What the Scores Mean
These scores are calculated as a percentage of the possible points your employee could have scored for each attribute. This can help you understand how strong their leanings are towards a specific trait. As you might guess, a higher score means they identify with an attribute more. This isn't a right-or-wrong type of score- just an extra indicator of their preferences!
What is the Domain Breakdown?
This is a snapshot of what form of compensation matters most to your employee and the balance between them. The report is intentionally broad and should be used only as a guide as assess their fit with an opportunity. The three domains (Approach, Environment, and Outcomes) are presented as a diagram proportionally divided to correlate with their responses. We find it helps to see the forest before we focus on the trees.
Creed Bratton's Results
As an employee in the roll of Another Position
Check out our guide on How to Read Your Results.
Domain Breakdown
What's this?The strength of the Domain scores indicates what class of compensation an individual values most. While not as specific as the individual results that follow, these results help us better understand the priorities and enable more productive conversations. Consider focusing negotiations and team-building discussions around the Domains that are strongest, even if you need to give a little on the side of the chart that is least represented. (For more tips on developing Domain-based strategies, contact our team of consultants.)
Attribute Results
High
The results of the assessment have resulted in a tie between one or more key indicator. When this happens in the High-Low Report, we provide you with the results for all results that tied. For this reason, you see more than three results in the High Report.
High Report
The following results represent the Attributes that contribute most to your employee or candidate's fit with employment opportunities. With the insights shared below, you should be able to develop a strategy that will effectively support evaluating a candidate, contract negotiation, performance evaluation, and aid with their self-discovery.
The results of the assessment have resulted in a tie between one or more key indicator. When this happens in the High-Low Report, we provide you with the results for all results that tied. For this reason, you see more than three results in the High Report.
Collaboration Highest Attribute
70%
What's this?Where This Fits
Collaboration is an APPROACH value that emphasizes teamwork and interpersonal connection in the workplace. Those who value collaboration seek out roles that enable them to engage actively with others, sharing ideas and working toward shared goals. This approach can be a significant driver of job satisfaction, as strong team dynamics often contribute to a sense of accomplishment and community at work. Successful collaboration doesn’t just mean working side by side—it means working toward common goals with mutual trust, shared purpose, and communication. Valuing collaboration can help you feel more engaged and motivated, as it offers chances to learn from others and be part of a cohesive, high-functioning group.
What You’re Seeking
With collaboration high on your list, you’re looking for roles that provide genuine teamwork, open communication, and a strong sense of shared purpose. You are likely to enjoy positions where success relies on working closely with others, brainstorming ideas, and combining strengths to overcome challenges. Positions with a collaborative culture will also give you the chance to build strong interpersonal relationships and develop skills in communication, leadership, and teamwork.
Collaboration pairs well with values like Sociability (seeking connection and interaction), Purpose (working toward shared goals that make a difference), and Flexibility (adapting to others’ needs and approaches). These values combined enable you to create positive, team-oriented environments that encourage diverse perspectives and celebrate shared success.
Crafting Your Position
Build a stronger collaborative environment by promoting open communication, team projects, and shared accountability.
- Seek Out Team-Oriented Tasks: Volunteer for projects that require teamwork or offer to assist colleagues. By engaging in collaborative tasks, you’ll naturally build relationships and strengthen the team dynamic.
- Encourage Regular Team Check-Ins: If your role involves managing or coordinating tasks, set up regular check-ins with teammates. This keeps everyone aligned and creates opportunities for ongoing communication and bonding.
- Request Feedback and Input from Peers: When working on projects, ask for feedback and input from your teammates. This not only strengthens your work but also reinforces the collaborative culture and shows your commitment to team success.
- Be an Advocate for Transparent Communication: Encourage open discussions and make it easy for others to share updates, obstacles, or successes. Suggest tools (like shared documents or group chats) that facilitate clear communication.
- Organize Team-Building Activities: Propose low-key team-building activities—anything from lunch meetings to group problem-solving sessions. These small efforts help develop trust and understanding among team members.
- Celebrate Group Achievements: Recognize and celebrate when the team hits important milestones. Acknowledging successes together fosters a strong sense of unity and pride in the group’s accomplishments.
Potential Pitfalls & Solutions
Maintain balance and ensure productivity in collaborative environments.
