Tester Lester's Results

Where This Fits

Autonomy is an APPROACH value, centered around how you prefer to work. People who value autonomy tend to thrive when they have control over their tasks and the flexibility to achieve outcomes in their own way. This is an essential work value, as it greatly influences job satisfaction, motivation, and a sense of ownership over one's work. Autonomy varies in degrees and forms: some roles are highly autonomous by nature, while others require adjustments and discussions with managers to achieve greater freedom. Fostering autonomy can build motivation and a stronger personal connection to one’s work.

What You’re Seeking

If autonomy ranks high for you, you’re likely to feel most fulfilled when you have control over your work processes and the freedom to decide how to achieve your goals. This often means preferring environments with minimal micromanagement and a clear, outcome-focused measurement of success. High autonomy doesn’t mean you need to work alone; even collaborative roles can allow for self-directed work within a team.

Autonomy also pairs well with values like Purpose (choosing how to contribute to meaningful work), Flexibility(working when and where you work best), and Specialization (taking ownership of your expertise). In practice, seeking autonomy might mean creating processes to minimize frequent check-ins or suggesting productivity measures that emphasize results over rigid procedures.

Crafting Your Position

Increase your autonomy by building trust and showing reliable outcomes.

1. Clarify Expectations with Your Manager: In a 1:1 meeting, discuss how to best meet and measure success on your projects. Aim to establish check-in intervals that allow you the space to work independently between reviews.
2. Propose Flexible Work Routines: Request flexibility in your work schedule or processes if they’re conducive to better outcomes, explaining how this would boost productivity and job satisfaction.
3. Document Your Work Processes: Build trust by documenting your approach and outcomes. This can show your managers that you’re organized and reliable, potentially leading to more freedom in task management.
4. Be Proactive with Updates: Anticipate questions by regularly updating relevant parties on your progress, without waiting for check-ins. This establishes you as responsible and capable of handling your projects autonomously.
5. Seek Project Ownership: Identify areas where you could take full responsibility, such as managing smaller projects or becoming the go-to expert in a specific area, showing that autonomy boosts your effectiveness.
6. Negotiate Autonomy in Future Projects: Use successful projects as evidence in future discussions with managers about maintaining or increasing your autonomy on new assignments.

Potential Pitfalls & Solutions

Balance autonomy with collaboration and communication.

1. Pitfall: Misalignment with Team Goals
   Solution: Regularly sync with team members to ensure your work aligns with shared goals. While autonomy is important, it’s also essential to stay on track with the broader team direction and deadlines.
2. Pitfall: Isolation from Important Feedback
   Solution: Schedule periodic feedback sessions with your manager and peers to avoid missing valuable insights. Autonomy can sometimes mean fewer direct check-ins, so proactively seek out feedback to stay aligned and improve.
3. Pitfall: Misinterpretation of Flexibility Requests
   Solution: Frame your requests for autonomy in terms of performance outcomes. Rather than framing it as a need for freedom, emphasize how flexibility will help you achieve better, measurable results.
4. Pitfall: Misperception of Non-Engagement
   Solution: Avoid being seen as disengaged by participating in regular team activities and social moments, even if autonomy is more your preference. Joining team meetings or group activities as needed helps show you’re committed to the team’s success, even if you prefer working independently.

By advocating for yourself, balancing team interactions, and demonstrating the value autonomy brings to your work, you can craft a role that gives you the freedom and control you seek.

Where This Fits

Training is an APPROACH value, reflecting a desire to learn, grow, and gain expertise through professional development and mentorship. For those who value training highly, the opportunity to acquire new skills and knowledge is a key factor in job satisfaction. Training not only builds immediate capability but also contributes to long-term career advancement, providing foundational skills that become more valuable over time. The right training can be transformative, giving you insights and tools to stand out in your field and prepare for future roles.

