Out of all the talents, the Creatives are the most misunderstood.

Highly individualistic by nature, the Creatives take pride in all of their works. While there may be some Creatives who appreciate the contributions of others, most of them do not. They take great delight in creating something out of their own efforts and they often create something for aesthetical value and not for practical usage.

The last point is what makes the Creatives unsuitable in most corporate workplaces, where practicality and profits often take precedence over aesthetical beauty. Conflicts and disagreement often result between management and the Creatives since there’s apparently a conflict of interest between the two: the management wants to make a profit with a practical product while the Creatives often opt for aesthetics.

Another factor that makes the Creative averse to working in the corporate workplace is the fact that most of them hate the rules and bureaucratic atmosphere that exist in most work places. The Creatives often wants independence and flexibility to do what they want to do, which means that they want some quiet time to think things through. And they have a strong dislike for deadlines. Unfortunately, deadlines are prevalent in most work places and the numerous meetings often frustrate the Creatives. This may explain why the Creatives are often found in certain professions, which includes fashion design, advertising and any form of performing arts (dance, musicals etc) where freedom and flexibility is often given and even encouraged.

It’s interesting to note that there exists a group of Creatives who are able to blend their creative talents with the practical demands of companies. This gives them an edge when it comes to certain industries such as the design industry, the IT industry etc. An ability to use their creative talents to increase the profitability of a company may be one of the few ways for Creatives to assimilate into the company. Nevertheless, most Creatives will never allow their creative talents to be compromised by bureaucratic demands.  

To most Creatives, being creative is actually a gift. This is because not everyone is one. They feel that they are special in this world and they want to make use of this talent to create something for the good of mankind.  Most of them do not pursue materialistic wants and they are satisfied that the works that they have created have made this world a more beautiful place.

Out of all the talents, the Enthusiasts may be the easiest to identify because they are often the most prominent, both in terms of their verbal contributions to any conversations as well as their bubbly and their ability to create laughter around them.  Enthusiasts may not be complete optimists but their vibrant personality often misleads people into thinking so. Nevertheless, Enthusiasts are often the people that one turns to when they need a listening ear or just wants to lighten up, besides the Nurturers.

They also have an ability to turn mundane things and activities into interesting endeavours.  They make work enjoyable and are often able to see the positive side of things. It’s almost impossible not to be affected by the positive vibes  of Enthusiasts. Thus, Enthusiasts often have the privilege of being asked to be the team player who gel people together. This is because most Enthusiasts have the ability to communicate with most individuals of diverse personalities. 

Because Enthusiasts are spontaneous, they are often individuals who like variety. Hence, Enthusiasts are also among the individuals who will often pursue the latest trends and look for the latest technical gadgets in town. This tendency might not be true for all Enthusiasts but it does illustrate the fact that Enthusiasts are individuals who like changes and have fun at the same time.

This desire to have fun is actually a weakness of Enthusiasts, as they often do not have a tendency to take on heavy responsibilities. As taking on responsibility means tackling tasks with intense seriousness, Enthusiasts have a tendency to steer away from it. However, with encouragement from friends, Enthusiasts might just overcome this psychological barrier. 

After looking at the Nurturer and the Reformer, it’s probably good to look at another type of talent, known as the Achiever.

Nurturers thrive in relationship building and Reformers have their strengths in following and achieving their life goals. The Achievers, on the other hand, have their eyes on achievements. To the Achievers, achievements are their life. Every moment in their lives are dedicated to achieving something. These can be in the form of academic qualifications, sports achievements (it is interesting to note that trophies are especially important to them since it’s a physical symbol of their effort and achievements), positive job appraisals and compliments from friends or any form of contributions that they consider valuable.

While it’s true that some Achievers do well in life in terms of financial stability and/or wealth acquisition, most Achievers do not measure their worth in life in terms of monetary terms but rather, in their achievements. It can be a closing of a sales deal. It can be a contribution of an article to a magazine and seeing it in print. It can also be the completion of a 3.5km run. As can be observed, monetary acquisition is not a prerequisite in the lives of  the Achievers. But making positive contributions through their own effort is.

Achievers can be found in all walks of life and their entire lives are often purposeful. Once they have directed their focus on their life goals to contribute their abilities to make the world a better place, they will almost always achieve them with excellent results. Their existence is hence beneficial to society and their contributions immense.  

