Thinking about how to deal with type b personalities? Worried if you can manage them in the workplace? Or, are you worried about dealing with a type B lover? Or do you think that their laid-back nature might wreck your household’s stability?

Well, you did a good job finding this think-piece, because here you’ll know everything about it. Yes, a personality type isn’t the reason to give up on a gold employee, friend, or lover.

So, dig in to find the details…

How to deal with type B personalities?

You probably heard that type Bs are lazy, zoned out, and procrastinators. Well, such comments can make your heart waver… whether you have them as a student, employee, or lover. It’s normal to have second thoughts.

But it’s great that you didn’t work on those thoughts and actually tried to find help.

So, c’mon, let’s unfurl the secrets here…

1. Understand them but don’t assume anything

Study everything about type B personality traits… also read about their positive and negative traits, strengths and weaknesses, their approach to personal or professional situations, and anything else you can find about them.

Most people assume things like “being type B means they’re not as good as people with type A personality traits”.  Type Bs are frequently judged without a reason just because the alphabet comes second. However, try to understand that the naming had nothing to do with it.  

Another major statement that feeds this misunderstanding is that “Type Bs are polar opposites of type As”… and everyone assumes that B-types only have negative traits.

So, if you want to deal with a type B individual effectively, keep an open mind to understand the pros and cons of having them around. Don’t forget that all people are unique… so, they may not have the same strengths or weaknesses.

2. Accept their optimism but add realism

People with this type of personality are hard to break. They’ll never bend to any trouble and have immense faith in themselves. Even if they fail repeatedly, they never give up.

Even when they’re out of options, they’re full of hope. However, others around them can’t stay hopeful in such situations. Since they’re always so optimistic, people often call them unrealistic.

However, you must appreciate their positivity as it helps others. They can make others feel calm even in the face of calamities. When everyone is calm, they can defeat most setbacks. So, don’t judge their stubborn positivity blindly. Instead, be grateful for it.

On the other hand, make sure you stay grounded in reality. If a type B person says that they can still buy bread when they’re penniless even without working for it, help them snap out of it. If a type B person is optimistic but has no idea about reality, talk some sense into them.

3. Reward them appropriately

The greatest motivation for type B folks is the reward. It might be in the form of public recognition, certificates, plaques, and so much more. They want everyone to remember that they’re great. After being judged for being a “type B”, this is something normal they expect.

If a type B employee works well, a type B student performs well in academics, or a type B friend gets rid of their procrastinating tendencies, reward them appropriately. Praise them for doing a better job than before.

Type Bs love to get attention so much that it can work like bait to improve their performance. They fear others talking behind their back and feel anxious about being berated. So, once they get the taste of success, they’ll work hard to keep up the good work.

However, make sure you evaluate their performance properly. Otherwise, they might expect a lot even without doing much and get demotivated when they don’t get enough.

4. Don’t try to fix them

Type A and type B are always compared in a toxic way. Their entire life, a type B person grew up being questioned why they can’t be as perfect as the other kid (who’s usually a type A).

They grow up knowing they’re inadequate. Their parents and teachers always complain that they don’t do enough and their mind wanders off.  So, type Bs have deep wounds about being forced to be a certain way.

That’s why even if they have major flaws, don’t try to make them feel that they need to be like someone else. Don’t indicate that they’re flawed… never force them to compete with others. Instead, help them compete with themselves. Show them how to improve their skills without feeling less than others.

In fact, in a study among 500 students, they found that 90% of the medical students were type Bs and the rest were A-types. This shows how capable type Bs can be. So, change your attitude to help them.

5. Don’t give in to their laziness

If you read up about type C traits and weaknesses, procrastination is their #1 issue. Most of the time, they miss their deadlines and great opportunities because they procrastinate too hard.

They think they have plenty of time to take care of their tasks, they feel they can make up for it later, and keep delaying.

However, at some point, they lose track of time, forget about the task, or become busy with another task. That’s when the trouble begins. It might be too late when they realize their situation and face grave consequences.

But if you regularly remind them of something, they’ll complain that you’re nagging them. Instead, check up on them regularly to help them remember their responsibilities. However, if they still can’t get rid of procrastinating, you’re free to nag them for real. 

6. Allow them to socialize

Type Bs are social butterflies. They don’t just love to socialize with others, but they get their energy from socializing. So, let them do it!

People always try to suppress B-types because they talk a lot and make friends everywhere they go. Especially in professional and academic life, people isolate B-types so they don’t make noise and distract the rest.

However, socializing is a basic necessity. It helps people refresh their minds. The brain can be even more productive while exchanging ideas. B-types can even help out people express their opinions freely which helps others figure out cooler ideas.

So, don’t stop them from talking completely. Especially, if you don’t know what they talk about, don’t assume they’re doing something unnecessary. Who knows… they might be motivating or explaining something to others?

If you see a type B talking in class or during work, give them the benefit of the doubt initially.

7. But also keep them in check

Of course, you can’t let a type B person’s carefree approach to life ruin workplace productivity or the concentration of your class. So, allow them to talk only for a little while. Pay attention to how long they talk. If it takes more than 15 minutes, it’s time to intervene!

If they talk about something urgent, that much time is enough. If it’s something else, they might talk for longer. Since you can’t guess their topic of discussion, it’s better to check on them after a while. However, don’t accuse them of wasting time. Gently ask them to get back to work and that will be enough.

Moreover, even if a type B person isn’t chatting with others and works solo, make sure to check on them frequently. They might get lost in their unrealistic imaginations, so it’s always better to remind them to stay grounded.

