Work Styles: There’s Value in Knowing What Makes Employees Tick

Achieving organizational success requires diverse talents in the workplace. While job titles and responsibilities will vary, employees generally contribute in one of three dominant ways. They are either doers, strategists or connectors.

Each contribution style carries with it its own set of traits, preferences and skill sets:

Doers prefer the execution style that results in the accomplishment of tasks.
Strategists prefer the style that is transformative in nature.
Connectors prefer the style that aids in the building of intergroup relationships.

These styles aren’t independent of one another, and employees may lean into each of them at various times and to various degrees. It’s not uncommon, for instance, to see doers carrying out tasks very strategically or strategists leveraging their networks as connectors.

By understanding the various contribution styles, organizations and their HR function may better identify talent, facilitate employee development, and create the right mix of teams to achieve immediate and near-future goals.

Doers and Strategists and Connectors — Oh, My!

Let’s further define each of these styles and explore how you may leverage each one to maximize potential.

What Makes Doers Special

Doers are the employees who turn plans into action. They love getting things done, solving issues and reaping the rewards. They tend to be very detail-oriented and often work tirelessly to meet deadlines, complete tasks and address challenges as they arise. One of their greatest strengths is their firsthand understanding of how work gets done. They quickly identify inefficiencies, solve practical problems and contribute to continuous improvement. While doers are essential for daily execution, their value extends beyond task completion through the operational expertise and insights they bring to the organization.

What Makes Strategists Special

Strategists thrive on creating the vision to drive organizations forward. They are thought leaders, creative thinkers and, oftentimes, the masterminds behind long-term plans, innovative solutions and key decisions that position the organization for future success. They excel at seeing the bigger picture, identifying opportunities and risks, and aligning resources and priorities to achieve strategic goals. A key strategist strength is their ability to think beyond the immediate while comfortably navigating uncertainty and complexity. This, in turn, allows companies to anticipate change, adapt to evolving market conditions and position themselves for future success.

What Makes Connectors Special

Connectors are at the heart of every organization. They create value through relationships, oftentimes adapting their style to meet others where they are. One of the most important roles they play is that of champions for culture and employee engagement. They help create environments where people feel valued, included and connected to the broader mission. Their contributions improve communication, strengthen morale and support organizational resilience, particularly during periods of change. As work becomes more cross-functional and complex, their ability to align people and encourage teamwork becomes a critical competitive advantage.

Organizations that intentionally promote and support workplaces that integrate all three contribution styles position themselves to gain the most from their employees and their performance.

Understanding and Maximizing the Potential

Leading organizations typically recognize that success requires doers, strategists and connectors. In general:

A team of all doers can work well but won’t create a long-term vision.
A team of all strategists can create plans but won’t execute them.
And without connectors, a company will have communication gaps and will fail to collaborate.

Additionally, recognizing that individuals also may exhibit more than one style at any given time adds to the complexity of understanding how employees create value, as their contributions often span execution, strategy and relationship-building depending on the organization and/or team needs and the situation at hand.

To advance toward what the organization needs, understand what your employees want:

Doers want clear goals and flexible resources to carry out their tasks. They perform better in environments that provide autonomy, accountability, and recognition for results and problem-solving.
Strategists need time and space to think critically, analyze information and explore different ways of doing things. They prefer places that help promote innovation and provide information that helps them shape decisions and the course for the future.
Connectors require opportunities to build relationships, collaborate with teams and engage with a variety of different people. Their ideal environment promotes open communication and trust which helps create collaborative partnerships.

Organizations that intentionally promote and support workplaces that integrate all three contribution styles position themselves to gain the most from their employees and their performance. Providing opportunities to hone execution, thinking and relationships can encourage employees to build their strengths and to expand their skills.

When organizations recognize and value the diverse ways people contribute, they can build stronger teams, improve engagement, foster innovation, and create a culture where individuals and the business can thrive together.

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