Joe Schmoe'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

Flexibility is an ENVIRONMENT value, which relates to the physical and structural setting of your work. If flexibility ranks highly for you, you likely want a work environment that allows you to set your own schedule or adapt your work hours as needed. Flexibility empowers you to structure work around your life rather than the other way around. This adaptability can increase job satisfaction, reduce stress, and lead to greater overall well-being. A flexible work environment is outcome-focused, emphasizing results over rigid schedules and offering you a sense of freedom in how and when you work.

What You’re Seeking

With flexibility as a top value, you are looking for roles that allow you to manage your own time, ideally with an option for remote or hybrid work. You’ll find fulfillment in jobs where the focus is on deliverables and results rather than specific office hours, giving you the ability to balance work with other personal commitments. This type of environment also benefits people who work best with autonomy and minimal micromanagement, enabling them to thrive through self-motivation.

Flexibility complements values like Autonomy (control over how you work), Predictability (setting your own stable routines), and Excitement (adapting to changes in a dynamic environment). Together, these values help you find a fulfilling work-life blend that enables both productivity and personal satisfaction.

Crafting Your Position

Increase your flexibility by setting clear goals and demonstrating consistent results.

1. Establish Open Conversations About Flexibility: During meetings with your manager, discuss your work style and preferences around flexible hours or remote work. By explaining how flexibility enhances your productivity, you can help set the foundation for a supportive work environment.
2. Request Outcome-Based Goals: Propose setting goals based on specific deliverables or outcomes rather than time spent. This gives you room to manage your own time while still ensuring productivity aligns with organizational objectives.
3. Communicate Proactively: Share regular updates on your work progress. By keeping your manager in the loop, you reinforce that flexibility doesn’t hinder your performance, which helps to build trust and maintain the flexibility you need.
4. Use Flexibility to Meet Deadlines Ahead of Time: Show the benefits of flexible working by occasionally completing tasks ahead of schedule. Consistently exceeding expectations can demonstrate that a flexible arrangement is beneficial for everyone.
5. Experiment with Ideal Work Hours: Test different schedules to discover when you’re most productive and share these insights with your manager. For example, if you work best in the mornings, propose arranging meetings in the afternoon or blocking focused time earlier in the day.
6. Respect Key Office Hours: Even in a flexible role, be mindful of times when team interaction is essential. Flexibility works best when balanced with respect for the needs of the team, which will help maintain trust and mutual support.

Potential Pitfalls & Solutions

Flexibility requires setting boundaries and managing expectations to avoid conflicts.

1. Pitfall: Lack of Structure Leading to Overwork
   Solution: Set personal boundaries around work hours, even when working remotely. Use tools like a set “end of workday” reminder or a scheduled walk to create a clear break between work and personal time.
2. Pitfall: Misalignment with a Less Flexible Team or Manager
   Solution: Align with your team by openly discussing flexible work arrangements, and clarify times when you’ll be available to collaborate. Reinforce your commitment to the team while also advocating for your preferred working style.
3. Pitfall: Risk of Being Perceived as Less Committed
   Solution: Be visible in team communications and proactive in sharing your achievements. Make a point to attend important meetings and be responsive, so others recognize that flexibility supports rather than diminishes your productivity.
4. Pitfall: Finding Flexibility Hard to Achieve in Traditional Work Cultures
   Solution: If you’re in a traditionally rigid environment, propose a trial period of flexible hours with measurable goals. Show evidence of increased productivity or reduced stress, which can help make the case for a more permanent arrangement.

Flexibility allows you to align your work life with personal needs, creating a balanced and satisfying environment. By building trust, delivering results, and staying communicative, you can integrate flexibility into your role to enhance both productivity and well-being.

Where This Fits

Status is an OUTCOME value, reflecting a desire for respect, recognition, and a visible place within an organization. For those who value status, satisfaction at work is closely tied to receiving "earned respect" from colleagues, managers, and the organization as a whole. Unlike financial reward or authority, status centers on how others view your contributions, skills, and expertise. Feeling valued and respected for what you bring to the table can boost motivation, confidence, and a sense of achievement. Status also contributes to career growth, as respected team members are often trusted with greater responsibilities and advancement opportunities.

What You’re Seeking

If status is a top value for you, you’re looking for roles where contributions are recognized and individual expertise is valued. You may find fulfillment in environments that promote visibility for accomplishments, allow you to serve as an expert or advisor, and provide opportunities for advancement based on performance. Roles with clear criteria for recognition and promotion will align well with your values, helping you feel validated and appreciated for your work. Additionally, workplaces with a culture of acknowledgment—where contributions are highlighted and credit is given where it’s due—will be particularly satisfying.

