Areas of Life: Career
Work can mean very different things for each Connection Style.
Work can mean very different things for each Connection Style.
About: Career
Our Areas of Life categories help define how we interact with the world. Rather than define our relationships either romantically or through friendships, we have created an expansive system focused on all areas of a person’s life, from their interactions at work to how they create their chosen families and participate in their broader communities.
Work can mean very different things for each Connection Style. And while a person’s Connection Style may not determine where they work, it can determine when, how and why they choose to show up for their co-workers. In places of responsibility, your connections to others may flourish or flounder.
In this Areas of Life guide, we will break down how each Connection Style’s work environment can influence their approach to connection and relationships.
Connection Styles and Career
How we choose to show up in places of work and responsibility
Cultivators
Developing strong or close relationships are not necessarily important to Cultivators. It may be rare for a Cultivator to develop such a relationship in a work environment. If they do form a strong bond with someone at work, it would be in spite of, not because, they work together. Cultivators may have difficulty initiating or reaching out to coworkers, although they will talk with others when necessary and due to the circumstances.
Despite this, Cultivators take pride in their work (much like they take pride in the strength of their relationships). They are dependable and hardworking, like they are in other areas of their life.
Seekers
Seekers often don’t feel like it is necessary to develop strong relationships with their co-workers (as the nature of work may hinder authentic connection), though they might anyway. As a “deep” person and a good listener, other people often look to Seekers for growth or advice applicable to their own lives. This helps establish good bonds with their co-workers, if they are open to it. Seekers who display positivity in the workplace will likely find success. People look up to Seekers, so their opinions hold more weight than they may imagine.
Enthusiasts
Enthusiasts value good relationships with their co-workers. Enthusiasts value connection, generally, and this is true in their work life as in other places. Enthusiasts don’t seek to foster intimate ties with co-workers when it doesn’t feel authentic. But if Enthusiasts feel like they can show their genuine selves, those co-workers can move into the friend category.
Organizers
A lively work environment is likely important, or at least beneficial, for Organizers. Unlike some other Connection Styles, Organizers tend to have strong relationships with their coworkers. Like other areas of their life, Organizers want to “show up” and find it is important to “be there” for their coworkers. They will gravitate toward people, wanting to get to know them and learn what makes them tick. In leadership positions, this helps them understand when something is off.
Likewise, they want others to be able to trust them. Good at seeing both one’s strengths and weaknesses, Organizers are valuable additions to most organizations.
Truth Tellers
Truth Tellers aren’t often focused on creating close relationships with their fellow co-workers. Work environments may make them feel stifled. They may feel like they have to hide part of themselves. In fact, they might prefer remote work, which requires less face time with co-workers, giving them time to rest and recharge between meetings. If they are in a work environment where they can be their authentic selves, they can thrive.