It is important to note that the Achievers are often independent workers. If they are invited to work in a team, it is important that the objectives of the team work be aligned with the objectives of the Achievers and that efforts be made to ensure that the achievers be placed within a specific job domain where they have full autonomy. For example, should Achievers be tasked to work with a team in an advertising company for a publicity campaign, it will be advisable for Achievers to be given full autonomy over a certain product line. Giving Achievers a sense of control over their work is vital to them doing their best.

It can be observed that Achievers often have a tendency to do their best and excel in what they do. This tendency of theirs actually reveals their primary weakness, which is their competitive nature. While competitive nature is good for solitary activities (such as writing and editing) and solitary sports (such as jogging and cycling), being competitive is detrimental to their effectiveness as team players. This is because they have a tendency to stand out from the rest. In another words, Achievers are more of an individualist than a conformist.  

But all is not lost. Achievements are often sought after by employers who need people to spearhead projects. This is because the Achievers’ passions for achievements are crucial to the success of any tasks. Hence, Achievers are often regarded as an asset to an organisation.  Nevertheless, care has to be taken to ensure that Achievers are given the flexibility and freedom in their work.

Achievers are at their best as independent workers and when empowered, they are almost unmatched in terms of work efficiency.

Some possible career options for Achievers will be:

• All professions where the Achievers have the expertise, flexibility and freedom to maximise their abilities to the fullest.

Unlike the Nurturers who accommodate others, the Reformers are the complete opposite.  They do not back down easily when they have made a decision, even in the face of intense opposition.  Nevertheless, Reformers will still often abide by any existing hierarchical structures.

While this may seem like a weakness (since individuals who challenge others directly usually suffer a severe backlash), this is – in fact- a strength. Why is this so? This is because the Reformers are not easily swayed by the opinions of others and hence, are often able to carve out their own paths in life. While the Nurturers’ accommodating and caring nature often win the affection of others and hence attract friends to them, the Reformers’ attributes and antics usually ensure the fulfillments of their life goals. They are almost always immune to any form of distractions and external opinions, leaving them with the freedom and flexibility to pursue their own dreams. 

Reformers also have their principles, and they usually adhere to these principles very rigidly and stringently. They impose a very high standard both for others and themselves. And Reformers can be very hard on themselves if there’s a breach of this principles.  For example, if Reformers value punctuality, they will ensure that they will make it to the meeting venue before the prearranged meeting time. And they will expect others to do the same. If Reformers are late, they can be very harsh on themselves.  The good thing about this trait of theirs is that through this personality, Reformers develop discipline and order, both in themselves and others.

In the world of the Reformers, there are only two colours: black and white. There are no gray areas. It’s either that one is right, or one is wrong. Consider a scenario whereby Reformers realise that their best friend is cheating. While most of us will take some time to consider the ethical decision of reporting the cheating case, Reformers will not hesitate to report their friend to the teacher with minimal consideration, and feel that it is the perfectly right thing to do.  

As the name implies, Reformers always strive for perfection in everything they do. They find satisfaction in perfection, even when such endeavours take a serious toll on their health, time and friendships. In their world, there are no flaws, and no mistakes. And they are definitely no rooms for error.

These characteristics make Reformers very meticulous individuals, thus making them suitable for certain professions, as follows:

• Detective
• Crime Scene Investigator (CSI)
• Disciplinarian
• Lawyer
• Judge
• Military profession

It can thus be observed that each talent has their own strengths and weaknesses.   But this is to be expected. And this is also the reason why team work (consisting of different personalities and hence talents) are often preferred over the solitary contribution of an individual (regardless of his or her ability).

Dear class,

In the coming months, I am going to start a series of articles on the types of personalities that we possess. While each of our personalities has its pros and cons, it cannot be denied that our personalities define our talents. Through our personalities, we are able to identify our strengths and through our strengths, we will find our talents.

I am hoping that through this deeper understanding of our talents, we will be able to see the potential in ourselves,  as well as releasing this potential to be our best by excelling in life.  I will also explore the possible career options for the various personality types. So, stay tuned.

I will be starting this series of articles soon, beginning with The Nurturer. So, do back often for updates.