Workstyle: My Plum Profile

Continuing with my series where I explore the results I obtained from a recent Talent Assessment through Plum.io, Let me share with you some insights from the report about my top talents and how they shape my purpose and approach to life: what I appreciate about myself and why I see my self in a positive light.

When it comes to my #Workstyle I am...

"Excellent at analyzing and answering very complex problems.Likely to be self-assured, happy, optimistic, content, secure, and cheerful. Curious, analytical, reflective, imaginative, and creative. Introverted and reserved. Likely to be modest, humble, pleasant, considerate, generous, and cooperative."

At least that is what Plum has to say about me. What do I have to say about that?

It is true. I admire people who have SIMPLIFY as their WHY operating system ( WHY Institute ), because that isn't me. With a Bachelor in Science, in Ecology, and a Master in Education, adult education, my brain has the capacity to engage deeply in learning. Within my WHY operating system is #MASTERY, meaning I study things very deeply to UNDERSTAND them with a depth that allows me to SEE details that others miss, which are vital to understanding the whole. That is why I have centered my Linkedin Profile around "#WickedProblems" as a "Wicked Problem-Solver."

I am exceptionally curious about people: where they want to go in life, how they see themselves getting there, what is slowing them down, standing in their way, or stopping them from overcoming obstacles and achieving their dreams. Because, all of that input becomes fodder for my creativity.

I delight in the learning process. I delight in the creative process. I delight in increasing the quality of life others experience as a result of what I have created. I am confident and assured in my skills and mastery. I am delighted to witness the results of what I create. It is then that I experience joy, optimism, and contentment, which lasts for but a moment for soon I am onto another project, without taking time to gloat or self-promote. Hence the modesty and humility. My reward is not external, as in fame or notoriety. It is intrinsic in the work that I do, the outcomes I create, the intangibles that are not measured quantitatively.

According to Plum, Professionally I am ...

Exceptionally well suited to positions that require analyzing complex information to choose the best solution.

True. As mentioned previously, my WHY operating system is a BETTER WAY. Discovering a better way to do things is what I am all about. Everything I have ever created has been about manifesting a better way based on what I SEE and UNDERSTAND.

Exceptionally well suited to positions where reading others' motivations is less important.

True. I am too deeply involved and engaged in discovering better ways to improve the quality of life for others, while obtaining and mastering new technology on the path to doing so to bother with micro-politics. There is much to do and little time to do it in, that I choose to spend my time more wisely then having to determine why someone is saying what they are saying and doing what they are doing: nefarious, self-aggrandizing, manipulating, or otherwise.

Exceptionally well suited to positions that measure success on the volume of work completed.

True and False.

This result is a false negative, in that I was offered a list of 20+ pairs of descriptors. I had to choose the one that best suited me and the one that least suited me. Twice I chose the word, "messy" as the lesser of to evils. My reason for doing that is that I have learned to sit in the middle of a fire, to lean into discomfort, as Brene Brown would say, and to acknowledge that sometimes the process of creation can be messy. This does not mean that I value quantity over quality.

It is true that with my vast skills and mastery, my innovation, adaptability, and decision-making: creativity flows through me. My process is also to create in bundles; I like to work on multiple similar designs at a time. For instance, the plum graphics were all made in one sitting. During another sitting, I created the graphics for these LinkedIn posts. In another sitting, I wrote all of the articles.

In this way, I do create in abundance! But I am also well suited to positions that value quality, especially when that quality is associated with beauty and artistry.

Well suited to positions that require soliciting and accepting feedback and criticism, and dealing positively with obstacles and failures.

Simply put, one can not be a BETTER WAY person, with INNOVATION as a WHY operating system, and be sensitive to feedback. I became a better writer because Dr. Robert Frender identified 2 errors I made repeatedly in my writing. These two skills are among an arsenal that I teach others today!

Furthermore, one can not be a "Wicked Problem Solver" if they can not "dealing positively with obstacles and failures." This attitude, this internal makeup, is a requirement - a Wicked Competency - I seek to mentor.

Plum also says I am:

Exceptionally well suited to positions that will demand continuous learning and imagining new and different ways of doing things.

True. We covered that already.

Exceptionally well suited to organizations and positions that appreciate good listeners that don't waste time on simple chit-chat.

True. As I mentioned before, I am too deeply involved and engaged in elements of life that matter to me to bother with what is superfluous.

Well suited to positions that require working with others and being friendly.

True. I am all about people. Although my MASTERY fosters the ability to work independently, the social needs of my heart and spirit mean that I do require working with others, especially in environments that are healthy, where I am not expected to engage in the superfluous and determine the motives of those around me. Besides, my creativity is reactive: it requires external stimuli and inspiration. It is when I hear the stories of others that my BETTER WAY, rooted in MASTERY and INNOVATION, kick in to create out-of-the-box solutions!

Finally, Plum determined that at work I am...

• Exceptionally capable of learning and using reason to overcome difficult obstacles.
• Appreciate who you are as a person and generally see yourself in a positive light.
• Delight in thinking about abstract ideas and a variety of subjects.
• Greatly appreciate working in small teams or alone.
• Appreciate opportunities to collaborate and cooperate with others.

True. True. True. True. And, True. In fact these statements encapsulate what I have expanded upon when it comes to my results.

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At the end of the day, what have you learned about me, and about your self, through this piece.

1. Do you see your self in me? Or do you see someone very different from your self?
2. Do you have a better understanding of my WHY operating system, and what that means?
3. Do you have a greater appreciation for my "See, Understand, Create, Teach" theme?

Would you like to see my results, or take your own talent assessment here? Mind you, be prepared for the unexpected. I believe that it is my MASTERY and DESIGNING mind that allowed me to do so well on the pattern recognition segment: making decisions with limited information.