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Personalities That Make Up ‘A Dream Team’
When you think of the word “creative” what is the first thing that comes to mind? Let me take it a step further. What companies come to mind when hear the words creative or innovative? Nowadays corporate enterprises are consistently trying to find innovative ways to push creativity, but still deliver their brand agenda. Cultivating an environment that breeds constant forward-thinking and creative best practices is a difficult task to sustain without the right pieces in place. Building that dream team and delivering exceptional results on a consistent basis can takes years to build. So, as a corporate executive or manager you should begin to contemplate what key functionalities are missing from your team and address them proactively.
I recently came across a series of articles entitled “Psychological Profiles of the Dream Team” written by Don Fornes, Founder & CEO at Software Advice. The principle concepts founded in these articles were developed with the assistance of Dr. James Maynard a local workforce psychologist. The articles identify the four types of employees that excel in the workplace, and the job functions they perform well in.
The Giver
The name really tells the tale! Givers are the individuals that like to give to other people. Their predominant goal is selflessly dedicating themselves to being a servant to the company they work for. They will go the extra mile and go above and beyond the call of duty to support the 
company infrastructure.
The article defines Givers as “great lieutenants.” Meaning they tend not to want to lead the cavalry, and they perform the best when given a set of directives in which to carry out. “They may be good leaders, but they typically don’t want to be the boss” says Don Fornes.
Givers must inherently develop sharp people skills and the ability to handle constructive criticism, and learned to be diplomatic when it comes to problem solving. They need to either possess or development strong communications skills – they must know when to speak up and when to stand down. Givers are loyal by default, and can be an invaluable asset to your team.
Key Performance Roles: What They’re Good At:
- Marketing Strategy
- Software Development
- Administrative
- Executive Support
- Customer Service
Quality Ranking Overview:
The Champ
Champs are the firecrackers within the company–meaning they are high-energy individuals that make things happen in the workplace. They are goals-oriented and thrive when presented with a challenge. Optimism is one of their strongest attributes. Champs don’t buy into the negative connotations that surround the word failure. The Champ looks at every experience as an opportunity for growth, and can find solace even in the face of rejection. Experiencing a loss will just reinforce their desire to win. They do not subscribe to the notion of “Quiting!”
According to Don Fornes “Champs tend to come with another distinguishing characteristic: the “Chip” on their shoulder. That Chip can come from a variety of sources, such as the socio-economic status they lacked as a child, their physical appearance or their educational background.” They will always feel the need to prove themselves even in the midst of success. They constantly fight complacency by not over celebrating or counting their last successes. Instead they continuously strive for greatness by constantly pursuing new goals, and setting higher performance benchmarks. The Champ is often times never satisfied!
Key Performance Roles: What They’re Good At:
- Sales
- CEO
- COO
- Political Campaigns
- Management
Quality Ranking Overview:
The Matrix Thinker
Don Fornes describes Matrix Thinkers as “your quintessential creative types.” They take on tasks in a non-linear fashion, and are constantly absorbing information from the environment around them in order to quantify their reasoning and unorthodox concepts. They thrive 
completely outside of the realm of normal thinking, and this is what makes them a valuable asset to any team.
If their professional skills are developed properly they can exhibit a high level of creativity and innovation in the workplace. They’re usually great problem solvers, and exceedingly proficient in disregarding the common approaches to dealing with issues. The Matrix Thinker can provide abstract concepts and pioneer new methodologies when it comes to problem-solving. Matrix Thinkers are extremely proficient at multitasking; they can transition seamlessly between projects and manage to maintain a high level of productivity. A Matrix Thinker will thrive when asked to create, and develop new projects; they are the trailblazers, and ambitious visionaries within a company setting. Their naturally ambitious attitude makes them prime candidates for top-level executive and creative leadership positions.
Key Performance Roles: What They’re Good At:
- Software Development
- Creative
- CEO
- Marketing Strategy
- Writing & Editing
Quality Ranking Overview:
The Savant
“Savants are creatures of habit” according to Don Fornes. Most Savants are introverts, and thrive when a routine is established. They can be useful in many different areas, but inherently excel when they are focusing on one task at a time. They are highly productive individuals when isolated from distractions and working in a controlled environment. Once they find their comfort-zone they possess the ability to focus intensely on task in front of them.
Savants are really passionate about their job performance. They employ their natural creative abilities and intelligence to help with their skill development. Savants can become expert-level performers when they set their minds to it. Savants are naturally curious; they never grow tired of learning. They have the ability to pick up new skills with ease, and showcase an exceedingly high-level of patience. They are the perfect student!
Savants are natural perfectionist. They set high standards for themselves, and refuse to settle for subpar results. “They strive to produce a perfect product” explains Don Fornes. Savants are motivated by the pursuit of perfection. Their precision focus and that keen attention to detail highlight their innate ability to deliver above average results on a consistent basis.
Key Performance Roles: What They’re Good At:
- Research & Analysis
- Engineering
- Creative
- Writing & Editing
- Marketing Support
Quality Ranking Overview:
So which profiles best suits you? Are you a hybrid of multiple profiles? Let’s not end the conversation here. Find us on Facebook, Twitter or Google+. We want to hear from you!
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