The 6 Dominant Action Styles: How To Leverage Yours To Build a Happier Career

Part of Kathy Caprino's series "Becoming The Most Powerful You"

Over my 16 years of coaching professionals around the world, and five years as a therapist, as well as 18 years in corporate life, I’ve worked with about every type of person with every type of challenge you can imagine. Several years ago, I started to notice in my coaching practice that certain people were motivated very powerfully to achieve certain types of goals, but not others.

And on top of that, I observed that each individual has a special "style" which they applied in the process of achieving their goals. These styles differ significantly from other people's action styles, and impact what motivates them to move forward toward the completion of a task or objective. Finally, I saw that if professionals somehow didn't feel free to reveal or use their authentic style, or if their work cultures didn't respect their style and they had to embrace another way of behaving, these folks suffered in a big way (and sometimes lost their jobs or changed careers because of it).

I committed to learning more about this powerful phenomenon, and help people recognize their special style and make the right moves and decisions so they could leverage that style more fully and openly, in their lives, work and relationships.

Through this process, I’ve seen that there are six dominant action styles – six key ways in which humans naturally and preferentially take action towards a goal and in how they approach transition and change.

I’ve discovered too that these six styles shape what people deeply want, need and dream of creating. Our preferred action style influences the type of people we get along best with, the impact we long to make, the outcomes we care about, and the people we’ll allow to help us.

If our dominant action style isn’t respected or allowed to be fully exercised in our work and personal lives, we often feel misunderstood, undervalued, thwarted, disconnected, and unfulfilled.

And just as we see with our society's bias against introverts, there are work cultures that have a strong bias against some of these action styles as well.

The impact of our preferred action style is significant, but we aren’t trained to recognize it, so we pursue jobs that are wrong for us, and spend too long in jobs and careers that fail us. I know about this deeply because it happened to me in my corporate life.

I’ve found that our preferred action styles have roots in our hardwiring, but are also nurtured throughout our lives and experiences. In addition, our dominant action style shapes how we see life, how we envision success and happiness, and why we so often have painful conflicts with (and negative judgments about) others who demonstrate a different style.

In each of us, there is some crossover among styles, and a certain style might emerge at a given time to address a particular kind of problem. But overall, there is one main style that represents who you are at your core.

What are the top six action styles and why do you need to know?

I’ve observed these six categories below that reflect how humans take action to a goal:

(For an illustration of how these styles are different, let’s use as an example that all of the individuals below have identified a goal of taking a road trip this year from New York City to Los Angeles):

The Striver

This individual is motivated keenly by achievement and accomplishment – by setting goals and doing what’s required to clear the pathway to achieve those goals. Strivers work hard consistently to overcome their challenges, and won’t hesitate to get outside help, advice and support from others to achieve their visions. They are deeply driven by accomplishment and by getting to the other side of their goal as expeditiously and efficiently as possible, as if to make a big “check mark” on their to-do list that represents “Done!”

The strength?of this style: The ability to move toward a goal continuously and proactively, without letting outside obstacles and distractions get in the way.

The potential limitations?of this style:?Strivers sometimes?prioritize achievement?and accomplishment over other important dimensions of behavior and human experience, such as empathy, compassion, interconnectedness and patience. The Striver is often a “perfectionist overfunctioner” striving to do more than is necessary, appropriate, and healthy, and driving to get an A+ in all of it. The Striver has been known to “leave body parts” on the floor in the wake of achieving what they believe is important.

The journey will look like this:?This individual will actively plan his/her road trip, choose the date, find the best companion for the trip, and make it happen in the most efficient and effective way possible, without much question, concern or deliberation. The ultimate goal is arriving at the destination.

The Seeker

The Seeker is motivated less by "achievement" and more by expansion, learning and growth, and sees evolving and learning as the key objectives of experience. Seekers may change directions frequently, embracing the idea of “going with the flow," and are more than fine with modifying their dreams and visions based on what new “material” shows up in their lives at any given time.

The strength?of this style: Incorporating input from many different sources (including their gut and intuition), Seekers listen to their mind, body and spirit to guide them and are fluid in determining the best goals and approaches to having the fullest experience of life.

The potential limitations:?Seekers place such a strong emphasis on intuition and internal guidance that they sometimes fail to design practical goals that will support them, or follow proven methodologies and approaches to the goal. They sometimes can rely too heavily on positive thinking as a strategy, failing to take concrete, action-oriented steps toward specifically-defined visions and goals.

The journey:?The road trip for this individual might not end up in Los Angeles at all, or occur at the designated time. The Seeker may decide to detour to Santa Fe or somewhere else, and end up staying weeks longer than originally planned because of who they met or new experiences they engaged in. The Seeker cares most about growth and learning, and relies on a great deal of other input and information that flows in through experience to evaluate if the ultimate goal – and the approach to the goal – should be changed from what was originally planned.

The Researcher

The Researcher is deeply motivated by the process of study, research, exploration and evaluation – assuming a wide range of angles and perspectives in order to understand the best goals to pursue, and the best avenues to achieve these goals. The researcher needs to turn an idea or concept over and “peel the onion” to investigate, dig deep, explore and uncover as many alternative approaches and options in order to arrive at the best plan.