What You’re Seeking

If training is a top value, you’re likely looking for roles that offer structured learning opportunities, mentorship, and hands-on development. A position with a strong focus on professional development, clear career pathways, and access to expert mentors will provide you with the most satisfaction. You may benefit from formal onboarding programs, training workshops, or mentorship relationships that give you valuable industry insights. Look for roles that emphasize skill-building, with leaders who are invested in teaching and supporting your growth.

Training pairs well with values like Specialization (developing expertise in a particular area), Clarity (structured guidance on performance and skill expectations), and Purpose (growing toward meaningful contributions). Together, these values support an environment where continuous learning is prioritized, allowing you to deepen your skills and knowledge over time.

Crafting Your Position

Maximize training opportunities by actively seeking feedback, resources, and mentorship.

1. Request a Development Plan: Work with your manager to create a development plan that outlines your training goals and milestones. This can include specific skills, certifications, or areas of knowledge to build in the short and long term.
2. Seek Out Knowledgeable Mentors: Identify colleagues or leaders in your organization whose expertise aligns with your goals. Request regular check-ins or shadowing opportunities to gain valuable insights from their experience.
3. Take Advantage of On-the-Job Learning: Ask to be included in projects where you can develop new skills or apply unfamiliar techniques. Hands-on learning is one of the most effective forms of training and helps you gain practical experience.
4. Ask for Regular Feedback and Performance Reviews: Feedback is essential for growth, so schedule regular reviews with your manager to discuss your progress, identify areas for improvement, and refine your development plan.
5. Pursue Certifications or External Training Programs: If your company supports additional certifications or workshops, take advantage of these resources. Formal training programs can deepen your expertise and make you more valuable to the organization.
6. Document and Reflect on Your Learning: Keep a journal of key learnings, challenges, and accomplishments. Reflecting on your progress helps you recognize growth over time and provides a record of your training journey.

Potential Pitfalls & Solutions

Balance your focus on training with practical application to maximize growth.

1. Pitfall: Frustration with Limited Training Resources
   Solution: If formal training resources are limited, seek informal learning opportunities. Ask to shadow experienced colleagues or participate in relevant projects to gain knowledge through experience.
2. Pitfall: Dependency on Mentorship Without Independent Growth
   Solution: While mentorship is valuable, strive to apply and adapt what you learn independently. Take initiative on projects where you can implement your training, showing both growth and autonomy.
3. Pitfall: Risk of Overcommitting to Training at the Expense of Performance
   Solution: Balance training with your regular responsibilities by setting aside dedicated time for learning that doesn’t interfere with your core tasks. Manage your time carefully to ensure training enhances rather than detracts from your productivity.
4. Pitfall: Disappointment with Quality of Training Programs or Mentors
   Solution: If training quality is lacking, seek out supplementary resources, such as online courses, industry groups, or peer networks. Look beyond your organization to fill gaps in knowledge and gain access to high-quality learning materials.

By actively engaging with training opportunities, seeking knowledgeable mentors, and applying what you learn, you’ll cultivate an environment of continuous growth. These strategies allow you to build your skills and advance your career while making meaningful contributions to your current role.

Where This Fits

Predictability is an APPROACH value, focusing on the desire for structure, routine, and clear expectations. People who value predictability thrive in roles where responsibilities are clearly defined, and where expectations are consistent and measurable. Having predictability at work can reduce stress, boost productivity, and make it easier to plan and prioritize tasks. In a predictable environment, you’re better able to exceed expectations, as you can anticipate what’s needed and make steady progress without frequent changes in direction or scope.

What You’re Seeking

With predictability as a top value, you’re looking for a work environment where roles and responsibilities are clearly laid out and where day-to-day tasks follow a stable rhythm. You likely prefer roles that provide detailed guidance on how success is defined and measured, allowing you to focus on doing your best work within an established structure. Predictable environments offer you a sense of control and allow you to develop routines that maximize your productivity and efficiency.

