemic perspective
- Difficulty implementing consistent policies
- Creating exceptions for some but not others
- Missing patterns because you're focused on individual differences
The 2 Sides of Individualization
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What Energises You
- Understanding what makes someone unique
- Tailoring your approach to what someone needs
- Seeing how to unlock each person's individual potential
- Working with diverse people who bring different perspectives
- Personalising interactions instead of applying generic approaches
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What Drains You
- One-size-fits-all policies and approaches
- Treating people as categories instead of individuals
- Being forced to apply the same standard to everyone
- Losing individual context in favour of consistency
- People who won't acknowledge individual differences
How Others See You
How to Invest in Individualization for Work
If You're high in Individualization
- Use your insight about differences to bring out individual best.
- Pair with Consistency or Discipline to balance tailoring with fairness.
- Help teams appreciate how different people bring different value.
- Know that tailoring doesn't mean unfair; understanding context is fair.
Managing Someone Who Leads with Individualization
- Let them tailor their approach to individual team members.
- Use them to help you understand different people's needs.
- Support their effort to bring out individual potential.
- Help them maintain fairness whilst honouring differences.
Connecting with Someone who Leads with Individualization
- Let them understand what makes you unique.
- Appreciate how they tailor their approach to you.
- Share what you need; they'll adapt.
- Know that their interest in your uniqueness is genuine.