- Pitfall: Collaboration Turns into Over-Reliance on Others
Solution: Balance teamwork with individual accountability by clarifying each person’s responsibilities within the project. Reinforce that while collaboration is crucial, each person’s contribution is equally important. - Pitfall: Collaboration Becomes Inefficient or Unfocused
Solution: Set clear goals and timelines at the start of each project. Propose agendas for meetings to keep discussions on track, ensuring that team time is productive rather than distracting. - Pitfall: Difficulty Focusing on Solo Tasks
Solution: While you may prefer teamwork, some tasks require independent focus. Set dedicated blocks of time for individual work, making it easier to dive into focused tasks while balancing collaboration with efficiency. - Pitfall: Frustration with Team Dynamics or Conflicts
Solution: Actively foster a culture of openness and trust by inviting feedback and practicing conflict resolution techniques. When disagreements arise, use them as opportunities for team growth by facilitating respectful discussions and finding a path forward.
Valuing collaboration allows you to bring people together to create something meaningful as a team. By developing strong group cohesion, communication, and accountability, you’ll enjoy greater fulfillment and productivity in any collaborative work setting.
Purpose
63%
What's this?Where This Fits
Purpose is an OUTCOME value, reflecting a desire for work that is deeply meaningful and connected to a cause or mission. For those who value purpose, work satisfaction is closely tied to the sense that their efforts are making a positive impact, whether by serving a community, advancing a mission, or supporting others. Feeling purpose at work provides a strong sense of motivation and fulfillment, transforming work from just a job into something that brings meaning and value to daily life.
What You’re Seeking
With purpose as a top value, you’re looking for roles that allow you to connect with the organization’s mission, contribute to a meaningful cause, or make a difference in people’s lives. You’re likely to find satisfaction in environments where you can see the direct impact of your work on clients, colleagues, or the community. Whether the purpose is social, environmental, educational, or otherwise, aligning with an organization’s mission will be essential to feeling engaged and fulfilled. Finding purpose may mean focusing on roles where values are integral to the company culture and where the team shares a commitment to making a positive impact.
Purpose aligns well with values like Collaboration (working with others toward a common goal), Sociability (connecting with people who care about similar causes), and Leadership (guiding others to achieve meaningful goals). Together, these values foster a work environment that is both socially and professionally fulfilling.
Crafting Your Position
Deepen your sense of purpose by focusing on impact, connections, and contributions.
- Connect with the Beneficiaries of Your Work: If possible, find ways to interact directly with the people or groups who benefit from your work. This might mean spending time with clients, observing how your work affects others, or even reading testimonials, which can be a great reminder of your impact.
- Align Projects with the Mission: Whenever possible, choose projects that directly contribute to the organization’s mission. Propose initiatives that align with the company’s purpose and allow you to feel a stronger connection to meaningful outcomes.
- Build Relationships with Like-Minded Colleagues: Seek out colleagues who share your values and are equally inspired by the mission. Working with others who feel connected to the purpose can amplify your own motivation and strengthen team commitment.
- Highlight the Purpose in Daily Work: Remind yourself and your team of the mission regularly, especially in meetings or during project updates. Keeping the purpose visible will help reinforce why you do what you do, even on challenging days.
- Share Stories of Impact: When you or your team accomplish something meaningful, share the story. Whether it’s in a team meeting, a newsletter, or a presentation, celebrating these moments of impact can reinforce your sense of purpose and inspire others.
- Engage in Volunteer or Outreach Opportunities: Many mission-driven organizations offer volunteer or outreach programs. Participate in or help organize these efforts, which are a direct way to connect with the mission outside of your regular duties.
Potential Pitfalls & Solutions
Balance your desire for purpose with realistic expectations and empathy for different perspectives.
- Pitfall: Feeling Isolated When Others Don’t Share Your Passion
Solution: Recognize that different team members are motivated by different values, and that’s okay. Focus on building connections with colleagues who do share your passion, while respecting those who may not prioritize purpose in the same way. - Pitfall: Frustration with Routine Tasks That Feel Detached from Purpose
Solution: Look for ways to connect even routine tasks back to the larger mission. For example, consider how these tasks support the overall mission or contribute indirectly to the company’s impact. - Pitfall: Becoming Discouraged by Bureaucracy or Obstacles to Impact
Solution: Find small wins and incremental changes that align with the mission, even if they don’t solve every issue. Set realistic goals for progress and celebrate these steps toward greater impact. - Pitfall: Risk of Burnout Due to Over-Commitment to the Mission
Solution: Set healthy boundaries to ensure your dedication to purpose doesn’t lead to burnout. Recognize that self-care is crucial to sustaining your commitment to the mission in the long term.