Predictability pairs well with values like Clarity (well-defined tasks and expectations), Autonomy (self-directed work within a structured framework), and Specialization (focused expertise in an area where you can steadily improve). Together, these values provide a satisfying work environment that is reliable, productive, and fulfilling.

Crafting Your Position

Enhance predictability in your role by establishing clear routines and expectations.

1. Ask for Specific Goals and Metrics: During goal-setting discussions with your manager, ask for clear performance metrics and measurable objectives. This will give you concrete targets and help you understand exactly what success looks like in your role.
2. Create Consistent Routines for Your Work: Structure your day with routines that help you focus and complete tasks efficiently. For example, dedicate specific times for high-priority tasks, project updates, and administrative duties.
3. Clarify Your Role in Team Projects: When working on a team, define your responsibilities and expected deliverables early on. This allows you to manage your workload predictably and ensures everyone is aligned on who is responsible for what.
4. Request Regular Check-Ins with Your Manager: Propose a set schedule for check-ins or performance reviews, such as monthly or quarterly. This ensures you’ll receive consistent feedback, which will help you stay on track and make adjustments as needed.
5. Plan for Long-Term Goals and Projects: Create a roadmap for your long-term projects, breaking down large tasks into smaller, predictable steps. This makes big projects feel more manageable and allows you to see steady progress.
6. Document Best Practices: Take the initiative to document workflows, best practices, and guidelines for repeat tasks. Not only does this make your job easier, but it can also be helpful to teammates and reinforces a predictable process.

Potential Pitfalls & Solutions

Balance predictability with adaptability to handle occasional change effectively.

1. Pitfall: Struggling with Unplanned Changes
   Solution: Build buffer time into your schedule so you’re prepared to handle unexpected requests without overwhelming your existing routine. When changes do arise, ask for clarification on priorities to keep disruptions manageable.
2. Pitfall: Frustration with Ambiguous Tasks
   Solution: If an assignment lacks clarity, seek additional information or context from your manager or colleagues. Suggest potential approaches to the task and get feedback, which can help provide the structure you need to move forward confidently.
3. Pitfall: Difficulty Adapting in Dynamic Environments
   Solution: Embrace micro-adjustments, like setting short-term goals for unpredictable situations. Focus on what you can control within the broader environment, such as organizing your own tasks and routines as consistently as possible.
4. Pitfall: Risk of Being Overlooked for “Flexible” Roles or Projects
   Solution: Emphasize your strength in delivering reliable, high-quality work due to your organized and methodical approach. In discussions about project assignments, highlight how your ability to anticipate needs can benefit team performance and outcomes.

By reinforcing predictability in your role and staying adaptable within a structured framework, you can enjoy a fulfilling work environment that leverages your strengths and supports your goals. This approach allows you to contribute effectively and navigate occasional changes without disrupting your productivity.

Where This Fits

Remuneration is an OUTCOME value, focusing on compensation, rewards, and financial security. For those who value remuneration, fair and competitive pay is central to feeling respected and satisfied at work. A good compensation package provides not only financial security but also serves as recognition for one’s contributions, reinforcing a sense of value and accomplishment. Transparency and fairness in compensation are particularly important, as they ensure that your efforts are accurately reflected in your pay and provide a clear path for financial growth.

What You’re Seeking

If remuneration is among your top values, you’re looking for roles that provide competitive pay, clear compensation structures, and opportunities for performance-based increases, such as bonuses, raises, or commissions. You’ll thrive in environments where financial rewards align with the level of effort and impact you bring to the organization. A role with transparent compensation policies and clear pathways for earning growth is likely to provide you with greater motivation and job satisfaction.

Remuneration pairs well with values like Leadership (having a voice in compensation discussions or pay policies), Purpose (aligning compensation with meaningful work), and Predictability (clear structures for raises and bonuses). Together, these values help create a secure, equitable, and rewarding work environment where your contributions feel valued.

Crafting Your Position

Optimize your earning potential by clearly communicating your value and negotiating effectively.