Status pairs well with values like Specialization (becoming an expert in a specific area), Leadership (guiding others and being seen as an authority), and Purpose (receiving respect for contributing to a meaningful cause). Together, these values foster a work environment where recognition is earned, contributions are respected, and career growth feels attainable and rewarding.

Crafting Your Position

Cultivate earned respect by building credibility and making meaningful contributions.

1. Position Yourself as an Expert: Identify a skill or area of knowledge in your role that others rely on, and make it your specialty. By building expertise, you’ll earn trust and become a go-to person on your team, which naturally builds respect and status.
2. Communicate Your Achievements: Keep your manager updated on your progress and contributions. When you achieve something noteworthy, share it as part of a project update or in a way that connects your work to team or company goals.
3. Help Others and Offer Support: Proactively assist colleagues with your expertise when possible. By being seen as a reliable, helpful team member, you build goodwill and respect without needing to self-promote.
4. Seek High-Impact Assignments: Look for projects where your efforts will be highly visible or where your contributions can make a noticeable difference. High-stakes projects are often the ones that gain attention from leadership, offering you a platform to stand out.
5. Request Formal Feedback: Ask for regular performance feedback from your manager, emphasizing your interest in growth and improvement. Constructive feedback not only guides your development but also reinforces that you are a valued contributor.
6. Volunteer for Public Presentations or Reports: Whenever possible, take the lead in presenting results or sharing updates in team meetings or company-wide settings. Public visibility for your work helps you establish credibility and recognition across the organization.

Potential Pitfalls & Solutions

Balance your desire for recognition with collaboration and a focus on team goals.

1. Pitfall: Risk of Feeling Undervalued When Recognition Is Lacking
   Solution: If formal recognition is limited, create your own system to track and celebrate your progress. Document your achievements for performance reviews and find ways to feel personally satisfied with your contributions, regardless of external praise.
2. Pitfall: Potential for Over-Competitiveness
   Solution: While it’s natural to want to stand out, remember that respect is also earned by supporting your team’s success. Show that you value collaboration by recognizing others’ contributions, which can foster mutual respect and help build your status.
3. Pitfall: Difficulty Navigating a Workplace Culture That Devalues Individual Contributions
   Solution: Seek out allies and mentors who recognize the importance of individual contributions. Even if the organization doesn’t emphasize individual recognition, finding a few supportive colleagues can help validate your efforts.
4. Pitfall: Frustration with Unfair Credit-Sharing Practices
   Solution: If credit-sharing issues arise, maintain a record of your contributions to share during reviews or one-on-ones with your manager. Politely and professionally correct misattributions when necessary, reinforcing your commitment to transparency and fairness.

By building credibility, supporting others, and focusing on high-impact contributions, you can cultivate a respected position within your team and organization. These strategies will help you achieve the recognition and respect that align with your values, creating a fulfilling work experience based on earned respect.

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.

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
Purpose is an Outcome value, related to finding meaning and mission in one’s work. If Purpose is lower on your priority list, it doesn’t reflect a lack of passion or interest in meaningful work—it simply means that you don’t rely on your job for a sense of purpose. This can be an asset, as it allows you to approach your role pragmatically, focusing on career goals that serve you well while saving your energy for passions or commitments outside of work. Recognizing this also helps clarify that satisfaction can come from a balanced, resourceful use of your job as a support for other aspects of your life.

Leveraging Lower Values
Direct your career focus on practical outcomes and personal goals.
With Purpose as a lower priority, you can explore roles that maximize other career values without needing them to align with a larger mission or cause. This approach frees you to make decisions that enhance your job satisfaction on a day-to-day level, such as better pay, flexibility, or skill development. Prioritizing roles that provide resources you can later apply to personal projects or passions can also support a balanced and fulfilling life. Additionally, if you score highly on values like Remuneration, Flexibility, or Training, focusing on these will enhance your professional and personal well-being.

Strategic Advantages
Use this flexibility to prioritize job roles that support your broader life goals.

• Flexible Approaches: Since mission alignment is less critical, feel empowered to seek positions based on practical factors, such as good pay, skill development, or flexible hours. Focus on the benefits your job can provide to sustain your non-work passions or projects.
• Using This Value as Support for Higher Values: Leverage your pragmatism to seek roles that meet your top career priorities. For example, if Remuneration or Training is a higher value, select opportunities that maximize earning potential or professional growth, even if the job’s mission isn’t personally significant to you.
• Opportunities for Quick Wins: Make purposeful use of your job’s resources to support what gives you purpose outside of work. For example, allocate earned income toward hobbies or community involvement, allowing your job to directly fuel what fulfills you.