Key Design Career Trait 60: THE OPTIMIST
- Erica Hughey
- Jan 16
- 3 min read
Updated: Feb 4
All hail this SWOT Analysis King or Queen! Trait 60 knows how to keep it real with a flair for optimism. This is the ability to express your leadership style by setting the rules of engagement, managing expectations, controlling emotions and use your energy strategically to expand the horizon for yourself and for your team. If Trait 60 is in your Career Design, your annual reviews are likely to be easy and breezy with no surprises because not only are you wearing the SWOT crown for your department, you also examine your own strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats as a team player regularly.
You accept the current limitations of your reality with the realization that change is inevitable and will serve you well in due time. Your team relies on your uncommon common sense and they look to you, waiting to watch you take the lemons you all have to work with and turn them into refreshing lemonade.
Often, we forget that we are human beings who work as employees, executives or entrepreneurs where we are seen in a limiting framework, as a resource, a human resource. This is where imagination and innovation are stifled and suffer death by red tape. Red tape… the societal laws, exclusion practices and internal policies in place that prevent us from expressing ourselves outside of our little boxes. It's here the flow of creativity is controlled, preventing anything innovative, let alone original, from taking root and sprouting. Not only does this limit progress and prosperity but policing people and maintaining outdated structures distract us from our initial intentions, our business’ core mission and vision. When there is an opening, just a tiny crack in the homogenized energy, the fresh inspiration of The Thinker (Trait 61) can facilitate progress on your team’s project or towards your organization’s mission and it's The Optimist job to set the stage for that.
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT
If you’re not your best self, not operating in your personal nature correctly, you’ll experience this trait as limitations, limiting yourself and others. You may find yourself feeling off kilter, unstructured and shying away from commitment. Or the other side of that coin is to be too structed, rigid, and not allow in any new ideas or questions from others, which stops everyone’s growth on your team.
At your best, you are a realist. A change agent and a change manager ushering in justice for all. You contribute to the workplace by having insight on what projects or procedures need innovation or transformation. You know how to assess a situation that is less than ideal and work your magic within the set parameters.
Ask yourself:
Am I aware of my own, self-imposed rules? What is beyond my control and what is within my control?
How to I balance sustaining a necessary, stabile structure while remaining open to what’s possible?
If the energy described in this trait resonates with you, you may have it in your Career Design Chart. Ready to take charge of your professional development? Don't know how to describe yourself on your annual review or resume? Whether you are looking to dig deeper, level up, or both... Satori Synergy has the customized report or coaching you need. Our data driven signature Business Sociology approach to consulting is tailored to you which helps you to begin to unlock your full potential by introducing you to your nature and your nurture leading you to experience professional success and personal satisfaction.
