Directors are independent, future-oriented, calm confident and controlled. They have a charismatic and commanding presence, and tend to be mature in outlook and approach. They are long-term thinkers, who thrive on setting goals and achieving them. Success is what matters most to Directors. The feeling of accomplishment – big or small – is really important for them. They are typically tough, but seek to harmonise activities in order to achieve the desired result. At some point they believe: ‘Enough with the talk, no more discussion, let’s actually get it done.’ Directors guide the team to what they perceive are the objectives. They are often excellent listeners and they are naturally able to recognise the value that each team member brings to the table. They are calm and good-natured, and delegate tasks very effectively. Directors are very result-oriented; they like to perform and win. When committed to a goal, they show a lot of persistence.
Workplace
Directors are strategic thinkers who formulate and communicate a vision for the organisation, formulating global procedures, delegating responsibilities and ensuring goal achievement. They typically end up in leadership positions and tend to have authority. They opt for a more traditional leadership role where: ‘this person makes orders that others are expected to follow’.
The Director clarifies expectations through processes such as planning and setting goals. They act as an initiator who defines problems, selects alternatives, indicates what should be pursued, defines roles and tasks, makes rules and policies, and gives instructions. Directors are often competitive, fast-acting decision makers, who make their expectations clear. Their subordinates know exactly what is expected of them.
The Director uses political skill to lead parties which have little to offer each other towards a common goal. They are used to hostile environments that can turn against them at any moment. They are an expert in the field of conflict handling. They persuade the parties that the common aim exceeds the differences and if it is perceived differently, they are the most likely person to negotiate a compromise that is acceptable to all parties.
Directors are mature individuals who have excellent interpersonal and communication skills. They are normally in management positions, but their management styles are very different from those of Shapers. Where Shapers manage through directives, Directors prefer a more democratic approach that includes open communication.
Team Dynamic
Directors often become the default chairperson of a team, stepping back to see the big picture. They typically control the way in which the team operates, ensuring that all team members participate productively. They make sure that principles of fairness and equity are respected. The Director focuses on the objectives of the team, clarifies them, distributes tasks and allocates duties and responsibilities. They make optimal use of team resources; identifying strengths and weaknesses.
Instead of focusing on the achievement of the organisation’s goals, Directors tend to concentrate on helping team members accomplish their individual objectives. They are normally good at identifying talent in a team and utilising it to achieve the group’s objectives. Directors are normally calm and trusting individuals who are adept at delegating work.
Directors are necessary to ensure that the team utilises each member’s strengths appropriately. As they tend to have broad perspectives, Directors are able to direct teams with diverse personalities and skills. The Director focuses on the team as a whole and how everyone working together can achieve the team’s shared goals. The main contribution of the Director is a calm ability to control and organise the team in a way that gets the best collective performance with the resources available.
Other Personas
Directors are confident, stable and mature, and because they recognise abilities in others, they are very good at delegating tasks to the right person for the job. The Director clarifies decisions, helping everyone else focus on their tasks. They generally push other personas forward and keep everyone focused.
Directors don’t like people who try to circumvent their duties because they are so committed. They don’t believe in taking shortcuts. Director’s work best with analytical, data-driven personalities like the Analyst. It complements them to work well with someone who can back up what they’re doing with data. They like dealing with people who are by-the-book.
Free-thinking, innovative Pioneers can sometimes frustrate Directors, as can aesthetic-oriented Brokers partly because these are traits that Directors don’t have, and don’t naturally fully understand.
In order to get on a Director’s good-side you have to be proactive and independent – and do the work. They appreciate people who, like Anchors, just do it.
Blind Spots
But a Director personality can lead to conflict with others. This personality makes it easier to manage things rather than people. Directors can have trouble dealing with both change and trust. As someone who can be a micromanager, it’s important to learn to trust your co-worker or staff member. The job will get done. It just might not be in the way the Director wants it to get done.
Typical Directors are very sure about the fact that sometimes people just need to be commanded or even fired. The result can be that the Director is perceived as hard and insensitive. They can sometimes be perceived to be manipulative, and have a tendency to delegate all work, leaving nothing but the delegating for them to do.
The main pitfall of the Director is that they become too forceful towards other team members, and focus too much on the result and too little on the process. This can result in them steam-rolling over the details in order to accomplish the end goals.
How to get the best out of Directors
Directors should be reminded not to take the credit for team successes or blame for failures. They should be coached to leverage the fact that they are in a great position to use their talents overtly to get the best out of your team. They must be encouraged to focus on keeping the team motivated, excited, and on task. But they must be clear on objectives and monitor progress regularly to ensure they don’t lose sight of the task.
Directors provide leadership, and value working with engaged and committed team members. It’s really important that they have support to be the leader they want to be. Their team is critical to overall success. Directors, as leaders are inherently goal-oriented and need to make a concerted effort to formulate goals that best meet the needs and wants of the team. After all, individual commitment to a group effort is what makes a team work.
