How to Celebrate an Employee with a Structural Preference

My favorite color just happens to be green. It’s also my strongest preference. With 31% of my brain in the green zone and in the 94% percentile for a Structural preference when compared to the rest of the population, I spend a lot of my time using this part of my brain.

55% percent of the general population has a Structural preference. You may or may not hear them talking about what they do but you’ll know when the job’s been done. Some of them are the accountants, the chief operating officers, the editors – the highly organized people that you can count on to follow rules, meet deadlines and cover every detail. They are also the people in your office that build the foundation of your business because they like to create a process for everything; i.e. a work task or flow that moves from step A to Z. You can probably bet that someone with a Structural preference knows exactly where the stapler sits on their desk and will follow a certain routine at work.

When recognizing someone with a Structural preference, it’s important to keep in mind how they become energized. Usually, those with a Green preference tend to be the only ones who know the minute details completed on a particular job. As the days’ tasks are checked off and completed, as the to-do list gets shorter, as all things planned come together, the Structural person will become more energized. When celebrating their contributions, be careful to not add to their “to-do” list or provide a generic time to meet for cocktails. Keep all celebrations planned, succinct, and detailed.

In the daily workplace, a company might celebrate or “honor” an employee with a Structural preference by:

• Onboarding with a very detailed list of the duties the employee is responsible for
• Having a comprehensive plan for their “first-day” on the job
• Setting clear expectations
• Allowing the employee time to process and organize
• Congratulating the employee on a job well done when a project is executed properly and timely

For example, at Emergenetics International, we have weekly “Green” meetings. The agenda for these meetings are detailed and emailed to the office an hour before the meeting. Our Green meeting is structured and timed, providing each department an allotted amount of time to provide updates. This is our way of intentionally honoring and recognizing those with Structural preferences.

There are many ways to ensure employees with Green brains feel recognized and appreciated in the workplace. Truly understanding each of your employee’s thinking preferences will help foster a positive, productive atmosphere.

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