How to Train Different Personality Types Without Losing Your Mind

Deborah Ann Martin
Jan 20
4 min read

Updated: Jan 22

Business professionals with different personalities collaborating around a conference table during leadership training — When you understand personality, frustration turns into collaboration.

Training employees isn't a one-size-fits-all task. Some people want to dive in and try it themselves. Others want every single step written down. Some ask a thousand questions. Others sit silently, nodding along while you wonder if anything is sinking in.

As a supervisor, I had to learn the hard way that if you train everyone the same, you’re going to miss the mark with at least half of your team. People don’t all learn the same, and they definitely don’t think the same.

What I’ve come to realize over the years is that training people isn’t just about teaching them a process. It’s about building trust, understanding how they operate, and giving them what they need to succeed, without driving yourself crazy in the process.

Understanding Learning Styles at Work

I’m a big-picture person. I’m great at seeing the goal, laying out a general plan, and moving things forward. But I’m not a detailed person. That’s why I surround myself with people who are, people who can spot a misspelled word with a blindfold on. People who won’t rest until every checkbox is done, every comma is in the right place, and every step is verified.

When I train someone new, I use what I call a layered approach:

Show them first. I walk through the task with them so they see it being done.
Give them a step-by-step SOP with screenshots and folder paths so they can walk through it themselves.
Have them try it with supervision. This lets me see where the gaps are in their understanding.
Let them fly solo with a safety net. I watch how they handle it on their own, with someone nearby just in case.

If you train someone this way, you can tell pretty quickly what kind of learner they are. Some will ask a million questions. Some want to be left alone with the instructions. Others need to physically do the thing before it clicks.

Different Personality Types and How to Work With Them

Here are some of the most common personality types I’ve trained, and how I’ve learned to adjust my methods:

1. The Detail-Oriented Analyst This person double-checks everything. They don’t move forward unless they understand it completely. They may be slower to train, but once they get it, they never forget.

These folks thrive with structured SOPs and written directions. Let them ask questions. Give them checklists. Let them be thorough. They’ll become your rock.

2. The Big-Picture Thinker They’re fast, adaptable, and creative, but they hate being boxed in. Don’t give them 10 pages of rules right away. Start with the "why" behind the task, then give them freedom to explore. They’ll circle back for details as needed.

3. The Quiet Doer These employees don’t talk much. They nod, they listen, and they seem like they’re following, but you’re never quite sure.

For these people, it’s best to let them try the task while you observe quietly. Then talk through what they did afterward to make sure they understood.

4. The Talker You know the one. They ask questions. They tell stories. They want to discuss everything. Give them verbal walk-throughs and time to talk out the process, but set boundaries so you don’t get derailed.

5. The Resistant Learner This person doesn’t want to be there. Maybe they’re unhappy about being moved into a new role, or maybe they just don’t like change.

You can’t fix everything, but you can sit down with them one-on-one, acknowledge their concerns, and explain why this training matters. Sometimes being heard is all they need to engage.

Avoiding Training Burnout (For You and Them)

I’ve been thrown into jobs where the only instruction I got was, “Go find something to do.” That’s a terrible feeling. And if I weren’t the kind of person who likes to figure things out, I would’ve been stuck. Some people need clear direction, and it’s our job as supervisors to provide it.

To avoid losing your mind in the process:

Use SOPs for everything repeatable. Let the document do the talking.
Match people to their strengths. Don’t put your slow, careful employee in a high-speed multitasking role and expect them to love it.
Give feedback often, kindly, and clearly.
Celebrate wins. Everyone learns better when they feel encouraged.

Letting People Learn Their Way

The best thing I ever did was to make training part of the team culture. I let new hires know:

“This SOP isn’t just here to teach you. It’s to test whether the document itself works. If something is confusing or missing, you tell me.”

That mindset turns training into collaboration. It puts responsibility on the trainee and opens the door for improvement.

Not everyone will learn the same way. But everyone can learn, if you give them a path that makes sense for how they think.

When Someone Still Doesn’t Get It

There are times when someone just doesn’t learn, because they’re in the wrong role.

I had an employee who was incredibly detailed, but the job required fast-paced multitasking. She looked like she was failing, but she wasn’t. She just needed a different role. When she moved to a job that matched her style, she thrived.

Sometimes, people don’t want to learn. They’re checked out. Maybe they’re going through something in their personal life. Maybe they just don’t want to be there.

You can try to reach them, but don’t let one person drag down your whole team. You’ve got others depending on you.

Final Thoughts

Training is leadership in action. It’s where you turn knowledge into team growth. And it’s where you figure out who your people are, not just what they know.

If you want a strong, adaptable team, you can’t just train the task. You have to train the person.

Get to know them. Use different tools. Build SOPs. Encourage questions. Allow mistakes. And above all, don’t lose your mind. They’re learning. And so are you.