The Expressive personality type
The Expressive personality is verbally adept, engaging, accommodating, supportive of others, persuasive, socially adept, and relationship rather than task-oriented.
- Expressives love to be one of the ‘gang’, and are relationship rather than task-oriented.
- Their strengths are enthusiasm, diplomacy and the ability to inspire others.
- Their pleasure is recognition and approval. Their pain is isolation and lack of attention.
- Build the relationship first, stay warm, and resist the urge to cut the conversation short.
How to deal with Expressive personality types at work
It sounds pretty self-explanatory, but here's the expressive personality definition as we see it: the expressive personality type loves to be one of the ‘gang’.
Sales, service, or any type of social working environment are great jobs for expressive personality types, because they appeal directly to their need to be a part of ‘the gang’. While these people are heart-on-their-sleeves type of people, some of the expressive personality type strengths and weaknesses may surprise you.
The expressive personality type has a number of strengths, including enthusiasm, diplomacy, and the ability to inspire others.
They're always ready for something new and exciting, especially if the rest of the gang is ready to join in and participate. On the other hand, Expressive personality weaknesses involve impatience, a tendency to generalise, verbal assaults, and sometimes irrational behaviour. They can also be seen as egotistical, manipulative, undisciplined, reactive, unorganised, or abrasive.
How to work with Expressive personality types in a coaching environment
They're always ready to exchange information and life experiences, and their main need is to be appreciated and accepted. They take pleasure in recognition and approval, while their pain is isolation and lack of attention. Understanding communication styles is one of many factors in successful coaching interactions and leadership.
Focus on developing a relationship
Rapport building is very important to these people. They're interested in your life, and it's important that you show an interest in theirs.
Try to show how your ideas will improve their image
This is often a delicate line to tread, so approach with caution. Because the expressive person holds other people's view of them in high regard, it's important to link any desired skills or behaviours to this. Be careful not to focus on the ramifications of getting it wrong. Instead, place focus on how performing a skill or behaviour will make them appear in a good light.
Be enthusiastic, open, and responsive
The overly expressive personality has a lot of energy, and while you don't need to match their level of enthusiasm, it's very important that you appear open, responsive, and genuinely enthused about your coaching interaction with this person.
Be forthcoming and willing to talk
We all know expressives are talkers, but resist the urge to shut down a conversation or push past it and get straight to the point. They won't respond well to this.
Agree clearly and often
As agreeable as an expressive personality is, they also like to be agreed with. Similar to the Relator, look for the things you can agree with (this doesn't mean you need to agree with everything they say) to keep them engaged and your interaction positive.
Remember to be warm and approachable at all times
Expressive personalities often strive to be warm and approachable with everyone they encounter, and don't respond well to personalities that are too direct or who feel cold and factual. This extends beyond your coaching interactions with this person, and means you should work to be open at all times.
In summary
When coaching or communicating with an Expressive personality:
- Focus on developing a relationship
- Try to show how your ideas will improve their image
- Be enthusiastic, open, and responsive
- Relate to the need to share information, stories, and experience
- Be forthcoming and willing to talk
- Ask and answer “who” questions
- Agree clearly and often
- Remember to be warm and approachable at all times
- Work to minimise their direct involvement with details or personal conflicts
Check out the other personality types
Or take the communication style quiz (opens in a new tab) to discover your own style.