1. Negotiate Based on Value, Not Just Tenure: Highlight the specific contributions and value you bring to the organization during salary reviews. Document your achievements and impact to build a strong case for performance-based raises or bonuses.
2. Seek Clear Compensation Pathways: During goal-setting sessions, discuss the company’s compensation review schedule and how performance is evaluated for raises or promotions. Knowing the timing and criteria gives you a roadmap for financial growth.
3. Consider Commission or Bonus Opportunities: If your role allows, explore commission structures, performance-based bonuses, or profit-sharing options. These additional earning opportunities can provide significant rewards for high performance.
4. Stay Informed on Industry Pay Standards: Research market rates for your position and experience level. Knowing what’s typical in your industry strengthens your case in salary discussions and ensures your pay aligns with industry standards.
5. Align with Transparent Organizations: Look for employers that are open about their pay structure, benefits, and growth opportunities. Transparent organizations are often more proactive in ensuring fair pay and minimizing pay-related frustrations.
6. Build Skills that Command Higher Pay: Identify in-demand skills in your industry and focus on continuous learning and development in those areas. Specialized skills can make you more competitive and increase your leverage in salary negotiations.

Potential Pitfalls & Solutions

Balance a focus on remuneration with realistic expectations and open communication.

1. Pitfall: Frustration Over Pay Inequities
   Solution: Approach pay discrepancies constructively by discussing your contributions and requesting clear guidelines on how to reach higher pay levels. Addressing compensation proactively rather than reactively can help mitigate frustration.
2. Pitfall: Risk of Prioritizing Pay Over Job Satisfaction
   Solution: While pay is important, ensure other factors such as work environment, growth opportunities, and job satisfaction are also considered in job choices. A high-paying role with poor job satisfaction can impact your overall well-being.
3. Pitfall: Lack of Pay Transparency
   Solution: Seek organizations with open pay policies and discuss compensation upfront during interviews. If transparency is limited, ask clarifying questions to understand the pay range, growth potential, and criteria for raises.
4. Pitfall: Difficulty Advocating for Pay in a Sensitive Manner
   Solution: Frame compensation discussions in terms of your value to the company rather than personal needs. Prepare specific examples of your impact and contributions, and emphasize how fair compensation aligns with continued high performance.

By focusing on roles that provide fair pay, clear compensation growth paths, and recognizing your contributions, you’ll find positions where your financial goals are supported. These approaches will help you create a rewarding, satisfying work experience that aligns with both your career and lifestyle goals.

Where This Fits
Variety is an APPROACH value, describing the degree of change or diversity someone desires in their day-to-day tasks. Some individuals thrive in roles with a wide range of activities, while others prefer a more predictable environment. If variety ranks lower for you, it indicates a comfort with consistency and routine, allowing you to focus deeply on a set of core responsibilities.

Leveraging Lower Values
Embracing predictability to master your role and reduce anxiety
With variety as a lower priority, you likely find satisfaction in consistent, well-defined tasks that allow you to develop expertise over time. This approach can enhance your skills in specific areas, as you have the opportunity to refine and optimize how you approach tasks without frequent shifts in focus. Predictable roles can also contribute to a strong sense of stability and reduce the stress that often accompanies high-variety positions. By working in a setting where responsibilities are known and outcomes are expected, you can increase both confidence and competence. This clarity frees up mental energy to direct toward efficiency, accuracy, and quality, ensuring that your work remains both fulfilling and effective.

Strategic Advantages
Leveraging predictability for focus, mastery, and peace of mind

• Flexible Approaches: Seek roles with established routines and clear expectations, where you can focus on honing your skills without the need for frequent task-switching. A predictable workflow will allow you to settle into a rhythm, leading to greater job satisfaction and less daily stress.
• Using This Value as a Support for Higher Values: Use the stability of your role to prioritize values that bring meaning or satisfaction, such as deepening relationships with colleagues or achieving high standards of accuracy. With routine tasks, you’ll have more mental bandwidth to engage in meaningful connections or high-quality work.
• Opportunities for Quick Wins: Establish a routine that supports focus and productivity, such as creating a checklist of core tasks. You can also set goals to track improvement in key areas, gaining satisfaction from building proficiency and adding value in a consistent, reliable way.

