In the workplace – and in the womb – Harmonisers are in tune with everything and everyone around them.

In the womb, they’re already in touch with the inside and outside world. They’re across the nuances of their mum and dad’s voices and are waiting with anticipation to meet and be embraced by them.

A Harmoniser’s arrival marks a lifelong journey of deep connection with people.

At first glance, how Harmonisers fit into business development may not be as obvious as Ambition and Drive or Competents. When you delve deeper, though, Harmonisers are essential and possess distinct qualities that offer tremendous value to any business, if they’re welcomed and supported.

What is this gift they offer businesses? It’s their unique ability to connect, relate to, read, and make sense of all the different styles displayed by the people they meet. This gift paves the way for them to offer an incredible level of insights, insights that can be extremely helpful to a company when it comes to the decision-making process.

Wondering who is best to manage which account? 

Pondering what’s going on inside an internal team that’s experiencing challenges?

Ask a Harmoniser. 

The insights of a Harmoniser rarely enter the public domain of a workplace because they’re gentle, kind-hearted and non-forceful people (the opposite of Ambition and Drive) who don’t easily offer up their thoughts. However, if one can slow down, take some time, and allow a Harmoniser some space, their valuable insights about the people and relationships in the company will come to the fore.  

When one considers that a fundamental part of business development is understanding the web of nonverbal communication that weaves its way through all the interactions that this role may have, one can see the benefit of tapping into the wealth of knowledge Harmonisers – who are ever in-tune to this type of communication – have.

Essential Understandings

An important point to note, though, is that Harmonisers are typically not good negotiators. This means that, if pushed, they may offer a discount too early in the sales process, or they may take a step back in the process if they feel under pressure.

Obviously, this is not necessarily great in business development which necessitates a certain level of commercial mindedness and ability to make deals. Having said that, coupled alongside complementary people, Harmonisers will really add quite significant value to a business. 

Another key take-home about Harmonisers is that they don’t respond well to those who are too confrontational, so a somewhat more sensitive approach is helpful.

In a nutshell

Overall, Harmonisers have a great take on the internal culture of a company and can be essential in identifying what might be missing in this space. Knowing what’s missing and stepping in to rectify this can lead to a significant improvement in relationships and productivity.

If a company is looking to get more out of its team, wants a more connected, cohesive team or is considering how to retain its very best people long-term, it could pay to seek out the views of a Harmoniser. 

Doing this requires a high level of maturity and humility – and a preparedness to take a bit of a risk – but, very frequently, allowing this highly nurturing and respectful person to contribute to business development pays handsome dividends.