The Director works well when paired with the Anchor who helps keep things moving and staying on track. The Achiever also shares the Director’s strategic organised nature.
Favoured Careers
You’ll find Directors in all sorts of careers, but the careers they most favour are listed below.
Director Careers
Academic
Actor
Advertiser
Advertising Executive
Aerospace Engineer
Analyst
Anthropologist
Archelogist
Archeology
Architect
Archivist
Art Director
Art Historian
Artist
Astronaut
Astronomer
Athetic Trainer
Athlete
Author
Bar Owner
Bartender
Beautician
Biochemist
Biologist
Biomedical Engineer
Biotechnology
Body Piercer
Book Editor
Bookseller
Botanist
Broadcast Journalist
Broadcaster
Business Analyst
Career in Entertainment Industry
Career in Sports Management
Career in Television Industry
Career in the Arts and Media
Career in the Fashion Industry
Career in the Media Industry
Career in the Music Industry
Career in the Performing Arts
Career in the Theater Industry
Chemical Engineer
Chemist
Chemistry Teacher
Choreographer
Civil Engineer
Comedian
Computer Consultant
Computer Engineer
Computer Industry
Computer Programmer
Computer Scientist
Computer Tech
Copy Editor
Costume Designer
Creative Director
Dance Teacher
Dancer
Data Analyst
Database Administrator
Diplomat
Ecologist
Economist
Editor
Egyptologist
Electrical Engineer
Engineer
Entertainer
Entertainment Industry
Entertainment Lawyer
Environmental Scientist
Event Coordinator
Event Planner
Fashion Designer
Fashion Editor
Fashion Industry
Fashion Merchandiser
Film Critic
Film Director
Film Editor
Filmmaker
Financial Advisor
Financial Analyst
Flight Attendant
Forensic Anthropologist
Forensic Scientist
Freelance Writer
Fundraiser
Geneticist
Genetics Researcher
Geologist
Hair Stylist
Historian
History Professor
Industrial Engineer
Information Technology
Information Technology Consultant
Information Technology Manager
Information Technology Professional
Interior Designer
Lab Technician
Librarian
Library Assistant
Lifeguard
Makeup Artist
Mathematician
Mechanical Engineer
Medical Researcher
Microbiologist
Military Intelligence
Model
Movie Director
Movie Producer
Movie Star
Museum Curator
Music DJ
Music Educator
Music Industry
Music Performer
Music Producer
Musician
Network Engineer
Neurologist
News Reader
Novelist
Nuclear Engineer
Paleontologist
Performer
Personal Trainer
Philosopher
Philosophy Professor
Photagrapher
Photo Journalist
Physicist
Policy Analyst
Political Scientist
Producer
Publisher
Race Car Driver
Radio DJ
Record Producer
Reporter
Research Assistant
Research Psychologist
Research Scientist
Researcher
Restaurant Owner
Sales Associate
Sales Manager
Salesman
Scholar
Scientist
Shop Assistant
Shop Owner
Singer
Software Designer
Software Developer
Software Engineer
Songwriter
Sports Management
Stage Manager
Statistician
Strategist
Stylist
Systems Analyst
Systems Engineer
Tattoo Artist
Technical Writer
Television Industry
Television Producer
Theater Teacher
TV Producer
University Professor
Video Editor
Virologist
Waiter
So, what's your Personality?
Click Personality Types below to find out more
The Big 5 Personality Test is the best psychometric test there is at predicting success in life and careers. Take our free personality test to discover what truly motivates you and the dominant personality traits that make you who you are.
1. Pioneer
Pioneers enable change and adaptation, and pay attention to the changing environment. They spot important trends, express ideas, anticipate change, and manage uncertainty and risk.
Brokers enjoy making new contacts and maintaining existing relations. They are communicative and open. They are able to exert influence and make use of their networks to get results.
Achievers are task-oriented and focused. They make high demands on themselves and others. Competitive and able to tolerate stress, they continuously aim high and track their results.
Directors are long term thinkers, focused on the future. They seek to clarify expectations through processes, planning and setting goals. They tend to be an initiator who defines problems.
The Anchor maintains the structure and flow. They are trustworthy and reliable, and focused on tasks such as organising and coordinating efforts of the team, dealing with logistical issues.
Analysts know what is happening by breaking problems apart to see all the alternatives. They focus on gathering information and data, and looking at situations from different perspectives.
The Shaper promotes cooperation and teamwork. They are typically process-oriented, contributing to cohesion and morale, establishing participation and promoting team problem solving.
Mentors achieve success by developing people through a caring and compassionate approach. They are helpful, caring, sensitive, approachable, open and fair. Mentors listen to others.