Where This Fits
Flexibility is an ENVIRONMENT value, reflecting how much adaptability and freedom someone desires in their work schedule and conditions. While some people thrive in roles with high flexibility, others find satisfaction in structured environments with defined hours and expectations. If flexibility ranks lower for you, it suggests a preference for stability and routine, which can contribute to a strong work-life balance.

Leveraging Lower Values
Maximizing structured work hours to protect work-life balance and minimize spillover
Having flexibility as a lower priority means you’re likely comfortable with predictable schedules and firm start-and-end times, which can be highly beneficial for maintaining a consistent routine. This can be an advantage, as it supports roles that emphasize structured hours without the expectation of working beyond those limits. This preference can actually enhance work-life balance, as it allows you to set clear boundaries between work and personal life, without the constant need to adjust to changing demands. Embracing this structure can also make it easier to reserve energy and time for personal commitments and interests outside of work, leading to a more balanced and sustainable approach to your career.

Strategic Advantages
Embracing reliable routines to protect personal time and maintain focus

• Flexible Approaches: Seek roles that have clear boundaries around work hours, such as positions with fixed schedules. This will help you manage your time effectively and minimize disruptions, allowing you to focus fully on work when you’re on the clock.
• Using This Value as a Support for Higher Values: By working in a structured role, you can dedicate more energy to priorities like family time, personal development, or hobbies. Without needing to adapt constantly to changes, you’ll have the mental space to pursue fulfilling activities outside of work.
• Opportunities for Quick Wins: Take advantage of your consistent schedule by planning personal activities or setting goals outside of work. For instance, you can set a regular exercise or hobby schedule, confident that your work commitments won’t interfere. This structure not only supports your productivity but also reinforces a satisfying work-life balance.

Where This Fits
Leadership is an Environment value, tied to the influence, guidance, and support received or provided at work. If Leadership is a lower priority for you, it means that you’re comfortable working without intensive supervision or mentorship, which can allow you to thrive even when guidance is minimal. This can be a unique advantage, as it frees you to pursue roles where independent work is the norm, while giving you flexibility in adapting to different managerial styles. Understanding this helps you maintain independence without needing to rely on leadership quality as a primary factor in role selection.

Leveraging Lower Values
Use your self-motivation and adaptability to succeed in a variety of work environments.
With Leadership as a lower priority, you’re self-driven and don’t need significant oversight or inspiration from your supervisors. This flexibility allows you to stay productive even when leadership support is minimal, which can be advantageous in lean organizations or roles requiring independence. If values like Autonomy, Predictability, or Remuneration rank high, this independence allows you to emphasize tasks and goals that matter most to you without depending on leadership support. Your comfort with self-direction also positions you well to offer the stability and structure others may need when you find yourself in leadership roles.

Strategic Advantages
Thrive through independence and support others with structured guidance if in a supervisory role.

• Flexible Approaches: Pursue roles that value autonomy, where you can work with minimal supervision. Organizations that rely on self-starters or offer flexible management styles may be a great fit, as you can stay productive without needing regular input.
• Using This Value as Support for Higher Values: If Autonomy or Remuneration ranks high, focus on roles that reward independent work or results-oriented performance. This lets you invest in your primary values without needing a strong leadership presence to keep you engaged or motivated.

Opportunities for Quick Wins: Prepare yourself for future leadership responsibilities by observing effective leaders around you. This can help you build a toolkit of strategies to support others when needed. As you advance, remember to offer the guidance others may need, even if you don’t rely on it yourself.

