Key Career Trait 2: THE DIRECTOR
- Erica Hughey
- May 5
- 4 min read
Key Career Trait 2 is all about leveraging the gift of recognizing the true direction for people, projects, or companies, and guiding them along that path. Your sense of where things are headed and what is necessary helps you shape the vision of a company and ensure that everyone works toward the same goal. Even if you don't always know exactly how to get there, you trust that the right way will reveal itself over time.
Your talent lies in bringing the right people together and ensuring that resources are used in the best possible way to bring the vision to life. You know how to motivate people and get them on board with the shared vision, without taking too much responsibility on your own shoulders. This kind of leadership fosters collaboration and ensures that everyone in the team can contribute.
As you develop this trait of directing yourself and others, it’s important to first be aware of your instincts. Having a sense of direction begin with crystal clear vision that is in accordance with your teams mission and values. The key is to not allow your ego, or desire to be first to market, or best in class to override your instinctive wisdom about what is the next best move for first yourself and then the company.
The next phase of directing is about tapping into the genius in your genes. This natural gift is an unlearnable knowing that is inherent to you and is an intelligence that defies logical explanation. Your gift of self-direction will be evident to your colleagues, and you will likely be asked to lead the way. Be mindful that you likely won’t be able to teach them the way because this inherent talent is non-transferable which calls for you to lead by example.
It's okay to have a few different directions that you are driven to explore. Its leads to invaluable experimentations and experiences that leads the way for others. Being patient and adaptable is key in acknowledging that life never ceases to give lessons for you to learn from and hone your skills and abilities.
Moving out of the initial introspective stage of development, next it is important to understand that there are some plans that only need to be shared on a need-to-know basis to maintain a harmonious work environment. Yes, your plans may impact your team members but find a balance regarding sharing details, discretion can be mission critical. Sharing project details too soon can lead to disruption or abortion of the mission due to outside influences.
You may notice that your business partners will expect you to know the best way forward and call on your visionary direction. You’ll want to remember that not every call for leadership is correct for you. A strategic application of your instinctive sense of direction is to bide your time until the action is merited. When the time is right, be sure to communicate directives with clarity and to utilize all available resources and not try to go it alone.
In the last stage of maturing into a director, you may find yourself fixated on finding a direction that matters, a project that is truly meaningful beyond the business’s bottom line. Additionally, the clear vision may turn into tunnel vision limiting you capacity to evolve, so be sure to detach from fears or doubts so that you can remain attached to your inner drive that guides you as you guide others.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT:
When you feel frustrated or melancholic because things are not moving fast enough, it's important to accept those feelings and not try to rationalize them. These phases are part of your creative process and offer you the opportunity to connect even more deeply with your visions and ideas. Instead of trying to change everything immediately, remember that patience is the key to finding the right direction. Your creative potential is even strengthened by these moments, as long as you allow it, without forcing it. By accepting this process, you will not only make clear decisions but also find the right direction to secure long-term success. This way, you can continue your course with confidence and clarity.
Ask yourself:
How can I transform worry into trust and receptivity?
Do I ask for help when needed? Why or why not?
Satori Synergy offers holistic, data-driven, transformative career coaching and team building to change-ready professionals and organizations to help cultivate successful work cultures and satisfying careers aligned with individual natural traits and strengths. Erica Hughey, a Career Analyst trained at the Human Design Business Institute, uses your Career Design Blueprint as an objective, individualized tool for tailored professional development, leadership training, talent management, and change management.
Get started by reading your personalized SOP, a Career Design Report or schedule an expert Career Design Analysis session to discover and discuss your prominent leadership traits. You'll learn how to leverage your innate skills to transform yourself and your work environment solving for communications issues by using your specific interaction strategies and authentic decision making.
