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. 

Dear class,

Through the times that I have been facilitating classes for the past semesters, I have observed the strengths of different teams from their presentation sessions and have noted the various qualities that make such teams strong. I wish to highlight the essence of these teams’ attributes through the description of a hypothetical class Team X as shown below:

When Team X is asked to present, its members are calm and composed. Their strong coordination skills can be observed as each members goes about setting up the presentation. While some set up the projector, the rest began to position themselves either at the front or the back of the class, readying themselves for the presentation.

When all are ready and the facilitator gives the signal to begin, the team members are at ease and one presents after another. During the course of the presentation, the members are confident of their content and – save for some technical details which they might refer to on their laptops or scripts, they present their points using their own words to the best of their abilities. They put in the effort to elaborate on the points that they are presenting and they provide relevant examples whenever it is applicable. Coordination skills between them are strong when the team present.  All the members are attentive and focused on what the other team members are talking. In the event that any of their team mates fumble in their presentation, they will immediately step in and assist.  This same phenomenon can be observed during the “Q & A” session as well.

During the course of the presentation, it can be observed that the team is formal in their presentation. They are serious but not to the extent of forgetting to use a dose of humour every now and then. The team members always stand while they are presenting (and this is so even while their team members are presenting) and they refrain from engaging in any form of distractions such as eating, drinking or even spinning in their chairs while presenting.  All the team members are focused during the presentation and none of the team member can be seen to be joking with members of other teams during the entire course of their presentation. They do not walk around the class chatting with members from other teams as well while their team mates are presenting, and they do not doodle on the white board should there be one behind them during the presentation.

To engage the class in their learning, the team also pose questions to the class during the course of their presentation, making sure that they have sustained the audience’s attention with their questions while not allowing their questions to be disruptive to the flow of their presentation.  When the team presents, each team member presents according to their prepared slides while at the same time, they are aware of what other team members are presenting. This is because they have discussed the content of their presentation before the actual presentation. This has enabled all the team members to understand the content of the entire presentation and how their presentation contributes to the team’s presentation on the whole. In fact, the team members are so familiar with the presentation content for the lesson that each of them are able to switch at will and present any of their team member’s slides should the situation calls for it. This is because every team member understands the presentation content and more importantly, the flow of the entire presentation.

The above illustrates the strong team dynamics of an excellent team. Although it is hypothetical and such a team does not exist yet, I hope that all of you are able to work towards being the great presenter that you already are. All of you are doing well, and have the potential to be the great presenters and team members in such a team as described above if you put in the effort to realise your potential. I do not expect you to work towards my ideals or expectations but I hope that you are able to improve yourself to the point where you can present with ease as a presenter while being a cohesive team member in your team as well such that you will be able to contribute to the team effort.

When all of you work together as a team, you can achieve great things. And some of these achievements are things that you may not consider possible before. 

So, keep up the good work and enthusiasm!

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).