You need to focus on relationships

Here we get ever so slightly touchy feely. My outlook on life (and all it includes eg managing people) is this:

The meaning of life: Relationships
The essence of life: Gratitude

Everyone is different
We like to be able to categorise people, preferably into 4 neat pigeonholes, but my experience is that no two people are alike (not withstanding ShiftHappens slide 5).

We love the simplicity of Myers-Briggs and other psychometric tests, and they can useful. However I think they are only an accompaniment to really understanding your people.

So, instead of creating categories (analytical vs creative, left brain vs right brain, defensive vs temperamental, etc), have a special black book on all your staff.

Keep a Black Book
In this little black book you should note down:

• their interests, goals and career outlook
  
• personal lives
  
• all positives about them (including achievements and input they have contributed to company and family)
  

Do not put anything negative!

Refer back to this book regularly, to remind yourself of strengths of your team, plus things to send their way.