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Skip to the main content.
Organisational design and people INSIGHTS made easy.

Engage Arrow Left

HireArrow Left

Develop Arrow Left

Deeply understand your organisation with science-backed analytics on your culture, team design, and engagement.

Automatically match to candidates who are a great fit for your team culture and who are intrinsically motivated to succeed.

Back your onboarding, compliance and skill development with industry-leading credentialling, competency and capability expertise.

 

Me, MY TEAM, My Company
My work personality is:

The Pioneer💡

"Let's do it differently!"

Your personality has been mapped against the types of work crucial for high-performing teams.

Work Personality Pioneer

Introduction

Unbound by the shackles of routine, the Pioneer thrives in spontaneity and flexibility, possessing an unparalleled skill to navigate through the unplanned and envision the future. They are the innovators, the conceptual thinkers who relish every opportunity that comes with risk.

Delve deeper into the characteristics that define a Pioneer, and paint a comprehensive picture of their abstract thought process, creative imaginations, and their love for complexity.

Major characteristics

  • Innovator and conceptual thinker.
  • Spontaneous, flexible, open-ended.
  • Unplanned and future oriented.
  • Creative, imaginative, and conceptually abstract.
  • Risk taking and enjoys complexity.

Main preferences for work

Aptly named, this personality type thrives in change, constantly challenging the status quo and driving innovation. Preferring independence and autonomy in their role, a Pioneer flourishes in a dynamic environment that's constantly evolving.

  • Driven by a need to innovate and initiate change.
  • Enjoys challenging the status quo and generating new ideas.
  • Seeks roles that challenge traditional methods.
  • Values independence and autonomy in tasks.
  • Thrives in dynamic and evolving environments.

Potential blind-spots at work

While pioneers are usually visionaries and innovators, they do have, like all personality types, some potential blind spots. From overlooking valued established processes, favouring grand theories over details, to occasionally causing disruptions with revolutionary ideas, and facing hurdles with routine tasks, these areas provide insight into the potential challenges Pioneers may encounter.

  • Can overlook established processes that still hold value.
  • Might ignore details in favour of overarching theories.
  • Occasionally disrupts team harmony with radical ideas.
  • May struggle with tasks that require routine and consistency.

Tips for collaborating with this personality type

Pioneers are known for their innovative and visionary nature, often drawing outside the lines to come up with fresh ideas and solutions. It's key to harness these unique traits while avoiding common pitfalls that could stifle their creativity.

Here is a list of essential do's and don'ts that will help you engage with Pioneers in the most productive and inspiring way.

Do's

  • Do channel their innovative tendencies into structured brainstorming.
  • Do provide opportunities for them to lead projects that require new ideas.
  • Do encourage their visionary and future-oriented thinking.
  • Do support their spontaneous and flexible approach to work.

Don'ts

  • Don't confine them to traditional methods without room for innovation.
  • Don't underestimate their need to challenge the status quo.
  • Don't ignore their suggestions for radical improvements or changes.
  • Don't stifle their creativity with too many restrictions or rigid guidelines

 

Knowing Me (worksheet)

Jam-packed with insightful questions, this is a worksheet all about you. Yes, you heard it right, YOU.

This worksheet is intended to help you delve deeper into your work personality and understand how you tick. And once you gain clarity about yourself, you won’t be keeping it a secret.

The "Knowing Me" worksheet is a fantastic way to share your insights with your team. By inviting your colleagues into your world, you are encouraging a more cohesive and understanding work environment.

So, let's get down to business and start filling it out, shall we?

Knowing Me The Pioneer
  • Are you the one who consistently suggests creative, out-of-the-box solutions?
  • Or perhaps, you're the adaptable team player who keeps the team flexible and open?
  • Do you encourage brainstorming and exploration of new approaches?

Remember, these examples are just a starting point - your worksheet is your canvas to fill with your own unique colors and shades.

👉 Download the Knowing Me worksheet for The Pioneer

Guess who?

Peer into the minds of the world's most influential leaders 📣

Ever wondered if you share a personality type with Nelson Mandela, Steve Jobs, or perhaps Mother Teresa? Here's your chance to find out, but there's a catch! We aren't revealing them upfront.

Try guessing them first. As you click each mystery card, the leader will be revealed.

These leaders are imaginative, innovative, visionary, risk-taker, future-focused, and spontaneous. 🤔

guess-male-1

He pushes the boundaries of innovation while operating world-leading electric vehicle and aerospace companies.

Elon Musk 💡

CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, known for his visionary and risk-taking approach to pushing the boundaries of innovation and technology.

guess-male-1

Known for his spirit and groundbreaking innovations, this leader was instrumental in creating a global tech giant.

Steve Jobs 💡

Co-founder of Apple, renowned for his pioneering spirit, ability to think outside the box, and focus on groundbreaking innovation.

guess-male-1

He transformed how people connect online, leading one of the world's largest social media platforms.

