Personality and tech: The Sentinel

We look at how the Sentinel personality type responds to tech

During the past few weeks, we’ve looked at Analysts, Diplomats, Explorers and how technology choices made by managers and IT teams can have an impact on their ability to work effectively. In this final part, we take a look at The Sentinel to understand how businesses who really want to get the most from them need to ensure they have an autonomous approach to end user computing.

If you missed parts 1, 2 and 3 in the series, please feel free to go back and read below, and feel free to get in touch with us if you have any questions about how your own IT can be improved with personalities in mind.

Read on to see how the likes of training, offering users a choice of Mac or PC, and ensuring that they are able to affordably have access to the very latest models, can have a huge impact to the way that Sentinels feel about their day to day.

Part 1: The Analyst

Part 2: The Diplomat

Part 3: The Explorer

Part 4: The Sentinel

The Sentinel

The Sentinel doesn’t like change… It’s a common trait of the introverted side of a lot of personalities, but Sentinels who are both introverted and extroverted are reluctant to alter their ways. While they tackle it when change is encouraged from peers and managers, they’ll often need a helping hand. For new tech, training can go a long way towards helping them feel more confident in the alterations, and to understand the rationale behind that change. Whether that’s training on how to use Mac for the first time, additional support when implementing new software or processes, or simply giving familiarity training when a new version of an OS is released. Sentinels will actually rarely ask for help themselves but are often keen to accept it when it’s offered, so a proactive approach to IT training can go a long way.

The Sentinel like social status… Interestingly, Sentinels can be obsessed with social status. Unlike the Explorer who often needs enticing with new tech to break the monotony, Sentinels want it simply to stay in line with trends. That means they’ll get excited by new releases where there’s a new form factor, so expect them to be more interested when Apple announce a new colour of iPhone or Mac as opposed to a new software feature. Having a technology model that allows for easy upgrade either via device trade-ins, short term leases or rental of those on an ‘on demand’ basis can help to ensure you can cater to that thirst for something new. If that sounds expensive, it shouldn’t – depending on the tech in question and the purchasing route, it can end up being cheaper than buying hardware outright, and has the added benefit of limiting any downtime from ageing machines.

The Sentinel enjoys autonomy… Above all else, the Sentinel enjoys taking control of their own work and can be quite inflexible with that approach. Giving them that autonomy to “get on with it” when it comes to their day job can mean you get the very best from them. A really easy way to do that is to ensure they have a full suite of apps at their finger tips. The Sentinel is good at understanding what they need and when they need it, and allowing them to work out how to achieve a desired outcome can mean you get a great return from their skillset – all with little guidance from colleagues and managers.

That autonomy can extend to the hardware side of things too – the Mac vs PC debate is still as hot of a topic as it has ever been, and with more businesses looking to give employees the choice to decide which they prefer, implementing a scheme whereby users use what works best for them is easier than ever. For Sentinels, having that level of choice and being able to decide on a Mac over PC, for example, can make a huge difference to the way they feel about their workplace, their employer and their day to day work.

So what next?

The key to a happy workplace is in designing an environment which best fits thepersonalities within it. Unfortunately for most businesses, that can mean trying to cater for a lot of different types of competing people. But by creating a technology estate that is flexible and adaptable, but that also gives complete control to IT teams, it can be done.

After all, working to people’s strengths will not only make for a happier work environment, it will also help you create a more productive team.