What is your Working Style ?

Julie Hay’s Working Styles come from an idea called “drivers” in Transactional Analysis. Drivers are hidden “rules” we learn as children—like “you must be perfect” or “you must be strong.” These rules become automatic habits in adulthood, especially at work.

Hay turned these drivers into a practical model with a questionnaire that helps people spot their main work behaviors.

### The Five Working Styles

There are five styles. Each can help you succeed, but if you overdo it, it can cause problems.

#### 1. Be Perfect

- **What it looks like:** You focus on accuracy, details, and facts. You want to be correct.

- **At work:** You’re reliable for precise tasks. But under stress, you may become overly critical, sarcastic, or indecisive.

#### 2. Be Strong

- **What it looks like:** You focus on getting things done, not on relationships. You’re determined and like taking risks.

- **At work:** You push projects forward and handle tough decisions. But you might seem aggressive or uncaring, especially in conflicts, where you try to overpower others.

#### 3. Hurry Up

- **What it looks like:** You feel a constant need for speed.

- **At work:** Great for fast-paced jobs (like emergency services) that need quick action. But rushing can lead to mistakes or burnout.

#### 4. Please Others

- **What it looks like:** You value harmony and connecting with people.

- **At work:** You bring warmth and teamwork to the office. Often paired with speed to balance efficiency with a supportive attitude.

#### 5. Work Hard

- **What it looks like:** You feel driven to put in lots of effort and complete tasks.

- **At work:** You get things done. But you may overwork yourself or follow orders without questioning if they’re needed.

### How Organizations Use This Model

Companies use these working styles to understand how people behave under pressure. For example:

- Managers can spot their own style and avoid its downsides.

- Mentors can move away from old-fashioned, top-down mentoring and build equal, helpful partnerships with their mentees.

- A simple questionnaire helps employees identify their main style and manage its negative effects on performance.