Mark Zuckerberg 💡

Co-founder of Facebook (Meta), admired for his visionary approach to transforming how people connect through social media.

Want to guess more influential leaders?

Career paths

When contemplating career prospects, Pioneers crave roles that cater to their penchant for adaptability, problem-solving, and creative expression.

Their adaptability allows them to thrive in fluctuating work conditions, constantly finding new and creative ways to solve problems and fulfill their responsibilities.

With their vast imagination and incredible adaptability, Pioneers are well-suited to a range of careers that require the ability to innovate and think outside the box.

Careers such as Growth Hackers, UX/UI Designers, and Product Development Managers allow them to use their creativity to develop new strategies and designs.

Their problem-solving skills make them excellent candidates for roles like Changes & Transformation Manager or Corporate Strategist.

Additionally, their talent for creative expression can be well utilised in positions like Scriptwriter, Concept Artist, or Documentary Filmmaker.

The full list:

  • Growth Hacker
  • New Ventures Lead
  • Creative Brand Strategist
  • UX/UI Designer
  • Product Development Manager
  • User Experience Researcher
  • Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) Specialist
  • Changes & Transformation Manager
  • Corporate Strategist
  • Design Thinking Consultant
  • Strategic Partnerships Manager
  • Sustainability Consultant
  • Scriptwriter
  • Trend Analyst
  • Innovation Consultant
  • Creative Producer
  • Documentary Filmmaker
  • Concept Artist
  • Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Manager

Leadership style

Individuals have natural or preferred leadership styles that align with their personality types.

For Pioneers, they may find aspects of their preferred leadership style easier or more challenging in certain circumstances. But that doesn't mean they can't adapt to specific situations.

Effective leaders are flexible and change their approach based on the situation.

By remaining flexible in their approach, Pioneers can harness their strengths while also adapting to the team's needs and the demands of the task.

The pioneer's natural leadership style is:

Non-Directive Leadership

isolated-directive-grey

Directive Leadership involves providing clear instructions and goals, and expecting a structured approach from the team.

isolated-democratic-grey

Democratic Leadership advocates for collaboration, shared decision-making, and appreciates team contributions.

isolated-non-directive

Non-Directive Leadership allows for team autonomy, offering guidance only when required.

What does this mean? 🤔

Non-Directive Leadership takes a hands-off approach, providing teams with autonomy and trusting them to make their own decisions. Leaders using this style focus on empowering their team, offering guidance only when necessary.

This leadership style is effective in environments that rely on innovation, where highly skilled teams require minimal supervision and are trusted to manage themselves. Read more.

HOW to ADAPT TO other situations

Any leadership style can be adjusted to fit different situations and team needs.

Click each tab below to discover what's easy and hard when adapting to each leadership style.

Select an option below:
  • Directive
  • Democratic
  • Non-Directive

Blindspots?

Pioneers may struggle with situations that require more hands-on guidance, follow-up, or strict deadlines.

What's easy?

Pioneers can handle directive leadership when the task requires a bold, innovative vision, but they prefer to lead in ways that allow flexibility and creativity.

Blindspots?

Pioneers will struggle with strict processes, rigid expectations, and limited room for experimentation.

What's easy?

Pioneers enjoy democratic leadership when it allows for brainstorming and sharing new ideas with the team. They thrive in open, creative environments.

Blindspots?

Pioneers may find it hard to navigate team dynamics when there’s too much structure or when collaboration slows down innovation.

Want to be sure if
Directive Leadership,Democratic Leadership,Non-Directive Leadership
is right for the current situation or decision your team faces?

In 10 short questions, find out the most appropriate leadership approach you can use for every team situation.

leadership-style-dial

Resolving conflict in teams

For leaders, conflict within a team can seem like a daunting challenge.

Yet, when equipped with a deep understanding of each team member's unique personality, leaders can harness these moments to foster growth, spark innovation, and cultivate harmony.

Below is practical advice for leaders to navigate such scenarios effectively, based on the personality types in their team. 

Click each personality type below to see practical advice for a leader to manage conflict with the Pioneer.

 
 
Discover your own
Work Personality
Free "Knowing Me" worksheet
DOES EVERYONE PLAY NICELY IN THE SANDPIT? 😉 

Share the personality assessment with
your team and find out how to get along.
👇

Your personality has been mapped against the types of work crucial for high-performing teams.

compono - Rudy with personality tools

Designed by corporate psychologist, Rudy Crous.

Research identifies 8 key work types crucial for high-performing teams. If any work type shows weakness within a team, leaders can analyse the gaps and create plans to strengthen performance.

Explore How

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What is your Work Personality?

Reading a colleague's profile?

Or keen to take the assessment again?

Take this simple assessment and arm yourself with the insights needed to drive your performance to the next level.

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