Testimonials and Case Studies

Case study 1: interplay between a Creator and an Accumulator in a creative setting

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A string quartet with a flourishing performance career were struggling to organise rehearsals. They had various conflicting factors such as freelance performance and teaching work, and caring responsibilities. On top of this, the personalities within the group varied significantly with the result that their approach to scheduling was very different. There was a particular clash between two members of the group, Player A and Player B. Player A was very grounded and on top of their schedule, with an electronic diary consistently up to date and a clear sense of the priorities in their scheduling decisions. Player B was more of a blue-sky thinker in character, and took a more fluid approach to their scheduling decisions. The two players clashed as Player A felt Player B wasn’t taking the group’s schedule seriously, and Player B felt Player A didn’t understand or allow for the complexities of their work life. 

 

Through the Talent Dynamics process, we identified that Player A was an ‘Accumulator’ profile and Player B was a ‘Creator’ profile. Accumulators are characterised as introverted, slower-paced workers who see opportunities and make incremental changes which lead to success and excellence. They are generally measured and good at time management. Creators are ideas people - they like creating new things and processes, and are typically better at starting things than finishing them. Player B had a tendency to see every new scheduling challenge as a brand new project that needed to be implemented, whereas Player A had a process in place which they followed for any new information that came in, and the act of scheduling was therefore easier for them day to day.

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Case study 2: how 'Star' profiles can find their flow 

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A freelance storyteller client wanted to have a more regimented schedule for administration in her work. Her creative work included giving workshops, performing on stage, writing and research. She also managed all her own marketing, invoicing, and the logistics of her self employed work, and outside of work is a mother and a carer. She came to me looking for help with working these factors into a set of scheduling rules that she could use to manage her energy and make sure everything got done. She was struggling with overwhelm, tiredness, and a constant sense of not having done enough.

 

On examining her Talent Dynamics profile, we learned that she is a ‘Star’ profile. Stars are (amongst other things) defined as extroverted, burning brightly, with a lot to offer, but also easily burned out. When in flow, they shine brightly, illuminating the brilliance of others, and acting as mouthpieces for their organisation or their art. However, they can be pulled out of flow by tasks such as scheduling and managing complex detailed projects. Our discussion touched on how the different aspects of her work made her feel - performing, for instance, used a lot of energy whereas workshops created energy due to receiving so much from the participants. The Star profile provided a framework for discussing what her most and least favourite elements of her work are, what she could seek support with, and what she needed to do to create and protect her energy and to shine brightly for herself and others.