Where This Fits
Clarity is an APPROACH value, reflecting how much individuals seek defined goals, roles, and expectations in their work. Two people can work equally well in the same position, with one thriving on clear guidelines and the other enjoying flexibility. If clarity ranks lower for you, it reveals your comfort with less-defined work environments, which can allow you to excel in roles where flexibility, adaptability, and creative problem-solving are key.

Leveraging Lower Values
Turning tolerance for ambiguity into a strength for flexibility and innovation
When clarity is a low priority, it indicates a high tolerance for ambiguity and an ability to function effectively without strict guidelines. This adaptability can be a significant advantage in dynamic work environments where roles are evolving, and processes are not rigidly defined. Understanding this about yourself allows you to focus on roles where you can bring fresh perspectives to open-ended tasks and approach challenges without needing extensive direction. While some thrive in structured environments, you may find greater satisfaction in situations where you can forge your own path, contribute to innovation, and remain open to change. Keeping this flexibility in mind can also enhance collaboration, as you’re more likely to embrace unexpected ideas or shifts without needing constant recalibration.

Strategic Advantages
Embracing flexibility and adaptability in environments with limited structure

• Flexible Approaches: Seek projects that have room for experimentation and creative problem-solving rather than set routines. Without needing rigid guidance, you can more freely engage in tasks that require initiative, allowing you to bring out strengths in dynamic, fast-changing environments.
• Using This Value as a Support for Higher Values: Leverage your tolerance for ambiguity to prioritize values that matter most to you, such as creativity or teamwork. Since you don’t rely on extensive clarity, you can focus more on interactions, brainstorming sessions, or strategy building—aligning efforts with your primary values rather than predefined tasks.
• Opportunities for Quick Wins: Take advantage of environments with less structure by volunteering for new or unconventional projects where guidelines are being developed. This lets you showcase your comfort with ambiguity and may even allow you to shape roles or processes in ways that align with your strengths.

Where This Fits
Specialization is an APPROACH value that reflects how much an individual values focusing deeply on one particular skill or area. People who score lower in specialization often prefer roles with diverse tasks and responsibilities, which allow them to adapt and connect various areas of expertise. Recognizing specialization as a lower priority suggests a comfort and aptitude for roles that reward breadth of knowledge rather than niche expertise, opening up a wide range of flexible and integrative career paths.

Leveraging Lower Values
Harnessing versatility to support diverse roles and organizational success
With specialization as a lower priority, you’re likely drawn to being a generalist—someone who excels at connecting dots across various fields and helping teams function smoothly as a cohesive unit. Generalists often play a unique role by supporting teams with a broad understanding, strong interpersonal skills, and the ability to adapt quickly to new challenges. Rather than focusing on deep expertise in a single skill, you thrive by organizing team efforts, smoothing interpersonal dynamics, and seeing how different components fit together for the big picture. This ability to bridge specialties makes you invaluable in roles where flexibility, problem-solving, and people management are critical. Recognizing this about yourself allows you to seek roles that reward broad perspectives and coordination, ensuring you can both excel and feel satisfied in your work.

Strategic Advantages
Maximizing generalist strengths while showcasing team and project outcomes

• Flexible Approaches: Embrace roles with a variety of tasks or responsibilities, where you can apply your strengths in adaptability and organization. Positions that involve coordinating across multiple functions or departments can help you bring out your best without the need for niche skills.
• Using This Value as a Support for Higher Values: By not focusing on narrow expertise, you can prioritize higher values like collaboration or creativity, engaging in diverse activities that bring energy and variety to your work. Your ability to work broadly can support those around you in specialized roles, helping everyone work more effectively together.
• Opportunities for Quick Wins: When crafting your resume or discussing accomplishments, focus on measurable outcomes that demonstrate your impact as a generalist. Emphasize how you improved team productivity, reduced turnover, or facilitated successful cross-departmental projects to showcase the value you bring as an integrative leader and contributor.