By embracing roles and projects that reinforce purpose and connecting with like-minded colleagues, you can make your work deeply meaningful. These strategies will allow you to contribute in ways that resonate with your values and foster a fulfilling, impactful career.
Location
60%
What's this?Where This Fits
Location is an ENVIRONMENT value, focused on the physical setting and geographic context of your work. For those who prioritize location, where they work is a key component of job satisfaction, productivity, and well-being. Factors such as proximity to home or family, the commuting experience, and the overall look and feel of the workspace can have a strong influence on how you feel about your job. Some people feel energized in bustling urban settings, while others find that they’re most productive in quieter, natural surroundings. Additionally, the aesthetic and ambiance of the workspace can play a vital role in fostering creativity and comfort.
What You’re Seeking
With location as a top value, you are looking for work environments that align with your preferences for commute, physical space, and surrounding amenities. You’ll thrive in an environment that feels comfortable and supportive of your lifestyle, where the commute isn’t overly burdensome, and the workspace itself is visually and functionally appealing. This could mean choosing a job near home to avoid a long commute or finding a space that allows you to customize your work area. Your ideal location might also reflect a particular lifestyle or provide access to resources that support your work-life balance, such as cafes, fitness centers, or natural spaces.
Location pairs well with values like Flexibility (adapting your workspace to fit your needs), Sociability (connecting with coworkers in a shared space), and Predictability (a stable, familiar work setting). Together, these values create a fulfilling and supportive work environment that allows you to focus and feel at ease.
Crafting Your Position
Maximize your comfort and productivity by tailoring your physical and geographic work environment.
- Negotiate for Hybrid or Remote Work Options: If the ideal office location is not available, consider negotiating for hybrid or remote work options. This allows you to work from a space that suits your preferences, even if the office isn’t a perfect match.
- Seek a Workspace You Can Personalize: If possible, customize your desk or office space with items that make you feel comfortable and motivated—whether that’s a plant, art, or photos. Personalizing your environment can increase your sense of connection and belonging.
- Use Commute Time Strategically: If you have a commute, find ways to make it enjoyable or productive, such as listening to audiobooks or using time for mindful relaxation. Alternatively, explore different commute options (bike, carpool, train) that might improve your experience.
- Position Yourself Near Preferred Amenities: If you’re working in a city or business district, find a workspace near amenities you enjoy, such as cafes, parks, or gyms. These can provide valuable mental breaks and enhance your workday.
- Create Ideal Working Conditions within Your Space: Adjust aspects like lighting, temperature, and noise levels in your workspace if possible. Even small adjustments like a desk lamp or noise-canceling headphones can make a significant difference.
- Plan Regular Outings if Remote: If you work remotely, occasionally work from places that inspire you, like a local cafe or coworking space. Changing up your environment while working remotely can break up monotony and improve focus.
Potential Pitfalls & Solutions
Balance your location preferences with flexibility and adaptability for maximum productivity.
- Pitfall: Frustration with a Less-Than-Ideal Commute
Solution: If a lengthy commute is unavoidable, try strategies like carpooling, flexible hours to avoid peak traffic, or exploring public transit options. Making the commute more comfortable can reduce stress and improve your daily routine. - Pitfall: Difficulty Adapting to Unappealing Office Aesthetics
Solution: Focus on creating a positive micro-environment in your personal workspace. Add items that make you feel comfortable, and, if appropriate, suggest workplace improvements that benefit everyone, like better lighting or a communal coffee area. - Pitfall: Limited Social Interaction When Working Remotely
Solution: Schedule in-person meetings or occasional office days to maintain connections with colleagues. Engaging with coworkers through virtual coffee chats or team-building activities can also maintain social bonds in remote settings. - Pitfall: Discomfort with Frequent Workspace Changes
Solution: If your role involves moving between work sites or locations, create a “mobile workspace” kit with essentials like a laptop stand, portable charger, and any personal items that make you feel at ease in any setting. This can add consistency even in changing locations.
By aligning your work environment with your preferences, whether through location, ambiance, or commute, you’ll create a setting that supports both productivity and well-being. This approach allows you to thrive by working in spaces that are comfortable, inspiring, and conducive to your success.
Low Report
These Attributes are the least correlated with “fit" for your employee or candidate. In any relationship or negotiation, it is helpful to know what each side might be able to give in exchange for what you need. Where a low need from an employee or candidate aligns with a high need on your part, a mutually beneficial arrangement can likely be made.
Clarity
20%
What's this?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.
