An Important Role in My Successes

While the attributes I list below play an important role in my successes, I am aware that they can, depending on circumstances, also become liabilities. I attempt to evaluate both these angles in my descriptions.

I am cool under pressure. This is helpful during high-stress situations because I’m able to say collected. This allows me to continue to approach problems rationally, rather than scrambling, worrying, or thinking about potential failure. Other people depend on my ability to stay decisive. On the other hand, this ability is related to my tendency to stay reserved and express little emotion. This can lead people to think I’m unable to open up to them or that I’m generally uninterested, which can, in good times, lead to less-than-optimal team dynamics.

I am persistent. My general perspective is that everything can be achieved by putting in more time and energy. While this allows me to continue working on something I’m passionate about, it also gets me stuck in the details. I need to learn to step aside and overlook one detail that I’m perhaps not able to come to terms with in favour of understanding the “big picture” and working towards the larger goal.

I bring people together and look for consensus. This is especially helpful in tense group situations where no one is able to agree. This tendency to be agreeable also means I generally avoid drawing negative attention to myself by trying to push my ideas to the forefront of a discussion. Seeking consensus is useful, but all too often I allow my ideas to be diluted. In some circumstances, I should try more to express myself and my ideas regardless of whether it draws people together.

I create structure. For me, a simple framework can serve as a valuable starting point for any problem that needs to be solved. This tendency is especially useful for types of problems I’m already familiar with, and helps me move quickly. But, when applied to problems I’m unfamiliar with, it serves as a drawback. I can get stuck using a faux-structure, which prevents me from coming up with creative/innovative ideas.