The strength?of this style: The researcher brings to the table a keen ability to explore new ways to achieve a goal, and new ways to conceptualize the way we operate around a goal. Through mining data, brainstorming new questions, and uncovering vital information that informs our decisions and visions, the researcher can bring to light game-changing information and perspectives that shape our decisions.

The potential limitations:?The Researcher's need for data, validation and research can at times impose obstacles to efficiency.?Sometimes life requires a leap of faith where data on the potential outcome is not available, which is difficult for the Researcher to tolerate, and sometimes fear-inducing.

The journey:?The road trip for this individual will involve a great deal of investigation, research, questioning, discussion and testing out before the journey even begins and before a course of action can be charted.

The Pacer

Pacers will get to their goal, but they’ll approach the process very slowly, methodically, and often in a plodding way. The Pacer is like a great giant turtle with a hard, protective shell. When events or situations emerge that threaten the Pacer, s/he will submerge under the shell until the threat has passed. The Pacer will reliably plod to the goal, but often others have to move around the Pacer if they wish to speed up the process or take the most expedient route.

The strength?of this style:?The Pacer has a strong, steady and reliable approach to moving from point A to point B, and is not easily pushed off the track or distracted from the goal.

The potential limitations:?The Pacer can sometimes be stopped in their tracks by experiences that appear to threaten their status quo. Change is very scary to the Pacer, and fears have to be mitigated before they can move forward.

The journey:?The road trip for this individual will be slow, steady, paced and very well-plotted. Progress may not happen as planned (if something emerges that makes the Pacer fearful of proceeding), but the Pacer will not give up until he arrives at the goal that was set.

The Challenger

The Challenger feels the urge to challenge everything – asking questions, disrupting conventional thinking, and not taking any advice, authority or direction given as definitive. The Challenger thrives on being able to turn a goal or a belief over on its head, and questioning why it exists. Challengers are motivated by following their own, authentic answers to deep questions, and they view themselves as the highest authority on what is the right, or wrong, way to approach a situation or goal.

The strength?of this style: The Challenger doesn’t take anyone’s word for it, so they often bring completely new solutions to the table through skepticism and questioning what’s in front of them.

The potential limitations: The Challenger can expend more energy than necessary or helpful in challenging for challenging sake, exhausting his energy and resources (and everyone else’s) before forward action can be taken.

The journey:?The process in planning for the road trip, and engaging in it, for this individual will be full of questions and challenges that need to be addressed, including: Why now? Why this? Is it worth it? What will I get from it? Who should come? And who says this is a good idea?

The Advocator

Finally, the Advocator is somewhat similar to a Striver in their desire for direct achievement of key goals, but they are most motivated and engaged in goals and visions that have “juice” and excitement for them personally – when the goals hold a deeper meaning and purpose, usually around advocating for something bigger and more important than themselves. Advocators need to feel deeper meaning and purpose in their work and activities, and long for outcomes that will produce positive benefits for all involved.

If there isn’t some form of championing an idea or supporting a cause for positive growth embedded within the goal, the Advocator tends not to be fully satisfied or motivated to complete it. Advocators aren’t motivated by personal gain – they are motivated by transforming some aspect of the world for greater good.

The strength?of this style: When Advocators are motivated toward a goal, they can be highly compelling and convincing, enlivening everyone around them to support their vision, paving the way for a great deal to be accomplished.

The potential limitations: Advocators have a strong “warrior” sensibility, and sometimes can be myopic in their views and approach, which can alienate others who aren’t as aligned with the advocacy aspect of the goal.

The journey:?With the Advocators' strong belief in transformation, they won’t be stopped on the journey. They're able to cut through red tape, make the impossible happen, scale mountains, forge rivers and get to the destination when all others before them have failed.

Why do you need to know your preferred style to build a happier career? There are five key reasons that knowing your dominant style is critical to your success:

??Gaining greater self-awareness of your dominant action orientation will help you choose the right work and career?that will leverage and honor your preferred style. When that happens, work is easier and more joyful and rewarding.

? Understanding what motivates you will help you make better, more satisfying decisions in terms of what career and lifestyle choices and relationships you pursue.

? Learning how others are different in their action styles will help you get along better with (and manage/lead) others whose styles are different from yours, and develop a greater appreciation and respect for diversity, inclusion, and difference in styles.

? Seeing the potential blind spots of your preferred style will help you bypass the inherent challenges and pitfalls of that style, and encourage you to surround yourself with individuals who have complementary styles.

? Understanding how you like to take action means you’ll understand what you need to do in any new situation, in order to navigate it more successfully to achieve what you long for authentically (including how to build a happier career).

Which of these six dominant styles best reflects you today? And is there another action style of the six that you?wish?you had or that your organization forces you to have? Please share below. And to understand your style better, join the 14,000+ folks who've taken my Action Style Quiz.

To become more confident, authoritative and impactful in your career, take my new course The Most Powerful You today, and visit KathyCaprino.com for career guidance, training, and resources. And tune in to my weekly podcast, Finding Brave.