After 25 years in sales and leadership, I’ve discovered the biggest source of management friction and I see its increasing importance considering the fast changing world due to AI.
We’re trying to change people instead of mapping and positioning them correctly.
The principle: “Accept the people as they are, but position them as you want.”
Let me break down the framework that transformed how I build teams 👇
Part 1: The Observation Phase
Most leaders skip this entirely. They hire based on experience, then get frustrated when people don’t fit their expectations.
What to observe:
- Natural communication style (direct vs. diplomatic, verbal vs. written)
- Energy patterns (where they light up vs. where they drag)
- Decision-making approach (data-driven vs. intuition-led)
- Work rhythm (structured vs. flexible, fast vs. thorough)
- Stress response (escalate vs. withdraw, emotional vs. analytical)
Critical rule: Observe without judgment. No “good” or “bad” labels. Just data.
Part 2: The Positioning Strategy
Once you see people clearly, match their wiring to role requirements.
Position mapping examples:
High openness, low conscientiousness:
→ Innovation roles, NOT operational execution
High extraversion, high agreeableness:
→ Client success and relationship building, NOT aggressive outbound sales
Low openness, high conscientiousness:
→ Process implementation and quality control, NOT creative problem-solving
High extraversion, low neuroticism:
→ High-pressure enterprise sales, NOT detailed analytical work
Stop fighting nature. Start leveraging it.
Part 3: The Communication Layer
Positioning without context creates confusion. People need to understand:
The three conversations:
- The Strengths Talk: “Here’s what I see you naturally excel at”
- The Strategy Talk: “Here’s why I’m positioning you here”
- The Success Talk: “Here’s what winning looks like in this role”
When people understand the “why” behind their positioning, resistance disappears.
Your Leadership Brand is Built Here
This isn’t just about team performance. It’s about your personal brand as a leader.
How you’re perceived:
Leaders who accept and position:
- “They really see people”
- “They bring out the best in everyone”
- “They create high-trust environments”
Leaders who fight and fix:
- “They’re never satisfied”
- “They create a culture of fear”
- “People leave within a year”
Your brand = How you navigate different personalities.
The Self-Diagnostic
Before your next frustration with a team member, ask:
- Am I fighting their natural wiring?
- Did I position them where their nature is a liability instead of an asset?
- Have I clearly communicated why they’re positioned here?
Most friction = Wrong positioning, not wrong people.
Bottom Line
The right person in the wrong role will always underperform.
The right person in the right role will always exceed expectations.
Your job isn’t to change people. It’s to see them clearly, position them strategically, and communicate the vision.
That’s how you build teams that work with human nature, not against it. That’s leadership. That’s your brand.
#Leadership #PeopleManagement #SalesLeadership #TeamBuilding #PersonalBrand #StartupGrowth