8. Let them live as they wish

Most type Bs are laid back. No, they aren’t lazy just because they’re not competitive. Don’t assume that they don’t like to win… they honestly do. But they also like to enjoy the thrill of building something from scratch. They enjoy watching their projects come alive and take form, so don’t nag them just because they don’t hurry.

They like to appreciate themselves and their efforts. So, allow them to relish the thrill. Yes, the competition and urge to win will always exist… but if they feel more motivated by enjoying things, then let it be.

It’s pointless to force them to become competitive when that doesn’t help their drive to work harder. Your way of thinking is different from theirs… but that’s okay so long they fulfill their obligations.

They don’t multitask and rather do smart work. If they get the work done properly, accept it.

9. Yet, show them that a bit of discipline won’t hurt

Though type Bs do things differently, it doesn’t work the same everywhere. Suppose they love to work at their own pace. But if they get a job that needs them to hurry or be punctual, they must get accustomed to that.

If you’re a parent of a type B child, tell them that you accept that they take time in other areas of their life. But they can’t act the same in their school.

If you’re a friend, it’s your job to remind them that they must stay updated on group assignments. If you’re a coworker or boss and the job needs them to avoid losing track of time, remind them that.

Not every place is the same, and they must learn to understand the appropriate places for living life their way… and compromise wherever necessary.

13. Let them manage the team

Type B folks are amazing at managing stress levels. They can help others calm down, think optimistically, and focus on the job even during a crisis.

So, whether in school, college, or office, if you assign group tasks, put a type B person in each group. They can help out everyone with their friendly traits.

If the team members struggle to communicate with each other or express their opinions, a type B person can help. They can even sort out fights, give everyone a chance to express themselves, figure out a plan that uses everyone’s ideas, and help everyone get along.

All the team members can learn valuable lessons from how a type B person handles the situation. Moreover, they can even keep the team spirit high with their motivational side while keeping stress at bay!

11. Remind them to not take everything to heart

Type Bs hate being excluded from group activities. When they get annoyed, they don’t say anything rude to others. However, their facial expression and body language give away their secrets. They hold grudges for too long and even impact others’ moods.

Let’s say, you’re a coworker of a type B person who was left out of a group project. In this situation, tell them the honest reason why they didn’t include them. Perhaps they only needed the skills of those people. Or they only needed a few selected employees. Make sure it’s nothing mean.

If you’re a friend and another of your friends forgot to invite them to a party, tell them to not take it personally. They’re free to avoid that person if they want, but that’s no reason to spoil their mood.

The reason?

Type Bs motivate everyone around them. So, if they feel low, they’ll pull down everyone else’s spirits. This is disadvantageous for any circle. 

12. Give them time to be creative

Type Bs immerse deep in their thoughts when they need to use their creative energy. They have the habit of zoning out and immersing themselves deep in their thoughts. However, that’s impossible in a noisy area.

So, if a type B person studies something that needs creativity or works in a related field, give them the required time and space to delve deep into their thoughts.

If your type B lover asks you for space, don’t get it wrong. If your type B friend zones out while watching TV or hanging out, don’t accuse them of wasting your time. Just let them be, or else you’ll hurt their job or studies.

It’s better if you respectfully tell them to take their time. This way, they feel cherished and encouraged… and you save them from delaying their plans further. They’re great procrastinators… so, if you let them focus even if it’s an odd time, you’ll save them a lot of trouble.

13. Teach them to overcome their shortcomings

Folks with type B personality traits usually don’t dwell on their shortcomings. As mentioned, they’re extremely optimistic about everything. They believe they can work things out on their own without doing much about their weaknesses.

However, if they get overconfident about serious flaws, they can do major harm to themselves. So, if you’re a type B loved one, communicate about it. Tell them that they must work on it ASAP. Otherwise, they might get in trouble.

Make sure you use a friendly tone and have some facts ready to convince them. They might not be ready to accept it and think that you only want them to change. But make it clear that at the end of the day, they’ll only hurt themselves.

14. Urge them to build healthy boundaries

Type Bs avoid conflicts. They don’t like fighting with their loved ones over differences. To them, peace and calm are a priority. So, they often let the other person have their way when they have clashing opinions.

However, this might hurt a type B person later on. They might habitually give up on their happiness for others. Eventually, others’ expectations will keep growing. They’ll think that they deserve to be spoiled and take advantage of a type B person’s nature.

So, whenever you see a type B person facing such situations, remind them to build healthy boundaries. They can’t act like a pushover forever. Or they’ll attract major sorrows in their life. Remind them this repeatedly to help them get rid of this habit.

15. Make them aware of their health

Individuals with Type B personality traits aren’t as hyper and stressed as type A. So, they have lower incidences of physical and mental health issues. Type As face heart problems like coronary heart disease and high blood pressure.

Since type Bs are safe from most health risk factors of type As, they often neglect themselves. Moreover, they’re procrastinators, so they often slack off when it comes to eating healthy or exercising regularly.

All that neglect harms type Bs a lot. So, if you’re close to a type B person, remind them to have a balanced diet, work out regularly, and get regular health checkups. Nag them if needed as this can save them from harming themselves severely.

A word from ThePleasantPersonality

Type Bs are often misunderstood because of their different way of thinking and living. People often give up on them before even trying.

But since you came so far to understand them, it is pretty obvious that you want to keep them around and you noticed their value.

Since people like you exist around the world, It gives everyone hope that human beings aren’t just thrown away like commodities. That people still work on making things work.

With that, you will eventually have a great time dealing with the type Bs around you… because you’re one of a kind!

Article Sources

1. https://www.verywellmind.com/type-b-personality-4589000
2. https://www.thomas.co/resources/type/hr-blog/type-b-personality
3. https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/personality/understanding-the-type-b-personality/