Autonomy Lowest Attribute
13%
What's this?Where This Fits
Autonomy is an APPROACH value, reflecting how individuals prefer to do their work rather than the type of work itself. People can achieve great success in the same role while using different approaches based on what brings them satisfaction. Knowing that autonomy is a lower priority helps clarify areas where you may be more adaptable, allowing for increased collaboration and team integration without feeling the need for high levels of personal control.
Leveraging Lower Values
Using your preference for collaboration to excel and find meaning in teamwork
Having autonomy as a lower priority doesn't mean you’re not independent or driven; it simply highlights a comfort and preference for coordination with others. Rather than seeking full control, you likely thrive when you can contribute to a shared mission as part of a well-structured team. This insight helps you approach tasks in ways that complement a collective effort, which can improve both satisfaction and productivity. Recognizing this can also allow you to focus on roles or tasks where collaboration is high, creating room for interactions that enhance connection with your work and your colleagues. If working with others aligns with higher values, low autonomy can actually help you focus on what brings you fulfillment while relying on others for the support and input that energizes you.
Strategic Advantages
Applying flexibility to autonomy for a teamwork-oriented, fulfilling approach
- Flexible Approaches: Embrace roles or projects where the responsibilities are well-defined, and where individual initiative is balanced with clear collaboration. This lets you engage effectively with team members without the pressure of needing full control over decisions, which can allow for a natural alignment with your approach preferences.
- Using This Value as a Support for Higher Values: Leverage your preference for lower autonomy to deepen relationships with your team. The ability to work well in a coordinated environment can help you direct more energy into fostering connections or focusing on outcomes that you value most.
- Opportunities for Quick Wins: Take the initiative to discuss workflow and communication preferences with your team, especially around project timelines or task clarity. A quick conversation can go a long way toward ensuring mutual support, minimizing micromanagement concerns, and creating a team structure that feels both engaging and supportive.
Mid Report
These key-indicators, while not as relevant to negotiation strategies or culture building, but should be studied and understood because, over the course of an employee’s career, it is likely that one or more of these results will increase in importance. There also might be an insight or question that will be of value, particularly as you compare this employee to others.
Leadership
57%
What's this?Where This Fits
Leadership is an ENVIRONMENT value, focusing on the importance of strong, effective, and inspiring guidance within the workplace. For those who value leadership, work satisfaction is closely linked to belief in the company’s mission and respect for its leaders. A healthy leadership culture can provide you with motivation, a sense of direction, and trust that the organization’s goals align with your own. Whether you aspire to lead directly or simply value being part of a well-led team, leadership plays a critical role in how you experience and engage with your work.
What You’re Seeking
With leadership as a top value, you’re looking for a work environment with credible, transparent, and supportive leaders. You’ll thrive in a company with a clear mission, where leadership sets the tone for an inspiring culture. Opportunities to take on supervisory or project-based leadership roles are also important, as they allow you to develop your own style and put your leadership instincts to use. When strong leadership is present, you can feel more engaged and committed to your work, confident in the direction the company is moving.
Leadership pairs well with values like Purpose (aligning with a meaningful mission), Clarity (clear communication from leaders), and Autonomy (leading your own work and contributing meaningfully). Together, these values help create a motivating and stable work environment where you can develop both your skills and your leadership potential.
Crafting Your Position
Strengthen leadership qualities in your role by seeking visibility and opportunities to contribute strategically.
- Engage Actively with Current Leaders: Seek regular feedback and insights from your direct manager or department head. By engaging with leadership, you’ll not only learn but also build rapport with key figures in your organization.
- Volunteer for Team Leadership on Projects: If formal leadership roles aren’t immediately available, take the lead on smaller projects or volunteer to coordinate team tasks. These experiences allow you to develop and showcase your leadership skills in a practical context.
- Develop a Personal Leadership Style: Reflect on leadership styles you admire and practice incorporating those elements into your interactions with others. Whether you lead directly or indirectly, consider ways to foster a positive and motivational influence on your colleagues.
- Stay Informed About Company Strategy and Vision: Make an effort to understand the organization’s mission, goals, and strategies. When you have a clear sense of the company’s direction, it’s easier to align your work with larger objectives and to motivate those around you.
- Take Initiative to Mentor or Support Peers: Offer mentorship to newer colleagues or peers who are working on unfamiliar tasks. Providing guidance, even informally, builds your leadership experience and shows that you’re committed to the team’s growth.
- Share Ideas and Solutions Proactively: Voice suggestions on improvements or innovative ideas during meetings or one-on-ones. Leadership isn’t limited to formal titles; your proactive problem-solving and initiative can make a meaningful impact and help establish you as a trusted contributor.
