Key Career Trait 17: OPINIONS
- Erica Hughey
- Mar 24
- 3 min read
Your contribution to the team lies in your ability to see patterns and predict outcomes. Your clear visionary analysis and logical assessments are perfect guides to creating strategies and making decisions for your business. This is the talent to form your opinions and communicate them for the benefit of the company when asked. Trait 17 is rooted in left brain energy and the ultimate service is to uphold integrity through challenging misrepresentations in the workplace.
Your ability to structure facts and present them concisely makes you an expert in your field as you are able to establish order in chaotic conversations about complex topics. This trait of Opinion is at its best when it is far-sighted and can see the forest for the trees. This a gift of being able to see the minute mechanic of a situation while still being able to see the horizon in the bigger picture. This energy knows that all opinions stem from comparisons or seeing weaknesses in patterns. And what we accept as reasonable or common sense is just someone opinions wrapped in selective facts that justify it while ignoring counter facts that could disprove it.
So, with that, it encourages you to not take life so seriously and don’t take anything personally. You know what they say, “opinions are like ________ and everybody has one.” Your opinions are insightful but that doesn’t make them law so take a step back and enjoy the bird’s eye view. You may experience what feels like déjà vu when are looking into the horizon and can envision the future of a project or new product. When others around you recognize that you can see further and wider than they can and ask you about the view up there. That is correct time to share what you see, otherwise you may find yourself stressed out or even shunned or “canceled”.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT:
This energy can come off as overly critical and even confrontational due to your strong desires to express and defend your opinions. While your fact checking eye is a great asset, be mindful that it is best to hold your opinion until explicitly asked and do so with inclusive language to encourage discussion instead of contention.
Also understand that not everything in business follows predictable patterns, such as customer behaviors, employee engagements, etc. So, while you’re applying the standard science of business management, it will serve you well to incorporate some EQ with your IQ. This would look like having an awareness that not every opinion demands an immediate answer, needs to be shared at all or needs to be defended. Tapping into you emotional intelligence to compliment your cognitive intelligence will allow for flexibility, innovation and professional growth for you.
Ask yourself:
Am I imposing my opinions onto others to assert power or gain control?
How would self-awareness and self-critique help me challenge my beliefs and assumptions?
What is the best way to share my insights in a way that inspires others and contribute collective positivity in my work environment?
Do you think you have this trait 17 of Opinions in your Career Design? I invite you to generate your chart and download customized report or schedule an exclusive session with me. You can learn how to add emotional intelligence to your leadership skills, discover what is elite and unique about you, and how to leverage and align your innate qualities in your career.
