Are you the person who loves the start-up process? Whether it’s a new business, reconfiguring your office space, writing the next great novel, or getting the junk drawer organized, some of us get our greatest boost when we make something new happen. Nothing is better than playing with the newness and the possibilities that you envision for the future are exciting.
You love innovation; new ideas, collaborations, activity and creating something from nothing. You can envision what needs to happen, pulling in resources, making connections and multi-tasking throughout. Everything is bright and shiny as you engage others in seeing your vision and joining you. There is energy, excitement and nervous anticipation. No matter, once it is up and running, regardless of the time it takes, be it months or years, you have checked out. You are done and have little interest in maintaining or sustaining it.
Now what??? Look for the people who have no interest in the nascent stage of development. They want to come in once something is established, avoiding the often drama infused start-up process. They are skilled at maintaining and growing something already existing.
You love to train, oversee, organize and develop actions that can take this business to the next level. You are skilled at implementation, overseeing and documenting what needs to happen. You are the anchor and the person who anticipates repeating patterns in the life cycle of an organization. You refine, tweak and strengthen operations.
We all have preferences and while we are not always able to choose 100% of what we do, it’s important to know what we are good at and what we favor. Some of us want to be at the head of the line, in the spotlight, performing at the out-of-the-box/creative level, yet we also will incorporate some sustainer methodology in our work. Likewise, the steward of the business will also be utilizing the skill-set of the creative/visionary in order to be successful. Yes, when we understand our preferences, we can better make meaningful, sustainable and personally satisfying contributions to the success of an endeavor AND the stress level is greatly reduced as well.
• Think of a time when you had your most positive professional experience • Starter or sustainer? • Was it by choice or by chance?