Potential Pitfalls & Solutions
Balance your desire for strong leadership with adaptability to diverse styles.
- Pitfall: Frustration with Ineffective Leadership
Solution: Focus on the aspects of the company’s mission or work culture that resonate with you, even if specific leaders don’t fully meet your expectations. Seek informal mentorship from leaders who do inspire you, even if they’re not directly in your line of management. - Pitfall: Risk of Overstepping When Acting in a Leadership Capacity
Solution: When stepping up, especially if it’s informal, clarify your role with your team or manager. Set respectful boundaries and communicate openly, ensuring that your support complements rather than conflicts with existing leadership. - Pitfall: Difficulty Navigating Hierarchical Bureaucracy
Solution: Work within existing systems to make an impact, using clear communication and patience. Emphasize constructive feedback and solutions when advocating for improvements, and consider aligning with allies within leadership to champion your ideas. - Pitfall: Feeling Stifled in Roles Without Leadership Opportunities
Solution: Look for ways to add leadership elements within your current role. This can include mentoring, managing small projects, or advocating for workplace improvements. If long-term leadership growth seems limited, consider building skills that position you for a future leadership role, either within or outside the organization.
By building strong relationships, seeking opportunities to lead projects, and aligning with inspiring leaders, you can integrate your leadership values into your role. This approach will allow you to create a positive, motivating environment for yourself and those around you.
Remuneration
57%
What's this?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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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. - 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. - 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. - 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.
Specialization
53%
What's this?Where This Fits
Specialization is an APPROACH value, which emphasizes deep expertise and mastery in a specific skill or field. People who prioritize specialization are often highly motivated by the opportunity to refine their abilities, become experts, and develop a unique niche within their profession. Focusing on specialization can be incredibly satisfying, as it often includes measurable growth, recognition of expertise, and unique contributions that make work feel both significant and personally rewarding. Whether in creative fields, technical roles, or analytical areas, specialization offers the chance to stand out as a go-to authority within an organization.
What You’re Seeking
If specialization is among your top values, you are looking for roles that enable you to deepen your expertise and demonstrate your skills in a clear, impactful way. You likely find fulfillment in mastering techniques or topics that not everyone around you is able to do, and you appreciate roles that allow for measurable, steady growth toward mastery. Developing a specialty often means focusing on skills that are quantifiable, allowing for concrete progress and enabling others to recognize your contributions.
Specialization pairs well with values like Autonomy (working independently to build expertise), Purpose (knowing your specialized skills are meaningful and valuable), and Training (opportunities to advance skills through formal or informal education). Together, these values contribute to creating a sense of satisfaction from mastering complex tasks and being trusted to handle important aspects of your work.
Crafting Your Position
Elevate your expertise by creating opportunities to develop and showcase specialized skills.
- Identify Your Core Strengths: Take inventory of the skills you enjoy developing and could envision becoming an expert in. Focus on skills that are in demand in your field and that genuinely interest you.
- Seek Out Skill-Intensive Tasks: Volunteer for projects that require deep technical knowledge, specific problem-solving abilities, or unique talents. By repeatedly working on these tasks, you will accelerate your path toward expertise.
- Pursue Continuous Learning: Enroll in relevant courses or certifications, attend workshops, or engage in advanced training programs related to your specialty. Not only will this build your expertise, but it will also signal your commitment to your field.
- Create Documentation and Resources: Develop resources like guides or process documentation for others based on your specialty. This practice not only reinforces your knowledge but also positions you as a resourceful expert in your area.
- Request Skill-Focused Feedback: Ask your manager or peers to provide feedback on specific skills that are central to your specialization. This feedback will give you actionable insights into areas of improvement and reinforce your growth.
- Showcase Your Skills in Team Meetings: Use team meetings to demonstrate how your specialized skills are benefiting the organization, whether through presentations, reports, or offering to mentor colleagues. This boosts visibility and reinforces your role as the team’s expert.
Potential Pitfalls & Solutions
Stay adaptable while maintaining focus on your specialization goals.
- Pitfall: Risk of Skills Becoming Too Narrow
Solution: While deep expertise is valuable, make sure to monitor trends in your industry to avoid becoming too specialized in a skill with diminishing relevance. Diversify slightly within your area to stay current and adaptable. - Pitfall: Difficulty Balancing Team Collaboration with Specialist Focus
Solution: Communicate clearly with team members about your area of focus and how it benefits the team. Encourage teammates to approach you for expertise within your specialty, while still engaging in collaborative work to maintain a team connection. - Pitfall: Frustration with Generalized Tasks or Rotating Responsibilities
Solution: Embrace general tasks as opportunities to apply your specialized knowledge in different contexts. Use each task to subtly reinforce your expertise by finding unique ways your specialty can enhance the outcomes. - Pitfall: Overemphasis on Self-Promotion
Solution: While showcasing expertise is important, balance this by supporting others’ successes. Regularly recognize team achievements as well, showing that you’re committed to shared goals alongside your specialized contributions.
By cultivating a focused path toward expertise while remaining adaptable and collaborative, you’ll establish yourself as a trusted, highly capable professional. This approach will allow you to grow your skills continuously and maintain long-term relevance in your field.
Flexibility
53%
What's this?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.
Excitement
50%
What's this?Where This Fits
Excitement is an ENVIRONMENT value, relating to the level of stimulation a person seeks in their work setting. While some people thrive on high-energy, fast-paced roles, others find greater satisfaction in stable, consistent environments. With excitement as a lower priority, you have the flexibility to pursue roles that may not be high-adrenaline but still offer meaningful work. Recognizing this preference highlights your ability to excel without requiring a constant influx of high-intensity tasks.
Leveraging Lower Values
Embracing a steady work environment that aligns with personal balance
Having excitement as a low priority doesn’t mean you don’t value engagement—it simply means you don’t rely on your job to deliver constant stimulation. This can be a tremendous advantage, as it opens you up to a wider range of work environments, particularly those that are stable, structured, and supportive. You may find satisfaction in roles that focus on reliable outcomes and long-term projects without the need for frequent thrills or constant change. This preference can also support stronger work-life balance, allowing you to reserve your energy for other pursuits outside of work that bring excitement or adventure. By understanding this value, you can focus on roles that align with your strengths, where steady performance is valued over constant action, creating a work experience that’s sustainable and satisfying.
Strategic Advantages
Focusing on stability and balance to create fulfilling work routines
- Flexible Approaches: Opt for roles that emphasize consistency and reliable processes. Jobs that offer a clear, steady workload and well-defined tasks allow you to work at your best without needing an adrenaline boost.
- Using This Value as a Support for Higher Values: By not relying on work for excitement, you have more bandwidth to pursue what matters most to you, such as growth, creativity, or mastery in your role. You can focus on building expertise, developing projects, or supporting team goals with a clear mind and steady engagement.
- Opportunities for Quick Wins: Set up routines that allow you to feel productive and accomplished without needing frequent highs. For example, creating a weekly schedule with clear milestones or periodic check-ins can help maintain steady motivation, supporting your best work without requiring a highly stimulating environment.
Status
40%
What's this?Where This Fits
Status is an Outcome value, associated with recognition, influence, and external validation in the workplace. When Status is a lower priority, it means that you don’t rely heavily on external recognition to feel valued, allowing you to focus on work that feels meaningful on a personal level. This can create flexibility in the kinds of roles you pursue and help you find fulfillment in work that aligns with your personal standards rather than others' admiration. Understanding this gives you the freedom to emphasize other priorities and excel in ways that are self-sustaining.
Leveraging Lower Values
Find satisfaction through meaningful work, rather than external validation.
With Status as a low priority, you’re less reliant on workplace recognition, allowing you to pursue roles where intrinsic motivation—rather than external approval—drives your performance. This preference enables you to contribute effectively in roles that might lack prestige but align well with your interests or strengths. Additionally, you can find fulfillment in areas outside of work, such as community involvement or personal achievements. If you also score high in values like Purpose, Autonomy, or Remuneration, this alignment can provide a strong foundation for a fulfilling and balanced work life.
Strategic Advantages
Embrace opportunities for meaningful work that aren’t tied to recognition.
- Flexible Approaches: Focus on roles where the work itself is fulfilling, regardless of its visibility or perceived prestige. Roles that emphasize meaningful impact or personal growth over external validation will allow you to thrive without a need for public acknowledgment.
- Using This Value as Support for Higher Values: If values like Purpose, Training, or Collaboration rank high, choose environments where you can develop skills or make meaningful contributions. The ability to work for self-driven satisfaction enables you to excel in roles others might find lacking in prestige, giving you an advantage.
- Opportunities for Quick Wins: Look for ways to build a sense of accomplishment through private recognition. This could involve personal goal-setting, creating a record of achievements, or receiving feedback from mentors rather than seeking broader acknowledgment. This approach reinforces self-worth without needing to rely on external validation.